how many bikes before you found the perfect one?
03-04-07, 09:52 PM
#1
SpIn SpIn SuGaR!
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how many bikes before you found the perfect one?
since most members of this forum have owned at least one bike, if not more than one bike at a time, i'm just curious how many bikes you owned before you found the one that felt perfect for you?
i'm asking because even if you were fit, no two bodies are exactly the same, and while two people may have the exact same measurements the same bike may not feel exactly the same for both people...
i'm asking because even if you were fit, no two bodies are exactly the same, and while two people may have the exact same measurements the same bike may not feel exactly the same for both people...
03-04-07, 09:52 PM
#2
Texas Fight!
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Two...
03-04-07, 09:55 PM
#3
Ride it like you stole it
Of all the bikes you will ever own there will not be a perfect one. This is why you will always need to buy just one more bike, ask blandin he knows of what I speak.
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03-04-07, 09:55 PM
#4
Double Naught Spy
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I'm still looking 
03-04-07, 10:00 PM
#6
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wow...okay...i had a bit of a progression....
started off with a 1981 Nishiki to get into the sport (still have it turning it into a SS/fixie)
then when I decided to upgrade I pieced this together...
Decided the frame didn't fit me quite right, and I got a GOOD deal on this frame:
rode it for a while....and then came across this on ebay...and fell in love...(still have this bike)
THEN i started looking for a second bike and came across this frame, which I built up...
Before I even had a chance to ride it I came across a Fuji Team Issue frame REALLY cheap and jumped on it...necessitating me selling this bike off to pay for it...(got maybe 100 miles on it)
Now I have this, and my Bianchi XL boron....so I'm content...
So far my Fuji's the favorite out of all of them..fits the best, rides the best...but I LOVE my Bianchi...it's just such a well-made frame, and I can't even really compare it to my Fuji....apples & oranges there...
started off with a 1981 Nishiki to get into the sport (still have it turning it into a SS/fixie)
then when I decided to upgrade I pieced this together...
Decided the frame didn't fit me quite right, and I got a GOOD deal on this frame:
rode it for a while....and then came across this on ebay...and fell in love...(still have this bike)
THEN i started looking for a second bike and came across this frame, which I built up...
Before I even had a chance to ride it I came across a Fuji Team Issue frame REALLY cheap and jumped on it...necessitating me selling this bike off to pay for it...(got maybe 100 miles on it)
Now I have this, and my Bianchi XL boron....so I'm content...
So far my Fuji's the favorite out of all of them..fits the best, rides the best...but I LOVE my Bianchi...it's just such a well-made frame, and I can't even really compare it to my Fuji....apples & oranges there...
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Road: 2001 Bianchi XL Boron
Cross: 2009 Surly Cross Check
XC Mtb: 2007 Bianchi Sok 29er
SS/Rigid Mtb: 2008 Soma Juice 29er
Road: 2001 Bianchi XL Boron
Cross: 2009 Surly Cross Check
XC Mtb: 2007 Bianchi Sok 29er
SS/Rigid Mtb: 2008 Soma Juice 29er
Last edited by aballas; 03-04-07 at 10:09 PM.
03-04-07, 10:00 PM
#7
if x=byh then x+1=byn
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Still looking, and having fun doing it. I don't think I would ever be happy with only one bike . . . but that being said, I fear it's time to thin the herd.
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'00 TiSports Titanium - DA 9 speed------ '01 KHS Flite 800 - DA/Utegra 9 speed mix
‘02 Ellsworth Flight - Ultegra 10 speed -.'03 Basso Coral - Ultegra 10 speed
'03 Specialized Allez Pro - DA 10 speed .'04 Scattante CFR Limited - DA 9 speed
'05 KHS Flite 2000 - Ultegra 9 speed -... '06 Flyte SRS-3 - DA 9 speed-------
'05 Serotta Fierte - Utegra 10 speed--..-'07 Pedal Force RS - SRAM Force
'00 TiSports Titanium - DA 9 speed------ '01 KHS Flite 800 - DA/Utegra 9 speed mix
‘02 Ellsworth Flight - Ultegra 10 speed -.'03 Basso Coral - Ultegra 10 speed
'03 Specialized Allez Pro - DA 10 speed .'04 Scattante CFR Limited - DA 9 speed
'05 KHS Flite 2000 - Ultegra 9 speed -... '06 Flyte SRS-3 - DA 9 speed-------
'05 Serotta Fierte - Utegra 10 speed--..-'07 Pedal Force RS - SRAM Force
03-04-07, 10:03 PM
#8
riding once again
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I love my Cervelo R3, which was my second "nice bike", but I doubt there's a perfect bike out there.
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03-04-07, 10:04 PM
#9
SilentRider
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no such thing as the perfect bike.
The next bike is always the perfect one.
The next bike is always the perfect one.
03-04-07, 10:05 PM
#10
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My 3rd bike was a custom. My next will be a Lynskey or Merlin because they have long top tubes stock.
03-04-07, 10:14 PM
#12
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Originally Posted by blandin
Still looking, and having fun doing it. I don't think I would ever be happy with only one bike . . . but that being said, I fear it's time to thin the herd.
03-04-07, 10:27 PM
#13
if x=byh then x+1=byn
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Several forum members have encouraged me to do just that, but I don't have a lot of patience for that kind of thing. However, if you go to my profile and click on threads started by, you will find most of the build threads.
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'00 TiSports Titanium - DA 9 speed------ '01 KHS Flite 800 - DA/Utegra 9 speed mix
‘02 Ellsworth Flight - Ultegra 10 speed -.'03 Basso Coral - Ultegra 10 speed
'03 Specialized Allez Pro - DA 10 speed .'04 Scattante CFR Limited - DA 9 speed
'05 KHS Flite 2000 - Ultegra 9 speed -... '06 Flyte SRS-3 - DA 9 speed-------
'05 Serotta Fierte - Utegra 10 speed--..-'07 Pedal Force RS - SRAM Force
'00 TiSports Titanium - DA 9 speed------ '01 KHS Flite 800 - DA/Utegra 9 speed mix
‘02 Ellsworth Flight - Ultegra 10 speed -.'03 Basso Coral - Ultegra 10 speed
'03 Specialized Allez Pro - DA 10 speed .'04 Scattante CFR Limited - DA 9 speed
'05 KHS Flite 2000 - Ultegra 9 speed -... '06 Flyte SRS-3 - DA 9 speed-------
'05 Serotta Fierte - Utegra 10 speed--..-'07 Pedal Force RS - SRAM Force
03-05-07, 07:16 PM
#17
ONE DOWN, FIVE UP...
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I'm still searching. I've been on my current bike for 2 years and finally discovered what I don't like about it. I'll be test riding this week to see if I can get something a little bit closer to perfect.
03-05-07, 07:19 PM
#18
pan y agua
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20 and still looking
03-05-07, 07:50 PM
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I'm still testing my useable range
I've gone from just right (61cm), to way too huge (63cm), to maybe too small (58cm, at least the top tube is correct)
I'll have the latter sorted out come May, for now the frame stares me in the face with puppy-dog eyes
I've gone from just right (61cm), to way too huge (63cm), to maybe too small (58cm, at least the top tube is correct)
I'll have the latter sorted out come May, for now the frame stares me in the face with puppy-dog eyes
03-05-07, 08:24 PM
#22
Remember Wool Shorts?
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Since 1982, I think I've had close to 20 bikes. Now that I'm poor and have kids, the perfect bike for me right now is the one with air in the tires and is the dirties (if you bike is clean, you ain't riding enough). I now ride a Giant compact (I'm short so I'm glad that compacts came out) but I still ride my Gios and my LeMond.
03-05-07, 08:58 PM
#23
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My third bike was perfect in 1992, it was a Tomassini with Columbus SLX tubing. Since then I've had a CAAD3 C'dale, an Eddy Merckx with SLX tubing, a Serrotta Atlanta, a Cinelli Starlight, an Orbea Orca, a LOOK Kg 381 a LOOK Kg481sl and a CAAD8. Out of all of those the Cinelli was a great bike on California roads but about beat the fillings out of my teeth on Texas chip seal. I hated the Orca and the CAAD3. The Serrotta was a nice easy bike but was a bit laid back in the geometry. The LOOK's are right up there as the best bikes I've ever owned, but the winner is the CAAD8. It's the best bike that I can train, ride and race on. It's pretty damn compliant and handles like a slot car. It's stiff and light, and pretty inexpensive. All in all it's a great bike.
03-05-07, 09:43 PM
#24
riding once again
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I already answered with the belief that there's no perfect bike. But to answer from another perspective, it took only one bike before I had a good feel for what I really wanted in a bike.
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03-05-07, 09:59 PM
#25
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I know this sounds cliche but...any bike I'm on while it's a beautiful day out and I'm 50 miles or more from where I started is the perfect bike. (But I DO like my Lemond, of course I wouldn't turn down a Cervelo, IF Bike, Specialized -- the one Levi had...)