June 1962: early 1950s Schwinn "middleweight," 26x1.75" tires, Bendix 2-speed coaster hub, "cantilever" frame ($15)
Dec. 1962: 1962 Bianchi Corsa (bottom of the line model) ($55)
1968-70: Hercules and Armstrong English 3-speeds, converted to 9- and 12-speeds (free or near-free)
Mar. 1971: American Eagle Semi-Pro (Nishiki Competition) ($150)
1972: 1960 Capo Modell Campagnolo (free)
1973: 1950s Avanti track bike (wedding gift from wife's brother)
1973: 1970 Peugeot UO-8 ($47 for bare frame, when I worked at a bike shop; for my wife)
1986: 1973 Peugeot UO-8 (gift from former coworker)
1996: 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10 ($300)
1998: 1980 Peugeot PKN-10 ($130)
1999: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo ($20)
2000: 1981/2 Bianchi Campione d'Italia (gift from neighbor)
2003: 1960 Capo Sieger ($200)
14 bikes, 56 years, 100,000+ miles of exercise, enjoyment, economical transportation, and camaraderie on the road and later on the Internet --
not a bad investment. Other than the Sieger, nothing really collectible or top-of-the-line.
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"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069