Alas, I can contribute no pics today, certainly none the equal to everything else here!

I just rode my commute today. I chose my upgraded Peugeot UO-8 from back in 1972, the only bike I ever bought new. It has lights and a generator, seein' as how the sun is pretty low now when I get back to the train station.

Riding impressions: It's always been pretty responsive, especially considering the price. Even running the generator my transit times today were about what they are on my sleeker, faster, shinier bikes. On the other hand, I was hammering on the way home because, true to form, my boss wanted to talk about something just as I was putting on my helmet to leave.

I did the climb up toward the Northeast Regional Airport and the run down Wilbur Rd. That's the one JJS said worried him about burning out his brake pads. Its slightly twisty, definitely bumpy, and with several pitches nearing 20% grade. On that road the UO8's lower-level heritage (on 27" alloy wheels, 28mm tires) showed through. The bumps weren't hard on me but it wasn't as stable as either the Masi (on 700c 23's), or the Bianchi or the Centurion (both on 700c 25's). I don't know how much difference the tires made but I suspect it wasn't much.

I rode the brakes for more of it than I do on the other bikes, so my top speed was in the mid-20's. Even running the swoopies through Limerock it didn't feel quite as locked down. However the final death-wish downhill on Cullen Hill Rd is smooth and straight. I hit 32.2mph on that part, still braking earlier than I might on another bike, and the faithful UO-8 felt more at home, more stable. The Mafacs did their part okay, but they aren't quite up to either the Campys, the newer Shimanos, or the Tektros.