After some prodding from Mr. Deeter and some hard thinking I have come to some conclusions and am ready to post my award winners. I find it difficult to judge bikes I have neither owned or ridden so my favorites will include only those that meet those requirements. I will also limit myself to only those bikes that are on topic.
Number one hands down has to be my 1974 Tom Ritchey. Not only is it a thing of beauty and a work of art but one of the finest frames I have ever ridden. The pictures were taken on the day I received the bike. I have since "fixed" all of the non original components.
http://client.visuallink.com/
The rest are in no particular order. Some I have not had time to photograph.
1979 Bruce Gordon Crit frame. Now equipped with a Campagnolo Super Record Group and Modolo Professional brakes.
http://client.visuallink.com/
The wonderful Ron Cooper I brought to the Cirque a few years ago. Nice details. Great ride.
http://client.visuallink.com/
My very early Masi Prestige. As Charles says........It is almost too nice to ride. Almost........ The Masi beside mine in the bottom picture is the one he sold.
http://client.visuallink.com/
Another Italian frame is the Rauler I received last summer. I was not expecting this bike to ride and handle as nice as it does and very quickly became one of my favorites.
http://client.visuallink.com/
I don`t really have to limit myself to five do I?
There is an Eisentraut in my fleet I am very attached to. Some of the prettiest lugs I have seen.
http://client.visuallink.com/
Another would be the clean 1972 Frejus I was lucky enough to buy from Dale many years ago and is featured on the CR Website. Better pictures of this bike are on my list of things to do.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
Some that I do not yet have pictures of........My wonderful Chrome DeRosa that I brought to my first Cirque. One lone picture exists.
http://www.classicrendezvous.com/
There is a cute story to go with this bike. Many years ago when I first started riding I saw this bike hanging in Dale`s shop. It was way more money than I ever expected to spend on a bike but one that struck a chord with me and I never forgot. (We won`t talk about the Carolina Blue Colnago Arabesque I didn`t buy...) Years later I was up for a visit with Dale - over Christmas I think. I had since found a career managing a bike shop and we were bemoaning the Biz when I glanced at the "bikes in the back" only to see THE CHROME DEROSA hanging from a tire rack. Long story short Dale called the owner and I took the frame home.
I have a couple of other very interesting frames but without riding them I don`t feel that I can include them.
Karen Rawls
Winchester VA