I sent my 1985 Bianchi Veloce to Cyclart for repair. It's a middle of the road model that doesn't have much monetary value, but it was my first real bike and I won a number of races with it when I was a kid; so it has a great deal of sentimental value. The top tube has a minor dent from a collision I had with a car 25 years ago that I've wanted to have repaired ever since. A number of people recommended Cyclart so I emailed Jim Cunningham.
I told him what I wanted done, remove the dent, keep the existing paint, and touch up some of the larger eyesores. He said that was a pretty basic repair and suggested I send it to him for an estimate. When I eventually got the estimate, it was for a dent repair and a cheap powder coat. I called Jim and explained to him how keeping the original paint was very important to me, that I didn't mind if it didn't come out perfect.
You could tell from the conversation he didn't want to be bothered, going on about how his painters/artists wouldn't find much motivation from such a job, that there was little satisfaction or gratification to be had from such a project. After I told him how much the bike meant to me, he appeared to understand and accepted to give me a quote for the work requested. Several few weeks later, Jim obviously changed his mind; I got a mail from Susan with the original estimate (dent removal plus re-finish).
I contacted Cyclart once again asking for a quote for a complete CycleTique treatment for the frame realizing it would be costly. Apparently, Cyclart has no interest in doing the work and offered to send me back the frame as is.
Were my expectations too high? I was willing to spend considerably more than what the bike was worth for a simple frame repair and explained it to them long before I ever sent them the frame. I wrongly assumed Cyclart would understand the passion emotion and history that an owner can have with a particular bike; what a disappointment.
Could someone recommend a shop that would do such a repair?
Paul Ozzello
Montreal Canada