I bought this old bike for reasons that elude me, then finally discovered it is a c.1974 Allegro no.76 Schweizermeister that originally was in the budget, no pix in the catalog grade C format with a P3 Stronglight headset and Weinmann 500 side pulls and probably Simplex derailleurs. Yes, it is metric gauge 531, the nicer .9-.6-.9 stuff, and yes it is nicely assembled with Bocama model 14/II lugs a and a Vagner PL crown and a George Fischer sand-cast BB - but it’s Swiss threaded. The top tube is too long. It kinda sorta duplicates/overlaps two other bikes I already have in my ranger-sports-tourer category. To make it right would require spending money that would be better served taking care of other bikes in the stable. It needs expensive T.A. chainrings or another crankset, it needs either tubulars or a decent set of 700C wheels, I would like it better with a Brooks B17, blah, blah, blah.
And then I take it out for a spin and it always happens - I come back home thinking “it wouldn’t cost THAT much to really dial this one in.” It just has the smoothest floating glide to it, it just feels so good on the road.
So what’s the equivalent in YOUR fleet? Which one should you, in theory, send in but just can’t bring yourself to do so?