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Had a guy bring in a 1985 Schwinn yesterday and it got me thinking about old vs new
He dropped it off for a tune up and spent 20 minutes telling me how his dad rode it across 3 states back in the 80s. I asked if he wanted me to swap the steel rims for aluminum and he got all defensive, saying the original parts made it special. But then he complained about how hard it was to stop in the rain. That got me wondering, do you fix up old bikes with modern parts to make them ride better, or keep them original for the history? What's your rule on that debate?
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river_scott22d ago
...and that's exactly why that guy is gonna keep his rain-stopping death trap and call it "character building." Look man, I get the sentimental thing but slapping on some alloy rims and a new brake set isn't going to erase his dad's cross-country memories. It's still the same frame, same soul. The dude probably thinks patina is a flavor of ice cream too. If he wants to keep riding with brakes that work like wet cardboard, that's his funeral. Literally. My rule is simple: keep the frame and fork original, upgrade everything that keeps you from eating pavement. History doesn't help you stop at a crosswalk.
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lisa97612d ago
Patina is actually a bike paint thing, not ice cream.
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william_taylor21d ago
Yeah, I feel for the guy honestly. That bike means something to him and it's tough to balance keeping it true to his dad's memory with actually wanting to ride it safely. My view is you do what makes you want to keep riding it, and for most people that means a few modern upgrades.
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