Fifty Plus (50+) - Fantasy no limits bike

Perhaps it's the brief snow storm last night, but today I find myself day dreaming about the perfect, cost is no issue, ideal, fantasy bike. The one bike I'd build, have, buy, if I could have it just the way I wanted it. Like many of us, I've made compromises based on current disposable income, parts availability, and other factors. So, what would you have built if you had a magic wand and could get ANYTHING you wanted?

Here's mine.
I'd start with my current Indy Fab CJ TI. I love this frame. However, the parts would have to change. I'd want a full Campy Super Record group, a Precision Bold seat post and quick release levers, a Brooks Swallow saddle in dark brown, a Cinelli Ram 2 Bianca integrated stem and bars, and I'm still trying to work through the wheels/tires, pedals, and rear cog. (more to day dream about).

And now yours?

Edit: OK, I've made a decision about the wheels. I'd go with ENVE Composites 65 Clincher, Chris King Classic Road with Sapim CX Ray spokes.

I've also determined that I'd want the Speedplay Zero Titanium pedals.

Have a frame I think is perfect for me in my Boreas Ignis and it may be ally- but rides well. Had to make couple of compromises on set up though due to my short thighs. Saddle as far forward as possible and Short reach bars. If I were to have money no object it would be the same frame but with a 74.5 degree seat post angle. Just as I have aquired in the Pinnarello UNO today. Top tube is just a fraction shorter than my usual 535mm and it seems to fit out of the box with no changes of anything. Groupset and I can't see me needing anything better than Ultegra but I suppose Dure Ace would work more efficiently.Components and they would be about as light as I can go without compromising strength but it is the wheels where I would get my dream machine working. Want them as light as possible and I want rigidity and still keep my teeth in place. Something like the handbuilts I already have but 300grammes lighter please. Dure Ace carbon perhaps.

80's Colnago frame, or something equally beautiful. I've always loved the deep metallic red they used then.
Honey or brown Brooks saddle, probably a Colt, Team Pro, or similar.
Campy Chorus or Record parts. Perhaps not the current versions, as I prefer the polished metal look to all the CF parts.
Don't know about the wheels, but I'm not a racer, so they would be high end clinchers.

Would you believe that I can't think of one?

Guru Photon, Full SRAM Red, New Dura ACE CF wheels. Ergonova Carbon Bars, Selle SMP Evolution saddle. Zip 404 backup wheels. Speed play Ti pedals, Gravitas Brakes. Ceramic bearings. I think I need to go check my heart rate.:lol:

All of my youth was wishing for a bike you could ride in the mountains and on trails(and not break....or break you). I have that bike now and wish for nothing else. It's perfect.

No modest cop out here. With nothing restricting me, I would probably go to the next Hand Made Bicycle Show and meet the top builders to decide who I would commission to build my dream bike.

It would be a fast, comfortable, lightweight century bike, frame custom designed by a master to perfectly suit my dimensions, physical constraints, preferences and riding style. Not sure about the material. Might be CF or Ti or one the the new super-exotic steels. Campagnolo Super Record EPS 11s electronic components. Wheels would also be custom designed and built just for me.

This will never happen, but it sure would be nice. :D

@ 64, it wouldn't be a race bike.. now, a commuter/tourist,
I've come to like Rohloff's hubs. one on 2 different bikes

in the early 60's, back as a kid, I built up a hybrid drive 27 speed 3x3x3 .
I used it to get out of town, alone, to the only place to swim without chlorine ..
there was a life guard, or at least more than just me , there ..

Fantasy would be having the shop to build my own.

Volagi (http://volagi.com/), frame but with super custom gearing, perhaps hand made by super-light elves. I want a compact, but with something like 47-30 or even 46-28 (I haven't done the math yet) or something similiarly low, but with small steps between gears. Because I have a triple with a top end of combo of 52-11, which I don't even need going downhill.

I love the comfortable idea, and disc brakes seem extra cool.

Volagi (http://volagi.com/), frame but with super custom gearing, perhaps hand made by super-light elves. I want a compact, but with something like 47-30 or even 46-28 (I haven't done the math yet) or something similiarly low, but with small steps between gears. Because I have a triple with a top end of combo of 52-11, which I don't even need going downhill.

I love the comfortable idea, and disc brakes seem extra cool.

Hold out a little longer and you can get that with hydraulic discs. SRAM says they will be releasing new versions of Red this summer with
your choice of hydralic discs or hydraulic calipers. Shimano is sure to follow suit before long.

I'd get a custom carbon Ruegamer Uberlight frame. Unfortunately the woman who made them has quit doing frames and in any case the special tubing she was using ran out.
On it I'd have a custom selection of nice light but reliable parts, and a set of Lightweight carbon wheels for races.

Failing that, a Cervelo R3SL with a custom selection of nice reliable parts and some handbuilt carbon wheels. That one I've already got.

A custom built velomobile trike with electric assist.

I am thinking of taking my Tarmac SL4 and taking off the DA DI2 for the new SRAM Red. I would then replace the DA 7850 cl24 wheels with Zipp 303 tubulars and get new Keo blade pedals. That would drop almost 2lbs on the bike and it would weigh out at 13.8#. Or, I might just ride it portly as it is.

Not a cop out: I'm perfectly happy with the two bikes I have, given their two respective locations/uses. Doesn't mean I don't toy with the idea of something different from time to time (e.g. a carbon road bike).

However, I do have a 'dream bike'; by that I mean that I have a 'dream expedition'. Given time, money, and health enough (very unlikely that all three will conincide, but one never knows), I'd acquire this (same colour, but the lighter 'X' version frame) ...

236777

... Thorn Nomad II (X-frame), load it up and ride either across Canada West to East or (with a sus. fork) in/around Argentina (inc. Patagonia).

None of the above is very likely, all things considered, but it's nice to dream ...

I'd like to try the titanium version of my RANS V-Rex.

I'd buy a dozen frames (serrota and lightspeed and indy fab and waterford and ...ohmygod custom builds) and loads of chris king hubs and headsets and ultegra and dura ace drive train stuff and set about figuring out just which combo actually becomes my perfect ideal bike.

Something Italian with Super Record.

My perfect bike would have a motor about 25 pounds lighter, and 25% stronger. Once I got that, I'd start to worry about the rest of it.

A Peter Mooney frame. Reynolds 853. Deep Blue, with white accents. Chrome lugs.
A fixie? Not sure at this time, would have to give it some thought. Assuming for a moment it's multi-gear, it would be 70s style, half-step gearing, with down tube shifters.

Off the rack, no expense spared:
poshbikes.com

Best custom:
http://elliscycles.com/

And my favorite - custom Keirin combined with old school Campy:
http://www.kalavinka-bikes.com/ (But you probably need to fly to Japan, be able to speak Japanese, and beg. A lot.)

If I was truly unlimited I would first; due to my lack of experience and expertise in cycling, have to hire a consultant
to help me figure out exactly what would be the most over-the-top bike for me. I like Bluesdawg's angle. If I win the lottery I may have to look you up for some help Bluesdawg!

A "fantasy no limits" bike for me? Moulton stainless steel space frame:
http://www.moultonbicycles.co.uk/images/models/DoubleP_Lrg.gif

I want a compact, but with something like 47-30 or even 46-28 (I haven't done the math yet) or something similiarly low, but with small steps between gears. Because I have a triple with a top end of combo of 52-11, which I don't even need going downhill.

Actually, I'd consider compact doubles if they came in a 42 or 44 and 30 or 28. That with an 11-speed 12-27 is about all I'd ever need.

A man's reach should exceed his grasp, or what's a heaven for? For now I think I already have my fantasy bike. Nothing left to grasp. (For now.)

I'm also perfectly happy with my current bikes - they're more than I could ever want or need.

But since you asked...1982 Fuji Professional Super Record - stock would be perfectly fine with me.

I also kind of like the Masi bike that the main character rode in the movie Breaking Away. I'm a man of simple tastes. PG

Well, a custom fitted Titanium frame, full SRAM Red group, a Red compact double crank set with 50/36 rings and the cassette would be Red with 12-30 gearing. Psimet's best wheels in tubular and Schwalbe tubbies. A full Ritchey cockpit consisting of their CF stem and WCS bars and a CF Ritchey seat post and the saddle would be a Brooks Team Professional with Titanium rails. This would be my primary bicycle for group rides, centuries and play racing. A man can dream can't he?

Bill

I think I pretty much have mine. I sold all my guitars and equipment to build this up and even have some money left over.

I suppose I could also dream about getting some Madfiber wheels but won't happen.

http://www.pbase.com/brucelandry/image/140336624.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/brucelandry/image/140336657.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/brucelandry/image/140336621.jpg

This is mine, though I'm waiting for the new 11 speed Di2 to come out...just cuz.

Ha! I just played this game over on the Serotta (oops, I mean the Paceline) Forum. If it's just gonna be one bike -- and presuming I can still keep my Carl Strong and my forthcoming Richard Sachs -- it'd be a Crumpton SL frame with ISP and fully internal Di2, Lightweight Obermeyer wheels, fizik Aliante saddle, Oval Concept bars, ENVE seatpost, and Ritchey WCS stem.

But if I ever get that Money-No-Object/Choose-Whatever-Bike-You-Want magic wand, you can bet Imma whip up more than just one bike! As I wrote in that other thread:

I'd also get
- a Hampsten Strada Bianca built by Kent Ericksen, with Campy Comp Triple, full Esge fenders, and some handbuilt 32-spoke wheels;
- a Kirk Terraplane (fillet-brazed) with disk brakes (!) and SR11;
- a Nagasawa Keirin/NJS with...uh, well, nothing;
- a Velokraft NoCom with whatever the hell you put on one of those badass machines;
- an Ellis Modern Classic with full internal Di2 and Joe Young-built DT Swiss 28-spoke wheels;
- a Parlee -- either a Z2 or a Z5 SL...oh, what the hell, both -- one with electronic Ultegra & the other with mechanical 6700 Ultegra, both with Zipp Firecrests;
- a Spectrum...anything, Tom's choice.

Did I miss anything? Oh yeah, a Moots Vamoots, a Holland Exogrid, a Llewellyn Cadenzia Lucentezza, a Pegoretti Responsorium Ciavete, a 2010 BMC SLC01 Pro Machine, a 2012 (? or 2013? whenever they get it figured out) BMC Impec, a Calfee Dragonfly Custom, a Challenge Sieran SL, a Jeff Jones Ti Spaceframe/Truss, and a Gaulzetti Corsa.

And a garage big enough to house them all.

Yeah, I'm already riding my dream bike. But I could still go for a killer Zipp wheelset for it.

The all-out cost-no-object dream bike would be a Specialized Tarmac with the McLaren modifications (the Venga, I think), equipped with Campag SR. The only fantasy modification I would make would be to spec S&S couplers for it. I don't think they make couplers that would fit the ovalized carbon "tube" sections, though. When I was a teenager, back in the 60's, I used to be a big fan of the yellow/orange McLaren Group 7 Can-Am race cars. Having a frame with mods by McLaren would be the ultimate.

BUT, more realistically, I'm quite happy with the coupled Rodriguez fixie I ride now. If I were to re-spec the frame, I would ask for the following:
- main triangle up to the S&S couplers constructed of TrueTemper OX (my entire frame now is built of OX)
- rear triangle (including seat tube) constructed of TrueTemper S3 (just as stiff, much lighter, but also prone to denting)
- Reynolds or Alpha-Q all-carbon fork (it came with Profile fork with steel steerer - heavy)
- longer track ends with replaceable inserts
- removable seat collar instead of brazed-in seatpost binder (in case of thread-stripping)

Luis

S&S couplers on a McLaren Venge? What next? Panniers? :lol:

I'd like to try the titanium version of my RANS V-Rex.

Me too.

When I started riding recumbents I already had a lot of bike stuff including a Chris King wheelset and a set of Magura rim brakes so I decided to build up my first one from a frameset. I visited the Rans factory and they told me they expected the Enduro Sport would eventually replace the V-Rex. I considered getting either a Ti-Rex or an Enduro Sport frameset and blinked over the price difference. If I had it to do over, I think that I would get the Ti-Rex.