Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,520
Likes: 12
From: Colorado Springs, CO
Bikes: 1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo (frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame), 1974 Peugeot UO-8
[QUOTE=Rabid Koala;6898058]+1
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I had to talk my parents OUT of getting me a Varsity, as I wanted (and eventually got) a Raleigh Grand Prix.
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Funny, my parents wouldn't have known a Schwinn from anything else so I had a Sears Free Spirit that my uncle gave me but I too wanted a Raleigh Grand Prix. When I had saved up enough money and got to the LBS however, the shrewd salesman sold me (a young lad of 12) into the considerably more expensive Bottecchia. I've been a happy camper ever since. My best friend Sid had a Varsity and I really didn't think it was any better than my Free Spirit at the time. Maybe it was in some ways but it was still heavy and relatively un-cool compared to any European bike. Still, if you guys like to ride 'em, more power to ya. Enjoy. I'll stick with my second tier Euro fetish - Atala, Bianchi, Bottecchia, Gitane, Legnano, Peugeot, etc.
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1959 Bottecchia Milano-Sanremo(frame), 1966 Bottecchia Professional (frame), 1971 Bottecchia Professional (frame),
1973 Bottecchia Gran Turismo, 1974 Bottecchia Special, 1977 Bottecchia Special (frame),
1974 Peugeot UO-8, 1988 Panasonic PT-3500, 2002 Bianchi Veloce, 2004 Bianchi Pista