I thank you all for these ideas. It gets my mind working in the right direction. I do realize that nothing is perfect, even when purpose-built, but purpose-building does help. I have even commuted on my "racing bike" (my McLean), when it's not wet out and I don't need to carry anything AND I can put it in a safe place. And I have gone on club rides with a heavy bike. But I do like at least a few bikes well suited to a job or two. And as I said, a little overlap is inevitable and even desirable. I realize I can do it all with one bike, but you know that ain't gonna happen.
I don't race, though I occasionally think I might try it again. I was in a relay team in the NYC triathlon this summer. I didn't prepare for it. I was a last minute substitute. It's an Olympic size triathlon, so the cycling leg was 25 miles, so it wasn't too hard. It was the first competition I was in since about 1983. I might do that again, but I'm not committed to it, so for the time being, I don't need a racing bike. I did the triathlon on my old McLean, only because my Cross Check's rear wheel is out of commission for a while.
Æsthetics are important, and that's where my McLean comes in. It's my pride and joy. I also like a few of my other bikes to look good, but not all of them. I recently acquired a Raleigh International frame, and it might be my upscale commuting bike. That's my idea for it for the time being, but I'm not fixed on any particular idea. Nothing in this life is permanent anyway.
I can't mix 700c and 26" wheels on my cross check because I'd have to do major brake adjustments with wheel changes. But I certainly can have wide-ish rims and knobby tires.
I don't do much trail riding at all. I might, but I think a cross bike is adequate for now.
So come to think of it, there are several categories I don't need to build for right now:
- long distance touring
- racing
- off road riding
Snow riding is similar to trail riding, though. I don't feel the need for suspension on any bike, either, for now.
I have a Twenty as my folding bikes. It's completely stock, so the ride sucks. Not sure if I'll modify it or sell it. I'm keeping it for (1) sentimentality and (2) in case I find a need for it.
I forgot fixed gear riding. I like to do that occasionally. It might be easy to make a wheel for one of my existing bikes and somehow make it easy to swap in gearing and fixed gear wheels. Not sure about that. Any ideas?
Bikes I'm working with:
- McLean racing bike from 1982. It weighs a shocking 26 pounds. Never selling it.
- Cross Check. Not selling it because it would hurt the feelings of my friend who gave me an insane price on it.
- Raleigh International frame only
- Cannondale aluminum MTB frame and fork only
- Raleigh Twenty in original condition
- Rudge 3-speed with original equipment but needs work
- Raleigh Super Course Frankenbike that I've optimized for my commuting and touring. This should go, but I'll miss it dearly. I've given people test rides on it, and people have offered to buy it. Converting it somehow might make sense to sell it. It has a 12-speed friction drive train of 1970's and 1980's SunTour stuff and a Shimano freewheel. 27" lightweight wheels I build way back in about 1984.
- Trek 720 hybrid frame, built into a complete commuting Frankenbike by another mechanic. This has a 9-speed indexed drivetrain with bar-end shifters. The ride is luscious but it's too damned heavy. I think I should move the drivetrain to the International, downgrade this bike, and sell it. Probably turn it back into a doofy hybrid.
I have fenders and racks and components flowing out of all of my orifices, so I shouldn't need to purchase much, if anything, to get the bikes I need.
So if you want to puzzle over an engineering problem, design a fleet for me at minimum cost that might make me a profit if I sell the expendable things. Having written all of this now, I see I'm left with probably three road bike frames:
- McLean, which I don't think I'll modify much or at all
- Cross Check
- Raleigh International
I'd love it if the 9-speed drivetrain fit on the International. But hmm, if it doesn't, it's the makings of a stout pair of wheels for my Cross Check. Hey, I like the way you think, Tom Reingold!
I bet Sixty Fiver will say something like put the fixed gear wheel on the Rudge or the Twenty. It might make sense on paper, but I'm not sure I want to ride a heavy fixie. But I could be convinced. Maybe I can lighten the Twenty well, put on drop handlebars, and build some racing wheels for it. Wow, more ideas come up as I write!