Listers,
I hope my bike care regime lives up to the high standards of the CR list!
Generally, upon receiving a bike, no matter what the condition, I ream out all the tubes with a wire brush. At this point, I make sure that the build details of the frame are exactly as other bike collectors tell me that 'it was done'. If there is any discrepancy, I just pull the tube and braze in the correct one, in the correct way.
When sourcing parts, I generally purchase NOS parts. If the part is rare and I cannot find a NOS part I will take a lightly used part and aggressively sand the item till the NOS surface shows. Then, I feel I've managed a reasonable compromise.
I remove all non-NOS shavings and grit from the part using a brush made of the leg hairs of Cino Cinelli and the arm hairs of Brian Baylis. For really craggy parts with dark hidden corners, I use my Richard Sachshair brush, but this is a modern compromise. If the part is for a lightweight weight weenie bike I use the short hairs of Mr. Peter Weigle, but there are holes in my theories.
I will then throw the parts into a polisher filled with rock chips from the Arenburg forest to abrasively remove any non-correct grease. I then re-grease with period correct Campy grease and oil extracted from the wrapping paper of NOS in box parts. (I have a still for this made of Simplex derailleurs and Zeus parts). Nothing gets my goat more than using Teflon based lubricants, which - as we all know - is shamefully wrong and completely OT.
I will then insure that all decals are correct. If they are not correct, as other collectors tell me, I then remove all the stickers and replace them with the correct ones. This way the bike will be correct even from 2000 years away.
I also repaint the frame even if the paint is perfect, and generally detail the frame with a small vial of the blood of Coppi, Bartali and Merckx. If I am out of time, and I must confess to this sheepishly, I hasten the process by adding a dab of the blood of Tom Simpson (NOS in a vial)
At that point, my wall hangar is ready to ride. I straddle the bike in my bicycle display room, and suggestively stroke its tubes.I love having a bike to display to the off topic younger generation! Sometimes I have (OT) Cipollini come and rub in the proofide on the saddle with his chest hairs prior to hisown weekly waxing. I also have Tom Boonen come and make sure the lines on the bike are correct- he can typically sniff out any problem!.
I have found a rather unorthodox means of keeping the sheen on my tubes. I generally fly (OT) Cindy Whitehead (http://www.dirtragmag.com/forums//attachment.php?attachmentid=3018&stc=1&d=1142398152) in from Colorado to rub her breasts on the bike for that final 'shine'. I once tried it with Jeannie Longo, but it didn't work.
Now my wall hangar is ready.
Cheers,
Harry Schwartzman
Brooklyn, NY.