ascherer 

In 1972 as a high school sophomore I was introduced to cycling and mechanics by our school's physics teacher. He was dedicated cyclist, commuting around 20 miles each way, year-round unless there was bad snow/ice. He bought a new PX10 the year before and I greatly admired that bike, even after I got my own racing machine the next year. Peugeots enjoyed a great reputation in the early '70s. He became a mentor in other areas and we had a great relationship but I graduated and then left the area. Two years after I graduated the school closed. I never stopped riding and working on bikes; my mentor gave me a lifetime gift.


There's a whole other story I could tell about how this next part happened, but to keep it short, I located and called him last summer, and we have stayed in touch ever since - including meeting at a reunion that I convinced him to attend last fall. At 80, he's still active and sharp, and he still has that PX10 - with 87,000 miles on it and replaced components. But he hasn't ridden since '95.


Last week we were chatting via email, and out of the blue he asked me if I would take the bike - "You are the one I would trust with that old bike. And I know you are capable of restoring it to its old function." 40 years later, the iconic bike that symbolized my entry to the joy of riding and mechanics is being passed to me, I'm more than honored. More to come once I visit him to pick it up.


DD - that Colnago is drop-dead beautiful.