Which bicycle should I go after?
 

I'm in the enviable position of chosing between 3 frames I really like for similar prices. I can only afford one (translation...fiancee will only let me have one more)...

Assume similar condition....Which would you choose???

Curtain number one

an orange 1992 SLX Derosa

Curtain number two...

a 1975 Reynolds 531 Bill Boston

Curtain number three...

a Colnago master olympic...not sure on tubing or year...

Which would you pick and why?

I'm leaning to the Derosa because I've always wanted an SLX Italian frame.

I'd pick the De Rosa because of the SLX frame and the 130mm rear spacing (better have it if it is a 1992). That Bill Boston frame might require 27 inch tires, so it could be problematic...

DeRosa would be my choice.

Shin.

Get all 3 and trade in the fiancee.

Really. I've been married to the same gal for 22 years and it's because we don't "let" each other do anything. It takes a really really stupid idea to trigger the spousal veto. And used bicycles are small potatoes.

Heh...I exagerated slightly, but I already have a lot of bikes, and we're a little cramped for space. It's more along the lines of I don't want to annoy her by getting all three, don't really need all three and wouldn't want to spend the money for all three. There will be other projects, and I'd rather not reach saturation point just yet.

The Derosa is 130mm. The Boston was actually cold pressed to 130mm spacing.

I'm leaning towards the Derosa as well. The two bikes I drooled over the most as a young-mid teen were a Derosa and a Merlin Ti. I've acquired the Merlin!

Ahhhh... now that I can relate to!

My wife and I have an understanding about the garage. As long as she has room to actually park her car in there, she says nothing about how many bikes are crammed into my side.

And I'm going to let you in on a very important husband strategy. After a certain number of bikes... she will have a very difficult time actually counting how many there are. I call it "camouflage in numbers". It's even more effective if you scatter assorted spare wheelsets and parts in amongst the complete bikes. It helps you to avoid triggering the spousal veto on those days when you run across those three bikes that you just can't pass up!

My rule is simple: when one is added to the fleet, another leaves. This keeps me to upgrades only. The fleet does not grow in quantity, but it goes up in quality. Its worked pretty well so far, and I have made some nice upgrades (bought a Colnago Master Lite, got rid of my Schwinn Criss Cross, bought a Lotus Classique that fit, got rid of my old UO8 that never fit, bought a nice Trek 950 MTB, got rid of my bottom end Trek 800 MTB).

Derosa or Colnago

DeRosa. You seem to like it the best; it's Italian; it's orange.

DeRosa. I am down to two from four. ( My freeloading biking buddies ponied up for the two I shipped back from Bolzano this summer) Fantastic bikes. Really special. Just buy it if it is the right size.

Colnago- I owned a Master Piu. Loved it. My brother is still riding the bike twenty years later. Again, a fantastic bike. Buy this one too if at all possible.

What choices you must make. I wish you luck.

The Colnago would be an SLX or a Gilco tubing, the best looking of the bikes.
Different geometry, asked gomango , he'll tell you. The Boston; cold set.,old...iffy.

That, and it helps to personally build her a new wheelset to upgrade from a worn out 6 speed.

DeRosa would be my choice.

Thanks for the advice gang...after riding it last night, I put a down payment on the Derosa. I'm picking it up this weekend. I'll be outfitting it in a full 1993 Campy C-record group (the frame is a 92', but it's pretty close).

I actually had a long chat with my girl, and apparently a lot of my worry over what she thinks about the collection is over nothing. She's informed me that the basement is mine, and as long as they stay in the basement, it's not her business. She does think my bike fixation is weird, but I think she's glad it's not gambling, drinking, drugs, golf or something equally addictive. She didn't seem to mind my hobby when she ended up with an 83' grandis slx signature with dura ace cranks and campy super record everything else.

Good call on the DeRosa.

Zorro---we have to do a local ride soon. I'm dieing to show off some of my wheels and see some of the stuff the more advanced collectors have.

I like unique and obscure. There are thousands of De Rosa and Colnago bikes and maybe a few hundred Bostson's?

I also really like 60's/70's bikes....

thirst

+1

Oy...now the Bill Boston supporters come out...AFTER the down payment. Nothing like second guessing.

It's REALLY hard to second guess a de rosa :-) Maybe I'll go after the Boston another day.

You have a DeRosa, and you're considering me "more advanced"? Guess I've got you snowed. :lol:

A ride would be good. Finding the time is going to be rough through the next month though.

I've got some pretty cool stuff...a 78' raleigh pro in team colors. 92' merlin butted ti with 7600 dura-ace/ultegra mix...the De Rosa as of Saturday...1949 schwinn triplet town and country tandem...07' Kona JTS...seriously upgraded 99' cannondale f-500 MTB and I sort of count the bike I got my GF...the 83' slx grandis.

That stuff is a joke compared to some of the guys on here. Folks like Randy have some stuff I'd sell my mother into slavery for.

Ahem....Hetchins.

Are you sure it's a real De Rosa with the heart logo, and not a fake De Rosa with the bicycle wheel logo? If it's the latter, you'll have yourself an obscure frame! :thumb:

Heh. It has the heart on the BB, headtube badge and De Rosa cut out on the fork crowns.

I'd trade the raleigh, the De Rosa, the JTS AND the cannondale together for a Hetchins!

The only bike I consider truly untouchable is the schwinn tandem. The ti is an awfully nice ride and was my dream bike for over 20 years...so I'd be very reluctant to part with it.