Favourite bike of 'all time'?

[gairym]

I've got three to list:

1. My favourite all time stroll down memory lane bike/era choice.

2. The bike I think I enjoyed riding the most.

3. The one that got away.

Ok, here goes.....

First up it has to be my 1996 Marin 'Mount Vision' - the summer of seemingly endless days riding (Steetly quarry near Conisborough/Doncaster), euro '96 and Britpop etc...

Next up would have to be my Cotic 'Solaris' (unsure between the MK1 I had or the MK2 I now have) they just ride so bloody lovely - makes me smile each time I use it.

And the one that got away.....a '97 Kona 'Lavadome' that I bought cheap and renovated/updated with some modern bits. Was a joyous bike to ride but was stolen the week I finished the build and I still think fondly of the bike that wasn't to be :(

[pistonbroke]

My problem with this is the definition of bike. I can list the bikes I've ridden which bear any resemblance to the catalogue version on the fingers of a myopic sawmill worker. Most of my bikes have been "trigger's broom" specials built up from components chosen by combination of price and blingness. If I was forced to chose 1 to be buried with it'd be my Litespeed Tuscany Ti road bike, as befitting a thing of beauty with it's Dura Ace C24 wheelset, carbon stem/bar combo and 11 speed Ultegra, it's taken me to some breathtaking places. That said, the bike that gets most used is a SAB (San Marino)carbon CX frame which I've turned into a go anywhere hack bike and fits me like a glove.

[Charliecres]

From the past, my On-One 456. It was one of the original batch in “that blue”. It marked a turning point from XC-focused hardtails to something with a rowdier intent. It was heavy, the paint was a bit soft and the welds a bit ugly but it looked purposeful and rode really well.

But the two current bikes I can’t imagine ever selling are my Swift and my Stooge. Superficially similar but very different. I’m a fool for a rigid steel 29er and these two are crackers.

[fatbikephil]

My bikes have all got better and better so the current ones (I'm not going to choose between them!)
But stiff competition from my 'Denton' custom made 531 frame with fillet brazed joints and horrible '80's fluro paint job on which I learnt to ride rocky techy trails in the lakes, and my Orange 5 on which I did many silly things....

[FLV]

Maybe I can change my mind.... or maybe its another favorite... there can be more than one right?

I lusted after a Rocky mountain ETSX for ages. I was convinced it would be the best bike ever, a frame finally came up cheap whilst I was working abroad so I bought it. Once built I'd ridden it a handfull of time before I moved to the lake district. The chaps at the bike shop I worked in (biketreks) ridiculed me for it, told me it wouldnt last 5 minutes. They were right, it broke 3 time (warranty rear triangles each time) before I gave in and got rid.

I replaced it with a Santa Cruz Heckler, with a coil shock and coil Van36. Rode it all over the lakes, pushed and carried it a blooming long way too. Used to say, you've not been on a ride if you havnt carried your bike. Made some great friends riding that bike. Fond memories

[slarge]

The bike that started it all and I still think of fondly was a 1980 or so Dawes Fox racing bike, with 5 gears, bought with paper round money. It was the bike that opened up travelling as I had a few good youth hostel trips with mates when I was about 14. I used it for years until I got a car......then it sat forlorn and forgotten behind the garage until I sent it to the tip about 15 years ago.

Moving to more modern times, the most fun bike is a £150 ebay find - a 2002 Stumpjumper, which is still in regular use (once a year, every year!!), it's great fun to ride and has some special memories.

[JohnClimber]

I loved my Ti Jones 3d space frame because it was a Ti Jones 3d space frame.
I had to sell it as I needed a deposit for my car when I down sized my career and needed the cash.
I rode the very same bike back in September and I loved it all over again. Thanks Alasdair.

But I wouldn't want it back again.

Although the tyres were wrong - Jumbo Jim's on wet grass this last weekend my favourite bike of all time is my current Fat Bike, the Bat Fastard as it always makes me happy riding it

[TheBrownDog]

Number One is the single speed coaster braked monstrosity my parents gave me in 1977. I couldnt touch the ground it was so big, but it had a rack which meant I could carry stuff, mostly my fishing gear, and I was suddenly able to travel up to 20 mile a day to all sorts of fishing spots on the Brisbane River and Moreton Bay, rather than a few hundred yards down to the local pier. It just expanded my horizon, gave me a new degree of freedom and independence, and I was hooked for life. Still am.

Number Two is my On One Fatty. It's been through so many incarnations I can barely remember what it looked like when it turned up in bits when I first bought it. Just love it.

[numplumz]

My Singular Pegasus
The introduction to the increased traction of 29" and a return to having fun being rigid and singlespeed.
Classy, light, it was too good to be true, as it turned out it was.
We did everything together then it broke my heart.
Cracking frame............in every respect.

[Loki]

My old On one inbred, loved that bike, and my Surly Troll, I really wish I had kept the Surly.

[ozboz]

A GT XCR I drive, when I first bought it second hand , I took it to a Lbs and paid good money for a very bad service, not happy about being ripped soI decided to buy some tools and do all my own jobs on it , so now the bike is not in use but now bike riding and fettling has become my fav pastime !

[padonbike]

Early 1980's period red Colnago with Columbus SL tubes and Campagnolo Croce D'Aune groupset.

I'll get my coat ....

[MuddyPete]

Raleigh Chipper, in yellow, when I was 5 .

First bike, first ride, first wheelie, first jump, first crash .

[Bearbonesnorm]

arly 1980's period red Colnago with Columbus SL tubes and Campagnolo Croce D'Aune groupset.

I'll get my coat ....

No, that's fine Philip. After all, we should all try and remember that roadies are people too.

[wriggles]

As much as I like my Broken Road or Turner Sultan its probably my 2008/9 On One Ti29er because of all the rides its been used for. Just about to build it up again as well

Pic from 2009....

IMG_0205.JPG

(106.26 KiB) Downloaded 1781 times

[faustus]

Really nice Ti29er

[Dave Barter]

My Omega custom road bike. It’s in bits at the moment being polished. It’s the only bike I ever had made just for me. She’s purty and I’ve done an awful lot of stuff whilst straddling her.

[jameso]

early 1980's period red Colnago with Columbus SL tubes and Campagnolo Croce D'Aune groupset.

I'll get my coat ....

No, that's fine Philip. After all, we should all try and remember that roadies are people too.

I have a ~6 year old s/h Master frameset I built up recently with Athena 11, rapidly becoming an obsession-level bike for me. Always liked steel Colnagos, beautiful things. My favourite road bike so far.

[wriggles]

Really nice Ti29er

Cheers! Will be rebuilt as a 45-50mm tyre rigid lightweight singlespeed for local blasts.

[slarge]

early 1980's period red Colnago with Columbus SL tubes and Campagnolo Croce D'Aune groupset.

I'll get my coat ....

No, that's fine Philip. After all, we should all try and remember that roadies are people too.

I have a ~6 year old s/h Master frameset I built up recently with Athena 11, rapidly becoming an obsession-level bike for me. Always liked steel Colnagos, beautiful things. My favourite road bike so far.

Last year I bought a 1995 Colnago Master Olympic - absolutely mint. It's a beautiful bike and one that I just like looking at. It's my screensaver at work (in front of a woodpile naturally). Campag Chorus groupset and Campag deep section alloy wheels. And it's a lovely ride (the sort of bike you feel good riding, just like a classic car).

[jameso]

^ pics needed.... That's all I'd swap mine for, an older Master Olympic.

[ChrisF]

My old On One Inbred from around 1999. My first single speed and for 4 or 5 years my only mtb. I did everything on that bike, short and long rides, xc races, loads of 24 hour events (solos and in teams) the early editions of the 100k events in Wales (I think they were Kona and Merida sponsored in those days). The paint kind of fell off in a stiff breeze and it rusted well. I loved it.
It didn’t have disc mounts and I only changed it when I got sick of the ‘torsion bar’ set up to run a rear disc.

[Gregsie]

The humble Raleigh Montage.

First MTB or ATB as they were called in 1986. sub standard components - canti brakes that hardly stopped, biopace chainset and 18 thumb shifting gears.

However went winter bikepacking in the Cairngorms on it which consisted of a MoFo rucksack full of climbing / camping gear, downhilling in the Alps, racing the Ron Hill in a MTB duathlon and doing some very early MTB marathons on it.

Superseded by bikes with lots better kit but it was the one that I cut my MTB teeth on (unless you count riding a racer with bullhorn handlebars) and had the most adventures on before settling down.

[Lazarus]

Supergoose Mongoose - first bike I built up myself from a frame only - 13 or 14 I guess. My stepdad skippedit when I went to Uni. Even now I would still go ape if we brought this up some 30 years later - skyway sealed hubs and everything It gave memy love of cycling

Robert Millar King of the Mountains - though I technically still have most of it but its a cracked frame but perhaps one day i will fix it . First proper "road bike" After a BMX I was amazed at the distances and speeds I could cover ground .

Merlin Rock Lobster - my lord they have made an off road bike with suspension [ that works] and brakes that work I might give this off road sub standard a go . Mates has it a sa works commuter bike.

i think I had a rigid SHimano specialized biospace thing from a mate but I never took it "offroad"

[RIP]

'Montage.. cantis...biopace.. 18 thumbshifteds....'

'much better kit later..'. Nah! My 1985 Dawes Cougar was exactly the same kit (probably the only stuff available!) and I loved it and still do, but then I am a pervert .

My lad still has it, complete with original biopace and shifters - more than can be said for any 'modern' machine .