Most interesting about this post is Caleb is not falling for the belief that you have to have a indexed ten speed on the rear of a carbon fiber frame to have a bicycle. As current the market would make you believe. V intage classic mid range stuff works.
Having lived through the bike boom times, when you wanted a Raleigh Pro/ PX10 but had to settle for a Record/UO8 because of money (because of a c razy mother who though it was insane to buy a bike for $100), the expens ive hard to get stuff is collectible.
Mid range stuff is more common, easier and cheaper to get and functions as well as expensive stuff.
One thing rarely talked about is comparing how vintage bikes ride throug h the models. Though I put many miles on my Raleigh Record, compared to even a Super Course it handled very poorly. When you push a low end bike it does not come through.
Friend of mine paid $200 for a dusty 1978 Super Course in very good shap
e. He paid about $300 to change out the rims to hooked, new tires, a Bro
oks and few other parts. Mostly to see how it rode.
http://www.flickr.com/
His Super Course is not high end, was not made under the Vigorelli Velod rome, but sure is fun to ride.
Steven Johnson, Shiloh, IL
Caleb wrote: As for KOF bikes, well, I can't really afford any of them, so I'll stick to my Tange 2 1983 Lotus Classique for my rider while I tool around with the others.
I'll go back to lurking now, but I'm curious if there are any other 20-30 somethings on this list who don't yet make enough money to collect but do modest projects as they come along.