belacqua

Forum members often remark that a particular bike, whose appeal might not have been obvious at first, has quickly become their "go-to" ride. I hope to start a thread in celebration of these machines, and to learn more about their mysterious ways.

due ruote 

Closest one for me is my Ross Signature 294S.
It fits like a glove, has 2 bottle cages, and takes 28mm tires and fenders without blinking. I have it set up with 8 speed indexed dt shifters and 39/48 x 13-23 gearing, which feels perfect for where I live. Oh, and I am using a low level Fulcrum wheel set that never seems to be so much as a hair out of true.
Here’s the bike in an earlier form with barends.

BFisher

This one is, I think, in the spirit of the thread. I acquired it sometime in the early 2010s. I remember the listing included only two or three obscure photos. Motobecane Grand Sprint - mid-range "training" model marketed for the junior racer of the time, it was originally equipped with 27" wheels, Shimano Altus components, Sugino swaged crankset. The more I rode it and compared it to the other bikes that have come through my garage, the more I realized just how well it fit, and how nicely it handled. It is a Vitus 888 frame. I have since given it an extensive upgrade to the tune of Campy derailleurs, Wolber GTX 700c rims laced to Campy Record hubs, a nicer non-swaged SR Apex crankset, Motobecane black top nut headset, and some paint infill on the seat post and crank. Weighs 23-ish pounds. It doesn't get the bulk of my mileage, as my more modernized builds suit my area better, but it is always a pleasure to swing a leg over this and hit the flatter routes.

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gearbasher

My Maza in it's earlier stage of life (it now has a Campy Record 10 speed group on it). I always thought it was ugly and the ride was too soft. Felt like a Cadillac and not a Ferrari. Now that I got old, it's my favorite ride. It's still ugly, but it's gentler on my body.

Wildwood 

I am not sure what a 'go to' bike really means.

on days when I want to ride but feel wimpy - maybe a triple chainring

Wildwood 

Go to? I like to be a little weird. Maybe something no one will readily recognize.

John E

My mountain bike has become my go-to errand runner, although the Peugeot still sometimes continues to fill that role. I just drop a set of clip-on panniers over the rear rack, and I am good to go.


CycleAware mirror on my Giro XEN helmet.

My UO-8 with barcon cables routed between the rack and the cylindrical Bellwether front bag.
I have another set of strap-on panniers I keep on the UO-8 pretty much all the time.

cyccommute 

A 2004 T800 is my go to bike for most of my riding.



However if I want something different, I usually drag out this one.

Wildwood 

I have been told that ‘you can’t go wrong with the basic black outfit’. Quietly supporting that ‘go to’ jersey or shoe or helmet or snazzy socks.

‘Go To’ - basic black

Big cruiser, so easy in the drops

Getting narrowest bars for stretching out sleekly

1980 Romic - likely a custom for a guy with long arms, 59.5cm square. And I like the gold Galli components he spec’d.

Wildwood 

No family man's collection is complete without 'Go 2' bike. Hopefully with a widely adjustable stokers seatpost height (), when someone else has a 'go to' moment

cycleheimer

I made very subtle upgrades to this bike, and have it in top mechanical condition. It's the best fitting bike I have ever owned, and the bar-cons (versus DT shifters) make a huge difference! All my road bikes now have brifters or bar-cons. I have done alot of commuting and some light touring with this Fuji. It is super solid and stable on the road. One of my all time favorite "go to" bikes.

masi61

My Saint Tropez. I can commute on it, take it on a club ride, deliver my mail to the post office or pick up groceries with this bike.

The rear hub is a Dura Ace 7400 Uniglide with a 12-23 seven speed Dura Ace cassette. The front hub is a Deore XT in silver which is so similar to the Dura Ace as to be an apparent match. The hub drilling is 28 front, 28 rear laced to the DT Swiss RR 1.2 semi aero rims. These wheels are very strong and have never, ever gone out of true. The frame is spaced 126mm and the 3x7 gearing gives me what I need. The Dura Ace 1st gen dual pivot (7403?) brakes are real nice. And of course the Selle Italia Turbomatic 2 saddle mated to the Control Tech seatpost is the most comfortable saddle arrangement in my stable.

The Retroshift shift pods (now known as Gevenalle Audax) have Shimano 105SC seven speed indexed rear and retro friction front shifting action and other than still having a slightly bent rear derailleur hanger, shifting is reliable and drama free. The Salsa 12cm upward rise chromoly stem gets me in the correct position and works fine with the Cinelli Altera 42cm ergo bend bars.

Wildwood 

Funny,
All the bikes pictured above are none of the bikes posted in the thread "Show your Race Iron".
Should that say something about Go To or Race Iron?
Well, .....
Confusion reigns, because often the race bikes are the ones most choosen!


Off to ride soon...... (hehehehehe)
Merckx w/ 48/34 chainrings, 25mm tubular Veloflex, SLX ride. Even comes with handlebar bag. And 61cm = so easy in the drops.

Time to Go, Too!

Drillium Dude 

For the past couple months, my go-to has been this (it's in that "other thread", too):





The Davidson currently has the best gearing by virtue of the 39 ring. Sealed bearings in the Chris King headset and Campy BB reduce maintenance, there's clearance for 25mm rubber, and I've got the best of both worlds in the shifting department: brifter for the cogs and a downtube lever for the chainrings

DD

bikemig 

I built up my 1979 Trek 510 at the beginning of the pandemic and it has become my go to bike. It's a full Ishiwata 022 frame, low temp silver brazed with an investment cast fork.

The bike fits 700 x 35c tires comfortably which works for gravel and road. It sports a rack. It has generous gearing (50/38/26 Sugino AT triple and 14-28 6 speed winner freewheel). The suntour derailleurs are first rate as are the ratcheting suntour shifters. And most importantly of all, the bike fits me like a glove. The wheels are campy tipo 36 hole hubs laced to super champion 58 rims (which may be the best vintage rims I've ever used). I like using aero brake levers as it provides me with a 2d quick release (which helps with fat tires) and better brake modulation.

SJX426 

My "go to" is the same because it is not under modification and I know it. Now with the triple, it is more of a go to until spring.
P1050224 on Flickr

BFisher

I guess I just zeroed in on this part of the original post, "whose appeal might not have been obvious at first."

The Moto is one of those bikes that seemed cool, but didn't have the expectation level that other higher end bikes would.
When I unboxed my Colnago my pulse thumped. High expectations. The ride exceeded.

clubman 

'91 Crossroads is my pandemic path bike, grocery getter, letter mailer.

thinktubes 

Fits and is comfy - haven’t ridden anything else since 2017.

Chuck M 

I always think whatever bike I'm riding at the moment is my favorite bike. And I narrowed down to two, my '80 Takara 970 Grand Touring and my '84 Raleigh Competition. I realize I love the Raleigh more than the Takara but since this thread topic is go-to, I have to go-to the Takara. The Takara is everything I can ask for a bike boom bike to be. The frame while hi-tensile is butted saving a little bit of weight and well made, the components are durable and well functioning after 22 years, and the bike takes me back to the Takara 960 I had in high school which is why I bought it. But in addition to all those things, what makes it go-to for me is I can ride it in nearly every situation I like to ride in. I'm planning to ride a century in June on my Trek Domane, but I'm not ruling out doing it on this Takara. I added a Pletscher rack which makes it a little more handy as I can now tote things on it. If I had to get rid of every bike I own except one, I'd keep the Takara.

This picture was taken last summer pretty much how I found it and before tearing it down and overhauling every moving part, wrapping the bars and replacing the missing Dia-Compe TT cable clamps. I'll ride this thing until I can't throw my leg over the saddle to get on it and then I'll figure some other way to ride it.


From a ride this summer near sunset.

bikemig 

Nothing like a new old bike that’s a lot like the new bike you rode back in the day.

BradH

This Specialized Allez SE has been getting most of my miles for the last few years. A roll your own 14-28 10 speed cassette and a 39/53 double seem to handle most of my flat to moderately hilly rides.

mackgoo

Go to? My daily driver.

bwilli88 

My go-to is a Japanese made Maxwell hybrid that I had a bunch of brazing done to it. It just works for me here in Cambodia. Running XT Deore 10 speed RD and flat bar shifter with a 46t chainring and 11x36 cassette.
Acorn bar and tool roll, Brooks flyer saddle, VO cages, HPX frame pump, Vans grips and Deore LX canti brakes, a plescher rack, Deore hubs on some Bontrager wheelset, Schwalbe Big Apple tires. It just works.

prairiepedaler

Here it is (by default).