As a mechanic at a bike shop I have read this thread with interest. It is amazing what some bike shop employees will say about the vintage bikes. Before I worked there I noticed that was the case at some of the local shops. "oh, that is too old you can't get parts for that anymore", "why would you want to ride a heavy steel bike, when they have aluminum and carbon" etc.

P.S. You won't hear any of that stuff at the shop I work at. Almost all of us ride and own vintage bikes. Vintage bikes in the stables of my coworkers and myself include: two 1970's Schwinn Paramounts, couple of Masi's, 80's De Rosa, early 80's Viner track, 3 Rensho track bike, 87' Cannondale, early 90's Trek 1500, and a Spectrum if he ever gets parts to finish it. The shop also stocks 27" tires and the normal 26 1 3/8" and the Schwinn 26 1 3/8" tires. We sell more 27" tires than 700c most of the time.