Help me decide on my new bike?

[Smiley]

OK,
Here's what I currently own and don't plan to part with:
Serotta Uniscasi Steel in a Rapid Tour design
Serotta Hors Catgorie Ti racing design
Serotta Ti Max MTB set up as an all arounder trails machine
Kogswell Fixee set up with fenders and racks

My thoughts are for a nice weather fixee or a full out touring machine, what sez the peanut gallery? Help me make up my mind. Leaning towards a lighter weight fixee I must admit :banana:

[Pete Serotta]

SPOKES would say get both....Linda and Karen would say get neither :p

[Smiley]

SPOKES would say get both....Linda and Karen would say get neither :p
Maybe I buy one now and order one later for my 60 th, with some of these builders out there the 4 years to 60 maybe to short a wait :)

[rnhood]

My vote would be for a Goodrich built Randonneuring, or touring type bike - if his waiting list is not too long.

[Fixed]

bro both are nice get one you can change out summer tourer winter fix ...
but me.. i would just do a nice fix though
:beer:
cheers

[Jack Brunk]

Smiley,

I love my Concours Ti fixed gear. Get it made in your favorite road geo and ride the heck out of it. My best Serotta road bike to date.

[stevep]

touring bike in cross disguise.

very multi purpose.

[znfdl]

Spectrum, TK will take care of you.

[William]

Which ever way you go, I think it should say "Zanconato" some where on it. :cool:

JMO.


William :)

[Too Tall]

WWSD? (what would Sandy do?) Currently you have: S,S,S,K. I see only one reasonable choice. Start with another "K" and plan on two more :cool:

[William]

WWSD? (what would Sandy do?) Currently you have: S,S,S,K. I see only one reasonable choice. Start with another "K" and plan on two more :cool:

Rolls off the toungue better if it starts with a "Z".

Z,S,S,S,k See what I'm sayin' Titan bro.??





William ;)

[J.Greene]

I vote Dave kirk or Hampsten.

JG

[sw3759]

why not make the trip to NAHBS and then decide?i can just imagine the temptation of all those goodies in person.... :)


Scott

[spiderman]

fix it
and ride it like there's no tomorrow!

[bostondrunk]

touring - Mariposa? Ask DBRK

[FierteTi52]

I vote Dave kirk or Hampsten.

JG
Kirk all the way!! He is one of the best there is!! Hampsten is only a middleman sub-contractor.
Jeff

[dbrk]

"Touring" means different things to different folks. Are you talking with panniers for camping? An overnighter (no lights b/c you stop when it's dark)? A full day, pre-dawn to after dark (lights, fenders)? Long, long day rider (frnt carrier, fenders, no lights)? Those aren't variations on a theme. Those are actually different designs.

For a camper I would go with something that will really get knocked around, like Co-Motion or Thorn. Schelpping Bikes are just different beasts. I have a full tilt Singer 650B Camper that has never realllly been used for its full purpose. I would rate the Singer the greatest of all campers unless you have a Herse.

The list for any of the other sorts of touring sportifs is a mile long. There are no more Mariposas or, at least, not for the near-future. CPG, Tsol, Singer, Toei, Ebisu, Rivendell, JPW ---those are my daily riders.

For a fixed gear, I'd get myself an old Bridgestone and if it has vertical dropouts use the White Ind Eccentric hub. I have a 650B Mariposa fixie with all the fixins' (mudguards, lamps, generator, you name it), and it's perfect and overkill.

dbrk

[Kevan]

there shouldn't be too much overlap in what each lens can do. Otherwise, you'll have duplication and ultimately only one will prevail. Bicycles are much the same way, I think. Two bikes made for the same purpose, nearly dialed in the same way, but made with different products, different builders, the differences are marginal as in the feel of CF, Al, Fe, or Ti, but the product does much the same thing as the other with minor variables on a theme.

I say broaden your spectrum of riding (knowing some of the bikes you've had, I think your mindset is already there). Consider a light touring bike, randonneur-style ride. Front pack, lighting, fat tire ready (get on that tow path!), classic. Ridable into our 90's.

[J.Greene]

Hampsten is only a middleman sub-contractor.
Jeff

I've got two. A tigged one and lugged one. Some of the finest hands put those two frames together.

Some of the best winemakers buy grapes. That's how I look at it in the case of Hampsten. The frames may be brazed by Martin or tigged elsewhere, but the bikes are the work of Steve. And that is more than just atmo.

JG

[fiamme red]

there shouldn't be too much overlap in what each lens can do. Otherwise, you'll have duplication and ultimately only one will prevail. Bicycles are much the same way, I think. Two bikes made for the same purpose, nearly dialed in the same way, but made with different products, different builders, the differences are marginal as in the feel of CF, Al, Fe, or Ti, but the product does much the same thing as the others with minor variables on a theme.

I say broaden your spectrum of riding (knowing some of the bikes you've had, I think your mindset is already there). Consider a light touring bike, randonneur-style ride. Front pack, lighting, fat tire ready (get on that tow path!), classic. Ridable into our 90's.Wise words.

[zap]

snipped

Leaning towards a lighter weight fixee I must admit :banana:

Calfee bamboo track frame with hemp lugs tinted in your collegecolours.

[Ken Robb]

touring - Mariposa? Ask DBRK
no longer accepting orders. Mike is retiring from that part of the business

[palincss]

Touring bikes are great, if you tour. Not everybody does, or even wants to. How about you? If you have time issues and have trouble finding the time for even a full-day ride, never mind a multi-day tour, a touring bike may not be a good choice.

You live within driving distance of a wonderful network of unpaved roads in Virginia. If you are interested in something totally different, you might consider a wide-tire all-arounder that's completely at home on dirt and country pavement (aka chipseal), like my 650B Saluki and Kogswell P/R.

Do you have a bike you can put fenders on, and ride on wet roads in comfort? Missing out on nice winter riding on account of it? We have plenty of winter days (like last weekend and the weekend before) when it's rained early in the day, and then it clears up and gets spectacularly beautiful. With fenders, a day like that is a joy; without them, it's a day of soaking wet bottoms and filthy bikes. Same for those magnificent days immediately after the snowstorm, when the fields are beautiful to look at and the roads are running with snow melt.

This could be one bike I'm describing, or maybe two or even three. Whether one or more, I think these are all something rather different from what's in your stable now; and for sure if you need another bike, you need one that's different, not one more that's exactly the same.

[Smiley]

Touring bikes are great, if you tour. Not everybody does, or even wants to. How about you? If you have time issues and have trouble finding the time for even a full-day ride, never mind a multi-day tour, a touring bike may not be a good choice.

You live within driving distance of a wonderful network of unpaved roads in Virginia. If you are interested in something totally different, you might consider a wide-tire all-arounder that's completely at home on dirt and country pavement (aka chipseal), like my 650B Saluki and Kogswell P/R.

Do you have a bike you can put fenders on, and ride on wet roads in comfort? Missing out on nice winter riding on account of it? We have plenty of winter days (like last weekend and the weekend before) when it's rained early in the day, and then it clears up and gets spectacularly beautiful. With fenders, a day like that is a joy; without them, it's a day of soaking wet bottoms and filthy bikes. Same for those magnificent days immediately after the snowstorm, when the fields are beautiful to look at and the roads are running with snow melt.

This could be one bike I'm describing, or maybe two or even three. Whether one or more, I think these are all something rather different from what's in your stable now; and for sure if you need another bike, you need one that's different, not one more that's exactly the same.
+1 , Maybe my builder of choice will build me this dream machine.

[Ken Robb]

or buy a Riv Bleriot and see how it works for you. Then you might want to consider a custom 650b if you think it would be a real upgrade for you. All the parts could be swapped to the new frame. Sorry, my parents came from Scotland so I can't help myself. :)

[rasterdogs]

Kirk all the way!! He is one of the best there is!! Hampsten is only a middleman sub-contractor.
Jeff

I'll second you on props for Kirk.

I need to object to the characterization of the efforts coming from Hampsten cycles. I've seen some very impressive Tournesols. I'm familiar with the design process that is involved in getting a Tournesol. Hampsten owns and drives that process. I think it isn't entirely objective to characterize that as only 'a middleman sub-contractor' role.

Cheers,
JimD

[palincss]

Just to give you an idea of the sort of cycling experience a bike like a 650B All Arounder can provide, see this blog entry http://kjellquist.blogspot.com/
by a brand new Bleriot owner, describing his first couple of rides on his new Bleriot. This is a completely different experience from the tyical "road ride".