Robert Treber Vintage Bicycle
After working as a high end Chef for years I decided to pursue my second passion and bring back my first real job in a bike shop. As a young bike rider and bike shop worker in the 70's I saw beautiful custom bikes growing up in Washington D.C.at races. I kept the early bikes I owned and they are noted in the collection.
Later in years I moved to Colorado were I am now and started to collect vintage bikes. Some I sold on EBAY and such notables as a Colnago Super Mexico to the largest bike collection in the world. A Jack Taylor Tandem that sold for the highest price for one at the time. The reason for the good sales was that I am a detail person and am good with bringing old paint back.
I travel all over Colorado and the Front Range looking for vintage bikes even pulling from New Mexico and Montana.
Every bike is taken apart and striped down, the frame is then cleaned and degreased. It is rubbed out with different compounds to remove marks and to put the depth and shine back in, it is then Carnuba waxed. Some bikes are touched up some are not each bike is noted if it has been touched . If I can't make it look good then I won't do it. Some come already touched up by former owners and I just have to deal with it.
All parts are taken apart cleaned, checked and detailed. If needed Campy parts that need fixing are fixed with replacement Campy parts. Cables inner and outer brake cables are checked and replaced if need.
Same with shifter cables and chains. At this time if needed brake hoods are changed and handlebar tape is redone too. Leather Seats treated with Brooks Profied.
.
I try to make the bikes as perfect as I can get and all are tested ridden by me. All bikes are used and have some sort of paint damage. There age should be taken in to consideration when ridden as how hard to ride it.
Things to be noted about old bikes, bikes lets say from the 50's shift rougher than next gen for the 60's as well the 70's shift better than gen 60's and so on. Also older bikes need slower shifting to work smooth.
On size older bikes before 1970 and the bike boom were generally larger in size and you rode a larger bike size then you would know, because that was the fashion. This is the reason you don't see many small framed bikes from back in the day.
On bikes with tubular tires, I try to sell them with the original tires for display purpose only. This is because I don't know the history of the tires. All will hold air, some have some threads coming off, they are vintage. If you want new tires to ride the bike on the road then they need to be bought by you and glued on. Also tubular tires will not be glued on to the rims so you have to do it which means cleaning and gluing by you or have your local bike shop do it.
Three of my bikes took 1st place in category at the 2016 Colorado Custom and Vintage show. The bikes are 1961-62 Schwinn Paramount, 1983 Mercian King of Mercia and 1971 Legnano Roma type R.
Thanks to Richard Hodges master bicycle mechanic and former owner of Cycle Analyst in Denver for your help on tech problems and with hard to find parts. To Kirk Webster of Creekside Bicycle in Parker, Colorado for the critiques on the bikes and keeping the vintage flame alive with his Eddie Rondo vintage ride. To Mike Kone of Boulder Bikes for advice and hosting the Colorado Vintage Bicycle Expo. And lastly to Rich Gangl for doing great work on painting and for his knowledge of bicycle frame building tech and history.
I hope you find your passion in some of my bikes and make them your own.
Thanks Rob.
Later in years I moved to Colorado were I am now and started to collect vintage bikes. Some I sold on EBAY and such notables as a Colnago Super Mexico to the largest bike collection in the world. A Jack Taylor Tandem that sold for the highest price for one at the time. The reason for the good sales was that I am a detail person and am good with bringing old paint back.
I travel all over Colorado and the Front Range looking for vintage bikes even pulling from New Mexico and Montana.
Every bike is taken apart and striped down, the frame is then cleaned and degreased. It is rubbed out with different compounds to remove marks and to put the depth and shine back in, it is then Carnuba waxed. Some bikes are touched up some are not each bike is noted if it has been touched . If I can't make it look good then I won't do it. Some come already touched up by former owners and I just have to deal with it.
All parts are taken apart cleaned, checked and detailed. If needed Campy parts that need fixing are fixed with replacement Campy parts. Cables inner and outer brake cables are checked and replaced if need.
Same with shifter cables and chains. At this time if needed brake hoods are changed and handlebar tape is redone too. Leather Seats treated with Brooks Profied.
.
I try to make the bikes as perfect as I can get and all are tested ridden by me. All bikes are used and have some sort of paint damage. There age should be taken in to consideration when ridden as how hard to ride it.
Things to be noted about old bikes, bikes lets say from the 50's shift rougher than next gen for the 60's as well the 70's shift better than gen 60's and so on. Also older bikes need slower shifting to work smooth.
On size older bikes before 1970 and the bike boom were generally larger in size and you rode a larger bike size then you would know, because that was the fashion. This is the reason you don't see many small framed bikes from back in the day.
On bikes with tubular tires, I try to sell them with the original tires for display purpose only. This is because I don't know the history of the tires. All will hold air, some have some threads coming off, they are vintage. If you want new tires to ride the bike on the road then they need to be bought by you and glued on. Also tubular tires will not be glued on to the rims so you have to do it which means cleaning and gluing by you or have your local bike shop do it.
Three of my bikes took 1st place in category at the 2016 Colorado Custom and Vintage show. The bikes are 1961-62 Schwinn Paramount, 1983 Mercian King of Mercia and 1971 Legnano Roma type R.
Thanks to Richard Hodges master bicycle mechanic and former owner of Cycle Analyst in Denver for your help on tech problems and with hard to find parts. To Kirk Webster of Creekside Bicycle in Parker, Colorado for the critiques on the bikes and keeping the vintage flame alive with his Eddie Rondo vintage ride. To Mike Kone of Boulder Bikes for advice and hosting the Colorado Vintage Bicycle Expo. And lastly to Rich Gangl for doing great work on painting and for his knowledge of bicycle frame building tech and history.
I hope you find your passion in some of my bikes and make them your own.
Thanks Rob.