This could be a fun thread!
In 1994 I conceived of the idea of getting a bicycle. I was making a major life change by finally finishing my undergrad degree, quitting a job I hated and starting graduate school. I had also lost about 30 lbs so things were going really well. I did a lot of research and reading and the day after I quit my job I drove 100 miles to buy one of these:
It's a Trek 730 and even before it left the shop I had them replace the handlebars with one that had 3-4" of rise and a slight sweep back. 100% True Temper OX cro-moly built in Wisconsin. I rode that bike a lot over the next few years and lost another 50 pounds. I continued riding that bike off-and-on until 2007 when I decided to "upgrade" and buy a Trek 7.2 FX. I rode that bike sporadically until I discovered Rivendell Bicycle Works and their emphasis on steel frames and functionality. This made me nostalgiac for my old 730 so I started watching Craigslist daily for another one. After three months, Craigslist yielded another 1995 730 but one size larger than my old one. This was exactly what I was looking for!!!!
The day I bought it:
When I bought the bike, the tires, saddle, handlebars, grips and brake levers/shifters were aftermarket. My plan was to do a major retro-fit so the first thing I did was buy a new saddle, seatpost, grips and simple thumb shifters. Over time I'm replaced the wheels with a custom built set (bombproof and 9-speed compatible), installed new tires, new pedals, a new fork, a new stem, a new cassette and I scraped the decals off. I went thru five or six different sets of handlebars and finally decided the aftermarket bar that came with the bike was my favorite.
Future plans include upgrading to modern linear pull brakes, either re-installing the old fork or putting in a Surly Cross Check fork, installing a Deore crankset and getting it powdercoated. I will also buy a black seatpost and a black threaded-to-threadless adapter if I decide to use the oringal fork. The only original parts will be the frame and possibly a few small parts like the seatpost clamp and the front brake cable guide. The bike will be 100% to my preferred specifications with everything chosen to fit my style of riding. This process has been going on for one year and will probably take another six months to finish.
Upgraded parts worth noting:
Velocity Dyad Rims
DTSwiss spokes
Vittoria Randonneur Hyper 32 mm tires
Ergon grips
This bike has a TON of sentimental value for me but on top of that, I love the way it rides. It occupies an amazing middle space between being comfortable and being sporty. Some of this is probably familiarity but when I started reading bicycle forums about a year ago, I've found that many people have high praise for the ride of these old Multitracks so I feel somewhat vindicated in my enthusiasm for a 17 year old bicycle.