Like many of you have pointed out, this topic is bringing out a lot of first-timers, and I'm another one.
Right now, I ride the only bike I have - a 1981 Talbot. In 1981 I had Carleton Cycles here in Vancouver BC make up a frameset with Reynolds 531 and a Campy Nuovo Record gruppo, Brooks saddle, clinchers (sew-ups sounded like a lot of trouble back then) on Rigida rims. A very nice bike that I rode for a few summers & then for some unremembered reason (lots of those going around these days...), I just put it away and let it collect dust & cobwebs until 2 summers ago, when I dragged it out, cleaned it up, & fell in love with it again.
I'm fortunate to have met up with a group of guys (including a couple of CR members) who collect & ride old steel, and who, despite my meagre collection, let me ride hang out & ride with them. These guys are pretty serious when it comes to bikes; to paraphrase that old song, they've forgotten more than I'll ever know about bikes.
Thanks to their influence, I now own an '80's Gios SR frameset and am in the process of acquiring all the bits I need to get it on the road. By this spring I should have a collection of two, and can start thinking about the next one!
Anyway, I thoroughly enjoy the list - always informative, always entertaining, and if there are any other Talbot owners out there, I'd love to hear from you.
Cheers,
Steve Holmes
Vancouver, BC