Hi all. Greetings from Sydney Australia. Nice to see you guys are getting yourself organised to share info.
I don't regard myself as an expert on this issue, as one is always learning, but I feel there is no such thing as the 'best' bikes coming from a particular country or region. In my experience good bikes come from good frame/bike builders, and they come from everywhere.
Here in Australia, while many of us aspire to getting that prestigious/exotic/rare model Colnago, Olmo, Merckx etc, we also recognise there are some really good bikes available right at our doorstep. Hence what you find is Australian collectors collecting exotics while also lovingly restoring locally made road bikes.
Here in the Sydney region, there are about half a dozen or less makers who are sort from the last 80 years. Among that number about 2 are really sort after and people pay quite a bit of money.
Not sure if this is the same situation in S'pore. I was born and bred in Singapore and do not remember any mention of local bike/frame builders. As a kid, the old men use to ride either China-made 'gentleman' bikes or some British import such as Raleigh. So don't know if you can chase up locally made examples of well made road bikes from the last 100 years. And if they did exist, the likelihood of them surviving is almost zero. I know the Singapore mindset is discard if it is old and replace with new. This has probably changed now, but even if it has, it's too late now. So might have to rely on ebay for oversea purchases - nothing wrong with that.
I coincidentally organised the inaugural Sydney Classic Bicycle Show last weekend. You can view the video and photos of the event to give you an idea of what we have in Sydney and New South Wales. Go to: https://www.facebook.com/SydneyClassicBicycleShow?sk=wall&filter=2&notif_t=share_wall_create

Good luck from a former Marine Parade boy.

 

-- Edited by dmonster on Wednesday 24th of April 2013 07:53:17 AM

Welcome "home" Marine Parade boy. Bicycle racing was not popular then and purchase a bike is much logic than go into production. There were choices of well made frame (mostly Italian brands) available. Namely Colnago, Legnano, Olmo, Frejus etc. You will surprise that there are the same bikes been kept till today. I just sold my early 80's Legnano Grand Premio (Renold 531 tubing) last year after restored, which i found it too small now. We appreciate these beautiful crafted bikes like you do and will continue collecting.

We do organise bike flea and meet. Will do a better one before end of the year.

There are a few understated italian made cycles as well... like Basso Loto for example. Or Ciocc Conti, Donadello, just to name a few.
I love Colnago, Olmo, Moser etc but these also benefited from better marketing, being named after Giro d'Italia, TDF winners etc, other than some of the lesser know Italian brands which have as good as, if not better geometry than the brands we have all come to know and love.
I agree though, there is definitely a higher value on the Italian steel cycles and there should be - and once you ride one, there is little else I would rather ride in terms of a vintage steel bikes. I always expect to pay more for an Italian steel cycle, no argument.

Re: Japanese bike - Nishiki (their Team Issue model) and (some) Miyatas are great, I agree.

Sounds like a good plan!