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What was your first vintage bike? The one that started it all?

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Apologies if there's another thread with this theme (I couldn't find one), but I came across a photo today of my first vintage bicycle find. It was 1982 and I was 13 years old. I dragged a ladies Firestone middleweight home from the town dump because I loved the atomic age styling (primarily the tank/headlight combination). It didn't matter to me that it was a girl's bike. And while I raced BMX and rode my Mongoose most places, I still took this slightly crusty old lady for frequent rides around town. I even submitted a drawing of this bike with my application to the Carnegie Mellon School of Fine Arts. You never forget your first.

That's my story, but please share yours, so that we may all enjoy. Thanks!

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Yes... but the important detail is missing... did you keep it? Does the lovely old thing still grace your garage?
 
Yes... but the important detail is missing... did you keep it? Does the lovely old thing still grace your garage?
I did not keep it, but I do still have the drawing in my attic. My father opened a small bike shop a few years after my find and became very active in collecting antique bicycles. It was after college when I finally parted with the ladies' Firestone for two main reasons:
A) I lived on the water in Rhode Island and the bike was stored under our porch, exposed to the salt air. The bike rusted up pretty good.
B) My father and I had assembled a pretty decent collection of quality antique bicycles from a late 1860s velocipede, to high wheelers, to hard tire safeties, to TOC safeties, to prewar balloon bikes, to postwar balloon bikes and Whizzers all the way through to Schwinn muscle bikes. The old Firestone was a boat anchor comparatively. Plus, having come from the dump, I had no regrets about returning it to the dump (especially when considering its poor condition).
 
I got my first vintage bike from my neighbor for free. It is a 1973 Schwinn Collegiate 5 speed. I rode that bike into the ground. Now it sits in the back of the garage under a pile of old tires. Currently tracking down another one.
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HOLA! To all the CABERS" when we have the family, repair auto shop, Dad and uncles, send us to buy some parts for the cars, or something to eat, so every one wants a car, and forgot about the minibike or bicycles* but I kept this one Schwinn cycle truck, that y still riding for the groceries or just for fun*!*

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Almost unrecognizable 1937 Colson LWB found hanging in my father-in-law's shed.
Walked right past it numerous times for over 30 years without ever taking notice.
While the repainted green tint is not correct, it was green originally.
Been 10 years since I pulled it from the shed, I may get around to getting the right fenders on it some day.
Definitely one of the most comfortable bikes to ride in my collection.

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