What's the perfect road bike in your mind's eye?

[username]

I was out walking the dog this morning, and a guy rode by on a Motorola Merckx. "Lovely bike!" I called out. He stopped, turned around, said thanks, and then pulled up alongside me. As we chatted, I got a good look at his ride: a Century TSX, blessed with a box-crown fork and chrome chainstays, and adorned with a Chorus 10 group—I'd like think the hubs were Record; I should have asked, but the conversation had turned to dogs—a white Flite saddle, and white tape.

I'd say the above is about as close to the ideal road bike as I can possibly imagine. I suppose I might prefer a DeRosa Professional in red or a Molteni Merckx, but maybe not. Anyway, it's funny how things get fixed in our heads at key moments in our lives and then live on forever after as glorious nostalgia.

[buddybikes]

I had a De Rosa Professional circa 1982. Pretty bike, very pretty (powder blue). Lugwork kind of utilitarian.

What is ideal...it is what is ideal for you...

[AngryScientist]

For a road racing bike? This is it, this right here.

[username]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

For a road racing bike? This is it, this right here.

Very hard to disagree. What a rider he was. (Yes, yes: I know.) And what a beautiful thing it was to watch him make that bike fly uphill.

[bicycletricycle]

Good question, I think I know exactly what mine is, I have some bikes that are close but not exactly it. I should probably start working on getting one built

Single oversize steel frame
1” headtube
Steel fork
Custom threadless stem to match
Short reach brakes mounted to fit max possible tire (32-33)
Downtube mounts
Stainless polished chainstay , perhaps full stainless
Stainless dropouts with polished faces

Group is mostly figured out
Campy record 10 medium cage RD
11 speed 11-30 ish cassette of some kind
RH 30-46 cranks with Phil bb
RH parallel bars
Campy carbon brake levers
Simplex DT shifters
Older MTB FD, probably an xc pro or xtr
Campy 10 differential brakes
King no thread set
Nitto t cages
C17 saddle
Nitto s83 post
WI t11 hubs laced to something silver

Ya, something like that

[bikinchris]

If I win the lottery, I have a few dream bikes, but one that I dream about is a restomod.
I want an OLD Schwinn Paramount frame, old enough to not have braze on fixtures for the downtube shifters or cable stops for the shifting. Then I would have to stretch the rear dropouts to 130mm and paint it in a candy red. I would build the bike with SRAM Red wireless 11 speed group with 2X but with gearing for my aging legs and Rolf Tandem wheelset because I'm fat. The bars would need to be modern short reach because of old, you know. It would probably need a custom brazed stem.

My other bikes would be a copy of my Indy Fab Touring bike in Titanium with disc brakes and XX group. And a custom trike with conventional rear wheel and two wheels up front for when I get older.

[saab2000]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

For a road racing bike? This is it, this right here.

That’s about it.

The second best is the one you will ride. Just get out and ride. We don’t all have to win the Giro or TdF.

[deluz]

Originally Posted by saab2000

That’s about it.

The second best is the one you will ride. Just get out and ride. We don’t all have to win the Giro or TdF.

Many years ago one of those Bianchi's was for sale locally.
I did a test ride on it and it was the most harsh ride I ever experienced.
The owner asked me how I liked it and after I told him he said, yeah I know.
I really wanted to like but had to turn it down.

[username]

Originally Posted by deluz

I did a test ride on it and it was the most harsh ride I ever experienced.

Great art is rarely comfortable.

[eddief]

with holes in the chainstays:

https://pezcyclingnews.com/features/...d-della-santa/

[Matthew]

A Colnago in the Saronni paint scheme. Damn close to perfection in my book.

[vespasianus]

One that is ridden. That is all.

[robt57]

Originally Posted by Matthew

A Colnago in the Saronni paint scheme. Damn close to perfection in my book.

I have a 1985 SLX Saroni/white panel Colnago since 94. It got a Pre 2015 Chorus 11s resto mod including carbon Chorus seatpost about 7 year ago. It is currently sporting Boyd Tubulars on Record Hubs with 27mm FMB Roubaix.

To me it is perfection rolling. Still amazes me those skinny pipes are plenty stiff. And it is a 61 and I am right at clyde.

I have not taken a pic with the tan wall FMBs, but last pic was after a ride I had tossed old Zipp 404s and before the Chorus Carbon post was acquired.

Saronni sono buoni!

[RFC]

1992 Land Shark Road Shark

IMG_0024r1 by Robert Copple, on Flickr

[Spdntrxi]

Cinelli Laser