Simple.

Back home, I have more bikes than I can ride in a week. Not that it's a bad thing, because I like having bikes for different purposes. I also like that if one bike is out of commission, I have another that can step in. Missing a great day of riding while waiting for a part to come in is never fun.

I have more than a few sets of wheels. Carbon and aluminum of varying types, widths and depths. Again, I like the variety and the flexibility.

Here in Biloxi, I have one bike with one set of wheels. I don't have to think about what I'm going to ride each day, because I only have one choice. Fill up a couple bottles, strap on whatever accessories the ride requires (it gets dark occasionally), kit up, and roll out the door. Doesn't matter what the ride is, the bike is the same.

Simple.

The titanium bike has continued to impress me with its simplicity. It's not the lightest or most responsive bike I've ever owned. It doesn't descend like it's on rails or bound forward with the lightest pressure on the pedals. Unlike a lot of titanium bikes, it doesn't dampen the road feel to a consistency of Jello pudding, but it doesn't beat you up, either.

It just performs well. Not amazingly. Well. It hits a lot of points with a journeyman quality that I respect. Nothing on it is complex or otherwise revolutionary, so service is straightforward. It's easy to clean. It looks pretty good without being showy. It's like it's lived its life on the road and doesn't feel the need to prove anything to anyone. It does it's job reliably and dependably.

Sure, there are times I wish I had one of my fancier carbon bikes, with deep-section wheels and aero everything. That's usually when I'm barely hanging on at the back of a string of riders on high-dollar bikes with high-dollar wheels. Then again, that would take away an excuse for not pulling. I need all I can get.

The titanium bike is exactly what I wanted the Storck to be. As it is, the Storck will probably be dedicated to the trainer, where its internally routed cables and press-fit bottom bracket will likely survive a little longer than they would if they were exposed to the elements. In it's place, the workmanlike simplicity of the ti bike will weather the horrible conditions I'll ride it through with a quiet competence the Stork could never muster.

Being simple, I can appreciate the quality in a bike.

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