When I was seventeen, it was a very good year... That was the year I moved up from my old Frejus with 531, Magistroni cranks, and Gran Sport derailleurs to an ItalVega Super Speciale. It was just a frameset, but I had a ball building it up with whatever parts I could afford at the bike shop I was working for. The bike I REALLY wanted was the electric blue Gimondi/Chiorda we had in the window, but there was no way I could afford it (and it didn't come in a size big enough either). My ride to school was an old Ted Williams/Puch Bergmeister that I had bought for next to nothing. Gaspipe tubing, but Campy Record derailleurs and, since it was only a 22" frame, it had the longest seatpost I could find. Richardissimo, are you listening? :>)
When I was 31, it was a very good year... I had a matching pair of Medici's - one for road and one for track, both custom built, along with a beautiful Condor, a custom Santana tandem and some very off-topic bikes designed for off-road use...
Cheers,
Mark Ritz
In the Autumn of my years...
in Arcata, CA