Well, in that case, based on my limited experience, the top bikes I own, by decade, that will probably stay in my stable as long as I can ride:

1955 Schwinn Corvette

1961 Schwinn Jaguar

1979 Schwinn LeTour IV

1986 Schwinn Voyqageur
1988/89 Centurion Dave Scott Ironman Master
1985/86 Ross Signature 292S

I also have a Motobecane Grand Sprint from the late 70's or early 80's (haven't dated it yet)...

The LeTour IV is not necessarily what I would call the cream of the crop, but it has sentimental value because one just like it was my first road bike.

I tend to like sport tourer geometry, and like having some bikes due to region of origin... Thus the Ross (Pennsylvania) and Motobecane (since I didn't have a European bike yet, I also have some French ancestry on my father's side)... I woulld still like to add a Washington state built Raleigh (where I was born and raised), and a Scandinavian bike (my ancestral heritage from my mother's side).

As can be seen by my list, I have no elite bikes, but I do like the quality of middle range and higher, just usually too cheap to get higher than the middle range.