52telecaster

Metaphorically speaking.
this bike is just plain gauge 531 and the components work fine but really. It is hands down my favorite daily rider
of all time. I am over dressing it with a b17 titanium, but i dont care. It seems to deserve it.

merziac

All bikes deserve a Brooks upgrade, as do we.

RiddleOfSteel

Cue the Centurion Ironman guys!

I suppose I could put a late '80s (my '88) Specialized Sirrus. Equipped with "just" Shimano 105, that frame definitely felt and rode better than its component rank.

dddd

If the number of miles on training and club rides is any indication, this odd-fitting Steyr has always puched way above it's weight.

Especially with just a five-speed freewheel, albeit with Phil hubs, 700c alloy rims, custom UG freewheel ratios and a "contemporary" "semi-compact" chainset.

This is my highest-mileage build in over a decade, goes up the steep climbs, handles well and seemingly always comfortable.

Pretty good for a bike still weighs a little over 26 pounds and that once sold for sixty-something dollars.

52telecaster

+100

Lascauxcaveman 

This cheap old thing, a very plebeian Japanese bike with a mismatched fork:


Before I painted it for the Velo Cheapo competition I had assembled it temporarily as a fixie, so it was hard to gauge how much I really liked it. Now as a faux-high-zoot Italian racer, it sings.

SurferRosa

Very nice build. Would've never thought of that color green and the red housing/tape. Looks fantastic. Great pic, too.

Is that the original paint on the head tube and seat tube? Pretty creative.

I assume that's a replacement fork with all those headset spacers. I think I would've taken a hacksaw to the steerer, but then you might nee a taller stem.

cannonride15

Yep, high bars, beefy tires, bet its a comfort thing!

tiger1964 

Been thinking about the Panasonic DX1000 or DX2000 I raced on in 1980/1981; built up on parts I had laying around in the basement. Did well on it (local criteriums only). Rehabbed it a couple of years later and gave it to my half-brother, whom I suspect never rode it and it's likely still in his basement. Thinking about contacting him and buying it back -- I'm a Euro-snob but could build the Panasonic up with nice Japanese components. It must have been the bike that got me across the finish line; certainly not my talents.

Lascauxcaveman 

Naw, white primer from a rattle can. The bike looks a LOT better from a safe distance. Flimsy paint that has already gotten a little beat up. And yeah, I cut down the steerer on the replacement fork, but not as much as I should have.

I know the pic makes it look pretty sweet, but the ride is even better, I think.

xiaoman1 

Beat me to it!

merziac

IMHO and somewhat limited experience all/most of the contract Japanese frames readily qualify. Once Specialized with Merz and DiNucci got them dialed in, they were off to the races, both literally and figuratively.

We will have very well made, reasonably light, well priced bombproof steel frames from now on in many flavors.

qcpmsame 

While not exactly a C&V bicycle, my nomination for this category would have to be the 1991 Cannondale R300 Criterium geometry I owned, and deeply regret letting go of to this day. Dollar wise it was then and now a bargain, the SunTour group just flat worked fantastically and those narrow hard tire/wheels would accelerate nicely out of corners. Great club criterium racing weapon for the Tuesday night races we had on the abandoned NAS Corry Field runways, back in the day.

Bill

John Nolan 

My 89 Miyata Triple Cross is a great city ride.

jamesdak 

Well, maybe it's my 1989 Cromor tubed Giordana Antares. It's "hobbled" by an old Dura Ace 7400 setup with a 6 speed freewheel, DT shifters, and all. Yet, on weekend rides it has no trouble running down the young crews on their C.F. bikes and then leaving them in it's dust. It's a decent climber even with a 52/42 crank and has taken me to my fastest descent time of 55.4 mph with some other runs over 50 mph. It's been rock solid over the years with the only problem being a cracked pulley on the RD one day after running down a couple of guys.






On top of all that, it's all pink and named after cycling clothes, and relatively unknown. But as it's name illustrates. It's truly a star.

SpeedofLite 

Gorgeous bike. Get a photo of it next winter after a fresh snow if you can when just about everything around it is white.

tkamd73 

clubman 

Asian is a common theme. 86 Bianchi, 022, Campy drops, Cinelli Cockpit, Sprint group, Ambosio elite 19 rims, never see one in catalogs and I have no pics. Black with chrome socks.

sykerocker 

Easy. My '72 Gitane Tour de France. My late wife got it for me (in pieces) for my 56th birthday thirteen years ago. And I still have it. And it (and the Rossin's) are going nowhere.

Eric S.

I've often wondered about the relationship of body weight and bicycle weight. My lightest bike is not always my favorite and I don't automatically ride and climb better on it. I'm 6' 2" and about 210lbs. Fitness is subjective but I did a century route on different bikes and the time I did it on my heaviest was the best.

fleslider 

Did someone mention Ironman's...

For a basic mass produced bike, the IM has a wallop..

1988 Centurion Ironman Master

dddd

I've always thought that those green TDF's were about the best looking bike ever made.
Never found one in my size (like yours), but I did find a white one.

SamSpade1941 

Not a vintage bike , but my daily driver is an 08 Surly LHT . I consider the LHT to be a modern classic and a comfortable bike, honestly nothing special about them oversized 4130 tubes . It takes me to work along with my laptop and other gear I commute with. I make grocery runs on it and take long distance rides , and yes I even use it for it's intended purpose of touring, I have other bikes and yes I have bikes that handle better , are lighter , and faster. Still the LHT gives me constant yeoman's service and is reliable to a fault.

I really need to rewrap the bars , my lizard skins tape is fraying after two years .

Slightspeed

I built this '73 Super Course ftom a bare frame found in a scrap metal pile. It may be that it's the first bike I ever built from scratch, or it might just be a really great riding bike. I rode it on Eroica, played group ride tag with modern carbon bike club riders, done a fair amount if gravel fire roads, and just plain enjoy riding it.

jamesdak 

So true! Mine knocks out my Waterford Paramount.