Finally reassembled my '72 Atala - Nuovo Record gruppo with Universal Model 61 brakes. Bought it used in Aspen in '74. Didn't have a car for several years, so it was my basic means of transportation. I also toured throughout the west with it. Have ridden it a lot this past summer and fall, and added mudguards so have been riding it at least once a week this winter.
Have a '69 Raleigh Competition that's almost ready to ride, and a '74 PX10 that I've been trying to find the time to restore.
I've owned four Merckx's. My current one is a '94 Century that I'm about to build up with a 10 speed gruppo. Also have a '98 Waterford 2200 with a nine speed setup. All my bikes are lugged steel tubing and Campagnolo equipped. The durability of the components on the '72 Atala convinced me of their quality. And I think the Nuovo Record rear der. is a work of art.
A friend recently asked me which bike was my favorite. After pondering for a few seconds I replied that it was whichever one I happened to be riding at any given time. Even my off topic Merckx and Waterford are finely crafted frames built to standards equal to many pre 1984 bikes. All my bikes speak to me as examples of the fine art of quality frame building. It is about the bike...
Dan DeKoven Evergreen, Colorado (minus 10 degrees right now, but 50 when I rode last Saturday)