Welcome to Ron and Jim's humble little "Vintage Bike Museum". Of course we were crazy about bikes from the very beginning. The first bike I can remember was a cheaper copy of a Schwinn Stingray which was definitely the rage in the 60's. My next bike was also a knock off of a Schwinn but this time it was the Krate/Fastback bikes. My bike cost less than half the Schwinn but had a 5-speed stick shift and that was all that mattered.
It eventually came time to start looking for a "10-speed" and I somehow was able to afford a Raleigh Record which I thought was fabulous and had it for many years until it got stolen in college. So, bikes were wonderful but not an obsession.
However something seriously changed when a friend bought a black Schwinn Paramount in about 1972. He paid the incomprehensible amount of $300 as compared to my $75 Raleigh. He let us ride it though and that changed everything. It almost felt like it had a motor it was so seemingly effortless to pedal. This sensation we have subsequently referred to as "The Paramount Effect" and while this feeling can be experienced on many other bikes, and is surprisingly common on high-end bikes in general, it always brings us back to that day. I felt hypnotized by it. I also marveled at the Campagnolo components, the narrow sew-up tires and the incredible light weight. That did it. We were hooked on high end bikes for good.
This website is the expression of that obsession, so far. Please take a moment to share your thoughts on it. Perhaps you have some similar memories.