If you could only own one

[csiowner]

if you could only own one steel bike what would it be? im torn between a
Kirk(JK) which is high on my list next would be a Peg(marcelo), and last on my list would be either a bedford and or spectrum?:coffee:

[Jonathan]

Without question it would be my Richard Sachs. It's perfect in every way.

[dbrk]

I get the idea of playing this game and that's all good with me but the thought of only one just breaks my heart. I've spent years getting to where I am now. Okay, so that's promiscuous and outlandish, excessive, whatever one might like to call it, though I'm not sure why anyone would need to have an opinion about why a guy like bicycles, owns them, or does whatever he damn well pleases with them, including not ride them. Is there some sort of moral superiority to a certain kind of bike? or treating a bicycle one way (like riding it) or another (like not)? That's all nonsense to me. I'm guilt free, not interested in feeling badly about what I love that's harmless enough.

There are bikes I could part with and I'm not feeling particularly acquisitive these days but...but...why would I not want more than one kind of cycling experience? Is one bike supposed to suit all styles? All moods, all terrain, all kinds of riding? Clearly I don't believe that's my experience. What would I gain from such monogamy? Don't give me that simplicity zen crapmo atmo. I teach Zen yearly and know my way around those arguments well enough to know that there's no superiority in such preferences. I like race bikes, even euro-trash and I like old French five speeds that imhoatmo ride as sweetly as anything in the whole wide world ymmv/tastewhatever.

Let me add one more thing: I value the bikes that evoke a personal relationship way more than, say, my Colnagos or a rare bike that didn't connect me to the builder. When I take my Sachs, I think of RS, the Mariposa Mike Barry, and the Singers or Toei/Ebisu my long connection with those shops and persons (Csuka, Iimura). I can sell the Colnago, buy another one (maybe) but Ernesto and I aren't pals and some bikes are not only great, they are part of a relationship I value.

Prolixity warrants reprimand. I await thee.

[shoe]

eoro-trash...he makes that sound so sexy..but really now...there is no such thing as only one steel bike..i don't even think hypothetical is real is it..just sayin...d

[shoe]

FYI-prolix-adj---tediously long and wordy...just in case anyone else only made it one year through college and never really paid attention anyway...by no means to be confused with verbose...

[dbrk]

snip..and....snip I believe RS has one road and one cross and both are steel serving their master in only the way they know how. I believe Dave Kirk has only one (JK Special) and that's steel.

Sure thing. Anyone who prefers only one, two, however many bikes ---including none--- is surely OK with me. We all have our reasons.

Let me put this larger matter another way: when I go for a ride if I _don't _ feel like I'm on the best bike I own I ask myself if it's me, am I feeling up to the bike, what's changed? But more times than not I realize the bike is usually better than I am up to riding it and so I come home thinking, "yup, this one, I could own only this one..." and then I figure, well, I don't have to do that. We can talk ourselves into almost anything. I'm good at that, way better than I am at riding bikes.

[csiowner]

Look I understand we all have needs this bike for this that one for that many differnt reason and Im sorry that my slow talking kuntry accent non spelling GED self is hard to understand, thats why im in the Army. BUT what if YOU could only have ONE STEEL bike what would it be? you can still have you carbon,ti, scandium. but only ONE steel what would it be:D

[Catulle]

I get the idea of playing this game and that's all good with me but the thought of only one just breaks my heart. I've spent years getting to where I am now. Okay, so that's promiscuous and outlandish, excessive, whatever one might like to call it, though I'm not sure why anyone would need to have an opinion about why a guy like bicycles, owns them, or does whatever he damn well pleases with them, including not ride them. Is there some sort of moral superiority to a certain kind of bike? or treating a bicycle one way (like riding it) or another (like not)? That's all nonsense to me. I'm guilt free, not interested in feeling badly about what I love that's harmless enough.

There are bikes I could part with and I'm not feeling particularly acquisitive these days but...but...why would I not want more than one kind of cycling experience? Is one bike supposed to suit all styles? All moods, all terrain, all kinds of riding? Clearly I don't believe that's my experience. What would I gain from such monogamy? Don't give me that simplicity zen crapmo atmo. I teach Zen yearly and know my way around those arguments well enough to know that there's no superiority in such preferences. I like race bikes, even euro-trash and I like old French five speeds that imhoatmo ride as sweetly as anything in the whole wide world ymmv/tastewhatever.

Let me add one more thing: I value the bikes that evoke a personal relationship way more than, say, my Colnagos or a rare bike that didn't connect me to the builder. When I take my Sachs, I think of RS, the Mariposa Mike Barry, and the Singers or Toei/Ebisu my long connection with those shops and persons (Csuka, Iimura). I can sell the Colnago, buy another one (maybe) but Ernesto and I aren't pals and some bikes are not only great, they are part of a relationship I value.

Prolixity warrants reprimand. I await thee.

Viva el POF...!!!! Viva el Partido del Orgasmo Feroz...!!!!

[rydesteel]

BUT what if YOU could only have ONE STEEL bike what would it be? you can still have you carbon,ti, scandium. but only ONE steel what would it be:D

Uhm, can I skip the wonder products and have more steel bikes :D? Not all steel bikes are the same, not a better or worse thing just different. My Merckx, Kirk and Goodrich are all steel, yet each is different from the other and all are better than any of the wonder material bikes I've owned and ridden. If I could only have one bike it would be made of steel but to pick one over the others is not possible. Sorry I can't answer the question directly either. Frank

[Jonathan]

Ok, I played the game. If I had to choose one my answer is above. I'm thankful I don't have to choose.

[SteveP]

tough question.
probably one of the vxr.
but i would all over hate to ride it in the winter when its shiity out cause there is no way to put fenders on it.

[Fixed]

my pacenti

[mschol17]

I'd probably own a Weigle similar to the one dbrk graciously let me ride.

And I'd ride the snot out of it.

[Greg Costello]

I've got two Kirks - not JKS.

I've got a Marcelo.

All are wonderful. I plan on having them for as long as I'm around. They are different by design. With either Dave or Dario you can get their interpretation of what you want, so its up to you, what do you want?

If I was forced to have one and only one, it would the non-travel Kirk, not because it is better but because it was designed as the answer to that question. Pretty much "race bike" geometry; lugged as homage to old school but terraplane rear - Dave's nontraditional take; clearance and eyelets for fenders; clearance for wider tires. Ride it all year around with ease; without juryrigging fenders; on dirt or pavement; as fast as I can with a group or out exploring backroads and lanes with a camera bag strapped to the handlebars. When working on it with Dave I asked myself the question, if I was forced to have one bike for all seasons and purposed, what would it be? (interestingly my answer before talking to Dave was the above plus S&S couplers; Dave gently steered me away from couplers on a bike that I wanted to ride everyday as described. That I now have a S&S coupled Kirk is testament to the first Kirk he built me).

If I was a fair weather rider that wanted a bike that made me want to ride fast and hard every time I was on it, then it might be the Marcelo. It was the answer to my desire for an Italian race bike; built by a master; the work of an artist/artisan. It puts a smile on my face whenever I ride it. Then again, if all I was looking for was a no-compromise racer, I know Dave could build me that bike. So could ______(fill in the blank of your favorite master builder frequenting this place).


There is neither a right nor wrong answer to your question, at least not an answer that anyone can provide other than you. When you determine what you want; what moves you the most, then you will have your answer. And based on the selections you provided, whatever answer you come up with, I'm sure you will be very pleased.

[dbohemian]

This is a weird question to me. My initial thought. There are so many awesome builders out there. Many of whom are not ever spoken of here or do not frequent this list. That does not diminish the work whatsoever.

Many people can make beautifully designed and crafted bicycles for your exact needs. There is no "best" here.

Dave

BTW. Kelly B or Tom K are also supremely good at what they do.

[SteveP]

i cannot understand the response?
whos diminishing anything here?
no doubt there are a lot of awesome builders.

i thk you should reread the original post.
if you had to reduce to a single bike which would it be?

This is a weird question to me. My initial thought. There are so many awesome builders out there. Many of whom are not ever spoken of here or do not frequent this list. That does not diminish the work whatsoever.

Many people can make beautifully designed and crafted bicycles for your exact needs. There is no "best" here.

Dave

BTW. Kelly B or Tom K are also supremely good at what they do.

[dbohemian]

i thk you should reread the original post.
if you had to reduce to a single bike which would it be?

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:

[scrooge]

Am I the only one for whom this is not purely hypothetical?
That's not a slam on anyone--if I could afford more I'd have more. But I do often think about this.
Currenty, it's a curtlo. Cause its cheep. I'd like it to be something else, but am still figuring out what (with so many good options out there!)

[Greg Costello]

when I got my first Kirk it was intended as a one and only. See how long that lasted! No willpower or discipline on this issue for me....

[dbohemian]

Am I the only one for whom this is not purely hypothetical?
That's not a slam on anyone--if I could afford more I'd have more. But I do often think about this.
Currenty, it's a curtlo. Cause its cheep. I'd like it to be something else, but am still figuring out what (with so many good options out there!)

Curtlo's are not bad cycles at all. Maybe they sacrifice a bit of bling but solid enough. Something will speak to you at some point. Maybe it's a bit like the right woman.

What is right for anyone above may not be "right" for you. Also, one machine can almost do it all but cannot be expected to be the perfect ride for all occasions. The good news is even though custom bikes are expensive all being relative they still are a great value. They last practically forever and you can certainly collect 2-3 great machines over the course of ones life/cycling life. Even doing such a thing, you would have invested less than one fairly cheap car.

Half the fun is in the looking anyways.