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nd look what was in the back of the barn!"
One of our favorite parts of bicycle collecting is finding that rare gem, the "original" bicycle. When we're lucky enough to find a bicycle that's intact and in its original paint - even if it isn't as presentable as we would have liked - we leave it this way in order to maintain its historical value. It'll receive some preservation (cleaning, tuning, re-greasing and such) but that's about it. Beyond that, we like to sit back and enjoy looking at a window into the past (scratches and all) and try to do our part so other people can as well.
Bikes with airplane themes are our favorites, but if we had to pick, horseracing themes would be a close second (with an airplane mounted on the handlebar). The badge on this bike in particular is a favorite of ours and visitors alike. The only problem is, the designer put the horseshoe upside down on the badge, and everyone knows you have to mount a horseshoe right-side up or the luck will run out.
As if to prove this point, when the bike originally arrived the fork had been almost-irreversibly damaged in shipping. Thankfully, this pony didn’t have to be shot, and is now back on the racetrack again. Since then, Coot has seriously contemplated mounting the head badge upside down to get the horseshoe “catching” luck again.
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