Originally Posted by
Bad Lag
British bikes were "stodgy" and focused on 3 speed "English racers".
French bikes had non-standard threading.
American bikes were just "gas pipe specials".
That leaves the Italians, who made light weight, high performance bikes.
Compared to my Ron Cooper or the others like him? Hah. Gas pipes? Eisentraut, Strawberry, Redcay, Teledyne(lol) Paramount, of the mid- seventies? What about those that came, or became REALLY well known a few years later, like Ben Serotta?
Foreign cachet, at the time. I would gladly trade my '86 De Rosa Professional for the blue Peter Mooney currently on NH CList. And would have in 86, as well, had I been riding.
Seriously...Offer stands.