What is wrong with me?
 

Here's the brief scoop on me. I own a 2007 Trek 1000 that gets most of my miles and all of the miles I do that involve riding with the family towing the bike trailer or if it's bad weather. I also own a 2008 Trek Madone 5.5 that has barely more than a 1400 miles on it that I only ride when the weather is great and I'm racing (which I no longer do) or riding a fast club ride.

I want another bike (don't we all?) and am slowly easing myself into randonneuring. I want a bike that I'll use for all of my solo rides (that don't involve errands) as well as my long distance riding.

Logic would say that I should just use one of my other bikes or just get a new bike. I've been guided towards something like Velo Orange rando frame, etc.

For some reason, I just can't get the desire to ride an older style steel bike. One with downtube shifting and a very clean front (no wires everywhere). It's been tough finding my size (I'm 6'4 or 6'5 on a good day) but now and then I find one that is decent but I never pull the trigger. There is just some mystique about them that I want to ride.

I had an old Schwinn Varsity at one point a few years ago that I used as a beater, but ended up selling it as the value on my 1000 plummeted and I wasn't as worried about it getting stolen. The thing was heavy as a beast and seemed to take a huge amount of effort to get rolling, but once it did it kept going. I'm not as interested in getting something quite that heavy unless it has some function (aka with racks, bags, etc).

Am I just crazy?

Yes , pull the trigger and join the club! You won't regret it.

I ride old steel with dt shifters and it makes me happy every day.

Ha ha...I just meant that when it was new and shiny (and much more likely to be stolen) that I was scared to leave it alone even locked up, so the Varsity was the bike I used in those cases as it wasn't going to be a big loss. Now that the 1000 has some dings and you can get it on Craigslist/ebay for much cheaper, I'm no longer scared of it being stolen as much.

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It's just strange to me. Everyone has the bug for the latest lightweight carbon bike (which I did too and love my Madone), but yet I always keep getting drawn to the classic bikes. There's something so simple and elegant about it, and even recreating them with newer steel just doesn't seem the same either.

I think I've made my decision already, it just makes me feel better to ask classic addicts whether I should get addicted too.

Let me help you out with your addiction, I've got something nice in just your size.

Steel bikes, (old Peugeots in particular), have an allure for me because those were the best bikes in the shop in the early 70's. I walked past Monument Cyclery in Pleasant Hill, CA every day for two years on my way to school, drooling over the fine french bikes while I pedaled an Azuki. Granted, I love index shifting and inexpensive aluminum, but steel is just... ya know...steel.
Don't be swayed by us if high tech CF and aluminum is what YOU like.

I'm about your height and I find vintage steel bikes are great. Sturdy but light enough to give a fun ride. No need to go absurdly huge, like a 67cm Fuji, but they are out there if you want them.... My good friend has a larger Peugeot that has become his daily rider and he's at least 6'3".

A Varsity isn't a great model for comparison. If you get something with Reynolds or other high quality tubing you won't find them sluggish or heavy.

Every time I enter a bike shop, I fall in love with my vintage steel bikes more and more. Never once have I lusted over a CF, or any other high end bike! None, in my opinion, compare to my 71/78 Raleigh Pros! If you do get one, make sure there's enough space for the others to come!

Flash

Time to poop or get off the pot.

Yes, that is very strange indeed. Unheard of around these parts really. :)

Often the lust of wanting the next bike is where the pleasure is. You already have great bikes to ride, and once you get that vintage steel bike, the desire will wear off. I'm sure the Madone can do anything you want it to, short of touring.

I have the opposite problem, I only have steel bikes, and my LBS tempts me with how great the Trek carbon is. So when you DO get that steel bike, please give us a comparison report.

+1

While the Varsity is a fine bike for what it is, there's a WORLD of other bikes between the Varsity and the Trek 1000.

I agree with the OP about the "elegance" of "classic" steel bikes. For me, the horizontal top tube and non-OS tubing have a much more graceful look.