Well, currently the fleet includes a British 10 speed converted to fixed gear with a United Nations parts list, a French bike with Italian components, an American bike with Japanese components, and two American tandems with Japanese components. Also if my 1987 Trek 520 was made in America, that's another one. So a preponderance of American bikes with Japanese parts, but I assure you logic had nothing to do with it.

Anything that fits (mostly) and sell the rest. I like utilitarian and interesting bikes and have a thing for French bikes ( I don't know if it's the metric tubing and my large size or a cognitive bias. They are so smoooooth). I've been known to hold onto pretty bikes for too long trying to make them "fit"

I can't afford to collect cars so I have a few bikes (and 1 car)

I like bikes and I sometimes buy bikes that appeal to me. Usually it's smaller name, small builder stuff that does it for me, particularly east coast US and Italian. I like things that are different, special and/or unique. As far as what I ride, I like more modern bikes with more OS tubes and I like ergos. The older stuff is more collection and less rider, with a few exceptions. I really love tandems...if I had the space, I'd collect tandems.

I am less interested in most of the west coast builders and I don't care about US Masi. The US Masi and US Masi descended builders are flips to me...I really have little interest in owning those bikes. I'm sure there are exceptions to that. Some brits really appeal to me, but I am not really interested in anything with an IGH.

I have watched Clockwork for quite a while, should have ordered one when they were really modestly priced.
Could use better graphics last I looked, but Joel does have the restrained aesthetic down.

One of my favorites....

The logic of my current collection has mostly been utility and value driven, with an eye for American icons: Waterford, Trek, Schwinn, Diamondback. I have no interest in owning things that are rideable, but in too nice of shape to ride. Prefer bikes that are 2nd or 3rd in the hierarchy -- bikes the the average joe rider could afford.

Over the next 5-10 years I'd like it to become:

- More diverse geographically. I have no Italian-, French-, Belgian-, Spanish-, German-y or Japanese-built bikes currently. Only have America, UK, and Tawain built rides.
- More diverse chronologically. Right now I've got 1 60s, 1 70s, 3 80s, 2 90s. I'd like to add 40s, 50s, 2000s, and 2010s.
- More diverse stylistically. I'd like to add a classic city bike from Italy/Holland/Belgium/Germany/Swiss, a full-on retro racer (Italian,Spanish), and maybe a porteur, a balloon tire, a modern full-suspension.

Of course, the problem is to do this and not violate the S-1 rule, it means parting with some existing rides over time.

Agreed on the graphics.

He's getting a fair amount of biz at this point.

His Flickr is humming with activity.

I've seen three of his bikes in the last two months and they were designed/fabricated with a nice flair.

One to watch I think.

I had a chance to buy a 1974 Masi 5 years ago for peanuts and I negotiated myself right out of a sweet deal.

Now I have a 1976 waiting for me after I get the boys out of school in a few years.

I like way the 76 feels under me, so I'm pretty certain I'll go for it when the time comes.

FWIW I don't pay much attention to online discussion about Masis. I just like the way that vintage Masi rides in general.

I don't really have an opinion about them...I haven't owned or ridden one. You really don't see Masi here...which makes sense given the quality of many of our local builders. I'm just not interested for whatever reason. Maybe it's the mutual self promotion society...the hype...the geographic distance (I'd still give a finger for a Ritchey or BG), the drama...I'm not sure...I just know I'm more interested in some of the locals.

Truthfully I have far too many beautiful old wall hangers. Between the Marnati, Diverge, Koga and Huffy, the other stuff really is expendable. Don't get me wrong...I LOVE the Primato and Merlin, but I don't need either with the Marnati in rotation. Is that Vanilla awesome? Sure...but I like the Diverge more on rough stuff. I suspect I'll be selling in mass soon...especially since I have some professional aims that will require some capital.

Thank goodness we aren't the same size.

I'd be after that Vanilla bigtime.

What a gorgeous bike.

Agreed on the BG as well.

Sooner or later......

...and go get 'em if you are starting your own company. Keeps the economy humming right along.

Not quite there yet...hopefully soon!

I have a Dozen all told, Italian and US.

I don't have a collection as such, just an agglomeration. List should appear to the left of this post. There is no logic to it. Two bikes were nostalgia projects (Peugeot G50 is my first bike, back when I was a small boy, I retrieved it from a dank basement and rebuilt it for my son, and Raleigh Gran Sport is a twin of my second bike, back when I was in high school, the original bike was destroyed in a crash but I found its twin and rebuilt it for my son after he'd outgrown the little Peugeot). The Peugeot UO-8 is the first C&V bike I bought, back when I didn't know a UO-8 from a PY-10, and I rebuilt it for my daughter as her college bike. The Peugeot PSV is the second C&V bike I bought, it became my daily commuter. The Cannondale R1000 was bought to strip off the Mavic components, but it ended up as my weekend roadie ride for a couple years. The Raleigh Team Pro was my grail bike, it is now a fair weather C&V weight weenie ride. The Vitus 997 was a project frame, became my current weekend roadie ride. The Bridgestone MB-Zip was my original MTB, bought new back in 1991. The Bridgestone MB-5 was my wife's MTB, now a long tail grocery bike. The Bridgestone XO-1 was my attempt to collect the Bridgestone trio (MB-Zip, XO-1, RB-1). The Peugeot PX-10 is a project waiting for a spark. The Bianchi Specialissima is my current project, it is becoming a 650B randonneur. I forget what else is in the basement.

I was thinking about a World wide Grail Bicycle collection. So far I am stuck in Europe. Next stop North America.

Any suggestions?

What's th time range?

Would love to see some of those one day.

Was geography a big advantage or did you seek high and low like the rest of us peons?

My acquisition of steadily more bikes from a base of two bikes (for a while) has given life to an evolving logic to my collection, which stands at about 7. Opportunity, beauty, my size, and a under-the-market-value price. And C&V. I've had more modern stuff (racy AL or a loaned CF frame) and it was a good expereince, but the frames were too small. Most I would say I rescued, in some form or another, from lives of anonymity and/or continued neglect. Adding the required 63.5cm/25" frame size requirement, and most everything up there (here?) is rare. Lately, the core logic is American company, if not American company + American built.

US Co. + US (hand) made:
Ross Signature 294S (the origin point of my C&V collection, originally thought of flipping it, realized I'd never make the money, loved the ride, found out it is low-production and hand made here, and kept it!)
Trek 610 (616 equipped)
Cannondale 3.0 (66cm sold as frameset-only)
Cannondale Black Lightning (1987, just picked up, in rough shape, TBD on restoration and component setup, but getting there)

US. Co.
Schwinn Peloton

My Nishiki is a 68cm rain/touring/end-of-the-world build--purely function...and very heavy
The Peugeot is the longest serving member of the fleet and I'm probably going to sell it once I set it up so that I don't lose a lot of money on it (but...whatever, right?).
The Raleigh 531 (that's the model name from '82!) was a forlorn 25.5" frame at this year's bike swap. $40 for the frameset (including 600EX headset) in wonderful condition. It also serves as my first and fully Reynolds 531 bike and I enjoy it very much.

Most of my bikes are hot rodded with 8-10 speed components. The logic mainly being to feel much of the goodness of vintage steel (and aluminum) but to be able to navigate commuting/traffic quickly, safely, and efficiently.

"Collection? I don't have a collection! What makes you say I have a collection?"
"I simply have 3 bikes that I ride very regularly, 3 bikes that I ride less regularly, 2 bikes that I hardly ever ride, 3 bikes and a unicycle that I never ride and will be selling soon (I know I've been saying that for a few years now but I still believe that it's true.) Oh, also the 2 bikes that I'm currently working on. Well, yes there are the 2 bikes that I share with my son... but those are half his fault!"

I'm afraid my acquisition of bikes is based more on whim and circumstance than on any sort of logic. The bikes seem to find me. It's come to the point where a friend found a forlorn old bike with some very nice components on it at a garage sale for $100. "Brent will want this." So he bought it without bothering to consult me, confident in the fact that I would be happy to repay him the $100 and add it to the queue. He was right!

I divide them roughly into bikes that I ride and keep around for a long time and bikes that I restore and will hopefully keep around for a less long time. The thing is that I enjoy the whole process of taking a victim of neglect and rust and turning it back into a nice bicycle. It has to meet certain nebulous standards of "nice bike" potential though. Currently the inventory of these restored bikes include a Centurion/Cinelli Equipe, a Raleigh Gran Sport, and a Cycles Devos (1950s?) tandem. Also a '74 Cinelli Super Course and a Peugeot PXN10LE that I am currently slowly restoring.

Brent

Pretty sure I posted this before. My collection logic is based on value, best bang for your buck. And it's only limited by my finances and not my good sense.

One was picked up at the factory. The others have been from all over; USA, the UK, and Italy.

My logic is simple...there is none...I simply buy what I see that I want (and can afford)...sometimes that is wise, other times...well, not so wise!

As always, I'm late to the party. My logic is California, preferably California hand-built but also California-based company.

Hand built: 75 Eisentraut Limited, 74 & 75 Carlsbad Masi GC, ~76 Lippy, 82 Medici Pro Strada, 84 Moulton Fuso, 87 Tesch Allez Team, 88 Tesch 101, ~2000 Lighthouse
Specialized: 81 Allez (2), 81 Sequoia, 85 Sequoia, 86 Allez, 86 Stumpjumper, 87 Allez, 95 M2, 2000 Festina M4
Yokota Yosmite Mtb

I adopted this logic to keep me "in bounds" otherwise, if I chose Italian bikes, I would never have enough!

I've got 6 bikes now, so I guess you could call that a collection. My wife certainly would. I've also sold quite a few nice bikes over the years. My criteria, in approximate order of importance, are:

- Fit. If the bike isn't the right size and geometry for me, I don't give it a second-thought. Early on I had some bikes that didn't fit and I learned that lesson well.
- Function. I used to own mostly racing bikes (Merckx, Bianchi, Gios, De Bernardi) when most of my riding was fast group rides and occasional supported tours. Now my collection is mostly touring and sport touring bikes, with one cyclocross and one racing, because my riding is mostly commuting, touring and riding on greenways and trails.
- Finish. I try to buy frames that have paint and chrome that are in very good to excellent condition, because they are more appealing to me and I've found out how expensive it is have bikes repainted. The colors and decals also have to appeal to me. I don't buy ugly bikes, although I can understand their appeal for those who ride in high theft areas.
- Frame material. I like steel bikes, although I owned one ti bike (Merckx AX) that was very nice. If have no desire to own a carbon or aluminum bike. I had one AL bike and hated the way it rode, even with a carbon fork. I've ridden carbon bikes and didn't like the feel.

I guess my logic is whatever is around at the time, I flip a few bikes a year and I don't have the extra money to tie up into a "collection" per se, so my fleet rotates rather often and is usually somewhere between 2-6 bikes. With that said, I guess I like to buy/build bike types that I don't have, and make old tired bikes fresh and happy again.

I started with a target single speed, built and flipped it, then a vintage steel roadie, then flipped a few more, then upgraded to a modern alu nashbar 105, then flipped a few and bought a proper mountain bike used that I refurbed, I maintain a big box schwinn for my lady, I have an early 90s schwinn roadie I just finished rebuilding and I'm enjoying for a couple weeks before I will sell it for a small profit and put the money back into my current build, which is a mariushi roadace revival built around some RS10 wheels and a 1x7 drivetrain for errands/trailer towing.