Lately I've had the idea that I want to keep my collection (and not much of a collection) down to a few bikes that I have really coveted and one off topic daily rider. That isn't to say that I don't ride those bikes that I am keeping, the daily rider gets thrown in the car and ridden at work during lunch, I just can't see doing that to some of the old soldiers that I've acquired. Speaking of old soldiers, I am becoming more convinced that respraying a bike and finding NOS components to hang on the frame is not what I want to do. I'm more interested in touching up chips, dings etc. and riding whatever components the bike has on them at the moment (but all are on topic components). Only one of my bikes was bought as a full bike with matching gruppo, my 74 RIH, and that one I will not switch out components (other than wheels). All of the other bikes get period correct components or whatever I happen to have on hand at the moment. I recently took possession of a mid 70's Zieleman, it's getting built with a frankengruppo for the time being (so I can ride it) and will eventually be clad in a 1975 Nuovo Record gruppo once I get all the bits collected. The only exception to all of this is the Pogliaghi pista frame I bought from Ben K. , the bike was painted a horrible green/yellow/green fade and was resprayed Red with repop decals. That one gets wheeled out to the Superdrome but spends more time hanging than any of the others.
My kids have absolutely no interested in bikes other than they were great transportation when they (the kids) were in grade school in Falls Church. There are a few bikes which I'm going to "will" to individuals, other than that I'll leave the decision to my wife to dispose of them properly.
Marty Eison
Frisco, Texas. USA