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}}|}|}|||}}}> (oroboyz@aol.com)
Message:
I have just recently added a modest page for Stella... Check it out in the French section of Classic "Rendezvous" (http://www.cyclesdeoro.com/Classc_Home.htm) Of course I am always looking for good illustrative photos to pump up the info base!
Dale Brown
Subject: Thanks Dale
Entered on: Jan 1, 1999 08:06
Entered by: Vince (vmcglone)
Message:
Dale,
I found the page you suggested and it is
a great help. Thank you very much. Now
for the really hard question. Do you
think one can still find Stella decals
for purchse anywhere? Or, is that expecting
too much?
Thanks, Vince
Subject: Stella; Restore it or forget it and just ride it?
Entered on: Jan 1, 1999 14:43
Entered by: Vince (vmcglone@yahoo.com)
Message:
Dale, One more question please. I am up on the fence about my 1977 Stella frame. I painted this frame once
before as young and dumb man. Therefore all decals are destroyed. My questions are: Can I, should I,
try to find decals, headbadge etc. to do a restoration? Or, should I paint again and do an upgrade that
includes braze-ons and all that good stuff? Is this bike worth a restoration?
Subject: Stella Restoration
Entered on: Jan 1, 1999 23:01
Entered by: Dale Brown (oroboyz@aol.com)
Message:
It is a tough decision whether to attempt to restore a bike like your Stella... In my mind, it would depend on the model (top of the line or more basic?) I think it will be nearly impossible to get the decals. CyclArt may have reproduced them, but as most of us know, that requires a paintjob from them ... They do premium work and the charges correspond. IF you have all the original parts and IF you want to spend $300 plus on paint & decals and IF it is a nicer model with Reynolds 531 and top parts.... then perhaps a restoration is in order.
Stella was not necessarily an intricate lug work, fancy detailed artisan made bike. It was a very good rider with straight forward workmanship. The "value" of a bike like this lies in it's appeal to you on a personal level, and the fact that it is no longer made... In years to come, an extinct brand always has appeal, but obviously one wouldn't expect a Stella to ever be viewed as desirable as a Cinelli, Hetchins, Herse or Confente (the top 4?)
Subject: Stella bike frame
Entered on: Jan 2, 1999 08:55
Entered by: Vince (vmcglone@yahoo.com)
Message:
Dale,
In weighing the items you spoke of it
seems wiser to just paint and upgrade
the frame than restore. The pluses for
restoration are; Bike was high-end full
Campy Record, sew-ups and 5-3-1 Reynolds
tube. The negatives: I don't have all the
Campy parts any more and I can't prove
it's 5-3-1 tube because sticker is gone.
I was thinking of upgrading the frame
with all braze-ons as we spoke of. Then
some new componentry like a triple
chain-ring and Ergo-power shifting.
What do you think? Will the rear
triangle accomdate modern parts?
Any wierdness I need to watch out for?
Thanks again for your time and
insight Dale. Oh by the way.
I printed Stella pictures from your
web-site. I have a friend that may be
able to recreate some of the decals. Vince
Subject: Stella: the last word........
Entered on: Jan 2, 1999 22:54
Entered by: Dale Brown (oroboyz@aol.com)
Message:
Vince's idea of using the Stella as an every day rider with modern parts is not bad.. New bikes usually will not ride (as smooth and resilient)like these vintage machines. The dimensions and threadings shouldn't pose any problems, just remember that the French bikes (early 70's at least) have metric threading and tube diameters throughout. So you should plan to use your old headset, BBkt cups and possibly seatpost. The pedals are surely French threaded (smaller dia.) and won't work in the newer cranks you might add. If the bike was Campag equipped in the beginning, any rear derailleur should do. New front derailleurs may need a shim to ensure non-slipping on slightly undersized seat tube........
Subject:
Entered on: Jan 3, 1999 14:24
Entered by: Chuck (chuckschmidt@earthlink.net)
Message:
I'm looking for mid-50s or earlier three-piece hubs (alloy flanges with
chrome steel barrel) made by Campagnolo, Gnutti, FB, EP, or British Hub
(Airlite Continental) either singlely or pairs, large or small flange,
road or track, any hole drilling.
Subject: Vince's Stella
Entered on: Jan 3, 1999 15:34
Entered by: Russ (rfitzger@emeraldis.com)
Message:
While the idea of repainting the Stella is a nice idea, my temptation would be to use nice older parts to build her back up. It does require patience, but I have built back up some rather nice old bikes with non-Campy but still lovely bits. The drawbacks I see to current stuff include (a) rear geometry - newer hubsets are wider in the rear and (b) pure aesthetics. Call me one of those who thinks five cogs on the rear are all you need, though I can live with six - but no more. Haunt the newslists and pick up nice but not-so collectible bits. Raid your local LBS that's been around forever for parts. I've just finished cleaning and restoring to service a set of old French wheels with mirror finish Normandy Luxe Competition hubs I got from a shop in Georgia, and I paid very little for them. As someone who takes a certain pleasure in demonstrating that 70s 10-speeds with sewups, Stronglight cranks and Mafacs more than hold their own on club rides, I would urge to you consider older but less expensive parts.
Subject: Back on the fence about my Stella
Entered on: Jan 4, 1999 13:03
Entered by: Vince (vmcglone@yahoo.com)
Message:
I can see this will be a difficult choice
to restore or upgrade. Both Russ and
Dale present compelling arguements
and I am back on the fence as to which way I will fall. My first steps will be to haunt newslist as Russ suggests. Then I think I will price faithful restoration choice. This could come down to simple economics. Thank you both for your input and time. Happy New Year, Vince
Subject: Japanese lightweights
Entered on: Jan 5, 1999 15:45
Entered by: Keith (velohund@yahoo.com)
Message:
Back in the early 70s I don't think I'd have been caught dead on a Japanese bike, though today I'm not sure why. About three years ago, soon after I met my wife, I bought her an almost new Pro-Miyata with friction-shift Dura Ace for $100. The workmanship on the frame appears to be as good as or better than a lot of mid to high-end European bikes (I'm thinking of brand names like Raleigh, Peugeot, Gitane and the like -- not small shop bikes). The brazing is super clean, and the finish on the lugs and dropouts is superb. The lugs are cut out, as is the bottom bracket, though they are not ornate. Much if not all of the frame appears to be chome judging by the chrome shining through the various small paint blems. About a year later I picked up a similar vintage Lotus Competition, with Campy NR for $50. The frame appears to be of similar quality to the Miyata -- the brazing is very clean and the finish at the Campy droputs is nicer than on some Euro bikes. For example, the finish is far better than a '71 Raleigh International I have, and much beter than a Peugot PY-12 I have hanging in my office. Both bikes ride very well. The Lotus is particularly stiff. Anyway, the question all this leads to is, from a totally objective standpoint, how do you guys rate the quality and workmanship of the better Japanese bikes? Would we shun them because they lack the mystique of European bikes?
Subject: Ouch!
Entered on: Jan 5, 1999 16:39
Entered by: steve (garko1@aol.com)
Message:
As I was doing my weekly check of this group, I feel compelled to tell this short story that happened recently. A co worker of mine just told me that she had just found out from her elderly mother that her mother had sold her "old schwinn 10 speed" without checking with the daughter(my co worker). The bike was "still shiny, and in perfect shape, except cracked tires." The bike?.... a 1971 Paramount. The price?... $10. The deals are out there, my friends. My co worker finally called her mother the other day.
steve
Subject: Japanese Bikes
Entered on: Jan 5, 1999 xx.xx (I can do this stuff)
Entered by: It's my job and I hope I don't get fired!
Message:
I do the web stuff around here and lemme say this. The owner of Menotomy Vintage
Bicycles rides a 1972 C-ITOH. Thats a Bridgestone I believe. He does all these
charity rides and irondude rides on it and he always... well, he finishes. They don't
break down...
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