Practicality vs. Sentimentality - Does it Bring You Joy?

56 comments by Scott Gater

A lot of us have attachments to items we own that don't make financial sense. I'm not a sentimental person, by and large. I have a few objects that I hold near and dear to me, but in the case of the house catching fire, my wife and I will grab the cats and the wedding album and that's about it. 

I bring up the idea of bonds and sentimentality and how it pertains to bicycles. We get a lot of folks coming to us to help keep their older bikes going. We've got the various bottom brackets and headsets to keep those older Peugeot UO8s and Schwinn Le Tours rolling along, handlebars to replace the going-on-40-year-old original bars, and all the fixings to make them unique to the rider. I'm curious as to whether folks are keeping them going in their original shape, setting them up as a commuter bike with newer components, or something in the middle like changing the bars and consumables for a spiffy and novel weekend rider.

gerard old bike restoration

The larger question of whether or not a bike should be restored to its shiny and new glory, simply spruced up and ridden, or hung on the wall? The answer is a resounding...."it depends"....

There are so many factors that goes into a decision like this. Does the bike have sentimental value, significant historical value, or is it just a fun project to work on? These decisions aren't easy especially when it comes to a budget.

There is no question that certain bikes hold more or less value to us as individuals - for example, Adrian and Igor have matching Campeurs that they used for their Denmark wedding tour. You can read about his and her Forever Bikes here. 

velo orange campeur touring bikes against wall panniers

A Peugeot UO8 is perhaps the best bike to use as an example here, as it is a re-occurring character at VO HQ. Peugeot made thousands and thousands of these bikes during the bike boom of the 60s and 70s. They were mid to low end of the range with Simplex shifting, Mafac brakes, and cottered cranks. They weren't anything special, but they were affordable, had cool graphics and Aztec lugs, and it got people on bikes - and that's what made it an icon of the era.

 

Would a UO8 be my first choice for a restoration? Probably not. But if a particular UO8 had significance in my life, like it was a beloved family member's, a first bike, or something of that nature, well that is a whole different story. Now that specific bike has significant sentimental value and that doesn't necessarily have the same price tag as a random UO8. I would absolutely argue that it deserves either a full restoration or moderate refurbishment to make it safe to ride - budget allowing. Replacing consumables like chains, brake pads, handlebar tape, and tires goes a long way.

velo orange bertin c37 with campagnolo nuovo record and mafac restoration patina

 

I see outrageous pricing for original Simplex derailleurs and hear stories online of collectors paying huge amounts of money for period-correct parts. Is it to recreate this bike from 1973 and then display it or is someone actually riding this bike? For a lot of people, it's a totally worthwhile exercise to go and take an older frame, fix it up, put a new saddle on it, new brake pads and cables and then go out and use it. But I think one has to admit that, like many things, bikes have improved over the last 50 years and to just blindly restore a bike back to its original condition may not be the best decision.

Do you restore old bikes for sentimental reasons? Do you restore them to stock condition or do you make them more modern? Let us know in the comments!


56 comments


  • James Narlesky

    I grew up in the SF Bay Area and there was specialty shop that made a practice of matching components to the rider on their bikes. Many high end bikes left their shop with mixed and matched components. In the early to mid ’80’s I had no problem switching out the spongy Mafac LS2 side pull brake calipers for a more satisfactory pair of Shimano 600’s and I liked Campagnolo NR pedals so I swapped them for the OEM units. My Raleigh Super Course TT has Sugino, Suntour and a Cinelli bar & stem. I really prefer the aesthetic of silver componentry to the all-black components that have taken over the industry.

    If I were to find the right Peugeot U-08, I’d swap the crankset for a VO, install new derailleurs and a Brooks saddle. No issue with Mafac Centerpulls!


  • Daniel Coyle

    I have two rear and two front (one braze-on, one standard) Campagnolo Super Record derailleurs. Both pairs are in excellent condition. How much for them? $2,000.00 for the lot? I am curious.


  • Chris Stenum

    For me, it’s more about finding bikes from my childhood/young adult years that were unobtainable at the time. Remembering scrolling through magazines and wanting a bike so bad but I couldn’t afford it. Now I’m finding/buying these bikes. Not in droves and I’m pretty particular about the model. They have to fit me first and foremost. Being 6’3” limits my selection. They also have to serve a purpose, either for parts with life left, a bike I will ride or just plain old find cool. My current baby is a 1990 Cannondale ST600. I like to ride tours and its shaping up nicely with a few parts from VO and my LBS helped me upgrade the 27” wheel set to accommodate a wider range cassette and higher pressure tires. It will be my stallion on RAGBRAI 2023.


  • Bill Hughes

    As a former late 70’s early 80’s shop owner in Folsom, I watched many new riders take up the sport. The bikes that I carried were the gems of the period. Now in my 80’s I receive great joy in restoring and/or modifying the bikes from that era. Current restomod is a 1973 Motobecane Grand Touring. The joy I now receive is reviving the gems of the past: solid, comfortable, well designed and fun to work with. Am I sentimental about those bikes? You bet! Bill


  • Olivier Thelin

    I like your blog about redoing old vintage bikes::
    I did a 1978 pink Mercier, velo de course with Vitus frame… (Poulidor’s bike)
    Was badly rusted by an extensive use in rural and sweaty Mississippi.
    I had to adapt the VO bottom bracket to the cranks- pedals …
    I had to changed TWO brocken Delrin front Simplex derailleur,
    (Thanks to EBay I have now an all metal front Simplex…)
    I did powder-painting, new VO aero brake handle…
    It is pink and beautiful and ride smoothly as ever. The most amazing is that I was able to put it back together. Keep on riding, Olivier


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