Road Cycling - if you could only have one bike, what would it be?

i've seen quotes from pro cyclists that the Colnago c-40 is the best bike they're ever ridden. i look at the pro teams and check out what they ride (you figure they would have the best)and you see pinarello, bianchi, trek, look, etc. - mostly aluminum or carbon. but, then you hear that, for example, the USPS trek sucks. well, i want the skinny on what is truly the one bike you would recommend (assume money is not an issue). and, if you can break it down to subcategories, like what material is the best (carbon, titanium, etc.), which is best for climbing, racing, etc., and whether you would recommend a custom frame instead of the brand name bikes.
thank you.

For me it would be a bike frame that I build. With my own hands and time. Steel as that is what I build with.

Brands are just names on bikes. You will always hear good things from riders being pais to ride Colnagos and any bike. Any bad thing coming from there is pretty much an immediate fine from the team. I remember a while back Marcel Wust got a little slap on the wrist for his comments on an item he was payed to ride.

As far as materials it would be Campagnolo Record with FIR wheels (because they are cool and not many have them) Fork would be all carbon to save weight. The frame like I sayed would be steel and I would use very light tubeset and go a little wild in building it. Paint job I would consult a few guys here as they may have some great ideas. I would go with light bars and stem, ti post and Turbomatic seat and the new Veloflex tires look great. Bar tape would be this plastic tape used by the Banesto and ONCE team as normal issue (I got many rolls here from Banesto when I raced in Spain and it means much to me. so if I crashed and ruined it I would be angry)

One thing I would want that I have been unable to find in my treks in Europe is a computer that attaches to the fork blade and not the handlebar. Maybe some of you have seen these years back. I always wanted one.

Aluminium remains the best! SC61.10 Dedacciai is the best material and the lightest for strength ratio available. You need an expert frame builder though, as welding interferes with the tubing heat treatment and weakens the material at the joints. That's why Vitus used glue to assemble their frames. Carbon is overrated, but definitely second best. If carbon was the best material, everyone would ride wheels with carbon rims. The rim on a bike takes the most punishment. Why do almost everyone use aluminium for rims? You dont find steel rims, and carbon is not very popular.

I have had an alum. bike and I foung that the ride was harder on my hands. I am an odd body, so I finally bit the bullet and had a custom bike made for me out of steel with carbon fork. It is about 4 pounds lighter than my alum. TREK and I would not trade it for the world. Without it I do not think that I could have done the Tanquerary Texas AIDS Ride 2 last year. 340 miles from Houston to Dallas.

Well I'm bored, so I thought I'd drag up some of the muck from the bottom of the pile. This thread is from July 2000, and in 4 short posts you have calls for steel and Al (with caveats), and a poo-pooing of carbon.

With 5 years of hindsight were their assertions close to the mark?

Rode a C-40 and hated it. If I could only have one it would be my 481 with the new HSC5 fork and a set to Mavic Cosmic Carbones.

the bike I ride...

Six/13 full Dura Ace with Mavic SSL wheels, 3T bar, Deda Newton stem, Vredestein Fortezza Tricomps, Fizik Arione saddle...

Before that it was the same equipment on am Optimo frame.

A cross bike.

A smooth randonneuring bike, like this...

http://www.ifbikes.com/frames2/steelclubracer.shtml

for a road bike, it would have to be a seven alta or an independent fabrications ti crown jewel with record bits. you can't beat custom ti.

if i could have only one bike at all, it would be a seven tsunami or if planet cross ti cyclo-cross bike.

Lugged steel (foco) frame handbuilt by Mondonico, built up with Record.

Mine! (Whatever it is at the time!) Seriously, I'd currently want all carbon with full Dura Ace. That may change as I progress though. ( I did REALLY like the Cannondale R5000)

Well I'm bored, so I thought I'd drag up some of the muck from the bottom of the pile. This thread is from July 2000, and in 4 short posts you have calls for steel and Al (with caveats), and a poo-pooing of carbon.

With 5 years of hindsight were their assertions close to the mark?
:lol:

Did you actually expect people to read the thread before posting? :D

IMO, titanium or titanium and carbon are king.

the bike I ride...

Six/13 full Dura Ace with Mavic SSL wheels, 3T bar, Deda Newton stem, Vredestein Fortezza Tricomps, Fizik Arione saddle...

Before that it was the same equipment on am Optimo frame.

Works for me, but I love having Deda Elementi stem/newton bar, blackstick, San Marco Aspide FX, Mavic Ksyriums SSLs w/ Michelin Pro Race (currently using Hutchinson Team Saeco).

I've only been through three in three years. I have already learned though. My favorite bike will always be my next bike! :beer:

:lol:

Did you actually expect people to read the thread before posting? :D

I guess I should stop thinking... everybody else has.


GUYS: THIS THREAD IS FROM THE YEAR 2000. YOU HAVE TO READ THE FIRST FIVE POSTS.

Titanium still rules... I can't afford it, but if I could I'd buy a Merlin Cyrene with Campie components.

I hear if the PROs had to pay out of their own pockets for a bike, they'd buy a titanium bike (don't know what brand/model though, I guess it's subjective).

Someone please correct me!!!





Well I'm bored, so I thought I'd drag up some of the muck from the bottom of the pile. This thread is from July 2000, and in 4 short posts you have calls for steel and Al (with caveats), and a poo-pooing of carbon.

With 5 years of hindsight were their assertions close to the mark?

I'd say the original posts were very biased towards whatever the
poster rode (aluminium? no pass).
for me, if a production bike Serotta Ottrott ST full campy record.
Custom? Richard Sachs or Brian Baylis.
maybe a Confente or 68 Pogliahi. or a ZIELEMAN (you knew that was
coming didn't you?).

Marty

I've got the one bike I've always wanted in my basemesnt. But, I will be first to admit, my taste constantly changes. I am already eye-balling a new ride, and I barely got this one broken in. :D

I want to get a six-13, but if I could have anything it would be a DeRosa King.

As for the original posts, they were caught up in the same kind of arguments we always have about the latest technology vs. the tried and true.

Funny how they say if carbon was better everyone would be riding carbon rims. I guess they weren't thinking about how freaking expensive it was back then to make things out of carbon. You can't just take a carbon bar and bend it into the shape of wheel like you can metals. Of course, carbon hasn't really gotten any cheaper over the years.

With 5 years of hindsight were their assertions close to the mark?

Send them each a PM and find out.
No one can answer that but the 4 posters who proceded you....

with this post we will have increared the thead by 460% over the size it was in 2000