1. It fit
2. It was on an end-of-season sale, 20% off
3. It was an epiphany to ride.

Wow. What is it?

Excellent.

Price number one. Campy Nouvo Record parts. Viking brand...classic British mark with storied history.

-wanted a new bike
-this one had more bells and whistles at an outstanding price reduction
-had cash
-it was as nice as my buddies' fancy bikes (shallow huh?)
-liked the proximity of the LBS

It was as high up the food chain on the line of bikes I was interested in and still get a triple up front. I would have spent more but its hard to find better.

https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...5fd2cb9643.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...517c9465f6.jpg
I was looking for a 29er Mountain bike without supension. I occasionally mountian bike, but often ride on the streets with it. Other than a Surly, I couldn't find what I wanted. Actually, Looking at the Surly Oger was what got me wanting the Jones H loop handle bars. So thinking I might not be tall enought for a 29er without toe strike, I was happy to find a Giant ATX lite with the 27.5 wheels. Putting the Jones H loop bars on it has given me the best of both worlds. It's both my road bike and although the tires are kind of whimpy, it's my no suspension MTB.

Fit/size comes first. Price is also important. Given the choice I'll go for something a little different. Prettiness probably comes last, but I do appreciate a pretty bike. I've only ever bought one road bike as a complete bike and I ended up not liking it very much, so components would be a different category for me.

1) Colnago Tecnos - I bought it because my brother had just gotten remarried and his wife didn't see the need for multiple bikes. I kept it because it rides great and I think it's pretty.

2) Ciocc Exige - I wanted a modernish cf bike and scoured Craigslist and Ebay for months. This one was the right size, from a reputable brand that you don't see much anymore. This is the bike I ride the most.

3) Batavus Professional - I wanted a good steel bike that was not too flashy as a winter and around town bike. Columbus SL/SP tubes and scratched up paint. It's perfect.

For me, it was price.

I also thought about how the bike would fit me because i am particularly tall: 6FT 4.

Re price, I wasnt willing to go to high; but i also wasnt willing to go too low either. the saying is: you get what you pay for!

thanks

Very reasonably priced.
My size.
Seriously serious.
An almost unique opportunity to get something like this.
https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...d154078a34.jpg

Yes, that is an actual team frame from the 2000 season.

Never been much of a Peugeot fan, mostly Italian or British bikes, till I saw this one on the Pasadena Vintage ride - lust at first sight!
https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...39ec70afe8.jpg
Then, I found this one on local CL and had to have it. Not the same model, but close enough for me.
https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c31ffa3c2d.jpg
As found on CL.

https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...a292654fab.jpg
Making it mine!
https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...fa75548efc.jpg
Yesterday's ride among the cactus blooms.

I wanted a gravel bike and most local options were either too big or would have left me eating instant noodles for a year. I met a local builder who made me a chromoly frame to my specifications for a very fair price and had it built up with low grade components, so I could save to upgrade later.

My commuter hybrid was new in my price range, looked cool, and have hydraulic disc brakes.

My road/gravel bike was used, looked awesome, had most of the components I wanted (except it has mechanical discs instead of hydraulic) but it was well under my price range as it was used.

In both cases, looks cool and price range were major factors.

For me it was "it wasn't black". But now I have a mess of silver bikes. I just can't win;)

It was what I wanted. I take a different tack than most people, however. I haven't bought a complete bike since about 2003...a Cannondale T800 and a Specialized FSR 120 Disc were the last two complete bikes I've bought. Even those aren't "complete" anymore. The Cannondale has morphed from a gray T800 to a white T1. The FSR has morphed to a 2003 S-works Epic (which is a much, much, much better bike and what I wanted all along). My other bikes are similar. I usually get a frame and start parts swapping. One bike, an orange 1999 Specialized M2 Stumpjumper Pro, has morphed to a white Stumpjumper Pro to a red Rockhopper to a Dean titanium.

For the most part, I pick bikes for a task I want them to do...color isn't unimportant;)...and build them to that purpose. Then I ride them until I decide I want to ride something else. My current stable will probably be with me for a while however. They are all pretty much perfect for what I want to do. And what's a braggin' post without pictures?

Touring bike do it's job

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4579/...77405375_k.jpg2015-05-03 11.38.54 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

but that doesn't mean it can't be dressed up

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4534/...a30026e8_k.jpgIMG_1444 (1) by Stuart Black, on Flickr

The "orange Stumpjumper" doing it's job

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1782/...2d3cee5b_k.jpgDSCN0934 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

The off-road touring bike doing glamour shots

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1808/...9d0bfe70_b.jpgIMG_3144 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

And at work

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1791/...82d9df04_k.jpgDSCN1197 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

The Go-fast bike

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/843/4...5604c050_k.jpgIMG_0736 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

And the cruiser just being cool

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4744/...3f12fa09_k.jpgDSCN0165 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

Told ya I had a bunch of silver bikes.

After moving to the suburbs of Louisville, KY, and not finding the number or variety of mtn.bike trails and rail-trails we had come to enjoy in northeastern MD/southeastern PA, we decided to get road bikes. Went to a recommend local shop. They had LeMond on sale and the Reno model was very reasonable with decent components (Tiagra and 105). Didn't see anything else with the level of components for the price. They took their time to ensure the size(s) were right for us. Let us take a good long test ride, and put a shorter stem on mine-no quibbling or charge. 12 years later the bikes still serve us well. See no need to "upgrade". The shop was acquired by another local shop--haven't been back in some time--hoping the level of service has continued!!

^this is exactly my response. I buy a bike with a plan on how to make it into what I need it to be.

The exception is my current project, for which I bought a frame because it was French...EDIT: Let's just agree that I wasn't being rational...

Experience ?
 

after Childhood wrenching, & bike building, Boy Scouts,
then 4 years in Navy, 4 in college,
I worked in the Bike shop, so got things from wholesalers ,
Then years later, I got them, bikes, used, having some idea
about what I was getting into.

Like International Bike Touring.

Any Rick Danko or Robbie Robertson sightings up that way? Now I'm gonna have that damned song in my head for the rest of the week. :(


https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1791/...82d9df04_k.jpg

Oddly that song has nothing to do with Cripple Creek, Colorado. I kind of wonder if "Cripple Creek" is a bit like "Springfield"...everybody's got one.

I'm picking up a 2018 Trek Emonda ALR 6 tomorrow. I considered the SL6 with 105 group set, but the aluminum frame with full Ultegra, Aeolus wheels and rim brakes is a scant 3.4 ounces heavier. After having read some posts here about carbon fiber frame failures (yes, still relatively rare), plus Ultegra and the better looking wheels, I opted for Aluminum. I'm upgrading to my first road bike (from a hybrid FX 7.4) so I'm so far ahead of where I've been weight wise I'm sure I'll feel like I'm flying. Even if the reality is that I'm just going a mile per hour faster. I suppose if I were racing (which I'm not) I'd have gone with the carbon.

The fit. Everything else is secondary. Any component group that a "105" or above is more than adequate. You can upgrade any and all components, but you can rarely fix bad fit.

Fit and frame material.
I wanted an older 52cm Reynolds 531 frame, and for me, that was nearly unobtainium.
A sketchy looking scrapper in town had a 52cm 1987 Trek 330 Elance on CL recently. After a week of looking at the posting, I decided to take a look. It fit nearly perfect. Frame was in good shape, and components were just going to get replaced anyway. Took it home for $150.