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Old 08-05-19, 08:04 PM
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jimmuller 
What??? Only 2 wheels?
 
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Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Boston-ish, MA
Posts: 13,452

Bikes: 72 Peugeot UO-8, 82 Peugeot TH8, 87 Bianchi Brava, 76? Masi Grand Criterium, 74 Motobecane Champion Team, 86 & 77 Gazelle champion mondial, 81? Grandis, 82? Tommasini, 83 Peugeot PF10

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Originally Posted by Kilroy1988
I must ask, of those with five or more bikes on their list, how many of those bikes have already been owned for more than at least a couple of years? How do you decide something is a "keeper" if it's a relatively new acquisition, or if you're still adding to your collection?
Good questions. The answers vary. I bought the Peugeot UO-8 back in '72, my first derailleur bike and the only bike I ever bought new, so it's a keeper for sentimental reasons. Plus, for an inexpensive bike it rides very well. The Gran Sport was my second bike, a $10 frame bought around 1980 (I think) as an upgrade to the UO-8. It is a nice bike but currently configured for utility more than speed. My Bianchi is also set up for utility and is maybe a better rider. I end up not riding the Gran Sport much so as it stands now it would not be a keeper. The Masi is just special, a superb handler, end of story, with a bit of mystery to its history to make this one unique. I've owned it for more than 5 years. The Motobecane rides almost as nicely as the Masi, an energetic puppy full of energy and always ready to do anything, go anywhere at any speed. A recent addition, the Peugeot PF10 (originally a PFN10, meaning clincher tires) is just a joy to ride. The others are great too, different from each other, and all could be keepers if I didn't have anything better.

That doesn't really answer your question of how I decide. Mostly it is about how they feel on the road. Of course that dictates which ones get ridden the most. I picked these frames to build because they offered some aura, a promise of wonderfulness. Mostly they deliver what they promised. They are all different. But "keeper" implies something must be given up too or else we'd keep them all. If I must give up something to avoid the zombies, it would be ones that fall just a bit shorter than the rest, no matter how good they are. Or the ones that are not so different from another in the collection. So far they are all keepers.
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