BoTM Ideas Themes or Suggestions

[Ductape]

I have to ask this question again. I asked in the last thread that was locked up before anybody really spoke up.

Why do some of you have issues with well restored bikes that are not ridden (garage queens)?

What is the logic that says after you spend a few years putting a piece together it isn't cool unless you ride the heck out of it?

I have plenty of mountain bikes to ride from several eras, and they even all fit. Currently I am working on a long term project I have no plans of riding farther than the end of the block when it is complete. I have been lobbying with my wife for at least a year now letting her know my desire to hang this from the wall inside the house when completed. I think I will get my way.

I know with previous projects I always try to take some pics to post when complete before riding and getting dirty. Right now in my garage, I have an old dirty Ritchey, American, and Rodriguez that need a thorough cleaning once again. Don't you guys spend days taking each component apart to clean restore and re grease before mounting back on the frame.

I am blessed that I have more than one bike to ride if the desire is there to ride vintage (suppose it would be a lot different if I collected cars). Do I need to continually get them all dirty in order to justify their coolness?

I think a lot of the bikes in the BOTM competition are in this category. Put away to admire and not ride except on very special occasions.

My father collects rifles. When I was a child, we would go out in the woods or to the range and shoot some of these guns. There were some guns he collected that were never fired. I remember asking him as a child if I could shoot them. He just smiled and said no not that one. Stuff he bought new back in the 60's and 70's. He still has them. They still have never been shot. I enjoy watching him with fellow gun collectors as he drags these thing out of his safe to show and the pleasure they bring. I could care less about them but I sure appreciate the smile and passion my dad has as he shares these works of art with others who appreciate them as much as he.

What will we do when the last Ground Control is mounted and all wore out?

 

[trail_head]

Why do some of you have issues with well restored bikes that are not ridden (garage queens)?

What is the logic that says after you spend a few years putting a piece together it isn't cool unless you ride the heck out of it?

If you're looking for approval for having garage queens you'll not get much here.

Personally, I think it's ok, some bikes just can't be ridden safely anymore.
Imo,
I think the general problem with gqs is that the image of mountain bikers is not one of collectors or art watchers or investment collectors. The notion of a bike and not ridding it goes against the grain of all things mountain biker.

 

[sylus]

I know some will say where do you draw the line but again it relies in members honesty.

The recent elitist thread made me wonder if bom stayed as it it but...every third month we have an elite/garage queen poll

for me this would be easy to define the difference, as I suspect for many who would enter who would know the difference but again relies on the honesty of the members who enter knowing it is only a bit of fun between internet buddies around a hobby

 

[maverick]

Why not have a 'If Halfords once sold it, then it's good enough for me' type month. My apologies in advance for out non UK contributors, but you probably have been around here long enough to get the idea of Halfords.

http://www.halfords.com/

No, I don't work for them!

Or a Raleigh only month.

 

[FluffyChicken]

I have to ask this question again.

Start another thread for that and I'll give my answer.
Keep this thread uncluttered other than with a bit of banter on the actual topic in the title. It is just some light hearted idea's. We all know they'll never think of anything other than a few mins before the poll goes up... just like PoTM

I hope other await the new thread to answer as well.


----
maverick, Halfords would be good, but that's like an open invite to Kona owners. Would have to qualify it with only sold pre '98 or BiTD (Kona was mid 2001)

 

[Ductape]

FC
As much as I believe this all ties into this thread I will cut and paste and do just that.

Trailhead, please re read my post. Never asked for your approval.

Cheers,

 

[sinnerman]

I have to ask this question again. I asked in the last thread that was locked up before anybody really spoke up.

Why do some of you have issues with well restored bikes that are not ridden (garage queens)?

What is the logic that says after you spend a few years putting a piece together it isn't cool unless you ride the heck out of it?

I have plenty of mountain bikes to ride from several eras, and they even all fit. Currently I am working on a long term project I have no plans of riding farther than the end of the block when it is complete. I have been lobbying with my wife for at least a year now letting her know my desire to hang this from the wall inside the house when completed. I think I will get my way.

I know with previous projects I always try to take some pics to post when complete before riding and getting dirty. Right now in my garage, I have an old dirty Ritchey, American, and Rodriguez that need a thorough cleaning once again. Don't you guys spend days taking each component apart to clean restore and re grease before mounting back on the frame.

I am blessed that I have more than one bike to ride if the desire is there to ride vintage (suppose it would be a lot different if I collected cars). Do I need to continually get them all dirty in order to justify their coolness?

I think a lot of the bikes in the BOTM competition are in this category. Put away to admire and not ride except on very special occasions.

My father collects rifles. When I was a child, we would go out in the woods or to the range and shoot some of these guns. There were some guns he collected that were never fired. I remember asking him as a child if I could shoot them. He just smiled and said no not that one. Stuff he bought new back in the 60's and 70's. He still has them. They still have never been shot. I enjoy watching him with fellow gun collectors as he drags these thing out of his safe to show and the pleasure they bring. I could care less about them but I sure appreciate the smile and passion my dad has as he shares these works of art with others who appreciate them as much as he.

What will we do when the last Ground Control is mounted and all wore out?

I read all you wrote on the elitist thread.

Why does a bike that has taken forever to build or a few grand to complete it need to be " Ridden the Heck" out of it as you put it.....?

Whilst i agree to a point, that there is need to take extreme care and caution with it, what baffles me is how you could spend so much time and money building this magical rare bike, and not experience it AT ALL.

to just hang it up and not throw a leg over it on the odd occasion just baffles me. It doesnt need to be abused to be ridden.

I appreciate, the need to keep it nice and baby it, but still.

Your analogy for me is somewhat flawed, you went into all sorts of points like saving NOS for the next gereration etc etc etc. Why do you need to have NOS... :?

you live in a pretty dry place in comparison to England simply judging by your pics you posted.

And even with the crap weather conditions here i see no reason why a bike cant be ridden at all.

Even if i owned the Breezer 1, i would have to ride it, even if only for high days and holidays. with such a bike not to experience it would be more of a crime than breaking it.

and even if one of these truly magical bikes was to get damaged, so what, WHY cant it be fixed.......? Isnt that what we do here...?

 

[Ductape]

All in fun, who takes pictures on Rainy days:

"you live in a pretty dry place in comparison to England simply judging by your pics you posted."

Sorry bud, used London because not sure exactly where you live:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/c ... h/UKXX0085

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/c ... h/USWA0395

Just looking at November it appears a bit more than double the rainfall.

Started a different thread on Garage Queens.

 

[sinnerman]

All in fun, who takes pictures on Rainy days:

"you live in a pretty dry place in comparison to England simply judging by your pics you posted."

Sorry bud, used London because not sure exactly where you live:

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/c ... h/UKXX0085

http://www.weather.com/outlook/health/c ... h/USWA0395

Just looking at November it appears a bit more than double the rainfall.

Started a different thread on Garage Queens.

So from asking for people to comment, the only response you have to my post, is to show that actually, your right i dont know where you live and you are actually in a similar climate to me..... :roll:

Im pretty sure my point is still the same Ductape. Even with the weather conditions you have, there is still no reason why you cant ride your Unicorn from time to time.....? Sure if the weathers real bad, ride another bike, and save it for high days and holidays if you wish as i said, still not a reason to Never ride it though.

Perhaps you should look at it from a slightly different stand point for a minute.

Example,

You discover a rare frame, unloved, unused, in pieces, and/or missing parts in a dusty rotten shed somewhere.

You manage to get it, you then spend the next 10 years, locating parts from people all over the world, you spend your money you fix it up, and make it a bicycle again.

Ride it or Not, Better a rare bike in one piece and SAVED..... than a frame going to waste, with individual parts scattered all over the world.

If the frame was in a dusty shed and the parts all over the world, thats no better than hanging it in a house and NEVER experiencing the ride as the maker had intended.

YOU SAVED A BIKE...........enjoy it, share it with others, here and on the trail.

If not, and it doesnt go into a museum for people to see and share, What was the point in the Excercise... :? It might as well have staid in the dusty shed and the parts all over the world.

My point remains the same, regardless of HOW BAD the weather is, here or there, there is no reason not to, it can be cleaned and fixed and babied, and kept nice and still be a rider, even if only an occasional rider.

(And FWIW my understanding of a garage queen is a bike that is built and NEVER EVER ridden, have i got it wrong, if so, i apologise in advance.)

 

[petitpal]

How about a price bracket? e.g. cost £300-500 (can get RRP from the various copies of MBUK, etc, people have lying around).

Specific years? (94 / 97 so I get a look in? )