First bike I rode real distance on was a red single speed Schwinn. Did 15 mile rides with hills on that.

In 1972 I made my first real purchase with my own money and got a green Manufrance 10-speed with steel cottered crank, steel rims, weighed 27 lb. Cost $115.

1974 I was working in the bike shop and the boss got a good deal on some Italian Mainos, so I bought one for $150. Had never heard of this brand and have never seen another to this day except the dozen or so that our shop got that year. Frame is Columbus straight gage tubing, so it's quite stiff and weighs 23-24 lb. Original componentry was a very odd mix of racing and touring gear: sew-up wheels (Campy Tipo high flange hubs, Nisi rims), wide-range (14-28) freewheel, Stronglight 49 crankset (see my avatar), Campy Grand Tourismo derailleurs (the rear one broke within a year). I swapped out a number of parts when I got it - needed a short stem and smaller bars, put on Universal 61 brakes, different saddle and seatpost. For derailleurs (after the Campy broke) I used Suntour-V with narrow-range freewheels and Suntour-VGT with wider range freewheels. Then I got a used Campy Record set from my boss that I still ride with today.

1983 I bought a new frame, the Performance Blue Ridge, of Columbus double butted tubing and moved the good components of the Maino to it. The bike weighs 22 lb. It's got the sewup wheels on Campy Tipo hubs (changed the rear axle from 5 to 6 speed) and the Campy Record derailleurs, along with Modolo Speedy brakes and a Suntour Superbe Pro crankset. The Campy Record headset needs replacing (it got notched this spring). Tried Look pedals when clipless first came out. Went to Speedplay pedals 5 years ago. Over the years I've changed the rims at least twice and I couldn't begin to count the freewheel and chain replacements. Wore out that old Stronglight 49 crankset (couldn't get new chainrings anymore). The Campy Record derailleurs with downtube friction shifters are still going strong.