With The Impulse Control Of Donald Trump.
It's a bad habit, and one I share with the President.
Once I consider something, it becomes possible, and once it's possible, I immediately set things in motion to make it happen. Rarely do I consider the long-term consequences, because I'm more bigly than that.
I really like bikes. I have six of them that can be taken down and ridden right now. I have one that will require a couple hours of work and a minor part or two. I have one in transit at the moment that will likely only need a couple minor tweaks before it's road ready.
I like experimenting with different frames. Different manufacturers. Different materials. Some I've really, really liked. Some I wish I would have passed on. But hey, I learned something from each and every one of them. It's been an expensive education, for sure, but it's only taken me 15 years to become a sophomore. Such rapid progress has not been duplicated in any other academic endeavor I've attempted.
As I mentioned in my last post, I was considering retiring my two most-used bikes and replacing them with a bike that would somehow combine their respective positive attributes into a single awesome package. Chances are, the proceeds from the sale of both bikes would not be able to finance the headset purchase, let alone subsidize the frameset and other pieces and parts I would need to bring my vision into the light. This venture made no financial sense from the outset, which meant I was even more intent on pursuing it. It's going to be fantastic, super-classy, and I'm fairly sure I can get Mexico to pay for it.
So, I did a little research.
First was the frame material. I need a durable bike, because it will be used in the rain, mangled by TSA, and dropped on the pavement at high speed occasionally. My Russian ti bike pretty much sold me on the durability of the material. While titanium bikes do have the reputation of being "silver bikes for silver-haired riders", the compliance is more a result of design than the characteristic of the material itself. A builder can make a ti bike that can rattle your lady parts off, if that's how you get your kicks. Most ti bikes are purchased by less performance-oriented riders with considerable disposable income, who favor comfort over brute force. Then you have guys like Steve Tilford, who raced the hell out of his Eriksens. Despite what the major manufacturers will tell you, you can make a respectable race bike out of any of the common materials. Ti just takes a certain skill-set and expense to do well.
So, I wanted a titanium frame with a more race-oriented design/geometry. Done.
Then there was the question of brakes. While I recognize the value of disc brakes, a quick glance at the piles of bike parts in my garage indicates I have a lot of money tied up in rim brake technology. I have nice carbon and aluminum wheels. I have crappy carbon and aluminum wheels. I have brake pads for all sorts of wheels and the calipers to put them in. I have shifters to squeeze those calipers. Sure, I can use cable-actuated disc brakes, but my experiences with them have been less than stellar. I'm moving towards hydraulic disc brakes on the Moots and Lynskey, but my reserves of the old stuff are still full. Rim brakes and 130mm/100mm quick releases. Check.
The rest of the stuff pretty much bolts on and can be upgraded as required, so that pretty much closed out the broad stroke design work. Rim brake, race-oriented titanium bike. Got it. Let's do this thing. Lets' buy the most perfectest bike ever.
Then, in a moment of uncharacteristic clarity, I hesitated.
Why would I spend $4500+ on a frameset that I'm going to abuse the hell out of? Why would I spend that much on a frameset just so I can eke the last remaining service life out of my existing parts pile? Does that make sense? Does any of this make sense?
No, it doesn't make sense, but that has never stopped me before.
Wait, why not do what you always do? Why not let those silver-haired guys with excessive disposable income take the financial hit? It doesn't have to be a forever bike. It just has to be a good, durable bike with some degree of performance. Why not buy a used frame?
So I started shopping.
Fuck.
Once I consider something, it becomes possible, and once it's possible, I immediately set things in motion to make it happen. Rarely do I consider the long-term consequences, because I'm more bigly than that.
I really like bikes. I have six of them that can be taken down and ridden right now. I have one that will require a couple hours of work and a minor part or two. I have one in transit at the moment that will likely only need a couple minor tweaks before it's road ready.
I like experimenting with different frames. Different manufacturers. Different materials. Some I've really, really liked. Some I wish I would have passed on. But hey, I learned something from each and every one of them. It's been an expensive education, for sure, but it's only taken me 15 years to become a sophomore. Such rapid progress has not been duplicated in any other academic endeavor I've attempted.
As I mentioned in my last post, I was considering retiring my two most-used bikes and replacing them with a bike that would somehow combine their respective positive attributes into a single awesome package. Chances are, the proceeds from the sale of both bikes would not be able to finance the headset purchase, let alone subsidize the frameset and other pieces and parts I would need to bring my vision into the light. This venture made no financial sense from the outset, which meant I was even more intent on pursuing it. It's going to be fantastic, super-classy, and I'm fairly sure I can get Mexico to pay for it.
So, I did a little research.
First was the frame material. I need a durable bike, because it will be used in the rain, mangled by TSA, and dropped on the pavement at high speed occasionally. My Russian ti bike pretty much sold me on the durability of the material. While titanium bikes do have the reputation of being "silver bikes for silver-haired riders", the compliance is more a result of design than the characteristic of the material itself. A builder can make a ti bike that can rattle your lady parts off, if that's how you get your kicks. Most ti bikes are purchased by less performance-oriented riders with considerable disposable income, who favor comfort over brute force. Then you have guys like Steve Tilford, who raced the hell out of his Eriksens. Despite what the major manufacturers will tell you, you can make a respectable race bike out of any of the common materials. Ti just takes a certain skill-set and expense to do well.
So, I wanted a titanium frame with a more race-oriented design/geometry. Done.
Then there was the question of brakes. While I recognize the value of disc brakes, a quick glance at the piles of bike parts in my garage indicates I have a lot of money tied up in rim brake technology. I have nice carbon and aluminum wheels. I have crappy carbon and aluminum wheels. I have brake pads for all sorts of wheels and the calipers to put them in. I have shifters to squeeze those calipers. Sure, I can use cable-actuated disc brakes, but my experiences with them have been less than stellar. I'm moving towards hydraulic disc brakes on the Moots and Lynskey, but my reserves of the old stuff are still full. Rim brakes and 130mm/100mm quick releases. Check.
The rest of the stuff pretty much bolts on and can be upgraded as required, so that pretty much closed out the broad stroke design work. Rim brake, race-oriented titanium bike. Got it. Let's do this thing. Lets' buy the most perfectest bike ever.
Then, in a moment of uncharacteristic clarity, I hesitated.
Why would I spend $4500+ on a frameset that I'm going to abuse the hell out of? Why would I spend that much on a frameset just so I can eke the last remaining service life out of my existing parts pile? Does that make sense? Does any of this make sense?
No, it doesn't make sense, but that has never stopped me before.
Wait, why not do what you always do? Why not let those silver-haired guys with excessive disposable income take the financial hit? It doesn't have to be a forever bike. It just has to be a good, durable bike with some degree of performance. Why not buy a used frame?
So I started shopping.
Fuck.
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