In a thread on the For Sale forum, I was asked which of my bikes I would keep, if I could keep only one. That would be a tough choice for me. My guess is that it would be difficult for almost any of us. Anyway, my little stable and you are welcome to help me make a choice of which one (nope, two) of the seven, I should keep...

1958 Rabeneick 120d, my present restoration project and my oldest bike (I am most interested in older bikes, these days)...


1968 Legnano Grand Premio (presently being fitted with Legnano high flange hubs, tubular wheels and a Legnano head set)...


1969 Atala Professional (this is the one I am riding now)...


1970 Torpado Luxe (all chrome, rides nice but mostly wall art on display at a local bike shop)...


1973 Peugeot PX10E (sort of a gift, from a fellow in Seattle and a bike that screams vintage appeal)...


1982 Bianchi Touring (kept in Jamaica for my winter rides, which is why I cannot drop to just one)...


My Cyclops (the only Canadian steed and the newest best riding bike in my humble stable)...


There was a time when I had close to twenty nice bikes, in my collection. Some of them were incredible, such as this Gardin Anniversary, but most of them have gone the way of the Gardin...


Basically, I guess that I am a bit fickle. Why fickle? Because, invariably, my most recent acquisition immediately becomes my favorite. Bought this yesterday (building it for a fellow who will be riding it in the Spanish Erocia) ...

That Rabeneick is simply stunning. That would be my pick, but the seat post height suggests that it may not fit.

Edit: I see from your other bikes that's pretty much how you prefer your saddle height.

There was a time I would have been very hard pressed to pick one above the rest. Now I have no trouble saying I'd keep this one. ~1965 Cinelli Speciale Corsa (with a ~1960 Cinelli SC fork - too long a story to tell here). It is simply the best riding bike I have ever been on, and I've been fortunate to have some truly top-drawer bikes. There is a subtle but noticeable snap, a springiness, a feeling of being alive, that is unlike any bike I have ever been on, and I really like it. I thought long and hard before trading a 1986 De Rosa for this Cinelli, and I would not easily part with the Eisentraut or the Ron Cooper (or the Paramount, which is now my commuter), but if forced to pick one, the Cinelli stays and I mournfully part with the others.

And yes, I have corrected the too-short rear brake cable and the too-short chain. It also now has ratty red bar tape instead of grungy white bar tape.

The Cinelli is lovely. Long have I lusted for a Cinelli, and I have even owned one, which was too small for me to ride with any degree of comfort.

The problem for me is that I don't see bicycles as being built for riding only. I love to ride the Cyclops, and the well worn Bianchi, but I can stare at my Rabeneick, and my Peugeot and enjoy the time spent doing so immensely. Will I go to just one bike? I hope not but then again, I hope so.

Always have had a problem with making decisions that do not have to be made.

I also have a slightly-too-small 1972ish Cinelli - in fact, it was my Eroica ride in 2016 and 2017 - that is now stripped down to frame and fork. It rides really well, but not noticeably better than my others. This one rides noticeably better than my others. I guess size really does matter.

I agree that bikes - at least my bikes - are not just built to ride. I absolutely want them to ride well; if I don't like the ride, I don't want it. But, shallow as I am, appearance matters a great deal. If I don't like the color scheme, i don't want it and/or will change it. If I don't like the graphics, I don't want it. In short, I want to love riding it and I want to love staring at it. And I understand that both of these factors are largely subjective and others may not share my tastes in ride or appearance. 'S okay by me. Ride what floats your boat.

I have been very fortunate to find frames that either already did, or were able to be made to have, both characteristics. I love staring at all of them. I love riding all of them. I love staring at them while riding them (carefully). But on all fronts, I love the Cinelli a bit more (even though it's paint is significantly more beat up than any of the others).

If it were me it would have to be the Rabeneick. I don't actually know much about, however, it was built in 1958 and for that era looks to be thoroughly "modern" and therefore cutting edge for the time. It also looks like a nice bike that you could actually ride regularly, perhaps with an alternate wheel set.

Being so special is a problem too. I would not want anything to happen to it. Could you get an old Trek 800 or something similar and use that to run errands and stuff? Hide it somewhere so it doesn't count? You can't have a bike like that or any of the bikes posted and use it to go to the store. Well maybe the Peugeot.

Not going to happen, not any time soon anyway.

If it had to be it would be this.

1974 Jim Merz JM027, his personal bike.

The Cyclops hands down.

I'd personally keep the Legnano but that's just because I've always wanted one. Very nice fleet my man

I'll vote the Cyclops, just because of your passion for exclaiming its been the best bike you've ever ridden and I can relate to the thought of sharing a message of something you are excited about.

I know that doesn't mean the best bike you've ever stared at, or the best bike you've ever got a smoking deal on, but where the rubber hits the road...literally, that is where it counts the most.

I would take all those factors - looks, ride quality, etc...and run them through the smile-o-meter. The bike that brings the biggest smile is the winner.

I have a very small stable - a Schwinn homegrown, a Centurion Le Mans, a Nishiki Prestige, a PX10, and a Zebrakenko Lightning. As goofy as it sounds, I'd probably keep the Zebra. That bike is smoking fast, light, fits me well, and brings a big smile to my face, especially since nobody really knows what it even is. But I know what it is...fun!

Atala.

If I were to keep just one of yours, it might just be the Cyclops. And I would likely choose to equip it with 8sp 7400-series or 9sp 7700-series Dura Ace, though I'm sure the modern group on there is very nice to work with.

I have a soft spot for Canadian bikes, 80s/90s roadies of good quality, and Cyclops in particular.

If I were to keep just one of mine, I might be forced to opt for one of my modern bikes, perhaps my Black Mountain Cycles Monster Cross or my Lynskey Cooper, as I don't think I could operate in daily life or do what I want to do with my time away from work without a machine that is highly capable on rough gravel, loaded down with luggage, etc. - as much as I love an unencumbered classic road bike! Sacrilege, perhaps - but definitely a hypothetical, as I don't see my own Cyclops (or Mercian, or Marinoni...) leaving the stable anytime soon.

They are all gorgeous [MENTION=84826]randyjawa[/MENTION] but I might lean toward the Legnano. must be the green