What's the best riding frame

[professerr]

Originally Posted by kinofaucet

I'm probably in the minority for saying this but my favorite ride ever has to be my CAAD10. I prefer it to my ti bikes (vamoots, merlin cielo) and my carbon bike (tarmac).

An unconventional choice, to be sure. You must have something specific that you like about that CAAD10 -- please share more.

[Peter B]

My Peg Marcelo
or Custom Llewellyn
or custom DeSalvo 10AE fixed
or custom Potts ti fixed
or custom Rex Randonneur
or Look 595
or 2010 Speedvagen
or Legend ti
or Ibis Silk ti
or IF ti Deluxe full rigid
or IF Planet X
or foldable fixed Tikit
or custom Teesdale fixed
or Caad 9

Depends on what I'm riding and why. I will say the lowly Cannondale is one HELL of a bike for the $$ I paid for F/F/HS! It's a totally capable race rig, quite stiff and comfortable for my frequent 100+ mile rides.

[akelman]

Originally Posted by Peter B

My Peg Marcelo
or Custom Llewellyn
or custom DeSalvo 10AE fixed
or custom Potts ti fixed
or custom Rex Randonneur
or Look 595
or 2010 Speedvagen
or Legend ti
or Ibis Silk ti
or IF ti Deluxe full rigid
or IF Planet X
or foldable fixed Tikit
or custom Teesdale fixed
or Caad 9

Depends on what I'm riding and why. I will say the lowly Cannondale is one HELL of a bike for the $$ I paid for F/F/HS! It's a totally capable race rig, quite stiff and comfortable for my frequent 100+ mile rides.

Showoff!

[benitosan1972]

You guys have way too much money. Holy moly

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by benitosan1972

You guys have way too much money. Holy moly

Sadly, the consequence is too little time. And so it goes...

[benitosan1972]

Nice fleet though.

I agree. Around here, the rich have empty mansions, undriven Ferraris, and unused gym memberships... too busy working to afford said luxuries, and not enough time to enjoy said luxuries. If you wanna give up one of those bikes to a good foster home, I'll be a great parent and take them out daily, lol

[Louis]

Originally Posted by benitosan1972

You guys have way too much money. Holy moly

All that vampire-squid money has to go somewhere - it might as well support the bike industry.

[Peter B]

Originally Posted by benitosan1972

Nice fleet though.

I agree. Around here, the rich have empty mansions, undriven Ferraris, and unused gym memberships... too busy working to afford said luxuries, and not enough time to enjoy said luxuries. If you wanna give up one of those bikes to a good foster home, I'll be a great parent and take them out daily, lol

At ~550sf my humble abode hardly qualifies for mansion status, despite the 10 acres surrounding. True, there is a mostly dormant Miata in the driveway. But the bikes are all well-ridden; to work, into the Sierras, to other states, to other countries.

Lack of kids shifts discretionary spending options, enabling me to try variety. And believe me I do find the time to ride, just always seem to want more than I can get.

[CaliFly]

I really love my Peg Duende. I can jump up hills and cruise down the other side...smooooooooth criminal. OTOH, my Lobster cross is starting to make me smile more and more.

[esldude]

I wonder if the OP was interested in what floats people's boats as in what ride qualities more than just the specific bike though obviously the two are hopelessly intertwined.

I find a few areas of interesting results along those lines. One is at different times for different purposes I prefer one set of ride characteristics over another. I can be bowled over by something seeming to be so well designed for its purpose even if that purpose isn't really for my purposes. I sometimes have been very happy with something because it meets my needs and desires so well I simply have no complaint the bike almost disappears. Then the one that is the most fun and hardest to understand. That is when a bike doesn't have characteristics you thought you would like yet somehow you find an unknown and unexpected kind of ride you fall in love with. Those unexpected beauties are maybe the most satisfying.

One for me was a recent bike that had very quick response as in to think it is to have it happen. Yet somehow it is not at all a feeling of twitchiness instead a feeling of rightness. Almost a synaptic connection. So instead of feeling you must be careful and gentle or it responds too quickly it simply happens at a level which gives confidence.

Yet another of my favorites is plenty responsive enough, though a bit more stable. The ride you would want for a longer ride though not a touring type bike. It isn't about synaptic connections so much as an overall gestalt of completeness. Very pleasing though in a different way.

Now it is frustrating as the search for the one best bike is in fact an impossibility. Best for what, best for when. If for pure racing then it is simply the one fastest for you. Beyond that one area things get very complex and murky. Even worse is the search for the one do it all bike. Would be nice to find the one do it all bike and put limited resources into a superb example of one bike. But variety can add spice to life. The reason most people here have more than one bike.

I do wonder if owning too many bikes is a confusing situation. Like too many friends you don't know well. I think the optimum number is some handful. Maybe 3 maybe 6 something in single digits. Not to denigrate people with more, maybe it somehow suits them better. And I can respect those rare souls who have one good bike they use for much of a lifetime rebuilding or repairing as needed.

This all sounds very touchy/feely and I am not a touchy/feely kind of guy. Yet a dynamic system like a two wheel vehicle is so sensitive to geometry, changes in CG etc. etc. no two ride alike and no single bike feels the same for any two people. This has the effect to give them each a character. Just like people you know and value there are all kinds of worthy characters trying to pick the best one is not something really possible. You can only pick those you have found to be unusually good as points of reference.

[wooly]

If you would have asked me 5 years ago what my favorite ride was I would've said a Colnago C40 that was stolen from my garage in 1999. As of today, my SpeedVagen is my favorite but my Sachs is gaining ground. It's too early to make any definitive statements on the RS but in 6 months I wouldn't be surprised if it takes the top spot...

[kinofaucet]

Originally Posted by professerr

An unconventional choice, to be sure. You must have something specific that you like about that CAAD10 -- please share more.

I suppose its my need to have a stiff bike above all else. While the CAAD10 wasn't necessarily designed as an ultra stiff sprinter's bike, it's significantly better than my other frames in regards to sprints and standing hill climbs.

I'll be the first to admit that I am not experienced enough to majorly differentiate between the "ride quality" and "comfort" of my bikes as I find them all to be quite comfortable.

[fogrider]

hard call between my legend ti and my scandium rock lobster.

[rustychisel]

Ah well, a friends steel Pegoretti was very nice to take for a spin, as was (somewhat surprisingly) a Principia Rex (alu), as is my custom Peter Teschner Scandium.

Hands down the most comfortable, fun to ride, spring in the tail and best to ride is the one I'd never give up. A 1964 custom Super Elliot road fixed, Reynolds 531 tubing.

[yashcha]

Great question.

My top 3 out of about 50 frames in the past:

For fast riding
1) Canyon Ultimate Al
2) 1997 Ritchey Road Logic
3) Moots Vamoots

For adventure:
Zank cross bike with wide tires