Ask a Pro: Upgrade the old bike, or scrap it for a new one?

Submitted by Phil on Tue, 08/10/2010 - 06:36

Phil, I've got an old Bottecchia with a classic Team ADR paint scheme. (It's a real one from '92 or '93 - not a Bottecchia USA). I commute on a Specialized Tri Cross. I want to have a second bike in the garage for rides that I don't need the racks/lights etc. I raced the Bottecchia in college (94-95). Do you think its worth trying to update it to make it a nice back-up bike (and for just fun training rides) or am I better off just selling it and getting something more modern. I seems like upgrades could be difficult because of the older campy stuff its equipped with but I've got a sentimental attachment to this heavy cro-mo bike from college.

Any thoughts?

Regards,

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,
You're in a tough spot with that old bike, especially with the sentimental side of it. Updating that bike would be costly, just finding all the compatible parts, and I'd bet even if you could find the parts you need, their age would mean they wouldn't last too long. In that light, I'd say sell it, except that I don't think you'd get much for it. You'd hate to be parted from a cool bike for yard sale rates, but it doesn't really qualify as an antique or something you could really sell at a premium. I have a closet full of old wheels, frames,etc., which are worth more to me as backups than they would fetch me on ebay.
So, my answer: use the Bottecchia, for commuting. It's a cool, old bike, and you don't need a high-performing, smooth-shifting, fancy bike to get around town. Sell the Tri-Cross, and get a new road bike to train on. If that doesn't sound right, my next advice would be to keep them all. I don't see how anyone can get by with less than 7 bikes
Remember Maslow's hierarchy of needs from high school Psych class? Me neither, but it went something like: food, shelter, love, a commuter bike, a track bike, cross bike, mountain bike, race bike, time trial bike, and backup race bike. You're not even halfway there yet. Who are you to argue with the founders of modern psychology?
-Phil