Thanks for the advice, guys. i am planning on riding my '93 Bridgestone for the foreseeable future, because I'm not in a huge rush to buy a new bike for the sake of buying a new bike. I've come to discover that fit is a huge deal, having been through three bikes -- all of which were markedly more expensive and arguably far better looking -- that did not fit, before finally outfitting my Bridgestone.
There are things I would like a lot, 700c wheels come to mind right away, but my current rig is comfortable, if unsightly. I can ride it while looking for something else.
But let me ask you, with the limited stock that bike shops seem to have - at least where I am -- how do you find your bikes? I'm thinking specifially that I really like the looks and the geometry of the Velo Orange Rando, but how would you ever know if it was good for you without ever straddling it? Seems like there's a whole lot of guesswork and faith in buying a specific bike, unless you live in, say, NYC, where every bike manufacturer known has several shops around for you to test ride all the good stuff.
Thoughts?