Original bikes will soon be a thing of the past....

[pete_mcc]

Re:

There's very few bikes that I'd care about if split; yes I could understand if it's a unique build with bespoke parts like a Pace RC100, a Klein Fuselage, a custom bike like a Roberts with frame stem and forks made together or any Race bike with historic provenance as that should never be split but if we are talking about a Marin with an STX group then split away, the parts are nothing that can't be found every day on eBay.

The problem with bikes is, unlike historic cars, the parts all come from a tiny number of places (Shimano, Suntour or Campa etc). Unlike an individual, numbered Ferrari engine that is matched to an individual, numbered Ferrari chassis, an Orange Clockwork frame is not matched to an individual, numbered Altus chainset.

The great thing with splitting bikes is it enables other to rebuild their bikes to factory spec as, as has been pointed out above, everyone changed parts throughout the life of their bikes so this allows others to get back to 'catalogue' if that's their thing.

 

[Gaddmeister]

Re:

I agree, I like to see originality and recently sold my 88 Jamis Diablo on here for £100. Regret it now, but never mind. I also, however, enjoy finding a frame I like and building it up with bits I loved or wished for bitd. My first bike was a Univega Alpina something or rather back in '93 and that ended up as only the frame that was original as I wanted to reduce weight and improve the bike.

 

[66 triumph daytona]

Re:

I came across a completely original Zinn Centaur a few years back,it wouldve made financial sense to break it but I kept it for a few years and sold it to a mate who wouldnt dream of breaking it.But even the humdrum bikes I feel will also become scarse as originals.I have noticed a significant reduction in originally specced bikes over the last few years.It reminds me of a conversation I had with a guy in the late 90s about his mk1 Ford Fiesta XR2,he tore out the radio and speakers,chopped and changed,nowadays such cars in original state are hens teeth.Im a member of a Triumph motorcyle forum,its completely unheard of for people to ask for advice on a bike`s value with the sole intention of stripping it,parts yes,but complete bikes no.

 

[clubby]

Re:

Difference is that mtb's were made from parts from multiple interchangeable suppliers. It's not like a triumph gearbox designed to fit a particular frame and motor from one or two years. Drivetrain parts from the 80's will still fit a modern frame.
Having said that it would have been a tragedy to split the Zinn mentioned above. Same goes for important race bikes.

 

[Tom79]

Re:

Whilst it's nice to see, I can't remember any of my mates keeping their bikes exactly the same as when they bought them. As soon as we could afford it we were upgrading kit. Period correctness I understand, parts from the same year/period etc.

Understand what you mean about splitting a nice bike for parts. The flip side is that some of those parts could be used to help someone else restore a bike back to it's original form...

 

[xxnick1975]

This is silly, of course it fine to strip bikes, where else will the bits come from for all our builds?

It's surely better that a few enthusiasts keep the flame alive my doing this that bikes sitting in sheds doing nowt

 

[integerspin]

Re: Re:

Difference is that mtb's were made from parts from multiple interchangeable suppliers. It's not like a triumph gearbox designed to fit a particular frame and motor from one or two years.

Not a good example, my first motorbike had a Harley engine, Trumpet gearbox and a BSA frame;-)

 

[clubby]

Re: Re:

Difference is that mtb's were made from parts from multiple interchangeable suppliers. It's not like a triumph gearbox designed to fit a particular frame and motor from one or two years.

Not a good example, my first motorbike had a Harley engine, Trumpet gearbox and a BSA frame;-)

Or a cunningly designed example to prove a point about non-standard bikes

Not.

 

[under the radar]

Re:

we are lucky in the respect that it's relatively easy to return almost any bike to original spec, it's not as if things need to be ''numbers matching'' like in the vintage car world.

i do feel that if a bike is discovered hanging in a garage unused for the last 25 years and it is close to or is NOS, it should be left that way. once NOS stuff hits the trail it can never go back and there's plenty of clean nice condition used parts to build ''riden'' bikes with.

i did just recently sell some NOS tires for a relatively high price, but that's partially because i wanted to keep them and partially just to see what people out there are willing to pay for scarce NOS parts. i am by no means a parts dealer, i'm way more of a buyer than a seller.

 

[legrandefromage]

My Zaskar was purchased by me in October 1993.

That night, in the hallway:

Gone! The GT bars for some Zoom 150

Gone! The GT saddle for a Flite

Gone! Most of the original steel bolts for a pack of blue Venhill Racing

That was within minutes of it arriving in my home.

The next summer, it was wearing Topline cranks, Tioga stem, USE seatpost, RS Judy, Hope hubs/ front brake and so on

By the end of the summer of 1994, not even 18 months after the bike went on sale, the only 'original' parts left were the front mech, BB and seat clamp. Even the mech hanger was a replacement.

Unless a bike was never or barely ridden, it is very unlikely to survive in an 'original' state. In my case, especially after 22 years and some 45,000 miles of use.

*by 1994 it wasnt even wearing its original decals - they had slid off during an exceptionally hot day that summer.