due ruote 

I know this is going to mean something a little different to everyone, and I don't want to put restrictions on the criteria. I also understand that one person's nirvana might be nothing special to someone else, for perfectly legitimate reasons. All the same, I'll ask the question - what one bike just felt absolutely right? You needn't be the owner, and this isn't one of those "if you could keep one bike" threads. Likewise, "the one I'm on" is a cop-out, sorry.

For me, it's probably my 54 x 55 cm 1978 Motobecane Team Champion (Columbus SL), but honestly I haven't ridden all that many bikes.

Pictures welcome of course.

Bianchigirll 

My '90 Bianchi Proto with a Columbus MAX frame. It is a comfortable ride, even on a all day 100 miler, but for me it still has ample stiffness for climbing, not that I am a PolkaDot jersey contender.

puchfinnland

im dreaming of trying a recumbent, cant get more comfortable then that!

Italuminium

My ALAN, but maybe that's because I don't have that much bikes, so I have all the time in the world to fine-tune the fit. But it's a great handler.

apollored

I should say my own bike but as it was out of action and I wanted to go on a road ride I hired a Miranda Juliet from an LBS. It was an MTB but they had fitted it with road tyres and turned it into a hybrid.

I loved the quiet disc brakes and tho I had been sceptical about the two lever type of gears before, the ones on this were easy to use and light.

I was very tired on that day as well and wouldnt have made the ride on mine but this was fast, light and easy to handle.


Made my ride much easier esp through the city streets.

Roger M

This one(SPX) or it's black brother(SP) that I have. I like the ride they give as much or better than any other vintage bike that I've ridden

Italuminium

Wow Roger, that's a beauty.

cyclotoine

My 1981 Gazelle champion mondial A frame (or AA frame?) reynolds 531 or my 2000 Marin Treviso (columbus nemo) (don't have it anymore, sold it and bought a 2002 frame and it doesn't ride as nice, but climbs better, made from Dedacciai steel, stiffer, lighter, mostly owing to 1-1/8" stearer vs. 1" on the 2000). I have had several marinonis in columbus SP, an SPX bike, a few late 80s columbus schwinn's... but never found a super inspiring ride in a good ol' sp/sl bike. My univega specialissima (tange champion) is also up there for all time great rides.

rootboy 

This one. Just feels good

Italuminium

Anxious to finish my own Moto now, to see what all the fuss is about!

rootboy 

I've only ever ridden 8 bikes though. Four of which I still have.

RobbieTunes

Easy. A white/marbled grey fade 56cm 1989 Centurion Dave Scott Ironman Master, as smooth as the name is long;
now residing in Massachusetts. It was just right for the Goldilocks in me. Could do anything well.

Not ridden yet: a 56cm 1998 Trek Y-Foil. It had a 52cm sibling I rode and thought was the best I'd ever been on, other than the fit.

Others are more precise, agile, lighter, smoother on long rides, etc etc etc.
Nothing does it all like the Ironman.
Ask kuotient, he rode one coast-coast.

Wheels and tires make up so much of the ride.

WNG

To date, it's got to be Drillium Dude's 78 Colnago Super. Test rode it earlier this month. Responsive, faultless handling.

cyclotoine

It wouldn't be fair if I didn't give a shout out to the cervelo R5. I haven't ridden one far, but around the block was amazing.

Miyata110

I have had a very limited sampling, but the short stint I spent on the '73 Gran Sports that I rebuilt last year was the best I've experienced. Though it's very possible that my enjoyment stemmed more from my pride in the finished product than from actual ride quality.

randyjawa 

I have owned, built and ridden every bike featured on MY "TEN SPEEDS". My Cyclops is the best of the bunch, in my opinion...



...and you should see it now that it is fitted with Shimano 105 10 speed, FSA cranks, dual pivot brakes - can't wait for riding season! By the way, piling rocks up is my other hobby.

seedsbelize 

My 1992 Panasonic built Paramount OS. I also haven't ridden that many. I rode a century on this one yesterday, and came away feeling refreshed. After a few hours rest, that is.

jimmuller 

Best overall rider is the Masi Gran Criterium. Before that I thought it was the Bianchi Brava. Before that it was the Raleigh Gran Sport.

sloar 

my colnago super.

Savagewolf

I'm leery of recumbents. It's not because I have anything against them, I just don't like the idea of being in the same position. I'm a big fan of road bikes where I can ride in the hoods, on the top bar, or in the drops. Even more so, I can sit for the ride and stand up to stretch now and then.

Then again, it sure would be nice to be able to sit back with a back rest.......

lotek 

For me so far it's my 1974(ish) Zieleman type special. The bike just does everything well, and is a pleasure
to ride on the chip and seal roads here. I don't know if it's because Zieleman built bikes for riding on
cobbles but whatever it is I don't feel nearly as beat up on my other bikes.
I'm waiting to see how my De Rosa is compared to it, but need to finish paint and
build it up.

Marty

mickey85

I guess it's kind of a goldilocks thing...

The best all-out, hot rod, can keep up with anything and look good while doing it, was my 79 Raleigh Professional. That said, it's kinda like a sports car, you don't really feel all that comfy on it all the time.

The comfiest "cadillac" is my UO-8. I took it on a fixed gear ride a couple weeks ago for about 80 miles and didn't want to get off; I felt like I could keep going for a long, long time.

The bike that's probably in between is my Raleigh Super Course. I like it, but I CANNOT get the bottom end to stop flexing (3 ring Shimano Biopace crankset, MTB cage derailer, and UN-54 BB) - it keeps rubbing the derailer no matter what orientation, how high I go, or what the position is over the ring. I'm thinking it's going to be another fixed-gear bike.


Honestly though, all of my "daily driver" bikes are pretty comfy. The UO-8 is my commuter and fun bike, the Super Course is a 650a conversion, my Nishiki Modulus isn't the lightest, but it keeps up with the club and is generally comfy (though I get some hand numbness after 75 miles or so), the Nishiki Riviera GT is comfy, but could use a longer stem, as it's a 56, and I generally ride a 58-62, and my GT Outpost MTB with "city" bars is really comfy too. I could see doing a century on any of them. They should be - I built them like that.

cbresciani

My Colnago C40 HP, best bike I've ever ridden, with my De Rosa Primato a close second.

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auchencrow

I don't have just one "best" riding bike, but outside of the "usual suspects", my '79 Ross Aristocrat is about as fine a ride as any I have experienced.

mkeller234

That's always a tough question... and it's even difficult to pick what qualities I think are "best", there always seems to be a trade-off. I seem to favor "heavy" bikes, 27-30 lbs.

For me, it's probably my Mercian KOM. Maybe it's just because I have ridden it a lot more than the others.... or maybe I have ridden more because I really do like it best. It's heavy, stable and smooth. Something about it just feels right to me. I used to worry it was too big, but after getting a smaller bike I was able to put that to rest.

Runner up: Lotus Eclair

Second runner up: Schwinn Superior (the filet brazed one)