Well OK. Nobody touched this thread in nearly a year, which is understandable - given the high bar set. But not being a high bar guy....who gives a rat's a__!
Pulled nearly every bike out on the deck for Spring's 'annual evaluation of needed consumables'. So as to look for deals. And touch them all in a single day.
Collection, hmmmm.... what does that mean... to me? ...and for the purpose of clarity, this post is only about lightweight vintage roadies - lugged steel with friction shifting (couple of exceptions).
Years before I bought my first adult road bike in 1985, three buddies from work would loan me their spare bikes for the few rides i would join. Bike variety was part of the appeal, certainly more than the soreness and cramps that followed. After buying a Centurion ProTour in '85, i focused just on riding, for many years. But then a neighbor gave me a bike, a co-worker gave me a nice one..... and it was off to the races. Variety made the same routes, somehow... much different. I got up to 10 bikes I think, but never considered them a 'collection'. Life changed, sold off all the vintage except the AustroDaimler Olympian.
Life changed again and I decided Variety was a constant worth keeping.
Below is my collection of European roadies - originally was supposed to be 1 per country - but Italy got a break, and AustroDaimlers in a large size just suit me. The French Follis072 and Pinarello Cadore are not included, simply because they were the ones deepest in the attic, not worth my effort to retrieve on this day. Countries not included are still in the low-key hunt. An orange Crescent, something from Denmark. Luxembourg, Monaco, Vatican City..... (n+1)
Don’t stack ‘em too close, bad things can happen
Austria
This is the Keeper. Skinny tubular tires, narrow bars. 1981/82 AD Olympian. Decal set and frameset from different years. '81decals/'82frameset
1983 Vent Noir with plush 28 tubulars. A relatively recent addition. Losing a bit of it’s black chrome finish.
1981-ish AD Michelle. Thinking wishfully, this was to be the wife’s bike. But she refuses to ride so the saddle is jacked up for me.
Belgium
1985 Merckx SLX. Either Pro or CorsaExtra depending on which expert I trust. Only bike with a repaint. In 61cm size, a cloudlike cruiser for me.
England
1989 Falcon, 531c, 59cm. This one is racy-feeling. Almost as racy-feeling as the DeRosa. Not sure the grey Benotto Pro ribbon is my favorite on this bike, but 'done-is-done'.
1979 Carlton Criterium, 63cm. New addition. A low-end frame, but late Worksop frame i could not resist. (Pulled a tandem wheel to see if 35mmtires fit, should have swapped back for photo but missed that.)
edit: The French Follis - my only barcon shifter (+ the tandem). 46/30 for off-road. Mismatched tubulars were Bike Swap cheapo used cyclocrossers.
Germany
1959 Hugo Rickert touring. Still unfinished.
Ireland (well, to be honest = rebranded English Holdsworth Special)
1980 Harding Special, 531, 58cm. Rebuilt over the Winter with repro Holdsworth crank, longer stem, narrow rando bars, rear derailleur upgrade to NR. Awaiting chain.