Greetings - I've been reading this list for the last month or two, not entirely sure that I belong. The 'what do you ride' thread has inspired me to respond and introduce myself. First of all, I am not in any respect a 'purist'. Even if I knew what was proper and authentic I would prefer what I thought was practical and what appeals to my own aesthetic. I have never been in a bike race and almost certainly never will be. I ride moderate distances slowly, usually alone. At almost 63, I do not aspire to compete with anyone. But I do appreciate and admire the craftmanship, mechanical beauty and quality of the classic bikes of the 70's and thereabouts. My usual ride last summer was a '72 Raleigh International, with a Sugino triple crank, Suntour barend shifters, Simplex derailleurs, Weinemann centerpull brakes, etc. And in town a Clements Falcon, set up as a city bike with upright bars and Campy triple stuff. My Windsor Profesional with a Campy NR crank triplized, and Altenberger brakes, CLB levers, was my main road ride for years, but last spring I decided that it needed an overhaul and it is still in pieces. I have an ancient and superficially rusty 531 Follis with a steel Nervar crank, the huge Campy rear derailleir and a 32 tooth freewheel, with knobby tires, that gets a lot of use on dirt roads. At my girlfriend's house in Maine I keep an Allegro with a Stronglight triple, Suntour barenders, Mavic brakes, and a Bridgestone XO-3 with moustache bars, Suntour derailleurs and barend shifters, and fat road tires. I have a collection of Raleighs in addition to my International; including a Professional with Grand Sport brakes, shifters, etc, obviously not original ; a Competition, Gran Sport, etc... I also have 40 or 50 bikes in my friend's warehouse; a very nice Benotto frameset, a Mondia Special, a Dawes, another Windsor, a Lotus with a half-step crank, and more that I can't even remember. A Lawwill mtb frame. A Terrot frameset from the (?) early 60's, a low-end Bottechia, and... An absolutely gorgeous Alpine that may have been made by Eisentraut, that's just a little too small for me. It has a modern Campy triple, index barend shifters, and I do ride it occasionally. And right now I'm 'restoring' another International, a small frame for a female friend. That's my winter project, along with reassembling the Windsor. There is so much experience and wisdom - and good humor - on this list; I'm privileged to be a part of it.
Richard Coutant
Brattleboro, Vermont