Best overall bike you ever rode, bar none. One choice only.
#126
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My contribution. I'll confess that I have been acting like a kid with this thread and admiring the pictures first without reading all the comments. However, I believe some of the comments that I've scanned have referenced that their one bike "disappears beneath them". For me, it's my 1983 Trek 700 that has that "Je Ne Sais Quoi" ride. With its sports tourer geometry, Reynolds 531C tubing and friction Suntour Superbe and Pro drive train, I can get in a groove and forget the bike is under me.
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#127
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If I can only pick one it would be this one. It got looks. can ride it all day in comfort, takes wide comfey tires, or light fast tires, depending what you want to do. Has gears to get up any hill
#128
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Same bike
My contribution. I'll confess that I have been acting like a kid with this thread and admiring the pictures first without reading all the comments. However, I believe some of the comments that I've scanned have referenced that their one bike "disappears beneath them". For me, it's my 1983 Trek 700 that has that "Je Ne Sais Quoi" ride. With its sports tourer geometry, Reynolds 531C tubing and friction Suntour Superbe and Pro drive train, I can get in a groove and forget the bike is under me.
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#129
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Road frame I built(with a lot of help) in a class a few years ago. Fits perfectly.
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#130
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Learned to ride a bike on a long, gravel driveway on one of these. I think it had training wheels on it when my parents bought it for my 5th or 6th birthday, but I seem to remember they didn't really help learning to ride... The following year my brother got one. When the weather permitted, we rode those bikes the 3-4 miles to elementary school in rural Rhode Island (I can't imagine 6, 7, 8 year-olds riding bikes to school un-supervised now......). I think I probably had more fun on that bike than on anything since. At least it was the start of an infatuation with the free, flying feeling of riding a bike!
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#131
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Still very capable, light enough and fast but with turkey levers and Twin Stik shifters, fenders, racks, bags and much more, they were targeting regular consumers mostly.
Slick ads, big, bright welcoming stores with a car dealership ethos that would make anything happen and a bike that rode very well even for the uninitiated and you have an American success story of epic proportions until they screwed it up and it wasn't.
Meanwhile we continue to reap the rewards very far down the line with plenty of them still to be had.
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#133
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I'm loving the variety in this thread. Plenty of the usual suspects, but also plenty of bikes I would not have thought of. A real horizon-expanding exercise.
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#135
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The best riding bike I've ever had is my Legend Ti.
#136
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#137
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For me it was the about the feeling that I got, because I've been on several modern carbon bicycles with exceptional new group sets and wheels and all that jazz that seem to outperform anything truly vintage I've ridden, but they also all felt almost identical and lacked character.
This Carlton Continental was originally sold to a client here in California through Hans Ohrt's shop in the late-1940s. I really regret selling it, but I was a poor student at the time and really shouldn't have made the credit card purchase in the first place! I convinced myself it was too short and not "British" enough for me because it lacked fender eyelets and had weird randonneur bars that Hans Ohrt liked putting on classy bikes to make the sale easier, but that was all bollocks and I knew it. Wonderful bicycle.
I hiked up the saddle and jumped on this thing and it was like a revelation, it weighed in the low-20s and it just felt like every moving component was floating along together harmoniously in a way I'd never felt on the 20-30 vintage bikes I've ridden in the past decade or so.
Currently on a mission to replicate that feel, and whatever bicycle it ends up being that sets off those sentiments next time will undoubtedly be a keeper.
-Gregory
This Carlton Continental was originally sold to a client here in California through Hans Ohrt's shop in the late-1940s. I really regret selling it, but I was a poor student at the time and really shouldn't have made the credit card purchase in the first place! I convinced myself it was too short and not "British" enough for me because it lacked fender eyelets and had weird randonneur bars that Hans Ohrt liked putting on classy bikes to make the sale easier, but that was all bollocks and I knew it. Wonderful bicycle.
I hiked up the saddle and jumped on this thing and it was like a revelation, it weighed in the low-20s and it just felt like every moving component was floating along together harmoniously in a way I'd never felt on the 20-30 vintage bikes I've ridden in the past decade or so.
Currently on a mission to replicate that feel, and whatever bicycle it ends up being that sets off those sentiments next time will undoubtedly be a keeper.
-Gregory
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#138
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For me, the litmus test is easy: which are the bikes that go on the rack when mrs non-fixie and I go on a vacation trip? For that we need bikes that can handle everything we might throw at it for a week or two, which usually ranges from billiard-smooth tarmac to deeply-rutted Tuscan white roads.
We typically end up choosing bikes that do not necessarily excel in any particular area, but are pretty good at almost everything. I guess their quality lies in making us feel comfortable and competent on whatever road we find ourselves.
We typically end up choosing bikes that do not necessarily excel in any particular area, but are pretty good at almost everything. I guess their quality lies in making us feel comfortable and competent on whatever road we find ourselves.
I could definitely pick a favourite competition road bicycle and after some serious thought come up with a single ATB, GT, CX, TT, track and commuter. But having to pick just one between the favourites in each discipline is impossible for me.
Last edited by T-Mar; 11-12-21 at 09:52 AM. Reason: typos
#139
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The Nishiki Competition is really tops, this was right after saddle and brake caliper swapping.I likes so much I decided to go with a leather wrap when I changed the brake levers. Since the wrap I've upgraded to Sunshine high flange with gold Mavic tubular tire rims. I don't have any good pictures of that change yet.
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#140
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I would love to know what your picks in those categories are, whether it's here or in a new thread that makes more sense to you.
(Sorry to interject without actually contributing, but I always appreciate your detailed knowledge and am curious about the bikes you've really enjoyed.)
(Sorry to interject without actually contributing, but I always appreciate your detailed knowledge and am curious about the bikes you've really enjoyed.)
That wouldn't work for me. Rack time was spent mainly transporting bicycles to different types of competitions (road, TT, CX, ATB, track, etc.). Furthermore, some of those bicycles were sponsor supplied and not something that would have been my personal choice. It's really hard to say what bicycle spent the most time on the rack.
I could definitely pick a favourite competition road bicycle and after some serious thought come up with a single ATB, GT, CX, TT, track and commuter. But having to pick just one between the favourites in each discipline is impossible for me.
I could definitely pick a favourite competition road bicycle and after some serious thought come up with a single ATB, GT, CX, TT, track and commuter. But having to pick just one between the favourites in each discipline is impossible for me.
#141
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The old saying "horse for a course" comes to mind, but I find I always come back to Big Red for many different rides.
Big Red on Bald Peak Road
It started life as an early 70's Raleigh Competition, was remade as a low trail, 650b bike by Peter Weigle in 2013. It's not my lightest bike, not my fastest sprinter, but it's damn comfortable. I've been on several credit card tours and a couple of 200k brevets with it, I feel I can ride all day with it. Gearing is low enough to sit and spin on steep hills, and it descends on paved and unpaved roads with great confidence.
Big Red on Bald Peak Road
It started life as an early 70's Raleigh Competition, was remade as a low trail, 650b bike by Peter Weigle in 2013. It's not my lightest bike, not my fastest sprinter, but it's damn comfortable. I've been on several credit card tours and a couple of 200k brevets with it, I feel I can ride all day with it. Gearing is low enough to sit and spin on steep hills, and it descends on paved and unpaved roads with great confidence.
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
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#143
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#144
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I will make one myself when the time comes. It's heartening to know that the Trek never broke anywhere I did any brazing or modification. Just pretty much everywhere I did not.
Maybe to get my toes wet, I will do a replacement head tube. I will learn something, this way, at least. Sorta ease into framebuilding by doing a couple joints, you know?
Sure, I am not keen on throwing good money after bad, but I don't know. Lots of nice things on this Trek. The Trek is an experiment, a prototype, and a training exercise for me to learn framebuilding on my terms. I am not keen on doing the stuff over (especially the handmade brazed-on front derailleur), given the rest of what I have on my plate.
Head tube won't be that big a deal. I don't think I need a jig, I'll just pin it and check the angles with the digital protractor and go to town.
And yes, the only frame I haven't ridden to failure would be my Ron Cooper. And my tandems, I guess. But do they really count? Does any bike count if you braze it back together?
Maybe to get my toes wet, I will do a replacement head tube. I will learn something, this way, at least. Sorta ease into framebuilding by doing a couple joints, you know?
Sure, I am not keen on throwing good money after bad, but I don't know. Lots of nice things on this Trek. The Trek is an experiment, a prototype, and a training exercise for me to learn framebuilding on my terms. I am not keen on doing the stuff over (especially the handmade brazed-on front derailleur), given the rest of what I have on my plate.
Head tube won't be that big a deal. I don't think I need a jig, I'll just pin it and check the angles with the digital protractor and go to town.
And yes, the only frame I haven't ridden to failure would be my Ron Cooper. And my tandems, I guess. But do they really count? Does any bike count if you braze it back together?
I have seen a few Cooper's produce mysterious cracks.
And one American builder, I forgot the name, the chaintay bridge pierced the chainstays completely, too big a hole, stays cracked from the outboard surface.
Saw a Windsor Pro where all that was holding the fork to the steerer was the brake centerbolt, and the chrome prior.
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#145
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The old saying "horse for a course" comes to mind, but I find I always come back to Big Red for many different rides.
Big Red on Bald Peak Road
It started life as an early 70's Raleigh Competition, was remade as a low trail, 650b bike by Peter Weigle in 2013. It's not my lightest bike, not my fastest sprinter, but it's damn comfortable. I've been on several credit card tours and a couple of 200k brevets with it, I feel I can ride all day with it. Gearing is low enough to sit and spin on steep hills, and it descends on paved and unpaved roads with great confidence.
Big Red on Bald Peak Road
It started life as an early 70's Raleigh Competition, was remade as a low trail, 650b bike by Peter Weigle in 2013. It's not my lightest bike, not my fastest sprinter, but it's damn comfortable. I've been on several credit card tours and a couple of 200k brevets with it, I feel I can ride all day with it. Gearing is low enough to sit and spin on steep hills, and it descends on paved and unpaved roads with great confidence.
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1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
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#146
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If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
If someone tells you that you have enough bicycles and you don't need any more, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.
#147
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Very Nice! If I may ask, with what did you wrap the DS chain stay? The combination of the offsetting colors is striking with the rest of the bike. Much better than the "dead" inner tubes I use on some of my bikes. I'm in the process of collecting parts and pieces to spruce up a Fuji TS-IV I recently obtained and a chain stay wrap like yours would work well.
I do like the look (although it sometimes seems a touch "precious") it does protect the chainstay (there's chain goop on the twine), and I do like that it dries out pretty nicely. I don't like that the wraps slide because of the taper of the chainstay.
I think if I were to do it again- someone else ( Catnap maybe?) had a twine wrap, but put on electrical tape, then Elmer's glue THEN did the twine wrap over the Elmer's. I just don't know if moisture would work under the tape to just be held there and then damage the finish/metal.
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Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
Commence to jigglin’ huh?!?!
"But hey, always love to hear from opinionated amateurs." -says some guy to Mr. Marshall.
#149
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Which one?
This one:
This bike fits me like a glove - even better that my Colnago's.
This one:
This bike fits me like a glove - even better that my Colnago's.
Last edited by Gary Fountain; 03-16-23 at 02:28 AM.
#150
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A Rossin made from Tange tubing???
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1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super
1987 Crest Cannondale, 1987 Basso Gap, 1992 Rossin Performance EL, 1990ish Van Tuyl, 1985 Trek 670, 1982 AD SLE, 2003 Pinarello Surprise, 1990ish MBK Atlantique, 1987 Peugeot Competition, 1987 Nishiki Tri-A, 1981 Faggin, 1996 Cannondale M500, 1984 Mercian, 1982 AD SuperLeicht, 1985 Massi (model unknown), 1988 Daccordi Griffe , 1989 Fauxsin MTB, 1981 Ciocc Mockba, 1992 Bianchi Giro, 1977 Colnago Super