For a while, I was really disciplined in this approach. One keeper came in, one had to go out. I focused on bikes that overlapped each other, and kept the one I liked the best. It was pretty easy when I was upgrading from basic bikes. Anything was an improvement!! Now its quite a bit harder. I do know which ones need to go, so its just a matter of moving them out. The other challenge as you get better bikes is that they are more work to sell. Its pretty easy moving a $200 bike. Getting full value out of a $800 to $1000 bike is a lot more effort around here.

I also did a pretty good job of letting go bikes that were the wrong size, either too big or too small.

Sounds like you got the driving for deals figured out. Again my advice is to focus on smaller markets. Much less competition, and a much better chance the deal will last long enough for you to make the drive. Even larger markets are OK for the higher end vintage stuff, if they are not red hot bike towns, as buyers for the better stuff are less common. I've gotten some great deals in Charlotte for example. But I would not go from one huge red hot market to another. High prices and strong competition.

Aim higher than that Univega, as you already have some great bikes.

Besides Italian, the Waterford Paramounts from the 1980s were very nice, in your size, they often had an SLX frameset (larger frames were SL as I recall). I have a 1985 or 1986 (I'd have to check it), Columbus SLX frameset, all Dura Ace 7400 drivetrain, very nice bike!

I'm also a big fan of Panasonic bikes. Their top of the line models were excellent, catalogs are on line to peruse.

Another strategy for you to consider is to focus on one brand and era. You can become a "SME" (subject matter expert) pretty quickly if you focus. So if you decided to focus on late 1980s Miyatas, you could probably find deals on high end ones if you are patient. Somehow I recently began to focus on 1992 Panasonic made Paramounts (talk about a narrow focus!!). So I have a series 5, a series 7, and recently I got my wife a series 70.

In your case, a Team Miyata would make a fantastic addition if you do not have one. Expensive? Sure. But maybe you sell off a few lower level bikes, and turn them into one outstanding bike.