SJX426 

There are multiple contexts to the poll,

• Great looking finish
• Really old well used condition
• Good condition of the frame with missing or damaged decals
• Old well used condition of the frame with missing or damaged decals.

Pictures or the vote doesn't really count!

seypat

No. It either needs to look new, or not. A shiny new decal on fading paint doesn't look authentic.

thinktubes 

Nope and nope

xiaoman1 

If the paint is good, IMO new decals wont hurt.
Best, Ben

SJX426 

To avoid being called out for not having a picture....
This Bottecchi was purchased where the PO removed the decals. Pretty major change in the appearance.
So for those of you who say no, would hou just leave it?
P1040289 on Flickr

Kilroy1988 

I just put new decals on a 1972 Raleigh International frameset that has a few blemishes on the paint but is in overall good condition. However, without originally having a clear coat protecting the decals they were mostly well worn and looked far worse than the paint itself. The new set really brightened it up and in the right context this is certainly something that shouldn't detract from the patina.

We often use new tires and cable housing and bar tape and toe straps and saddles on otherwise unrestored bikes, right? I think new decals help to freshen up an old bike in much the same way.

-Gregory

kermie

I am always on the side of, "It's your bike, your call" I would leave it as is. If the paint is in like new condition, I would put new decals. But if the paint is like new, it's not patinaed.....Not sure that's a word..patinaed

joesch

I voted no since I believe if there are remnants of the original decals then let them exist with the original patina and paint. If its a respray then ok to replace the original decals. If it did not have decals then dont add them.

bamboobike4

+1
patinated?

Just got my 9th and 10th sets in from VeloCals.
I either put them on new paint, new powdercoat, or very clean frames that did not have clearcoat (mostly Italian).

bamboobike4

Microcosmic

Kabuki12

An old rusty ItalVega that i brough back, sans decals
I got this one back with quite a bit of rust removal with steel wool and decided to ride it without replacing the decals, although it has been suggested to me more than once. Maybe , at some point.....

Another rusty bike that was bad enough to powder paint and I put decals on after paint
This one had the rust actually starting to eat the top tube cable guides so I decided it should be men blasted , powder paint and decals.

I used 70's style graphics even though the Grand Sprint wasn't available in those years. I took a Grand Record and Nomade Sprint set and merged them. I thought I would go "off the rails" a bit on this $20 bike!

xiaoman1 

In this case a definite yes.

sd5782 

Yes to a point. My Fuji Newest came to me as a well used commuter bike. Plenty of scratches and no decals. Perhaps the decal removal was for a stealth bike. I have somewhat poor artistic touch up skills, but good from 5 feet is good enough for me. I was never going to not use the cool 70s graphics. Not an attempt at originality in my case, so just had fun. Who can pass up “ever onward” on the chainstays?






As purchased

smd4

That flickstand should be the first thing to go. Then re-decal it.

Gary12000 

I think it depends, i like to at least have enough detail on the frame to identify what it is..aka badging if you like, a bland frame with out any information denoting what it is looks odd to me, so i don't think i would go full on decal set on a less than stellar bike, but i would put on a couple of perhaps smaller tasteful decals and a headbadge... if i'm riding my Varsity i want people to know whats up!!

SJX426 

In the example above, the head badge is there.
WRT the flick stand. I happened to get it out of the BOC so I thought I would try it out. It helps keep the front from turning when hanging. I will likely remove it. I also thing I will remove the decals too and replace them with the new ones. But, this is not the bike I was thinking about when starting this thread.

randyjawa 

For what it is worth, I faced this situation, the exact situation, myself. I decided to go with a brushed on paint job and new decals. Sadly or not, depending on one's point of view, I found a new home for the bike in question and that was that.

Andy_K 

I voted "no" and I want my vote to count, so I need a picture. The closest I have to "damaged" decals is the very yellow panels on my Gios Torino. I think this is relevant as it illustrates the point that the aged decals are part of the patina.



If you're wondering about your Montello with the ghost decals, then I need to change my answer from "no" to "Hell no!"

Classtime 

Now that I see the frame, put on some correct decals and then when they are good and dry, lightly swing a Sedis chain at them so that they blend in.

non-fixie 

So how about patinated decals?

Andy_K 

Wait. Where's the patina? That looks great. I'd probably re-decal that one.

SJX426 

P1030671 on Flickr
P1030608 on Flickr

sloar 

I had a well worn frame with missing decals. I put new decals on then rubbed and scuffed the decals until the patina matched.

SJX426 

I was thinking of that too!

USAZorro

I voted "maybe", with the Pinarello rule in mind. Since there isn't an example of a vintage Pinarello that has more than 30 km on it that still has more than 1/20th of its original decals to be found, having refreshed decals would raise suspicions that the bike also doesn't have the original paint. So if it were a Pinarello, I'm automatically vote "no".

Everything else is on a case-by-case basis, imo. If the bike had race provenance, of course the vote would also be no, but anything else goes to the owner's sensibilities.