bulldog1935

Aesthetics have their place, function has its place - it's not about ego - it's about enjoyment.
Do you clean your bike because of ego? (rhetorical question)

arex

1. I intend to put old-style Raleigh Sports decals on my '74 Sports, but only because I think they look better.

2. I mounted a head badge from an old Soviet-era bike on my store-brand MTB commuter...just for laughs.

Kevindale

I read through the 2014 thread on the Apollo/De Rosa, and I get the angst about misrepresenting a bike as something it's not. At the same time, for me it's not the moral sin it is for some, as long as it's clearly a superficial replica and not a careful fraud (like having a fiberglass bathtub Porsche shell on a VW bug frame. Randy's comments about what might go on with future sellers are valid, but at the same time, I think what the OP is proposing is unlikely to fool anyone who does a few minutes of research. An unscrupulous or ignorant seller might fool someone who is buying the bike as a tremendous bargain, but a serious buyer, willing to pay serious money, is likely to do enough research to easily spot the fake.

I used to have a couple of vintage Minis. That's a world where the value differences between a genuine Mini, a Mini Cooper, and a Mini Cooper S are far greater than the cost of building up an old Mini into a convincing Mini Cooper S. Add in the premium that the right paint color brings, and you have a world where people who buy and sell these cars have a lot of incentive to doctor a prosaic specimen into something far more valuable. These cars were originally dirt cheap, and bought in huge numbers by young guys who love to modify them back in the day. They rust like crazy. The electrical systems were terrible. The tiny engines begged to be augmented. Many were raced in amateur races. As a result, there are almost no truly original Minis that have survived, especially the valuable variants -- and yet there are a fair number of Red Mini Cooper S cars that are advertised as genuine.

In the Mini world, many people prefer the original Mark 1 style, and take later examples and change the grill and bumpers, and sometimes even the lights. You have a mix of functional mods, personal expression, and trickery. The people turning their Mk 3 Minis into Mk 1 because they like the look are no big deal -- it's easy to spot. The people trying to sell a tarted up pile of rust as a solid driver, or a simple Mini as a genuine Cooper S, are committing fraud. I think it's similar here.

I'm much more bothered by bicycle sellers who try to create false pedigrees for vintage bikes, or who assemble a repainted bike with a mix of vintage parts and sell it as a rare well-preserved all-original bike. Or sellers who cover up serious frame damage. I think if the OP makes sure there's a few obvious cues built into his 'homage' bike that would keep any reasonably thoughtful future buyer from being hoodwinked, I say go for it.

Although, as I think about it, ThermionicScott's suggestion is probably the best. Then it's a real Bianchi with a replacement fork.

gugie 

This:

and this:

jefnvk

Apparently, it is a thing. This was on the front page of the local CL a few min ago, a Raleigh painted up as a Bob Jackson: 1971 Raleigh Professional / Bob Jackson

armstrong101

OK. The issues brought up in this thread are a bit unexpected. I didn't expect this to become a discussion of seller disclosure morality. Let me explain a bit more about where/why I came up with this idea.

Two years ago, I set out on a quest to make the perfect celeste Bianchi. After 11 months, I ended up with this:
1989 Bianchi Quattro Celeste Ultegra - Pedal Room

It's a "nice" bike. But I had some issues with it.
1. It's heavy. I decided it was heavy because after making it, I found out Cromor is (a lot) heavier than the common Formula 2 tubing (I "proved" this using my several Bianchis and posted this info in one of the Bianchi threads). Once I was aware of this, I never quite looked at the bike in the same way. I don't need it to be superlight, but it should at least be as light a common Formula 2.
2. I ended up getting a Superleggera in 58. Not my size. I sold it to a friend. But after having it, I decided I preferred the mint-celeste colour over the metallic celeste colour of the Quattro I have (I find the "Bianchi" lettering has better contrast in the mint colour over the one I have).
3. The thought occurred to get a Superleggera in 52 and build it up. Issue I have is (1) I have not seen one for sale in 3 years of looking and (2) the frame is chromed under the paint, and if I had a choice for a rider, I wouldn't want that due to the brittleness of such paint.
4. I saw this De Rosa (pic) some time back. I think it is sick. I thought of making such a bike "the" bike for me.
5. Such a De Rosa would be beyond what I would be willing to budget. Second, if I'm honest with myself, I'd still prefer to ride a celeste Bianchi of the type I have described.
6. No such Bianchi exists. I want the chrome triangle, the chrome fork, the unchromed paint, and the paint decals of my preference. I'd also like it to be of "lighter tubing than Cromor, which such a bike likely would be.
7. The solution to getting the exact bike I want is to make one myself. A counterfeit.
8. A "sale" of this bike in any form, particularly of me passing it off as a genuine when I know it isn't, never crossed my mind at all. If I take the time and money to put this plan together, this "perfect" bike will be the one that goes to the grave with me. I hope that this is clear and if it isn't, I don't know what else to say to convince you.

KonAaron Snake 

Or the solution is to stop worrying about the exact chrome pattern and/or decal set and ride a bike that you like without pretending it's something that it's not.

Just say'n.

Bikerider007

This is awesome and not just acceptable but cool.

I get putting decals on in a high theft are even though I would not do. I get putting custom decals. I get using variations of a same brand/model. Other than that I don't get and feel it's kinds geto. Just my .02.

If I really wanted I would take a Bianchi and get the rear and forks chromed. I could not ride a bike branded what it is not, I'm OCD like that, can't get my head around it.

crank_addict

Absolutely have. Its a genuine Motobecane for one of the girls. Done for a number of reasons.

1: Fun
2: Challenge to create something from junk and ultra low budget. (Probably less than $25 in paint AND graphics)
3: Youngsters love the look and at the same time are curious while getting a brief history in this era of cycling and racing.

I don't care what the purist think. Its not for them and quite obvious not a team bike.




[IMG]1978 motobecane ocana tribute b by carrera247, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]1978 motobecane ocana tribute a by carrera247, on Flickr[/IMG]

corrado33

AHHH! The whites... They don't match!!!! MY EYES!!!

(Words of a former paint color matcher at PPG.)

The Golden Boy 

I'd put Schwinn decals on a Schwinn- or Trek decals on a Trek. My father in law has a 92-ish Schwinn Criss-Cross. I think the old Schwinn script logo with the starbursts is cool and iconic- I'd have no problem in repainting the CrissCross and doing a custom 50s style decal scheme. But I wouldn't label it a Paramount or something else that it's not.

I wouldn't put 531 decals on a bike that wasn't 531. I don't care how cool the decal is...

I understand there's great art in forgery. There are skills that are commendable...


I guess I don't understand the concept of pointlessly lying to myself.

Don Marco

My post-powdercoat Trek 520 needed something and the original decals were rather boring, so I had these made up by a vinyl shop with a decent website that made it easy to order. It's my last name, cost less than $20.

corrado33

Huffy branded Land Shark. (A custom built steel bike built for Andy Hampston for the Giro d'Italia) Huffy was the team sponsor, but Andy didn't like their bikes. This happens all the time in the pro races, especially with saddles.

gearbasher

I have one of those Titans with no decals that were sold on eBay a few years back. I was thinking of getting one decal from 10 different makers and placing them on the frame. Just to be different and you can't call it a counterfeit.

gugie 

+1

jiangshi

That's a Chinarello.

Pompiere

I repainted an AMF 3 speed several years ago and renamed it Pompiere Vigile del Fuoco. I was a volunteer firefighter and those are Italian words for firemen. Pompiere is roughly "pump man" and Vigile del Fuoco is for firefighter. I just liked how it sounded and it was obvious the bike wasn't anything high end. I would not put actual decals from another bike on a counterfeit, but inventing a name is alright with me.

Many years ago I saw a Ford Fiesta painted exactly like Bill Elliot's race car. Nobody is going to confuse a Fiesta with a NASCAR race car, but it must have made the owner happy.

willydstyle

If you don't like your Bianchi well enough to ride it, why do you have such brand loyalty to Bianchi that you would want to brand an entirely different bike that you like *more* with the Bianchi name?

If you just want a celeste bike with a chrome fork and socks, by all means go for it, but what personal motivation do you have to be seen riding a bike just because of the brand?

armstrong101

I like the exact look of the late 1980s mint celeste bianchi with the logo that I described. I don't care for non-celeste Bianchis or Bianchis with logos from other eras. So it is not an attachment to a brand per se, but a specific look from a specific era of a specific brand.

I also like the look of the De Rosa I attached. But my preference would be the same "type" of bike but with the celeste/chrome/decals as I described.

repechage

I do not even have to open the link to recall that one!
Fortunately, I have not seen it on eBay listed as a DeRosa

repechage

At least its the same brand, that is a defense.

seypat

Make up some Bioynki, Bionkeh, or Bianchee decals and slap them on!

seypat

OP probably has a great interest in the Crampy throwing Athena under the bus thread.

Mobile 155

They will get closer with more time in our hot summer sun. I built it as a coffee shop bike and it turned into a fun little bike that I have used even on some group rides. The trouble is it gets more attention than some of my newer bikes when I lock it up. I had to get a case hardened chain and lock unless I park where I can see the thing. But I had the cap and Jersey so this is what I ended up with. I have with a straight face told people these were custom factory TT wheels back on 1974 and they just look and nod. The look on my builder friends face when I say this is priceless. Life is just too short to be too serious.

Cyclist0108

I noticed Bianchi will only sell 2 sets of decals to any one person; presumably they have concerns about counterfeiting.

I want to get some nice shiny blue Enve stickers for my aluminum rims.