I do not describe myself as a bicycle collector because that implies conducting a series of deliberate actions to acquire specific machines. My accumulation of bicycles did not happen that way – I just acquired bicycles that resonated with me in a particular way and I have kept them so long as that resonance was there and I have disposed of a few when it faded.
I have also made the mistake of buying bikes because they were considered by others to be desirable – a Hetchins which I couldn’t get rid of soon enough; a Cinelli Super Corsa which was beautiful but left me cold; a couple of Gillotts, nice to look at and nice to ride but we just didn’t connect; a Carlton Flyer track the same. But others enthuse about those bikes and rightly so – bicycles are a very personal thing and I expect many of you not to think particularly highly of the machines that I have accumulated.
My hope is that this site will develop into one with something for all enthusiasts of classic factory lightweight bicycles – I will steadily add my own bikes and then start adding other people’s so that we get a good cross-section of the world’s great bikes.
Stay tuned and please give me your comments on this site, good and bad, so that I can try to make it better.