mr,grumpy 

I got it. I got the itch and I need to scratch it. No, not more cow bell, well maybe more cowbell under the right circumstances..... I don't know what kind of bike I want. Well, that's a lie. I want a MTB and a road bike. It's the sub-kind and, most importantly, the BRAND that is tripping me up!

I want to ride my MTB by myself, for the most part, or with other guys just out having a good time. I have a really old Diamonback that was the first (and only ) brand new adult bike that I ever bought. It was pretty much retired and replaced by a clapped out Gary Fisher Advance which I have been beating into the ground lately. But the miles of neglect are starting to add up and it's starting to need things that are adding up in cost. Spending a bunch of time and or money on a clapped out old Fisher that I could re-invest in new-tch is bugging me. But what to replace it with? 26er or 29er? I "know" I want a hard-tail. And that's where the story ends. I have ben facinated for years at the concept of "Hybrid" nbikes but can see no actual need for them. I'm thinking that if I go 29er that's close enough hat I can put some slicks on that bad-boy and call it a Hybrid for a ride or three and get that out of my system. Plus, I'm a sucky MTBer. So the 29er will be better over obsticals and stuff.

On the road side things turn different. I have a perfectly servicable Tricross Triple. It's Fine. Low level parts and super nont-flashy (it's Flat Black for crying out loud) and with all it's racks and fenders it's decidedly NOT sexy.I want to start riding with other people though to push myself and all that jazz. I KNOW that I'll be the week link and the slow guy and all that but I want to ahve a reasonable expectation that the slowness is coming from me and not the bike. I want a Roadie! I don't need one and roadies are expensive! Maybe a used Le Mond would fit the bill

Where the problem comes in is that I want something....cool. I know that the Treks and Canondales of the world are cheep, readily available and reasonably in-expensive but they are boring as heck! I want something.... else. Something interesting, different, unusual yet competent and "good". The Fisher is sufficiently un-Trek like I guess, but new Fishers ARE Treks. Yech! How about a Surly or an Independant Fabrication or something from an Italian Road Bike maker or some small shop in the USA? Sure, if money were leaking out of my pool instead of water. It ain't.) OK Surly isn't that expensive but I think you get the point.

So, if YOU were looking for a reasonably priced, COOL road bike or MTB what would YOU be looking at?

bikemig 

If I were looking for a new roadbike, I'd get a bike that takes long reach brakes that can accommodate a little fatter tire and I'd build it up with a little wider rim (23 as opposed to the more conventional 19-20 mm). This set-up won't slow you down but if you get tired of riding with racers, you still have a comfortable road bike. I'd get the Soma Stanyan: https://www.somafab.com/archives/prod...anyan-frameset. Or the soma smoothie es: https://www.somafab.com/archives/product/es

For an off road bike, I'd get a Salsa. I think Salsa makes a number of really well though out offroad adventure bikes. They're changing over their models for 2014 fairly soon and you might be able to pick up a 2013 on a discount. You could pick up one of their drop bar offroad bikes or this, https://www.salsacycles.com/bikes/mamasita/. In any case, I'd check out their webpage if you want "Something interesting, different, unusual yet competent and "good""

tagaproject6

Depends on how much money I am actually willing to spend. I had that itch back in 2010 and I wanted a frame that is not very common in my area. I came across GVH bikes and picked out a Cinelli XPerience frame.

chasm54

How much do you want to spend? And what is your notion of cool? For some, there's not much cooler than a Colnago Master X-lite, but others would turn up their noses at a classic steel frame.

In my view one big-brand carbon roadie is as cool as another, which is to say, not very cool at all, because there's very little to choose between them. That's why I ride a Giant, they're as good as any, better than most, and one isn't paying for the supposed chic-value of, for example, a Cervelo.

mr,grumpy 

Oh no you didn't!

mr,grumpy 

Seriously, Cervelo is cool but other lower-volume brands are MUCH cooler without the "hype". Yea even though I'll probably wind up with a Trekalizedale of some nature the are a big groan. I can't do Giant. They sell those next to Schwin and GT in the suck-but bike shop in my former town and I don't like the guy working there so I don't like the shop, so I don't like any of the brands that they sell. Humm.. Hear THAT marketing guys: Don't put your bikes in stores where the staff are tools otherwise it might tun customers off your brand for ever.

fietsbob

Independent Fabrications still located in Mass?, buy local..

They will add custom features, to meet your desires.. AKA Custom.

mr,grumpy 

To play devil's advocate for a sec.
"Why spend $2k on basically the same thing as the Diamondback that I already have"?

JK: I drool in my sleep about being worthy of riding an IF. In fact "worthiness" is part of the problem. If you bring a six-shooter into a cowboy bar you BEST know how to use it. I know how to take it in and out of the holster (if you get my analogy: I'm not a very acomplished cyclist)

tagaproject6

Stow the "worthiness" dilemma. That issue is usually self-bestowed and keeps one from enjoying life. And quite a few levy it on others because they are self serving tools. A bicycle is a tool/toy/equipment or whatever, not a medal to be awarded for some worldly accomplishment. Do you believe that the makers of bicycles and those in the business of selling cycling equipment really give the buyers or the consumers a once-over to see if they are worthy of their bikes? Does your LBS make you fill out a resume before you can buy one of their bikes? Do you think they care?

If you want to be worthy of something, do something worthwhile. Volunteer, do charity work, etc.

Otherwise, enjoy your life the way you see fit.

fietsbob

My last N+1 was a Bike Friday Pocket Llama , disc brakes , IGH. Dyno Hub, for Wired lights.


But, I cannot make up your mind for you...

mr,grumpy 

Those things are AWSOME!! Congratulations. THAT my friend, is a cool little bike. Sadly, I can not even dream up an imaginary scenario where I would ever have any use whatsoever for a folding bike, and believe you me, I put some effort into it!

kingsqueak

Surly Ogre, done with drop bars and discs. You can do anything with this frame, single speed, IGH, conventional multi-speed, rigid or suspension fork, drops or flat bars, 28mm to 2.5" tires.

Mine is drops, discs, 700x40s, rigid, XT driveline. It's a tank that I can point anywhere. One thing it is not, is light.




Forgot to mention, you may not like the color choice, black, black, or black. The Salsa line has some similarly versatile options, like the Fargo, but in more interesting colors. Then there's the Gunnar Fast Lane or Crosshairs or or or :-).

Bicycle365

The coolest bike I can think of is MINE!
No I am not being pompous or arrogant, I mean by that that the coolest bike for me is the the one I built for ME.
Pick any frame that suits your fancy ( I chose a Surly because I tour ) then build it with whatever parts you desire. You can go top shelf or not up to you and your budget. You can build it slowly or evolve it as you wish.
You will know every part and why you chose it and it will be yours and yours alone.
I built a reasonably priced Long Haul Trucker frame up with over $3,000 in parts as my 1 in a lifetime build. After its maiden season last year of over 7000 miles I would not trade it for ANY of the $5,000 + bikes (CoMotion Pangea mostly) I was considering prior to the build.

Build YOUR bike to be happy...

DX-MAN

So it's GIANT'S fault that THAT SHOP hired a tool? Wow.... And I thought *I* was a grump. My co-workers will say so, I got dinged on an annual evaluation because I was 'hard to approach'.... Dude, grow UP.

Ride what you got and STFU.

mr,grumpy 

I think I love you a little bit.

Yes it is any companies fault that they choose to represent themselves with dopey OWNERS.

I-Like-To-Bike

After I slap myself and ask what the heck I want a new bike for, I'd look at the bike that I already have and serves all my bicycling needs and has cost me next to nothing for year after year of hard use.

Mobile 155

Well to get in quick before this gets uglier than it already is take a look at Masi. I believe Haro has the license on them so you could also get a Haro MTB. As far as Giant goes, they make bikes for just about everyone. Bianchi is back and have some nice machines. there is a reason there are a lot of Treks, because they are nice machines. But still there isn't much difference between most of them because you still get SRAM, Shimano or Campy and a bike at 15-16-17 or 18 pounds in CF.

catonec 

go to bikesdirect.

buy 2 motobecanes a mtb AND a roadie.

https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...om_elite09.htm $750
https://www.bikesdirect.com/products/...sprint_xiv.htm $999

fietsbob

The Brompton is a better folder than the Pocket Llama , Its not really made to fold up quickly and easily ,
more stuff it in a suitcase, and pretend its not a Bike, at the Airport.

mr,grumpy 

Says the guy riding the Kestrel.

BD bikes are not cool.

Retro Grouch 

Just keep looking.

You've got bikes to ride so take however much time it takes. Don't compromise your principles. You're looking for something that's "off the beaten track" but not "over the edge" and at a mainstream price. If you keep looking and ask enough people, something will eventually sing your song.

I've got a lot of bicycle brand bias. I prefer Specialized over Trek. I don't like Giant. I used to ride a Klein so I hate Cannondale. There's no logic in any of this but I've always been able to eventually find something in spite of it. You will too.

Retro Grouch 

What a sensible answer!

My worst dream is all of my kids standing around my coffin and talking about "How sensible dad was." Not gonna happen. The last check out of my checking account is going to pay the undertaker and it's going to bounce.

I-Like-To-Bike

What is the preferred alternative to being satisfied/sensible with N + 0? Greedy? Envious? Obsessive? Irresponsible?

Retro Grouch 

Could be any of them. It might just mean that you haven't found the right +1 yet. It could be that you just don't care - that's probably the mainstream.

Clawed

So I have contracted the restless, gotta have N+1 feeling. I discovered the FOCUS brand at the LBS. Very nice, definitely don't suck. Nice mountain bikes too. Completely irrational. I haven't had an irrationality spasm lately, I'm due.