All bikes are the same...
 

Really, they are....

What makes one bike that is made by Raleigh better than Trek or Specialized if they are all spec'd the same?

Size and color. Color is really pretty important.

LOL Nice.

All riders are the same...they all have skin, a rear end, at least one leg, a head and blood. They're all spec'd the same in terms of clothes.

It's not what they are made of but how they are made but you're right, some of the bikes you mentioned are made in the same factory.

It's all in the name, can't help but feel special when peddaling a Hetchins now can we?

I'd like to collect data with which to test the proposition implied by your rhetorical question.

"It's all the same. It 'ain't nothin' but the Blues." John Lee Hooker

I'll swap my dual suspension Next MTB bike for one of your Trek, Cannondale, Specialized bikes any day! Even an older one, since they are all the same.

Anyone who believes that all bikes are the same has ridden very few bikes.

One thing my horrible obsessive collecting has done for me is that I have a pretty wide field of comparison.

Trek, Cannondale, Motobecane, Raleigh (Several), Peugeot, Mercier, Bottecchia, even Schwinn . All are different, all have their strengths.

Wait...I'm looking on line at some Gvt. grant money to help aquire the needed assets to verify such claims

Viva the scientific method!

Yup, nothing new under the sun.
http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/l...6-15-43-06.jpg

Yep...nothin new...cept maybe the jet engine.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=165744

All Bikes Are NOT The Same!!!!
 

When you say spec'd the same I presume that you mean components wise such as derailleurs, cranksets etc.

Different makes of bike frames can have different geometry and tubing material and sizes used in construction which definitely has an effect on ride, handling and weight. They are not spec'd the same generally speaking as most companies such as Trek try to make sure there are specification and component differences between their bikes and the competition's.

Your original comment is about like saying all cars are the same. Either statement is a gross simplification.

In many cases for similar bikes my choice would be determined by local dealer reputation.

Some bikes have a certain je ne sais quois. They can be very similar in specification yet feel very different. Some feel dead under your feet. Others feel positively alive. Some are very compliant, while others are stubborn. I could go on, waxing poetic. I could make the distinction between intrinsic and perceived value. Most people looking at a stone in a ring couldn't tell if it's a diamond or glass, but much more value is put on a diamond. Certain camera lenses are prized for their bokeh — the particularly artful way that they blur the background of an image. Some people value subtleties and others deem them a waste of time. It's that way with bikes too.

When you get a quality bike you will see the difference.There is no comparison of a Corvette to a Cavalier even though each will get you from point A to B. Have ya seen many Huffy's winning the T.D.F.?

Team 7-11 rode Huffys.(built by serotta)

They're not the same :)

Yep... this is just an old ten speed.

http://www.ravingbikefiend.com/bikepics/cooper2010a.JPG

Geometry and construction can vary a great deal, but for the most part, you're right - it's a fairly standard carbon frame with either Dura Ace or Campagnolo components. The really interesting stuff is in alternative bicycles - triathalon bikes are often full of really wild designs to allow exhausted athletes to get the most out of their weary muscles, and folding bicycles (such as the very nifty Montague or various full-sized Dahons) have finally become alternatives to "real" bicycles. That's not even considering alternative riding configurations like recumbents, semi-recumbents, trikes, "prone" bicycles, and more.

Troll, anyone?

A clever troll at least--22 responses in 5 hours without any kind of over-defensive or jabbing defense of his position at all. Seems more like a very pointed statement intent on sarcastic responses.
Success?

Mr Garrison's bike is pretty different than most. :innocent:

I have a usual loop of a little over 40 miles. On that loop I ride a 50 year old lugged steel bike with a double and a 4-speed cluster. I also ride a modern tig-welded with carbon bits with a double and a 10-speed cluster.

The difference in time between the bikes is no more than 10 minutes. So yes, they are pretty much the same.

Soon, I'll have a 60 year old bike with a single and a 4-speed cluster and a 70 year old bike with a single and a 3-speed cluster. My guess is they will pretty much be the same.

Take the "Cooper" name off the bike (photo above) and spec out a "lesser" bike to match components and with no name. Could anyone tell you the which one is better? Would there be a consensus? My point is that there are only so many "geometries" to work with when it comes to road bikes. True you have touring frames, track and TT, etc....but in the general sense of it all, there is very limited choices. Add to that the differences between the component groups...what makes one groupo $500 better than another? Yes there is a difference between a $79 Wally World and a Trek 520 but is there really that much a difference between a $2000 bike and a $5000 bike? Why are some brands coveted more than others? History? Longevity? Tour winners?....who's to say that bike on the other thread, the Roan isn't just as good as the "Cooper" above? Maybe it is but the manufacturer of the company sucked as a business man and failed....just because you have a great product doesn't mean you are going to succeed. My point being is that there really is no difference in bikes in the general sense. It's like saying Ford is better than Chevy and Dodge makes a better truck than Ford. Really? They all get from point A to point B. They all carry and tow a great deal....only when you have a specific need (chore) do the differences come into play and a decision is needed but for general knock around town and runs to the nursery and Home Depot.....any will do just fine and in that respect, none is better than the other. I apply the same to bikes.

And no...this is not a troll.....I just wanted to read what everyone had to say, if anything at all. Just because I didn't post a reply or a "defense" in a timely manner in which you thought I should have does not constitute a troll.

This one?

http://images.southparkstudios.com/m...1/image_09.gif

http://www.gridcrasher.com/wp-conten...2228ff1271.jpg

Easily! Try picking up the bike. Low end steel bikes weigh a lot more.

If the rest of your post is regarding quality among different brands, there is a little bit of personal opinion among us all. I truly appreciate Fuji frames and would toss my Design Series up among far more well known makes as an equal bike. It was a very expensive frame when new, but it hasn't achieved the value of other high end frames for that time period.

I'm ok with that though. If it were equally expensive, I never would have been able to afford it.

I also have several other Fuji bikes, from the DS/Pros to a hi-ten Special Road Racer. They are all comfortable and I enjoy riding them all, but if I feel like going really fast, the Special Road Racer(SRR) isn't the one to choose.

If I am going over slightly more rough terrain or moving at a casual pace, the SRR is far more suited.

No offense intended to the OP - I just figured a blanket statement like "all bikes are the same" was intended to elicit a ton of "no they ain't!!!" posts, with escalating (and maybe not-so-nice) comments. My bad if that was not the intention (I'll go wash my car now...):)

Mr. Garrison's bike - what episode is that from? That's hilarious.

I could tell my two bikes from each other by their performance alone. They have a near identical parts spec and setup, and perform about equally, but I can tell the difference every time I ride. It's amazing how similar two things can be, and yet how different. No two models/ setups of bike have yet felt the same to me. Just as no two pianos have aver sounded the same to me.