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-   -   How many “keepers” do you have? (https://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=1180095)

Essthreetee 08-03-19 09:47 AM

How many “keepers” do you have?
 
And in your eyes, what makes them so?

Me:
2001 LeMond Nevada City upgraded to Ultegra 11speed. Keeper because it was given to me by my Uncle as my first “Real” bike.

1992 Merlin Titanium upgraded to 105 10speed. Keeper because it is comfortable and only Titanium I will ever have.

1983 Mikkelsen Road Special upgraded to SRAM 10speed. Keeper because it fits, and is unique/small CA builder.

1985 Schwinn Tempo upgraded to Sora 9speed. Keeper because Grandpa bought me one new before he passed which was then stolen and this was built to remember that.

1973 Raleigh Supercourse. Keeper because it is Birthday bike...built same year as me and given to me on Birthday as a gift from same Uncle as LeMond.

IF I had to get rid of one, I guess the Mikkelsen would be on the block first because it has no sentimental value...after stripping it of its components...:D

What about you?!?

Wildwood 08-03-19 09:59 AM

??? ???
They are all keepers, until my priorities change.

edit: It's a vintage Euro roadie grouping. Follis is French, Bottecchia = Italian, Spanish Basque, Dutch, Swiss, Irish, English, Belgium, Austrian
The 'new' bikes are all American made frames - CoMotion, Calfee, Tallerico, Macalu

ridelikeaturtle 08-03-19 10:02 AM

1996 Bianchi Ti Megatube, with Campy Record 8 speed. Keeper because it's very rare (it might be the only one in Ireland), I bought it from the original owner, I've upgraded wheels and consistently improved it over the years and love the ride quality.

1987 Cannondale Competition ST, with a factory custom paintjob. Another super-rare one-off bike. It's for the wife (48cm), she's ridden it once and will never ride it again. I built it with Ultegra 10 speed. I'd let the niece take it out, but I will never get rid of it, I'm happy for it to become wall art eventually.

1976 Bianchi Sprint 76 and 2000 Bianchi M Alloy Pro, probably keepers, simply because I enjoy riding them. They're not anything particularly special though.

My others - the '98 Klein MTB, the steel '97 Colnago, the steel '94 Fondriest, even the '97 Litespeed Catalyst - I'm less attached to (though I do really like the Colnago and Litespeed). But at the moment, I've nothing I'd like to replace them with. Maybe someday I'd dump them to make room for something carbon.

edit: totally forgot the '96 Amp Research B4, that's 100% a keeper, another rare bird. (I don't see it every day... out of sight, out of mind?)

bikemig 08-03-19 10:04 AM


Originally Posted by Wildwood (Post 21058055)
??? ???
They are all keepers, until my priorities change.

+ 1. But not to worry, this thread will soon become another excuse for lots and lots of bike porn, :)

Kilroy1988 08-03-19 10:11 AM

I'm 30 years old and have been riding vintage steel bicycles for a decade. I have a lot to learn, but I've narrowed my priorities quite a bit when hunting for new acquisitions, and will probably be getting rid of most of my current stable over the coming year.

Even the couple of bikes I like best may easily go, as I have some frame sets waiting to be built up that may well surpass those in quality and practicality. Perhaps not!

I suppose the only keeper I have in my life is my lovely wife. :)

-Gregory

prairiepedaler 08-03-19 10:34 AM

I haven't found a keeper yet but I do want to. I think I've narrowed it down. It is time and energy consuming to locate, buy, personalize and get to know a bike through use... And, then to get rid of it if it is not working out. I really do want to find a few keepers, each one which would represent different life purposes and uses (hauling, leisure, travel etc). I'd rather be riding or doing something else, than be looking for those keepers to ride.

Fahrenheit531 08-03-19 10:47 AM

Three. They're listed just to the left of this post.

What makes them so? Dunno. But I like them and don't feel the need to seek out more or better. :)

iab 08-03-19 10:50 AM

I'd say 3 out of 6 of my bikes are keepers, to me. The 3 I'd give up are my off-topic commuter, a retro-mod I keep at the cabin and my 1960 Cinelli Model B. The commuter can be upgraded at any time, it probably has 30K hard miles on it. I'll ride it into the ground, get something else. The retro-mod is neat, but again, entirely replaceable. A couple years ago I would have said I wouldn't give up the Cinelli. But since then, I saw a Gran Sport equipped Maino that could replace the Cinelli. I still regret not buying it at the time (I'd sell the Cinelli to finance the deal) and it showed me I could upgrade the Cinelli.

What I don't think I could upgrade is a 1925 Frejus, a 1933 Frejus and an off-topic Cinelli. The 25 and 33 pretty much are irreplaceable. The 25 is a bit small, but I have no illusions of finding another. The off-topic Cinelli because it was the second production one made. The first is at the Cinelli factory. Also, it is a frame made from XCR tubing, which this year is the first steel tubing used in the TdF in the last 30 years. Good stuff.

xiaoman1 08-03-19 10:51 AM

I have only 2, my P-15 Paramount and a PX-10...both were purchased by me.
There are others that I like and ride more but these are my keepers.
Best, Ben

Slightspeed 08-03-19 11:16 AM

Only two, right now. My 1964 Legnano Roma Olympiade, got it new as a junior racer, raced it, commuted to college, hung on the wall for 20 years, got it down in 2000, been on two Eroicas with it. Too much history.

My 1973 Raleigh Super Course. My first build from scratch, on a found, scrap pile frame. I loved the building experience, and love riding it even more. Can't sell it, I would never get the $$$ out that I spent, but don't care. Been on one Eroica with it.

I guess all of my bikes are keepers. I've only ever sold one, built with a Nashbar frame that I hung parts on from a steel Bianchi that got destroyed by a car. It just wasn't the same.
https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...29490784f8.jpg
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fb5303ccf7.jpg

Wildwood 08-03-19 11:17 AM


Originally Posted by bikemig (Post 21058061)
+ 1. But not to worry, this thread will soon become another excuse for lots and lots of bike porn, :)

Yes, thanks for the reminder. :thumb:

It's all good! :)


https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...964a8f4ee8.jpg

And one of GF's is a keeper because...it just makes me wanna smile.
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...54a6ac6b6.jpeg
‘91 SuperCaliber

3speedslow 08-03-19 11:35 AM

That is what I am trying to figure out ATM.

clubman 08-03-19 11:41 AM

Too many?

seedsbelize 08-03-19 11:54 AM

A week ago I thought I had it narrowed down to two. Then I put those two on hooks and got out the other two. The coupled bike, which rarely gets ridden, will likely be one of the last to go.
So, 5. The sixth, a 1980 Trek 414, could leave if need be. The high ten rear triangle and fork are its detractors.

ramzilla 08-03-19 12:11 PM

I love my 87 Centurion Ironman. But, I might be tempted to sell it for the right price. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...bdebf1f60d.jpg

Classtime 08-03-19 12:12 PM

You're right honey. I'll sell all of them. Except my made for me Sachs and my Medici.

SurferRosa 08-03-19 01:02 PM

I just boxed up the one keeper that means something really special to me. It's going to my nephew. I promised it to him years ago. Seemed silly to keep it with the others while he was riding a crappy bike in comparison.

But I made sure to replace it with a couple new ones. Its departure leaves me with four and two others in my size up for sale.

Four is one more than I need. I always thought three is perfect...

Bandera 08-03-19 01:21 PM

All five of mine were purchased new, modified to my requirements out of the box or built frame-up.
Three have been modified again, and sometimes yet again over the years and kept in service.
These are the survivors as a good many road race, 'cross, mtb and commuter machines have been and gone.


-Bandera

T-Mar 08-03-19 01:32 PM

Two - my wife and my son. Every thing else is disposable, for the right price, bicycles included.

Gravity Aided 08-03-19 01:52 PM

1985 Trek 600 I bought on the commute home. 531 steel, originally all 600 tricolor, but since, I have upgraded the corncob rear cassette to a wider cassette, same Mavic wheels, different derailleur to match the cassette, and brifters . Unbelievably nice ride. I paid little for it. It is worth so much to me, though. I also bought a Schwinn Passage frame from a fellow BF member, to replace the one I wore out. Columbus Tenax steel, a dream tourer. I have a Trek 950, True Temper steel, very light, made over as a 26" touring bike. And a Falcon San Remo some fellow threw out. Full Campy, Reynolds 531 frame. So four. anything else can be salable, for the right price

delbiker1 08-03-19 02:07 PM

I think only one, a '91 Ochsner steel road bike I have rebuilt. I bought it new in '92. I have three others, but I would be willing to sell or trade all of them to acquire the right touring bike.

Dean51 08-03-19 02:15 PM

I view all of my bikes as keepers, each for it's own reason. Having said this, if I could put my mitts on a '89 Merckx in 7-Eleven trim and a 56 or 57 size, the Schwinn Volare would be for sale in a heartbeat.

Dean

ryansu 08-03-19 02:38 PM

Depends on my personal economics I have sold a few I'd have rather kept when times were tight. Currently trying to whittle the collection down to four from my current seven which means three have to go, two are very close and the third needs a refurb I might get to 4 by October if all goes well.

78 Motobecane Grand touring, 87 Nishiki Cresta GT, 87 Trek 520 and my workhorse a 2009 Handsome Devil. The Cresta and 520 do the same thing so I might have to have a shoot out between those two.

dedhed 08-03-19 03:06 PM

I'd say the only 2 keepers if I had to downsize would be the 84 Gran Prix, my first real bike I bought new, and the 68 Raleigh Sprite because it's just so cool & classic.

https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...b7bccfa83d.jpg

Andy_K 08-03-19 03:07 PM

I have a hard time parting with any of my bikes, partly because I get sentimentally attached to them but partly because I know how much I’ve spent on them and I hate to lose that much money. The only bike I’m sure I could sell for what I’ve spent on it is my ‘73 De Rosa and even though I don’t ride it much I have no intention of getting rid of it any time soon.

I do have a rough idea of the order I’d get rid of them. The four that would probably last the longest are the ‘7? Stella SX-76, ‘83 Specialized Sequoia, ‘75 Motobecane Grand Jubilé, ‘72 Motobecane Grand Record. All of these except the Sequoia I’ve had customized and refinished. They all ride great, and their value to me is just way beyond their value to anyone else.

I have bikes like my ‘83 Gios Professional that I really love but are highly regarded among enough other C&V fans that I could probably sell them for a price that I could live with. Others like my ‘01 LeMond Buenos Aires are nothing special, but relatively not special to me either so I could part with them. Then there’s the ‘80 Scwinn Voyageur that required so much fork straightening after I picked it up that I’m not entirely certain it’s safe, and though I ride it I wouldn’t feel right even giving it to anyone else, so that one is probably a keeper until I decide I’d rather send it off for recycling.


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