I do think the gold ano stuff on this bike is hideous, and the orange tyres don't help. On top of a badly painted frame, it's an unappealing dog's dinner and I'd be astonished if it sells at this price. As you point out, Hugh, the seller is mistaken if he thinks the bike has a financial value equivalent to the total of all the time and money he has spent on it. It just doesn't work like that -- though there's no harm in trying and good luck to this fellow if he makes his price. But we all know that the way to make a little bit of money is to strip complete bikes that are in shabby condition and sell the parts. (Though in my case, it's more often strip the bike, clean the parts, get to like the parts, wonder how they perform and end up keeping them...) I guess many of us on the list finance our hobby this way, and few of us imagine that -- outside a few absolute top bikes in the vintage line-up -- building up a beautiful vintage bike is anything other than a labour of love.
Giles O'Bryen London, UK
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Message: 12 Date: Sat, 5 Feb 2011 12:56:17 +0000 (GMT) From: Hugh Thornton <hughwthornton@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: [CR] Peugeot PX10 on eBay To: Classic Rendezvous <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org> Message-ID: <798054.97473.qm@web25906.mail.ukl.yahoo.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1
There is a good looking but timewise odd PX10 on ebay, # 200571944250 . The vendor has gone to a lot of trouble to collect parts appropriate for a representation of Thevenet's 1975 TdF winning bike, but has spoiled the effect with an earlier style white with black lug paint job, instead of the plain silver of? Thevenet's bike, and earlier style decals.? He has also slightly over-gilded the lily (almost literally) with more gold than the team bikes had.
If the bike were repainted in the correct color and fitted with the correct decals it would look much more coordinated and a good representation of Thevenet's bike.? My only question is whether one should have to repaint a bike at that price to get it right - it is an awful lot of money and I would have thought that it could be reproduced for a lot less.
I guess it raises the further question of whether someone who renovates a bike can reasonably expect to get reimbursed for the time and expense of restoration when they sell it.? In general I do not expect to get my money back, so I only spend time and money on bikes I want to keep - the last bike I restored is probably financially worth what I spent on rechrome and repaint.? Obviously its value to me is higher, but I fully recognize that if I do sell it, I will "lose" financially and someone else will get a good deal.? My payback will be the fun I had with it. Still pretty much a win-win.
Hugh Thornton
Cheshire, England