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LibertyFLS I have run the gamut from fully vintage to fully modern and a mix of things in between, like many of us here. The roads around my city are crummy as well--I understand the struggle
and understand the desire to rock some larger (but not mega heavy) rubber to float/fly over the crappy roads. I love the 23-25mm race bike stuff, but I just hung that up earlier this year after riding tires large enough to have me appreciate the difference.
Modern ergonomics, especially with shift/brake lever units, are FAR superior to vintage. It's just the evolution in thinking and in riding positions etc. Modern shifting, braking, wheels (minus well made Mavics et al), all of it, are much improved. I have put many a modern groupset onto a many a vintage frame, and have reaped the benefits of both.
Meanwhile, I have given intense look into all road / gravel bikes that can take 700 x 48mm rubber. Not that I am a gravelhead or anything, but running large supple tires at the same speeds as I was riding on my road/race frames was/is pretty mind blowing. Better gear range desired? Check. Bigger tires to take on crummy roads? Check. Not loony graphics or aesthetics? Check. I thought the Giant's graphics to be very nice and minimal (nothing else on the frame). Are your friends on road/race bikes? Or are they on larger tired bikes?
For everyone else playing at home, these big-tire all road
disc frames are going to weigh more due to their tire clearances, disc brake setups, and modern standards/requirements for frame strength (all steel stuff gets a lot beefier now). 24 lbs for what is a modern-ish take on an old touring bike (but now with some attitude) is actually pretty par for the 1980's touring bike course. A 20 lb version of the same type of bike is even better. $2,000 for a
race bike that's under 20 lbs is easy enough (Trek Emonda ALR - disc-only now I guess, adds a pound or so extra of weight).
The bikes I've been looking at have been the Niner RLT, Trek Checkpoint, and
more recently the Jamis Renegade. All three come in CF and aluminum, with the Niner and Jamis available in steel. The Jamis designs are subdued and classy, to me, and overall Jamis presents a great value. Thankfully, all 3 bikes have geometry numbers that work for me.
Presently, I've taken to having modified my '85 Trek 620 tourer. Fits nominal 42mm tires and flies over the garbage roads. It is so nice to ride. I have what I would call "extended full road gearing" ("full road" being Seattle hill friendly enough at 53/39 and 11-28) with a 53/39 setup in front and a 11-32 setup in the rear. We have a bunch of 10-15% and up to 20% grades in local neighborhoods as well as outside of them, so vintage gearing is discarded. Anyway, I had the canti posts relocated to install TRP mini-Vs. Shifting is old school downtube (indexed) for now, but only a short while more. I have some brake/shifters en route that will not only get me my 'dream groupset', but will also drop more weight out of the bike (not that that is a main goal, just a fun sideshow). The bike as pictured is 22.9 lbs, which is a bit absurd for a heavier gauge steel touring bike.
It represents the culmination of a lot of experience and experimentation and thought and I love riding it!
