As far as I am concerned, my Rans Stratus LE, and my Terratrike fit the bill for me just fine. I also think they have the best bang for the buck on the market.

They sound like the sort that one might want to steer clear of. For some if you're not kit'ed up in lycra on an all carbon ultra weight weenie mobile you're not a 'real' cyclist or what ever. And if they had an action figure made in their likeness, it would be sold by Massengill. There was once a time when I was one of them but I out grew that when I became an adult.

:lol: Yep. Best viewed from your helmet mirror. Getting smaller and smaller.

I love my bikes, and wouldn't change/exchange any of them.

Aaannnnddd, I'm pretty sure that they love me back...:innocent:

Everyone says my bikes suck. I guess that’s why I love them so much.

There is wisdom in that.

'Sucky' bikes are less likely to be stolen.

I have worked hard to remove envy from myself. I have no desire to instill envy in others. I have nice bikes, nice frames, nice components but I usually downplay their 'niceness' to others.

It's funny how much "nice" or "sucky" can vary from place to place. I live in a rural community where you just don't see bicycles. The attitude out here, largely, is that a bicycle is a childrens toy that they use until they gets a drivers license. The only other people you see on bicycles are dudes on old childrens mountain bikes chugging around town because they got too many DWI's and lost their licenses.

So yesterday, I made two stops. One after just a couple of miles because, uh, I had to make a 'deposit' at a gas station (Hey I didn't have to go when I left). The second time I pulled into another gas stations parking lot to get at my second water bottle; which I just can't ever seem to get at when riding. So I pulled off for a second to have a drink. Both times I gathered crowds. On my little $600 hybrid, people actually walked up in amazement at the clipless pedals, my fluorescent jersey; and the fact that I was wearing a helmet (One guy actually mentioned 'that's how you know he's serious'). Very.. odd.. to say the least. Leaving 'stop two' I actually overhead a guy talking to his friend saying "Check it out dude, his feet like snap into the pedals. I guess it's so he doesn't fall off". I mean when I say bikes are foreign out here, they are foreign.

But I bet if I was in some wealthy fitness-centric suburb I'd be as shunned as the drunks on the mountain bikes. While everyone tools around on their carbon road bikes.

Lol I was thinking the same I get all sorts of strange looks and comments about my moonsaddles