If you could only own one

[El Chaba]

Since the game is "one steel bike"...DeRosa Professional.....That level of perfection is what every builder in steel should be emulating....

[doofus]

Merckx Corsa 0.1, stock geo

I'm six one, 175, but can't put out enough watts to justify the MXL. Corsa would be fine for me...so if there's a 57 NOS lying around....

[dbrk]

This reply is more likely appropriate for the confessional though I feel no particular need for penance or absolution.

I didn't mean to become a bike collector. All of my bikes fit me (more or less, well enough to ride easily) and all are set up to be ridden. Some don't get ridden much but that doesn't make them less valuable to me.

The bikes I'm committed to keeping are either for hard riding or because someone, as I see it, needs to keep them. "Needs" may be a strange way to put it. After all, who really cares about some old Rene Herse? Not many of us. Living where I do, I have the room and the passion to look after them. But I've no illusions about their worth. I've spent years repairing and restoring 'cause it's fun, plus I've learned a lot about how things really work and the experience of riding such things. By profession I'm a historian, linguist, and student of a subject that motivates people to live and die for their convictions and passions. The stakes don't compare --- these are just bikes--- but I guess it suits me.


I have a sorta' life fantasy. When both my daughters are finished with school, I want to evaporate into the south of France somewhere. If I could afford it, I'd leave them the house with the bikes in the basement intact. If not, I'd take my blue Singer ---the one that was made for me, not the others that have been passed along--- and let the Fat Men run the auction for what's left ('cause they get it when it comes to old stuff). So, I guess I just answered the question: Singer Randonneuse with front carrier, generator lighting, and a perfect 5 speed Huret/TA ProVis5 drivetrain. I like the way it rides.

[Giff Holmquist]

If I could have only one it would be a Club Racer from Curt Goodrich, Llewellyn or Dave Kirk. Something I could use on the Rails to Trails around here, for commuting and for fast club rides.

[Catulle]

Mine of course...:D

I can build whatever I need or want or have time to build. I know myself better than anyone.

But if I lost my hands in a freak lug grinding accident, my short list would be here. Sadly I am certainly missing a few.

http://www.bohemianbicycles.com/links.html

"the one" would be a roll of the dice. Mr. Gordon maybe because his work is ungodly, he has more experience and actual skill than almost anyone and he is crusty and I like that. Darrell McCulloch because he is most like my counterpart on the other side of the pond and probably has the most actual breadth of racing experience and overall machining/fab skills of anybody I know. Brian Baylis cause I still go "holy shit" when I see his stuff.

The others are kickass too. Heck, I would have to just find a way to buy one of each:cheers:

I'm a bit surprised not to see R. Sachs in your short list. It seems to me that he'd be in anyone's list.

[csbmo]

......

[coylifut]

Merckx Corsa 0.1, stock geo

I'm six one, 175, but can't put out enough watts to justify the MXL. Corsa would be fine for me...so if there's a 57 NOS lying around....

Yo' FOOD. How the hell can you ride a 57? I'm 5'10 and ride the same. I'll be parting with it fairly soon, but it's not NOS. It's UBM.

[ashwa64]

I'm a bit surprised not to see R. Sachs in your short list. It seems to me that he'd be in anyone's list.

not with those dropouts he uses...

[dbohemian]

my short list would be here. Sadly I am certainly missing a few.

A list has to have a finite length. I am more than aware I am leaving off some very deserved people. :cheers:

[justinf]

Merckx Corsa 0.1, stock geo

I'm six one, 175, but can't put out enough watts to justify the MXL. Corsa would be fine for me...so if there's a 57 NOS lying around....

bro come ride the bty loop with me soon, my dad has a (super?) corsa in 58 that's basically nos, ready to ride 8spd downtube DA. Hard to beat one-bike.

[jerk]

Merckx Corsa 0.1, stock geo

I'm six one, 175, but can't put out enough watts to justify the MXL. Corsa would be fine for me...so if there's a 57 NOS lying around....

no but there's a 56cm tsx 10th anniversary lying around with full record. buy that fucking thing from me.

c

[doofus]

Yo' FOOD. How the hell can you ride a 57?

with the stem rammed down and the seatpost yanked up

[doofus]

no but there's a 56cm tsx 10th anniversary lying around with full record. buy that fucking thing from me.

c

you are under the false presumption that I have cash, my friend....

[maddog17]

kind of a tough one to answer. there are a lot of really nice builders out there. i haven't done any research on anything since i can't afford anything at the moment. i'm not really sure what i'd want to begin with. i think that i would go for a lugged ride this time. the more pics i see from NAHBS the more i'm liking what i see from you builders. to me right now it's more of the look than weight. and until now i've never looked at it as a piece of art. whatever i do decide on will be ridden not just hung up. but i think if you can feel good about what your riding, you enjoy the ride all that more. especially when you have a custom frame built for you and helped designed by you. i think that the wait time is worth it in the end rather than just going to the LBS and buying the latest, greatest bike to hit the market since there will be a thousand plus others doing the same thing. but no one will be riding something that is custom that was helped designed by you and that's where the enjoyment comes in. when you get lots of questions about it, it's a good feeling when people tell you that you have a kick ass bike. so i hope to be getting my dream bike soon, just not sure when. maybe at this point i should start to do my research and start to figure out what type of design to go with. figure out lug design, tubing, paint job.

[milanotom]

If I had to choose a bike I already own, it would most likely be my Grandis Overmax Light. If it was any steel bike, I would visit Dario and order a Responsorium (with steel fork), complete with one of his personalized paint jobs.

Regards.
Tom

[Mike Marley]

if you could only own one steel bike what would it be? ...

I own only one and, circumstances being what they are, I CAN only own one, so I'm keeping my steel Serotta Fierte.

Now, if I could own ANY one steel bike, then the fantasy begins:
Kirk Terraplane all-arounder
Richard Sachs Signature
Bruce Gordon touring
Goodrich, Strong, Vanilla, Weigle all appeal to me.

I'll take a stand and say the Kirk would be my one and only.

[dbohemian]

Since he brought up Bruce Gordon. He is much more than welded touring bikes.







NAHBS best lugs winner. lugged titanium. I hope all can appreciate this one but for a builder when you know what went into this one, My appreciation is immense.

Some of the tidbits I see. one off fabricated stem, lugs, drops, seat binder arrangment and headset cap. Extremely crisp Ti lugs, made from scratch with beautiful lines and of course great paint. Man, even the seat stay bullets welds are filed as they meet the drop-outs. His website is a freakin hoot too.

http://www.bgcycles.com/tours.html

Click on the "tour of the future"

[SeanEasley]

The next one I'm waiting to buy

[GrantM]

I have a sorta' life fantasy. When both my daughters are finished with school, I want to evaporate into the south of France somewhere.

give me a call before you leave,
and i'll meet you over there...

[HUNTER1]

A Co-Motion Speedster, fillet-brazed in light-blue metallic. I sold one a year or two ago with a matching brazed stem that is the most beautiful bike i have ever sold and assembled....the kind of thing where you are as proud as the owner to look at it. Fillets times two is the shit!