Let us know what you find to replace it. Me, I'd probably move from 559 to 622 if I could find bikes that had all the other qualities of my small-wheel Riv roads. But then I can ride up to a 60 (depending on the top tube) so this is a different situation.
My one complaint, really, about 559 and 571 -- and it is this alone that would make me switch, in ideal circumstances, to 622 -- is the small choice of tires. The Kojak 1.35s (31 mm actual on my narrow rims) are very nice even if slightly wider than I'd choose for the gofast -- 559 X 28 would be ideal. The Compass 559s are way too wide for my needs at 1.75. Still, I'd at least consolidate with the 559X1.35s if Schwalbe was not the sole player in the market AFAIK for such good tires in this size. I don't like the 1.25 559 Paselas. Moving on: I've built some very nice all rounders out of early '90s mountain bikes; the downside to this approach is that, to preserve the good handling, you really need to keep the tire close to 2" wide -- at least, IME: below 1.5 or so the handling goes off. Of course, a nice old MTB shod with those Compass 1.75s might be very nice. And of course there is the issue of the long top tubes on mountain bikes, at least if you want to use drop bars. On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 12:58 PM, Beth H <periwinkle...@yahoo.com> wrote: > On Friday, June 22, 2012 9:39:56 AM UTC-7, Patrick Moore wrote: >> >> Beth: I thought you loved the LongLow. What changed? >> And, second, what about 700c wheels now disappoints you? > > > Two things that have developed over the last five years: > > 1. I find that bikes spec'd around 700c wheels in my appropriate height-size > are now uncomfortably long for my shortening reach -- and I was already > pretty darned short-wasted to begin with. Aging has slowly decreased my > reach further, to the point where drops are uncomfortable and uprights on a > short-top tube model are not working (combination of handlebar, stem length > and frame geometry make for a bike that does not handle optimally). > > 2. My LongLow was made in 1999, befre any of us knew just how alrge a tire > we'd eventually like to run. This frame can handle 32mm tires with fenders > only BARELY, and then only with the right tire and fender combo. > > 3. The older I get, the happier I find I am on bigger tires. Older-school > mountain bike geometry is giving me a new lease on bicycling with a better > upright position (stem/bar/frame geometry combo) and plenty of room for big > tires and full fenders. Plus, I LIKE the feel of the ride on 26" (559) > wheels and I love the feeling that I can ride anywhere on them. > > So, as my bicycling life evolves and my atorage options aren't increasing, > it makes sense for me to transition to bikes I will actually ride, and will > enjoy riding as I age. I am ready to look at a frame swap if someone out > there has an Atlantis they'd like to trade for my LongLow frame. > > Thanks to everyone who has emailed back and forth with me trying to convince > me to keep the LongLow. I live in a tiny place with very limited storage > space, so it doesn't make sense to keep and store bikes I ride less and less > over time. Periodic culling and adjusting of the bike herd isn't a bad > thing. Cheers and happy riding --Beth > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "RBW Owners Bunch" group. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msg/rbw-owners-bunch/-/VIyMOVBSfu8J. > > To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en. -- "Push back against the age as hard as it pushes against you." Flannery O'Connor ------------------------- Patrick Moore, Albuquerque, NM, USA For professional resumes, contact Patrick Moore, ACRW http://resumespecialties.com/index.html ------------------------- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
