I bought and sold quite a few high end bikes as a teen. The first one purchased with my own funds was as a 12 year-old: a Peugeot purchased in France, just across the street from the Roi Soleil's Chateau in Saint Germain-en-Laye. I rode that until I was 15 when I first started working in the bike industry and was able to buy everything wholesale. My first high end bike was a full-Campagnolo Olympia, which was traded up for a Colnago, then a Custom-built Marinoni... I went through at least one bike per year, always selling it for more than I paid for it. (I also would pick up components cheaply in Europe and often be able to sell them for double what I paid for them,after a year's use)
The most expensive bike that I owned as a teen and the one that impressed all the girls was my Bob Jackson SWB tandem. At the time it was built (in 1978?), it cost the original buyer over $2000. The original owner was one of the founders of the computer company Mitel, soI guess $2000 wasn't much of a stress for the guy. I traded my custom full-Campagnolo Super Record (including BB and pedals) Marinoni for it when the original owner broke up with his girlfriend. I was convinced that I got the better out of that trade. I can honestly say that no girl ever turned down an invitation to go for a ride. I still have the tandem today!
One amusing story involves the father of a former Italian girlfriend. When he found out the "value" of the tandem, he commented to his daughter: "ma è pazzo questo quà!" or "this one is crazy!" He truly believed this, until one day a friend borrowed the tandem for a date and left me his car as collateral: a 1974 V12 Jaguar E-Type. Any teenager who came to his home driving a Jaguar was OK in his books, even if I shaved my legs and wore a braid.
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Steven Maasland
Moorestown, NJ, USA