stapfam

Started with a cheap s/h Mountain "type" bike but soon realised that A Real Mountain bike was required. This led to a cheap Actual MTB but each year the standard was progressed upwards till I finished up with a custom built frame and High enough quality parts fitted to it to say I had a top end MTB. Then the prices started dropping and in 2001 Got the Bianchi- This was a factory Mistake and was a top end frame with the "Wrong" Quality parts fitted to it. It came cheap but Everything except the frame has been upgraded to "What Is Required". Then came the Tandem and once again started with a top quality frame with "Bits" bolted to it. This has been upgraded and I doubt as to whether there are many Hardtail Tandems about that will take the punishment and handle as good as this one does.

Then last year I started on Road bikes- Theses things are completely different riding style and I decided to start cheap. Got A Giant OCR3 (SCR 3.0 in the UK) And this gave me an insight into what Tarmac riding is about.

It took a year for me to realise that a cheap road bike has faults and new quality wheels improved the ride so much that The next bike is on order NOW. Starting from frame upwards and and it will be ready in about 6 weeks.

Road riding is different- but I will not give up the Offraod for a good few years to come