The search has come to an end. Ironically, the person I bought the BMC monster cross frame from messaged me with an offer I couldn't refuse. It's a like-new 90's FW Evans with sport touring geometry, 531 lugged steel, canti-brakes, and accommodations for racks + fenders. As long as it arrives in one piece, I think I've really lucked out and it'll most likely consolidate my stable back to one bike.
Happy riding, Andrew On Monday, June 29, 2020 at 11:51:09 AM UTC-5 Craig Montgomery wrote: > Poor Andrew, > Are you confused yet Bucko? As you can see, this subject is just rife > with opinion and subjectivity (and fun). We could go on for days. I > realized I misinterpreted your original post and needs, so I'm gonna say go > with Paul's suggestion #1. Get out there and test the field as cheaply as > you can. > > You need to decide what you like (find out what front end geometry > makes you happy) and that takes getting on different bikes. Your lankiness > really throws a monkey wrench into things. Gain 50 pounds (I'll give you > some of mine). It'll be easier to find a bike. What Paul or Mark or I > experience on the same bike could come up with three different > interpretations of its ride quality. > > These days I can pretty much get on a bike blindfolded, ride it > around the block, and give you a basic run down of its geometry. That's > only taken 30 years but I've narrowed my own preferences down to 2 or 3 > geometry types. And they all include low-mid-high trail, long-short > chainstays, long-short top tubes, head-seat angles of from 70 to 75 degrees > and a variety of tube sizes and thicknesses. Shazam! So have patience. > > Grab up that Motobecane or something like this Nashbar (offer two > bills-it was originally going for $167 a couple years back). > > https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nashbar-Toure-Vintage-Road-Bike-Frame-59cm-Large-Japan-Maruishi-Tange-Charity/264690704098?hash=item3da0cb9ee2:g:t40AAOSw6CBcqp0w > > Ride your buddie's bikes. Just make sure each bike is different or > you'll never learn. If you don't have the bikes specs all you can do is > ride it and take some basic measurements. After a while you should be able > to give a bike a side glance and be able to tell about how it'll ride. And > when you decide, open up this thread again. I'd like to know what you got > and how it rides for you. > > Craig in Tucson > > > On Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 4:11:35 PM UTC-7, Andrew Turner wrote: >> >> Thank you all for the incredible information. I really do appreciate the >> time spent on my hunt for a glass hammer! Iv'e got a couple candidates so >> far, one being a local seller with a 93' (same age as me!) RB-1 frameset >> and another with a Mercian I'd like to get additional info on. The longer >> wheelbase of the Mercian is very tempting but I've also heard the RB-1 >> rides stable for it's geo so more to come. >> >> Wishing everyone good health, >> Andrew >> >> On Sunday, June 28, 2020 at 3:19:47 PM UTC-5 Brady Smith wrote: >> >>> If you decide low trail is what you want, you might consider the Soma >>> Grand Randonneur. Designed by the Boulder Bicycle people, but way, way >>> cheaper than their All-Road. If I had funds for a third bike, it would >>> probably be the one I'd choose. >>> >>> On Saturday, June 27, 2020 at 10:06:09 PM UTC-4, Andrew Turner wrote: >>> >>>> Hello Group. >>>> Maybe I'll just start this conversation off with what I'm searching for >>>> and I'll add the backstory after. >>>> >>>> - steel frame + fork (lugged preferably) that could clear 700x32 >>>> tires >>>> - rim brake >>>> - lightish tubing ( I weigh a scant 132lbs at 6'1") >>>> - DT shifter braze-ons >>>> - Trying to keep the price to no more than $1000 for frame + fork >>>> - Frames of all ages welcome >>>> - Designed to hold weight in the front (but I can make do with a >>>> saddlebag) >>>> >>>> Bikes I've had in the past to try to fit these requirements: >>>> >>>> - VO Campeur: way better suited for heavy touring. Way stouter than >>>> I need. >>>> - Black Mtn Cycles monster cross: pretty nice but that frame really >>>> wanted tires in the 38mm+ range which is overkill for me. >>>> - Rivendell Roadini: damn fine frame and very comfortable. Tig >>>> welded though and I might've gotten too large of frame with the 61cm. >>>> On my >>>> list of possibilities though. The quality was also a disappointment for >>>> my >>>> first riv, chipped paint out of the box and very poorly installed >>>> headset. >>>> >>>> I just got done with my first longer ride on a 58cm Gazelle Champion >>>> Mondial AA frame . I built it up because riding my first brevet on the VO >>>> Campeur a year ago made me realize how important a more nimble bike, >>>> especially for majority road use, is. But I might've gone too far. It's a >>>> rocket no doubt but I found it fatiguing having to stay so vigilant on >>>> descents. And putting the weight up front lead to a very close call down a >>>> particularly sketchy downhill. I think slacker geometry might help with >>>> that ;) >>>> >>>> All this to say, if any of you rando kids have some suggestions I'm all >>>> ears! >>>> >>>> Thanks Group, >>>> Andrew >>>> >>>> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ec828302-f260-4f3c-bcf3-67b6bee3d7dfn%40googlegroups.com.
