Classic & Vintage - your best ride? (not necessarily most costly)

Following divineandbright's recent post... for those of you who own (and ride!) lots of bikes, which would you consider your *best ride*? (however you define best... for commuting, tooling around town, easy riding with friends, racing, etc)

As I learn to work on my own bike, I've become really aware of how easy it is to get obsessed with the best components, weight, flashy setups, etc.... at the expense of the ride itself! Help keep it real and post about the favorite vintage/classic bike that is NOT the most rare/expensive/blinged out one in your fleet.

Well, I was really happy when I could repurchase my LeJeune Champ' du Monde way back in the early 80's and still have it, originally bought in 1974 and sold in 1976. I now have enough other really well riding bikes, for it to be hard to be my absolute favorite, but I will not be selling it either. There are probably 6 bikes I have that are in the won't sell category, 2 French, 3 California built, 2 Italian... ooops, that 7. I will stick to that.

Regarding the LeJeune, it is not the best finished by a large margin, but fits well and is a great all around bike, there are some that are stiffer, some that decend better, but none as all around useful. There are others that get the coffee house astir more for sure, but they don't fly under the radar as well so the LeJeune gets ridden often for that reason as too.

One common trait to all is thay all equally fit, I have taken much time to keep my position the same, and with one exception the same basic saddle too.

There are a few that I have sold that I miss from time to time, a Harry Quinn, a great criterium bike, a Teledyne Titan, once I got used to its flex. My Bertin C-37 as it looked so good, and was my first road bike, but it was the only bike to scare me with speed wobble, but it was too big when I bought it at 12 and would still be too big. (Everyone thought a 5'6" 12 year old was going to be TALL, never made 5'10").

For now, I'd have to say it's my 1973? Fuji. Not the lightest, not the fastest, not the most comfortable, but a very good combination of these three characteristics. I have a couple other bikes that I haven't gotten much (or any) riding on, and I'm hopeful that one (or both) of these will prove as nice.

Here she is: http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/usazorro/album?.dir=9883&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

My lowly (and highly upgraded) Peugeot UO-8 is an unbeatable all-round beater for general-purpose transportation and commuting, but for fun riding, the Capo is hard to beat. As the 1962 Capo catalogue states, "Schoen und stabil, rassig and rasant." :)

For fast rides, my 1984 Raleigh USA Competition. As much as I hate to say it, the 7-speed Shimano HG indexed drivetrain is superior in shifting speed to the Campag Triomphe gruppo on my '86 Raleigh Grand Prix.

For medium-paced rides, or for rides that may involve semi-rough terrain, my '51 or '80 Raleigh Sports fit the bill perfectly. I'll take the '51 over the '80 for uphill grind rides, due to the Sturmey-Archer FW 4-sped hub.

Rough, urban riding or trash piling? My Benotto 800-series beater.

My favorite all-around of these four? The '51 Sports, even though I prefer the '80 Sports for being a good deal lighter then the '51.

-Kurt

Well, I have to say my '62 Falcon Black Diamond is the nicest riding bike I have, or have ever ridden. It is a little heavy (close to 25lbs) but solid as a rock. Maybe its because it was the only bike I rode from the time I got it for Christmas of '62 until about 12 years ago when I started to get into the "collecting" of vintage bikes, and my butt just got contoured to that geometry!. A factor in my riding it less these days may be the $400 Cycleart restore job done back in '93, makes me leary of using it as a daily rider. Anyway, thats my story, and I'm sticking to it,,,,although my '75 Raleigh International rides smooth as butter....Hmmmm

I don't know if I can "keep it real" ... My definition of best will be the bike that I have put the most time and effort into building making me most proud of it... that would be my Faggin with super record, but I haven't had enough time to evaluate it's ride qualities since I just finished it and can't ride very far (due to recovery)... it has to be the stiffest with full SPX tubing too... However my best frame (most well made) is probably my 92' Marinoni that is an absolute dream to ride with full modern centaur 10-speed.... for a good century I want to be on that bike... However if my definition is my most useful, and the bike I have ridden more than any other it's my '85 Nishiki International touring bike which I commute daily on when I am not recovering from leg surgery.

For me right now it would have to be my Jan de Reus, the bike just wants to go fast,
dives into corners, carves a turn like it's on rails.
I'm told that its pretty standard Dutch Criterium geometry, what ever it is I love it.
Haven't unpacked, built or ridden my Zieleman yet but I'm thinking it's also going to be
right up there.
My Serotta is probably my most comfortable ride, the bike is just dialed in,
and generally does everything well.

Marty

My '82 Puch Mistral SLE that I use daily as a commuter. The frame geometry just fits me like a glove. I don't really ever take it on long rides due to only one set of bottle bosses and no desire on my part to clamp a second cage on it. But it has a nice smooth ride and very precise handling, which makes for an excellent commuting bike.

My Gazelle just feels fast all the time. That said, the Bates track bike has a lot of appeal too, but I'm still getting used to riding that.

My Gazelle for sure. Especially after swapping bars with my Barracuda Mk.I. The extra cm on the stem allowed me to move the saddle forward some for a better position over the cranks. It feels fast, corners well (better tires would help here I bet), and once I get into a good gear I can sprint out of the pack when I want to.

The Barracuda is just comfortable. Slower, heavier, but on non-hilly rides I'd take this one out any day of the week. She's a bit taken apart at the moment waiting for at least a new stem, likely different bars as well (after transplant of its bars to the gazelle as stated above). Unfortunately when the hills start and I start shifting much more often and pulling the extra 4lbs of steel up hills is when my favor of this bike fails.

As cuda2k* and others have noted, there are benefits to owning more than one bicycle. My Bianchi is the fastest bike I have ever owned, but it is definitely a not-always-practical fair-weather friend. Under the right conditions and for the right kind of ride, however, it IS a blast-and-a-half.

Hands down my Peugeot PKN-10, I LOVE IT! It rides smooth as glass and is SILENT. Couldnt ask for a better bike.

Here are my favorites, in no particular order:

1. my first bike. just because.
2. my most recent bike. always shiny and new.
3. my most expensive bike. considering what I paid for it, it better be damn good.
4. my next bike I buy. nothing else can do what it can do.

j

My best ride is my Lemond. Funny thing is I almost got rid of it because I couldn't get the fit right. I finally paid the money for a fitting and now it is a joy to ride.

Following divineandbright's recent post... for those of you who own (and ride!) lots of bikes, which would you consider your *best ride*? (however you define best... for commuting, tooling around town, easy riding with friends, racing, etc)

I have an '84 Centurion and an '84-ish Peugeot - neither are top-of-the-line bikes but on casual rides or trail rides they can be just as much fun as the newer bikes. The Centurion was my first bike as an adult so riding it is like being with an old friend.

When I want to go fast I ride the newer bikes.

A heavily Frankenbiked Peugeot PFN10e. Bought new in 1979, seriously reworked over the years, and still ridden regularly. My attatchment to it is likely some mix of nostalgia and comfort (I'm so used to the darn thing).

For long country rides, I like my 1972 PX10; the geometry on it is tres comfortable and the Brooks is properly broken in...

1978 Paramount. Smooth ride, handles well, big and roomy cockpit, but still don't ride it as much as my 05 Giant.

For pure pleasure, my 1973 Conti is my favorite:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/bigwoo2/schwinn_06-1.jpg

For serious speed in the Boulder foothills or higher altitude in the Rockies, this unknown French bike is the greatest, fastest, and most responsive cycle i've ever riden:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/bigwoo2/CIMG0169.jpg

1972 LeJeune Champ du Monde followed closely by 1975 Motobecane Champion Team. Something about French bikes...

For pure pleasure, my 1973 Conti is my favorite:
http://i93.photobucket.com/albums/l42/bigwoo2/schwinn_06-1.jpg


That's a Schwinn.

My best ride is my Ciocc, I wish I had a picture to share.

That's a Schwinn.

That it is. A Schwinn Continental.

-Kurt

That's a Schwinn.



He knows that - it's even in the URL. It's the other link which shows the unknown bike.

He knows that - it's even in the URL. It's the other link which shows the unknown bike.

Sorry guys, I should have typed the full name/model. I just figured you'd know what I meant.... 2 favorites for very different reasons. Neither of which being the most valuable in the basement or attic

I think it's amazing that a simple and basic Chicago Schwinn can bring me that much joy. I still have ALL of the original components and cables but, enjoy the Chicago E/F models (4 of them in the basement next to the Raleigh's, Reynolds 531 Libertas, Moto, Crescent, Batavus, and Miyata) as fixies. I would not be inclined to turn any of the other bikes to fixed, ever.


It's nice not having to worry about expensive components, minor scuffs at the bike rack and, the absence of financial burden brings freedom, to me anyways

I'll get off my Schwinn soapbox now......

Something about French bikes...

Yup, for me it's my circa 1970 Gitane Tour de France.
I'm not a real experienced, fast, or critical rider though.
I just love the feel of this bike. Makes me smile when I ride it. :D

having owned a great number of "vintage" bikes i have to say the c'dale six13 team that i bought this past spring has made me a beleiver in modern bikes. this was my first venture away from schwinn paramounts, raleigh professionals and a very special bob jackson. anyway, i can't believe i am going to say this but i am now a believer in new modern teck bikes. although i will say that i am considering having bob brown build me a reynolds 953 butted/lugged stainless steel frame. where was 953 25 years ago? reynolds rested on it's laurals and 531 when they could have owned the whole show with 953 back then imho. ashame probably a case of a day late and a dollar short for reynolds. check out this website for quality caftsmanship. http://bobbrowncycles.blogspot.com/

I would have to nominate my Bianchi, because it has served me well in many different incarnations. I bought the frame used in the early 80's, and over the years have had it builit up as a loaded touring bike with a triple crank, switched it to a double for use as my main road bike, put on fenders and a rack to be a grocery getter and laundry hauler, made a fixed-gear out of it, and now I'm setting it up as a five-speed for commuting and errands. Let's hear it for versatility.

Nostalgic cruise- 1970 Schwinn Paramount "hotrodded" with Super Record and tubulars. Handles well, looks fantastic, and gets the compliments.

During work, office ride- 1980's Faggin with Super Record and clinchers. Rides SUPER good...total surprise actually....extremely stable, and turns easy and solid. Keeps my friction shifting skills around.


Weekender- 2002 Pinarello Paris with Record throughout. PERFECT, scary perfect. Every single time I ride it, it feels like a brand new bike that I bought that morning. I cannot detect one single flaw or compromise.

Future?- Hand built with decadent lugs, ultralight steelie, with Record parts.

No comparison here: My mid-80's Rossin. Slowly converting it over to full 7400-series Dura Ace (need crank arms, pedals and headset to finish). Love it to the point where I'm looking for a couple of others, would even like to find a modern one, just for the comparison.