Originally Posted by
KonAaron Snake
Please understand I'm going predominantly from things I've heard from other riders. Their argument was that the 3Rensho road bikes had a geometry and feel that was too track bike'ish. They found them twitchy and uncomfortable on longer rides. I rode one for about 2 miles and it didn't do much for me, certainly not enough to justify the $1700 asking price. It didn't have the responsive magic I feel when the right bike is in my hands (like the Sachs or Merlin). It felt a little spongey to me. I also wasn't wild about the aesthetics and found it plain looking.
I'm not an expert on 3Renshos or their collectibility, but my impression is that they're well worth the investment from that perspective. They seem to have a strong following and a lot of value potential.
Thanks for your input. I wonder if that is the same thing that my Colnago Super is afflicted/blessed with. While I haven't yet been able to check it, I have been told that my Super should have between a 74 and 76 degree HTA. It certainly has very precise front end geometry... but that is something I like about it! So, I figure that is why it's so much more sensitive to steering input than my other two bikes.
I wonder if this trait of being 'too track bike-like', that I tend to seek in a frame, is the common denominator between the bikes that C&V folk don't tend to be a fan of.
Originally Posted by
balindamood
I am going to have to agree with you. I have a 3Rensho SRA, and it is a monster. It is the fastest thing I have, but will cut like a knife in any direction by just thinking about it. For criteriums, nothing is better. But if I am going on a long slog through the country side, I have a Colnago Super, Alan SR, PX-10, or Panasonic Proffesional which are much better for the purpose. I put my recently aquired Geoffrry Butler, Kabuki DFD, Allez, and Mercian Superlight in the same catagory as the 3Rensho, but no where near as quick. It is kinda like having a Ferarri F40 in the garage. Fun on weekends, but you wouldn't want to drive it to work every day.
It's interesting that you mention your Colnago Super as part of the more docile group. IIRC, yours is a ~early 80s frame. Perhaps, by then, they had toned down the crit/track geometry and made it more road geo.
I've noticed that people on C&V tend to regard De Rosa highly, especially, for their magical ride qualities. I wonder if De Rosa was one of those companies that never made their frames with the more aggressive experimental geometries that were popular among high end builders in the late seventies. Food for thought, anyway.