Dear Ann Landers:

A while back you may have seen my thread about my discovery that my titanium bike wasn't providing the magical ride I had thought it was when I made comparative rides on the same course on successive days with it and my Giant TCR Advanced CF bike. That led to my selling the Ti frame and replacing it with a Merlin Works CR Ti frame that is just wonderful, night and day difference. Okay so far, so good.

In honor of Pi Day, I took out my "special occasion", 25 year old, Reynolds 531, steel bike for a spin both yesterday and today on Houston's less than perfect streets. Uh, oh! My steel isn't nearly as real as I thought it was either. I plan to confirm tomorrow by repeating the ride on the CF bike, but after all this time I have just realized the steel ride isn't nearly cushy as I had thought. I guess the CF and the new Ti have me spoiled.

I guess in a stable of three or more bikes, one will have to be worst in some way. That is just the way the world works. Getting rid of it is not an option, too much sentimental value. Maybe some 25 mm tires instead of the current 23s.

I still love it, but what to do? Maybe it is like Mark Twain said, "A man who has one watch always knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure."

Disillusioned in Houston