Both Marcus Helman and Tom Sanders talked about bikes that just "have it" and bikes that don't.
Marcus points out that this can be especially frustrating if it is a bike you've lusted after for for some time.
In 1981 I took my hard earned cash and went to Palo Alto Bicycles to buy a brand new bike. I'd been into cyclotouring and was pretty much set on a Trek 6XX. I did ride a Trek 730 as well, which was more of a sports racer which I really liked, but ended up buying the touring bike thinking it would be more flexible. I'd ridden an older Cinelli for a year or so, so it wasn't like I didn't know what a *real* road bike felt like.
Since I only had so much money on me and had ridden the bus to PAB intending to come home on my new wheels, I ended up riding home on the 6XX.
I was really pleased to find a 1981 Trek 730 frame recently, bought it and built it up to ride. It just didn't feel as nice as I'd remembered. It fit perfectly, but it seemed to have a mushy bottom bracket and kind of a sluggish climber and wasn't as nicely handling as I'd remember. Of course these are memories from 23 years ago, so who knows. My oversized Schwinn Prologue which was heavier and not comfortable to ride, steered faster.
When I got my Waterford, which rides like perfection - I actually feel inadequate riding this fine machine - I attributed the better climbing, stiff BB and snappier handling to some subtle improvements in geometry and that it is made of much nicer steel.
Oddly enough, when I got my Montelatici, which is made of just plain old Columbus and wasn't made FOR me, I discovered the ride is much nicer than the Trek. The Monte is a stage race kind of bike, snappy handling, but it is not Crit bike. Who would have guessed that it would be so pleasant to ride?
The Trek is 531, has a Cinelli bb, is aligned correctly, has nice wheels on it, decent tires and the same gearing and crank arm length I ride on pretty much everything else I own. Its currently on a trainer at my b-friend's. Sad to see it there.
Now that The Scandalous Medici is almost a bicycle, I'll have to see how it rides compared to the rest of the crew.
Anyone else discover that your dream bike was a fantasy?
Ann Phillips, Decatur GA