Why Catalogue Spec?

[shogun700]

I have picked up several 80's bikes that have had the bullmoose bars removed, newer canti's or v brakes installed, 90's rims, a bit of 90's anodized parts here and there, etc. They were 'upgraded' or parts were replaced as years went by. I understand completely why this was done-back then.

Building up a 30 year old bike today like that? I don't get it. I wouldn't put Avid Tri-Aligns on my '86 Ritchey just because I had them laying around. I'd do a Suntour XC build instead of Shimano XT, or maybe run a U-brake instead of roller cams, but just tossing parts on and expecting people to understand what your build is all about is asking for a lot.

When people say 'catalog build' do they mean NOS parts or just period correct ones?

Restomods I understand-take an old frame and hand modern parts on it. Not going to do it myself, but I see the reasoning.

Building up a rider? Put whatever you want on it. Just don't expect everyone to ooh and aaah over it. I'd ooh and aaah over how much you ride it though.

My '89 Santana Moda has mid 1990s bling on it. It is not exactly period or factory for the year it was built. However, it got repainted in '94 or so and Santana sold Moda frames until 1994ish, so I went with it and used a lot of parts from '93 to '96. Even then I had a reason-USA made boutique parts for my USA-made frame.

In short-put whatever you want on your bike. If it's a bit of a pile of parts, and you want people to appreciate it, explain your reasoning.

 

[Gerard]

Never have, doubt I ever will. Never really lusted after the top catalogue spec. It was always the frame and then what I could add from the boutique brands, just like the race bikes often were. So bu a farm with some useful parts, but probably never ride it stock but change it's out in the store on the day, if no within weeks.
IMHO a decent frame was a solid foundation, and one on which you improved. S it may have started with canti's but as soon as V's came out......upgrade time.

 

[Denso_Retro]

Cause in my opinion factory / catalogue spec on retro is cool. That goes for high end to me. There were those races, and those teams knew which parts to mount for their best challenges. That said i believe there was a reason why they put those parts on their team bikes. Of course there's always something more shiny or lighter available. Which also looks cool. But I prefer 90% or more original

 

[Ductape]

Re:

I like a nice catalog restoration. Appreciate the effort that goes into it.

 

[FluffyChicken]

When people say 'catalog build' do they mean NOS parts or just period correct ones?

Neither,
Catalogue Spec is built as it was in the catalogue.


Period Correct is built with parts from the period, i.e. the year it was made.
Though for the lazy*, that can include the a year or two after, also the normal few years of upgrades.

RetroMod is taking an old frame and bringing it in to 2018 or as modern as you can take it.


StickingBikeTogether is putting parts on a bike from things you can get hold of outside of the few years Period Correct and not a RestoMod range.


Catalogue Spec may be used by some who do
RaceSpec (e.g. David Baker race bikes from pictures)
Idol Spec (e.g. JMC replicas), Magazine Spec ( As tested or Photos in Mags
Brand Loyalty Spec. (Pace and USE on Orange for example)


*aka, more sensible and less time consuming as it just easier to find parts that still work.

 

[legrandefromage]

I bought mys Zaskar in October 1993, by June 1995 the only original parts left were the BB, Front mech and chainrings. Everything else had been changed by then.

 

[mattr]

I bought mys Zaskar in October 1993, by June 1995 the only original parts left were the BB, Front mech and chainrings. Everything else had been changed by then.

Same here, though it didn't take that long.
Unless you buy a bike then stick it in a shed, it'll be unrecognisable within 2 years. Or a year if it's raced.

And what do you do about those frames that are available over several seasons in several build specs AND as a few seasonal team bikes? (With a different build?)
My Retro MTB was available with LX, XT, XTR, SRAM, spanned both the end of 8 speed and beginning of 9. Also available with about 5 different forks (Trimnel, Judy, SID, triple butted steel, Rond) and came in two or three different suspension corrected geometries........ Not to mention the paint schemes, which never seemed to be to catalogue spec either. (could get last years until april or next years from September, depending on the phase of the moon.)

 

[tufty]

Frankly if you're not into period correctness, within reason, I don't really see why you'd even bother with old bikes.

No? Personally, I like the way old bikes ride, the geometry suits me, and I like the feel of steel. However, brakes that don't brake, suspension that's about as useful as a pogo stick, and so on, do not suit me. My current ride is a Sunn, with frame modified for disk brakes, the most modern and light 80mm forks I could get my sticky little mitts on, modern hoops and tubeless tyres, bars with a slight lift, etc. As the lot cost me less that a tenth of an equivalent (at least in terms of weight and part quality) modern geometry bike, it wins on my scrooge-o-meter as well. And on top of all that, it's absolutely 100% mine. Nobody else has a bike that's the same.

Mainly, though, I just like riding it more than any other bike I've ridden.

And will do until I find another improvement to make

 

[The History Man]

Frankly if you're not into period correctness, within reason, I don't really see why you'd even bother with old bikes.

No? Personally, I like the way old bikes ride, the geometry suits me, and I like the feel of steel. However, brakes that don't brake, suspension that's about as useful as a pogo stick, and so on, do not suit me. My current ride is a Sunn, with frame modified for disk brakes, the most modern and light 80mm forks I could get my sticky little mitts on, modern hoops and tubeless tyres, bars with a slight lift, etc. As the lot cost me less that a tenth of an equivalent (at least in terms of weight and part quality) modern geometry bike, it wins on my scrooge-o-meter as well. And on top of all that, it's absolutely 100% mine. Nobody else has a bike that's the same.

Mainly, though, I just like riding it more than any other bike I've ridden.

And will do until I find another improvement to make

Amen to that.

I like colour (Color) too. Lots of it. I want to look down and smile.

Each to their own. Share the love.

 

[xerxes]

Re:

I want to look down and smile.

So many jokes, so little time.