GlennR

Nice rack.

Stucky

You don't "get" what I'm saying..... More along the lines of: The aesthetics of some of the bikes being produced lately, are not very enduring. I mean, a beautiful paint job, and chromed lugs, and polished hubs, were beautiful 40 years ago; a year ago; and still will be 10 years from now. Whereas, say, flat black is going to look very dated...if it doesn't already- because there's nothing inherently beautiful about it- it's just a trend.....

Parties? I don't "get" parties.... You eat food standing up while talking to strangers over the sound of music..... ????

Ah, was the Venge "the hot item" a few years ago? I just bought mine because it happended to be the only "good" road bike to come along on the local CL in years. And I do speak from experience- the aesthetics of it are definitely not enduring. It's a decent bike....but there's really nothing to love about it. My 18 year-old Klein has a nicer paint job which still excites me. The Venge? Flavor of the month....

MZilliox

or a more modern version

dr_lha

If money were no object, I'd probably ride my current bike but with Dura Ace Di2, instead of Ultegra. That and I'd own another 100 bikes.

sced

I don't think that price and enjoyment are closely related. I've had some of my bikes for a long time and the memories of riding them are irreplaceable. A few others I've assembled from bits and I must say they've satisfied in multiple dimensions.

SpeshulEd 

I've been digging the custom Firefly Ti bikes lately. Vanilla Workshop and Speedvagen make some nice bikes too. The local shop sells Colnago, so a custom painted C60 has crossed my mind as well.

Throw on Super Record EPS and ENVE bits and I think that would be a pretty nice bike to ride around town.

Stucky

Exactly! Some of my fondest cycling memories are from when I used to just tool around on an oild BSO I resurrected from the garbage. That was the height of cycling, for me- proving that it has little to with the actual bike one rides. It's more about the rider and the ride. If a bike has a chain and gears and the tires hold air......there's not that huge of difference between a BSO and $5K bike. But the difference between being 26 and 53...that makes a HUGE difference! Or the difference between it being 1988 and 2015..... etc. Those refugee-from-the-dumps BSO's never hindered me; and the the fancy bikes I have now, don't really do anything special for me that the cheap didn't, other than reminding me that I can now afford a decent bike.

andr0id

My next road bike will be a Ti Spectrum which is pretty much my dream bike.

Dura Ace mechanical on it, I don't want no stinkin' batteries.

alathIN

I love my Volagi XL steel / 105 hydro.

If money were no object, I'd take the same bike in the Ti version with SRAM red hydro. Not because there's anything wrong with the 105 or even any idea what would be better about Red, but just because.
Viaje Ti / SRAM / Red 22 Hydraulic | Volagi Cycles

RJM

I really like my current road bike...a lot.

But, if I had the scratch I would get a Trek factory racing Domane with Dura Ace Di2 and Bontrager aeolus 3 wheels. I would pick the Koppenberg model, but they don't make that in my size.

Seattle Forrest

I love my wonder bike. I've had it a few years now, it's dialed in perfectly, I'm used to it, feel like I could ride tight switchbacks in my sleep on it. Just got it outfitted with a pedal-based power meter. Really happy with it.

If money were no object, I'd spend it on riding in a lot of new and awesome places. I mean, I could buy that $10,000 Cervelo ... or I could spend a couple weeks riding the bike I have around Iceland. Not a tough choice. The next few weeks would be spent bike touring South America.

PepeM

So many writers and philosophers throughout the ages have tried to understand beauty. I am glad Stucky has managed to once and for all crack the case of what is inherently beautiful and what isn't.

I would probably go for one of those Emondas, they look like good bikes.

PiLigand

Fuji Bikes | ROAD | COMPETITON SERIES | TRANSONIC SL

Fuji Bikes | ROAD | COMPETITON SERIES | ALTAMIRA SL

If money were no issue, can I get both? Might switch out the wheels. Potentially Boyd, Zipp, Mavic Cosmic Carbone. 44mm Clinchers

PepeM

I like the Altamira.

BillyD

That would be HAWT with a level top tube. Not a big fan of slopped.

WalksOn2Wheels

Stucky, could you please sell your Venge already? I'm tired of reading about how much you hate it in every post.

TheManShow

Pardom me by as I owned one of Porsches, I would never put a bilke rack on my vintage 356 Carerra.

BillyD

First I'd build a garage, a totally separate garage that has never been occupied by a car.

Then I'd pay a visit to the C&V forum and make select owners of select bikes an offer they can't refuse . . . I mean after all, money is no object.

Then I would fill that garage with gems like these.



















Then I would ride a different one every day.

Fly2High

I to am more of the belief it is more about the ride that what I ride. For me, it would be to buy a $2 -$3k bike and ride all the most scenic routes .... all around the globe.

At each destination, I would give away the bike to a deserving person and buy a new one at the start of each location. Maybe even go so far as to buy a local favorite bike. Got to ride an Italian in Italy, American onlong the US coasts, etc. If there is not local company, i would choose a classic that was ridden to victory in that country's bike race.

here's to the dream...

Stucky

LOL! I don't hate it. I just don't love it, any more so than I would a much cheaper bike.

Interesting....but I think you'd be missing something by continually buying new bikes. I think that it's the memories we attach to items that we live with over time; and the way that they serve us well over a long period of time; and when it comes to things like bikes, the way our bodies adapt to them- that makes them special. You could go out and buy a new $15K bike every week- it wouldn't be special- it would just be different.

When I think back to the BSo I resurrected from the garbage 25 years ago; I think the main reasons I had such high regard for that POS, was that: A)I totally disassembled it and put it back together with new grease, and paint; and B)I had fond memories of the places I rode it in/the things I'd see and experience while riding it/the fun I had on it.

Just getting new things all the time- be they cars or bikes or whatever, means you have no history with them; no memories attached; no future expectations. You could buy a new $300K sports car every month...it would not be as enjoyable as driving some old mediocre car that you had for 20 years.

RJM

Hmmm, for me, it certainly isn't like that. Now, I'm a cycling enthusiast and I really dig biking gear; I don't mind spending money on stuff I personally like either and I generally buy framesets and build bikes up with parts I decided I like/need. So, I'm kinda a gear head when I boil it down.

The memories that I gain while riding aren't connected to the bike or the gear. I could sell my stuff today and buy something new and still retain those memories....it's just not connected to the material "thing."

Fly2High

But I would have the memory of all those places I have ridden and the look on all those people's faces when they got a great bike for free. It wasn't for me about getting a new bike or about getting several new bikes but rather having an experience with a bike and now giving it away so someone else could have experiences on that bike as well.

Otherwise, the bike I ride is only a little different from the most expensive ones out there and I cannot afford to help others experience the fun of riding that I have all the time. Sure, the better stuff is lighter, stiffer, etc but is that all riding a bike is about?

merlinextraligh

Then you'd miss the chance to drive in the mountains and ride sixgap on the same weekend.

Beauty of Porsche's rack is it doesn't even touch the paint and comes off in a few minutes

BTW, many 356s had factory racks. Ferdinand meant for the cars to be used.

nick779

Honestly, id be happy with a 105/Ultegra equipped Carbon Domane and a decent set of wheels.

Oh and a comfy saddle which im still struggling to find.


I dont need anything super crazy, just time.

Icculus21

Custom everything.