Too many frames, help!

[Andy sti]

Ok, so I need to do some inventory reduction. I have way too many bikes/frames that are not ridden enough. I do want to buy a new group and build one up to keep as a nice "something different" bike, though. I have my race bike, TT bike and MTB bikes that I use most of the time, and I'm selling my old race bike and an older MTB, but I feel like I should get rid of some of my "special" bikes too. I just don't, and haven't in a really long time, use them.

Anyway, what would you keep? Just curious. I know it's up to me but it's fun to hear opinions. Plus, I'll likely be listing the cut players here.

First off is my Serotta Concours. It's custom with a slight slope to the TT and a long TT. I got it in 2002 and rode it until 5 years ago when I started racing again. Beautiful bike and it's in perfect shape.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/488A8FEF-6664-4D56-8470-EFFE79CFCBA2_zpsj5jzxku9.jpg
http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/D821C3FE-1378-4E02-826B-D33BF3E7A025_zps4oauxhab.jpg

Next is my Look KG96. It was my race bike for 1/2 a season back in the day. It's been sitting since. It's in perfect condition but I have know idea how it rides as it's been so long!

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/AE960254-DF8B-4D96-913E-ACC2F9397888_zpslob0v8ah.jpg

I bought this Eddy from the Motorola service course in Wisconsin. It was great because the Saturn service course was right across the street. I bought the frame then went and bought a Saturn vest. The bike was Cezary Zamana's. he was on the team for one year, 1995. The bike has a 60cm TT.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/F25E724A-4651-4703-B9DB-640C0F7273D2_zps3dzjnkfp.jpg

Finally, I have a Soma Smoothie. This was an ebay find, had been built but otherwise new. One of those "no way I'll win this auction" deals. Well it's been a couple years since I "won". Was cheap so I didn't mind. Just bought the fork from peterlombardi on the forum last month. Finally thinking I should build it up. Honestly, this is the one I most want to build - how wrong is that?

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/B4030B4E-FA1E-4DDB-A7B8-1D1DC6A017B6_zpswo5ltmpy.jpg

With the price of 6800 groups being so good it seems like a good time to finish/modernize one of these bikes and make some space by selling the others. Plus I'm kind of jonesing for a new steel bike - Kish Road Hog is looking pretty sweet! First world problems.

Just a fun way to show off some frames and get some opinions/thoughts on what to do.

Andy

[Llewellyn]

Nice bikes, I think I'd keep the Serotta. It's the nicest of the lot IMO

[cadence90]

Keeping one?
The Serotta, hands down. Custom to you, you like it, and it's really gorgeous.
To me, that's the clear choice.

I can see the appeal in keeping the Soma, but not at the expense of the Serotta.

[oldpotatoe]

Ok, so I need to do some inventory reduction. I have way too many bikes/frames that are not ridden enough. I do want to buy a new group and build one up to keep as a nice "something different" bike, though. I have my race bike, TT bike and MTB bikes that I use most of the time, and I'm selling my old race bike and an older MTB, but I feel like I should get rid of some of my "special" bikes too. I just don't, and haven't in a really long time, use them.

Anyway, what would you keep? Just curious. I know it's up to me but it's fun to hear opinions. Plus, I'll likely be listing the cut players here.

First off is my Serotta Concours. It's custom with a slight slope to the TT and a long TT. I got it in 2002 and rode it until 5 years ago when I started racing again. Beautiful bike and it's in perfect shape.

Next is my Look KG96. It was my race bike for 1/2 a season back in the day. It's been sitting since. It's in perfect condition but I have know idea how it rides as it's been so long!

I bought this Eddy from the Motorola service course in Wisconsin. It was great because the Saturn service course was right across the street. I bought the frame then went and bought a Saturn vest. The bike was Cezary Zamana's. he was on the team for one year, 1995. The bike has a 60cm TT.

http://i824.photobucket.com/albums/zz167/andysti1/F25E724A-4651-4703-B9DB-640C0F7273D2_zps3dzjnkfp.jpg

Finally, I have a Soma Smoothie. This was an ebay find, had been built but otherwise new. One of those "no way I'll win this auction" deals. Well it's been a couple years since I "won". Was cheap so I didn't mind. Just bought the fork from peterlombardi on the forum last month. Finally thinking I should build it up. Honestly, this is the one I most want to build - how wrong is that?

With the price of 6800 groups being so good it seems like a good time to finish/modernize one of these bikes and make some space by selling the others. Plus I'm kind of jonesing for a new steel bike - Kish Road Hog is looking pretty sweet! First world problems.

Just a fun way to show off some frames and get some opinions/thoughts on what to do.

Andy

Keep the Caloi/Merckx, RIDE IT, it's the best ride of the lot by far.......sell the rest..:)

[Climb01742]

+1 on keeping the Eddy. Why? Everything else is nice, the Serotta is very nice, but the Eddy? That's a legendary, lifetime frame. If the TT was shorter, I'd change my answer completely and tell you to sell it immediately...to me.;)

[ThasFACE]

Serotta AND the Eddy. Ride the Serotta, display the Eddy?

[paredown]

We're probably not the best group to ask...

If it were me, I would keep the Look I raced on for sentimental reasons if I were deeply attached to it. If not, gone.

The next question is what fits best. Serotta (if custom) I would assume, so a keeper.

Build the Merckx with a modern group with silver bits and ride--if you fall in love, keep it.

I like the idea of starting with the Smoothie--try it out. You'll know pretty quickly if it is a keeper.

[ripvanrando]

I'd keep the Merckx

The Soma is nothing special, I wouldn't trust the glue on the Look, and the Serotta graphics are ugly to my eye plus I'm not warm to mixing steel with Titanium on a frame. Only if the Serotta has some special memories would it stay in my stable.

[sokyroadie]

Serotta graphics are ugly to my eye plus I'm not warm to mixing steel with Titanium on a frame. Only if the Serotta has some special memories would it stay in my stable.


What on that frame is steel?

OP keep the Serotta, if the fit is still good.

Jeff

[Blown Reek]

Those original Control Tech stems (and seatposts) were about the coolest things you could put on your Mag 20-equipped mountain bike back in '92.

[Tickdoc]

I can't help you ( all those frames are too big for me:-(

I see nothing but keepers there. If one had to go, I'd say bye bye soma, but that is just me. Back to the ocean of ebay ( but I would keep that fork).

[Toon Raider]

you have to build the Soma, and ride it like hell. otherwise you will always wonder "what would that have been like?"

Alan

[Mzilliox]

Serotta AND the Eddy. Ride the Serotta, display the Eddy?

this would be my answer as well

[Black Dog]

Keep the Serotta and the Merckx.

[jr59]

Serotta AND the Eddy. Ride the Serotta, display the Eddy?


Dratt, they all look to be my size! :crap:

I agree with the above. The Ti Serotta and keep the Eddy for display and Sunday "fun" type rides.

[lzuk]

Sell all of them and talk to David Kirk

[hollowgram5]

~60cm top tubes? Then they are all about my size as well.

And if they were mine, the Serotta and the Eddy would be my keepers..

[enr1co]

I would keep the SOMA and sell off the rest at forum bro deal prices and be the most popular paceline member this week ;)

Seriously though, would build up the SOMA for the daily driver and hang on to that Merckx for that sunny-day-weekend-sports car-kinda bike.

[Satellite]

Put them all up for sale and let the market pick for you. A bit like Russian Roulette some times your the winner! :crap:

I would keep them all and sell some of your fine China to buy the groupo you need! :eek:

[cachagua]

Interesting (if inconclusive) thread to read. I'm in the same boat, too many frames/ too few gruppos/too few dollars... and I have the added complications of no place to keep them, and no time to ride.

Too many frames. Right, did I mention I'm trying to buy another one?

[kgreene10]

Get over the Soma. IMO it's a run-of-the-mill steel bike that yields an average ride but far from special. The Look doesn't do anything for me - outdated tech. The Serotta is a forever ti bike and the Eddy represents the pinnacle of it's era. I would keep both of those for now.

[RedRider]

Sell all of them... and go all in on the Kish Road Hog you mentioned.

[Michael Maddox]

I am resisting commenting. Stop waving stuff my size around! :p

[mhespenheide]

Does it need to be a modern group?

If the lack of components are the limiting factor (as opposed to time and/or storage space), 9-speed Dura Ace and Ultegra are dirt cheap, as are 9/10-speed wheels. And it works just fine.

[mhespenheide]

Sell all of them... and go all in on the Kish Road Hog you mentioned.

But yes, life's too short to keep stuff that doesn't excite you. Seconding this recommendation.

[cmbicycles]

IMO, if you arent using them sell them all and get something you will use. Marketability wise, at least on this forum, the Merckx would be the most popular, serotta next, Look, and then soma. You can always get another soma, the Look may be harder to find but its not hard to get a nice carbon frame. Serotta is custom to you, which is good if it still works. The Merckx has some history to it which is cool.
I'd be most interested in keeping the Merckx, but that's just me... and if you aren't then it's my size ;)

[cadence90]

Plus I'm kind of jonesing for a new steel bike - Kish Road Hog is looking pretty sweet!

Andy
Wow, I completely missed this the first time around.
My recommendation has been duly revised! :)

Sell all of them... and go all in on the Kish Road Hog you mentioned.

But yes, life's too short to keep stuff that doesn't excite you. Seconding this recommendation.

+3, even if I am biased.
Better hurry, though. very few (as in, one) are left, and when they're gone, they're gone. No more future runs.

Kish Fabrication Road Hog (http://www.kishbike.com/store/product/28/)

From Kish Blog:
Road Hogs on endangered species list, etc.
February 16th, 2016

Hi everybody. First off, a little housekeeping update on Road Hogs:

The complete 56cm bike is SOLD.

54cm frames are likewise SOLD OUT.

If you have your eye on a 52cm, 56cm or 58cm… Get On It!

http://www.jimkish.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/World-Best-Baby-Beast3.jpg

There is one left in each size. As mentioned before, when they’re gone, they’re gone. Not just this particular model, but most likely ANY steel bikes from us. We stopped building custom steel bikes at the end of 2014, and don’t plan to start again, so this is your chance to get one of the last steel Kish bikes ever built. Destined to become a collector’s item after I’m ironically gored to death on a True Temper chainstay in 2017 (according to my new steampunk Ouija board/magic 8 ball hybrid I’ve been working on).

http://kishbike.com/assets/images/store/products/96bfc20ac4.jpg


.
Jim is also selling one of his own ti CX, etc. bikes. 55 cm.
Gravel, schmavel, OG cross bike for sale! (http://www.jimkish.com/?p=1098)

.
.

[bicycletricycle]

I would want to build up that look.

[Fivethumbs]

Everyone should own a Merckx

[zmudshark]

Interesting way to get around the posting rules in the classifieds.

[Andy sti]

Interesting way to get around the posting rules in the classifieds.

I apologize, I see how it could look that way now. Wasn't my intent. Just thought it would be fun to hear some opinions.

[Andy sti]

Everyone should own a Merckx

I'm kind of leaning that way.

[Andy sti]

Thanks everyone for the opinions. Gives me something to think about. More time in my garage staring.

[spiderwj]

The Serotta is gorgeous! I would keep it. Unless it fits me, then I would sell it to me for a steal 😆


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