A ride with an Old Friend

The other day I decided to take the long way to work and ride my Olmo - a bike I've had for 25 years and ridden over 25000 miles. This is not the first road bike I purchased, but it is the first Italian bike I purchased. I fell in love with it immediately, mostly because I felt so special riding Italian steel. This was 1990, when carbon fiber was starting to appear on the market and aluminum frames were all the rage. I was 19 and this bike made me feel special when I'd ride.
One of the greatest things about it is that I purchased it on clearance from the importer for $135. Brand new Italian steel for a screaming deal! Granted, it's Oria steel that doesn't have the same pedigree as Reynolds or Columbus. However, it has been a fantastic bike for me.

A few years ago I updated it with a Campy Daytona group. Campy was something I'd only heard of when I was 19. We didn't see it in our shop, the general consensus was that it was too expensive. Back then, I rode it with a nice Shimano 600 group that worked great for me. Still, I always desired Campy. Since all my bikes are shod with Campy now, this one got the upgrade about 10 or 12 years ago. I decided on Daytona because it works great, it's not expensive, and it looks nice. My trusted old friend, Campy equipped.

The first few years after I bought it, I rode it every day. I explored places I hadn't gone before, roads I had always wondered where they led, and towns I'd never been to before. I raced a bit, rode centuries, and commuted to the shop with it. I rode fast training rides, slow cruises, and even to pancake breakfasts. As I got older and collected more bikes I never stopped riding the Olmo, but the miles on it decreased as I split my miles between several bikes. These days it only gets out on the road 3 or 4 times a month. When I do, I feel like it's an old friend that I miss.

I just love riding this bike.

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