In the aftermath of my latest stolen bike stuff I decided to build one up from scratch again! Oh sweet agony! I have discovered over the last couple of decades, lots of bikes and 2 builds that I am not an n+1 guy. Does that get me kicked out of the cycling community somehow? I hope not.
Of course this may have something to do with thieves keeping me at approximately 1+1 status all the time, but I don't think so. I've always had a favourite bike that I want to ride 99% of the time. I've ridden/owned winter-specific mutant, fixed gear, classic touring, and urban practical with an IGH along with all the other typical bikes one rides as one grows up. I have loved them all, because bikes are just awesome.
mutant winter (retired / disassembled)
Summer, fixed gear (stolen)
Highway (still good)
CUBE City Touring with Dyno Hub and Nexus 8 IGH (stolen)
One type of bike I have never owned is a full-on racer, carbon or otherwise, and I'm still not particularly interested in that type.
Each kind of bike, of course, has its own set of pros and cons. Rather than seeking to have lots of bikes for specific purposes, however, more and more I have become fixated on finding / building One perfect bike for virtually Every purpose. I don't know if I'll ever really get there, but goddamn it I'm gonna try.
The bike I build this time will have the features of all the bikes I have loved most, combined just so, for me. It will take me a long time to build, because I am gonna try not to compromise on anything, which means more money than I've got to spend in one go. I have no doubt that it won't seem all that unique or special to anyone but me, and that's as it should be, since no two bike freaks are alike; we're like snowflakes, or perhaps just flakes, because as I write this I am getting so excited about this bike (that doesn't exist yet) that I can hardly stand it.
Right now I have a frame (used), a fork (new), and some wheels (new), each of which I think quite perfect. I know I am completely self-involved and this stuff won't be of interest to anyone, really, but that's OK. That's what blogs are all about, right? Wait, that's not fair. Some blogs are about being useful to others. MY blog is mostly about entertaining MYSELF, because I am the only person who matters. ME! ME! ME! Yaaayyy ME! Hey, look what I'm doing! Watch me dive!
Thank you, online attention sources! Remember, without you there would still be ME! ME! ME! Yaaaaayyy ME!
R A N T W I C K
8 comments:
I'm one of the flakes. In fact, I get almost as excited for other guys' bike projects as my own, especially when I don't have anything in progress (which I don't). So I'll be following closely, and hoping you give us lots of details. I love it already!
Thanks so much Pondero! I promise to provide great heaps of tedious detail!
I'm more of an ADHD snowflake. I cant find one bike because I cant find one type of riding. Commuting, off roading and longer road rides are so much more enjoyable on their own specific machines. I'm with ya on the no desire for a high priced carbon crotch rocket though. Looking forward to the custom build-up, please try and include some videos too. =)
OR, you could simply buy a cyclocross bike with disc brakes off the shelf and then customize it to suit. Don't buy a high end serious race one because they don't have the rack and fender attach points. My Tricross Expert is about as "high end" as you'd want to get, though it predates disc brakes for cyclocross bikes.
As you know, but probably not all your millions of readers, a cyclocross bike is the equivalent of a Paris-Dakar rally car with the support truck thrown in. I do wonder how well it would work to throw it on your shoulder to jump over barricades with a big tub on the back, however...
Steve - A cross bike is indeed among the most flexible out there, no arguing that. I'm a bit of a retrogrouch when it comes to brakes though - no discs for me. I really liked the wide "frog leg" style cantis I had on my fixed gear, and that's what this new bike will get as well. No bog tub planned, but panniers for sure!
*big tub
Steve A fell right into the trap of prescribing his solution as The Solution. Pick out what you like, build it how you like it and ride it as you like to. Remember that rim brake pads are "open source" and disc brake pads are proprietary.
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