Where is your C&V bike collection headed ?

• Will it grow larger - or more sophisticated?
• Are you seeking out that Cinelli, DeRosa and Confente Italian super bikes, or are you following a theme, looking for that Raleigh Record to complete your collection of every model pictured in the '73 catalog?
• Maybe you are looking for versatility, with a tourer, a townie, a club bike, a trail rider, a single speed and a modern racer.
• Do you crave curly stays and chromed lugs?
• Are you taking French language classes just so you can commune with your bikes - I mean Velo's?
• Are you the apostle of some particular brand, with a house-full of old Schwinns?
• Are the bikes you're buying today getting progressively more expensive?
• Or are they just getting older and more expensive to repair and maintain?
• Maybe you're just an opportunist scarfing up all the best deals with no real design, rhyme nor reason.

With the incredible variety of C&V bikes your hobby can take all sorts of interesting turns, but where would you like it to go?
(As always, a photo to illustrate your point is more than welcome.)

~kn

Oh that can't be good !

Just trying to keep rolling over and upgrade

Nowhere.
I'm actually thinking of drastically downsizing the fleet. Its getting to the point that, I spend a good 10 minutes just deciding which one to ride, when I get the chance to ride.

The dreaded time has come where I need to unload a few. Tis all good though 'cause I've got three that don't fit me well. I enjoyed rehabbing 'em. Now it's time to move 'em on.

~kn

It seems to be evolving into a search for the sensible, the comfortable, and the interesting. I've got a 531-framed French city bike, a Nervex-lugged 531 road bike, the inevitable UO-8, and a few more. Honestly, I'm not going to buying any more frames until I get all my builds finished and ridden for a while. N+1 has reached its saturation point, and I'd have to really want something new to get rid of any of the bikes I have. I mean, look at 'em! What's not to like?

Or, being smug about things: What sucks about being me? Not much.

I'm focusing on improvements and upgrades right now. In the same way as some C&Vers cherish frames, I can get a bit excited about components - in conclusion: Deltas & Record cranks! So that where I'm headed... I'd also like to eventually replace the "gas-pipe" Battaglin with a full Columbus framed, Pantographed frame. The 7400 group would look a treat on that! An Alan/Vitus and more italian racing bikes should be on the distant horizon.

Mine has moved from "whatever I could afford" to a nice, well-rounded collection of bikes that not only fit me (what a concept!) but that each fulfill specific purposes. They've come pretty much full circle- I am in the process of weeding out the last couple stragglers I don't ride. One is that Allez I bought recently that didn't fit- group is going on the mixte city bike build (which will fill the specific purpose of being a cute mixte bike) and frame will be sold, or built into a single speed and sold. The second is a barn find I've been stuck on for awhile- it needs to get overhauled and moved along, but the bottom bracket is so shot that I can't even take it apart. The last one I was torn about for quite awhile: it was the first bike I had built for myself, from scratch, and it had taught me a lot about bikes. But the reality was that it didn't ride well; it's worth far more in sentimental value. That one is also in the process of being dismantled. Wheels will go on the mixte, parts will go in a box, and the frame will sit until I figure out what to do with it, but I can't imagine selling it. I painted it myself, I spent hours building it and rode it for a year and a half, and selling it would mean haggling with somebody to get probably $25 for it.
Now I've got road covered (modern and vintage), mountain (again, modern and vintage, both Specialized, the latter in the form of a city bike), and town/cruiser (the Electra cruiser and, soon, the mixte). As far as decades I seem to stick to, the oldest bike is only a '92 or '93, if we're counting only my permanent collection. Though I've seen a lot of bikes I love from the '50s, '60s and '80s especially, finding them in my size at a reasonable price is dang near impossible. I like my collection to represent that I have an appreciation for vintage bikes, but ultimately, like with most people on here, these are all riders.

Too many projects, too little time. The collection is slowly downsizing into better parts for the bikes that fit me.

I pondered this question for a while now, in order to prevent me from buying random stuff and end up with 19 huret deraillers and not a french frame to put them on, for instance. So the plan is now to part up the history of the bicycle in era's and have a bike representative for every period. And all campy, to keep things tidy. So the plan is to have a gran sport equipped bike (just missed out a great deal on that one because i was broke, only 200 e ), a first gen record, a Nuovo Record, a Super Record, a C-Record, a first gen ergopower and a second gen ergopower (after that it's not C&V anymore by all measurements, I know second gen ergo is pushing it!). Also groups that aren't top level are measured according to the expensive kit they are derived from, for instance Nuovo GS fits under the NR category and first gen athena under the C-record era.

So far only the Super Record and second gen ergopower have been realised, and I'm waiting for a nice frame to pop up for the right price to get the NR rig rolling.

No longer actively searching/making permanent additions. Suspended due to space and time. Unless a killer deal pops up, I have enough on my plate to keep me busy. Personal projects of modern and old....all opportunistic buys...a few regrets...those will be moved along with my flips.
I don't need a pedigree collection to be satisfied. I seem to enjoy the hunt and creative building much more.
Only the possibility of acquiring a missing Italian road bike to my collection, will add another for now. Anything else will solely be for resale.

• Will it grow larger - or more sophisticated? Smaller.
• Are you seeking out that Cinelli, DeRosa and Confente Italian super bikes, or are you following a theme, looking for that Raleigh Record to complete your collection of every model pictured in the '73 catalog? Neither.
• Maybe you are looking for versatility, with a tourer, a townie, a club bike, a trail rider, a single speed and a modern racer. Nope.
• Do you crave curly stays and chromed lugs? Nope.
• Are you taking French language classes just so you can commune with your bikes - I mean Velo's? Nein.
• Are you the apostle of some particular brand, with a house-full of old Schwinns? No, but I prefer Centurions of a certain age.
• Are the bikes you're buying today getting progressively more expensive? Not any more.
• Or are they just getting older and more expensive to repair and maintain? Not really.
• Maybe you're just an opportunist scarfing up all the best deals with no real design, rhyme nor reason. Not any more.

With the incredible variety of C&V bikes your hobby can take all sorts of interesting turns, but where would you like it to go?
(As always, a photo to illustrate your point is more than welcome.)

I'd like to drop my 2 Paramounts, simply because they're excess, and pick up a 1987 Ironman and a Centurion Lemans mixte.

I have 85-86 and 88-89 Centurions, and 87 would fill the gap. I have enough road bikes, so an 87 tri-bike would be interesting.

Right now it spans from a 1958 Lenton Grand Prix (clubmanesque bike) to an 84ish Raleigh Gran Course (fast bike) and also includes a few 531 Sports tourers and a full touring bike (Trek 620). Honestly, I think I've got what I want/need. If I ever get around to rehabbing my 69 Raleigh Sports all aspects are covered

I have already started downsizing my collection of vintage road bicycles. Gone are my Peugeot PX10, my Gardin Anniversary and my ALAN Super Record. On the block as I type are my 1976 Marinoni, my 1984 Tommasini Prestige, and others soon to be Ebay listed. I will, of course, keep a few to ride when the mood strikes. And those that I keep will rotate out when something more interesting comes along.

Roadsters, antiques and mountain bikes. That's where I and my collection are headed.

The roadsters are already flowing in and out of The Old Shed. Have a look at the newest feature bicycle article on MY "TEN SPEEDS" and keep your eyes peeled, if you wish, for my first mountain bike feature article. The candidate though not vintage, is just about half way to being vintage, if 25 years is the defining target for vintage qualification...

great topic first of all

i like the cheesey, the cheap, the odd

so what i currently lust for includes:

huffy sante fe
celeste colored vintage bianchi
iverson dragstripper
anything mixte framed really

however - space and time limitations are probably gonna keep my fleet at its current number
realistically - i still need to build up the moto
and i might rebuild the free spirit
or build up the le tour frame
now if i can just find the time...

Backwards - trimming the herd.

Anyone looking for a 1983 Cinelli Supercorsa frameset?

DD

Don't really collect bikes. Before I bought my Frejus last fall I hadn't bought a bike since 1985. I'm in the minority here, I realize.
Once in a while I'll buy a vintage part or two. I just dabble.

Hopefully headed for more time on the road rather than hanging in the basement.

Neal

Smaller, much smaller.

When you have to rent space at a warehouse to house your belongings, it points to an issue at hand.

Some on this board know of my real efforts to get this zaniness under control.

Since last September I have really brought the "bike shop inventory" back to planet earth.

I still get "new to me" bikes, but it's back to a one in, one out philosophy.

....and I am definitely focusing on unique, well regarded American builders.

I've generally followed the snap up good deals philosophy, but there were some particular bikes I had targeted. I've also loosely followed the "I want a bike from every major bike producing country" strategy, except skipping the French. Growing up, the two bikes I most coveted were a Merlin and a De Rosa...I got both and later sold the De Rosa. The Merlin will be unlikely to ever leave, I love that bike in a way some might consider unhealthy (but not illegal). As a resident here, I quickly decided that I wanted a Hetchins and a 753 Team Raleigh, but those urges have passed. I think my acquisition/collection bug is subsiding and I'm quite happy with what I have. Truthfully, I'd be happy with just the Marnati, Merlin and Koga...I consider everything else at this point expendable. What I want now is stronger rides, less weight and maximum enjoyment from each ride.

I see my collection slowly getting smaller and more modern.

it's becoming more focused. No more yardsales please! The only problem I have is parting with the bikes I've collected that are no longer within my scope of interest.

Cracks me up!!!!!!! Is anyone not downsizing or thinning the herd**********

+1000 to this. I spent a great deal of effort building up my Fuji Monterey only to find it really doesn't fit me. The first and only ride I took on it this season left me sore as all get out the next day whereas my Schwinn just left me feeling good. I don't want to ride it, but dang if it doesn't look pretty. I don't know if I can sell it for what I've got in it, so maybe I need to peel off the good parts and send it back out with the original bars and steel wheels and let it be someone else's good find.

Don't you hate it when you spend the cash...make something beautiful...and it just doesn't work as well as something far less interesting? I replaced the brake levers on my Team Miyata from Dia Compe grand to C record...the Dia Compes were SO MUCH more comfortable. That lever change out really hurts the rideability of the bike for me now.