Marcus Helman commented on his Tom Ritchey bike that he never felt fast on it. I have had about twenty nice bikes in the last few years, but three were much faster than the others, or so it felt to me. Some bikes just lunge forward like they are being yanked by a rope tied onto them when you mash down, others do not. This is not to say that the others are not great bikes, they just do not feel as fast or responsive to a good mash on the pedal. Originally I thought that it was a smaller chainring, but the fastest bike I ever rode, a Masi 3v, had a 42 tooth inner ring and a 53 tooth outer...actually somewhat higher geared than I had thought. Folks have suggested to me that it might be an artifact of a stiffer bottom bracket (whatever that means) or geometry. I rather suspect the latter. Perhaps some interaction of all of the above. Tires? Dunno. Surely some of you out there have noted that some bikes you own are a lot faster than others. Cost does not seem to be it. I had a relatively expensive Battaglin that seemed to amaze many who rode at how fast it was.
I realize that some will just think I'm nuts and that it's all in my imagination...perhaps it is. I have heard others remark about how fast some bikes they rode were...especially 3 Renshos. If anyone has a good idea on it, I'd sure love to hear it.
Tom Sanders
Lansing, Mi