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What's the single best bike you've ever owned & why?


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The one you should never have sold, that brings back great memories, be that of your youth, races victories, touring etc.

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My alias will give mine away but it has to be my first MK2 Raleigh Chopper. I got it as a laaitie in the early 80's and that bike allowed me the freedom to ride the town flat. It also kick started my love for bicycles. I could wheelie it for blocks but I also had some of the biggest wipe-outs of my life on it. That small front wheel caused major speed wobbles and the result was normally the lost of a lot of skin 😲☠️ It eventually got stolen and my folks replaced it with something boring that made more sense as a commuter to school & sports.

A couple of years ago I bought a banged up one and did a full restoration of it. It's still standing in my lounge and I take it out once in a while for a burn around the block. I unfortunately can't wheelie it at all anymore 😄

Photo off the net

Chopper.jpg

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I have too many, they are all different and none is the single best.

 

The raven spirit. This was the name scratched into the stem of a Db Topanga I bought from a consignment store in Vancouver for $50. 10 years earlier these had been the BOMB as this mountainbiking thing became a thing. Now I actually owned one.

 

I loaded up with a liqourice allsorts of pannier bags from the same store, did a bit of short tours and then took it all the way to Dawson City, Yukon Territory. The bike was fine, it was a solid bike. It opened roads and paths to discovery.

No photo description available.

 

I sold it on an ebay auction when I left Canada, I got $25 for the entire rig. It was very tempting to do a Topanga monstercross rig when gravelbikes became a thing but I didn't want to ruin the memory.

No photo description available.

 

 

 

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4 hours ago, BuffsVintageBikes said:

The one you should never have sold, that brings back great memories, be that of your youth, races victories, touring etc.

Share a photo if you have one 🤙

My alias will give mine away but it has to be my first MK2 Raleigh Chopper. I got it as a laaitie in the early 80's and that bike allowed me the freedom to ride the town flat. It also kick started my love for bicycles. I could wheelie it for blocks but I also had some of the biggest wipe-outs of my life on it. That small front wheel caused major speed wobbles and the result was normally the lost of a lot of skin 😲☠️ It eventually got stolen and my folks replaced it with something boring that made more sense as a commuter to school & sports.

A couple of years ago I bought a banged up one and did a full restoration of it. It's still standing in my lounge and I take it out once in a while for a burn around the block. I unfortunately can't wheelie it at all anymore 😄

Photo off the net

Chopper.jpg

I had one of these in late 70s. Heavy AF, only 3 gears and a gear chain that snapped if you just looked at it funny. But I loved that bike. 

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That bike….

I decided to do a full custom bike now that I could actually afford it in my late 20’s. Took me around a year to build and a hefty cost of around 70K in 2006.

I got stuff via Italy/ France/ Germany and the US. The idea was to build a real weight weenie rig like nothing seen in this neck of the woods. 

-Frame: Specialized Roubaix Gen1, got this in the first ever limited batch that came direct from Utah when Specialized was a cool brand doing nice carbon innovation with the Zertz inserts.

-Wheels: FIR Galaxium carbon blades spokes with Michelin Pro Lite tires (pumped to 120 of course 😂😂😂)

- Chorus 10spd levers / cranks / rear & front all custom modified with Campag titanium cassette, TA chainrings and TA BB (141g) running on hollow pin campag chain and lighter pulley wheels. 

-Cables were Nokon which an upgrade of note with Mavic SSC brake callipers.

-Saddle was the Limited Edition Saeco Gilberto Edition Fizik.

-Speed play CSC team edition pedals.

-Finished off cockpit with Deda Antera one piece bar. I also made a custom stem adapter for my Polar, way before it become a thing. I should have patented that idea. 🤓

Everything on this build at the time was not available in SA, it was a sub 8kg which back then was ultra special.  So I got a lot questions were ever this bike raced and many compliments. I won a few races on this bike and it’s the most comfortable bike I ever owned. Damn I miss that beauty. They just don’t build them like this anymore. 😑

IMG_6324.jpeg

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11 minutes ago, El Duderino said:

I had one of these in late 70s. Heavy AF, only 3 gears and a gear chain that snapped if you just looked at it funny. But I loved that bike. 

Those were expensive… my folks couldn’t afford it. I did however watch a guy bail on a downhill on one, the 3 speeds were coast / fast / crash. 😂😂😂

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My pride and joy and one time, sold after not riding for a year, just felt guilty looking at it. C60 frame, 3T finishing kit, Campy Record 12 and Rovals, absolutely sublime.

I hope to find something that feels like it again. As soon as I do hop back in the saddle...

mb1ER3MSvJCrl-xgAzb2rrK3PiLECmMGXhHZ14PuQtw-2048x1536.jpg

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Has to be my Ibis mojo hd3. Might not be "current" but still riding it and cant see myself buying anything else anytime soon.

Best allrounder I have owned thus far and extremely playfull coming down the trails20220227_084905.jpg.ca03a4e5973b67da464e8bf98341ccbc.jpg

 

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4 minutes ago, Newbie321 said:

6009099463308-1-pdpxl.jpeg

.. always going to be smart cat around the corner.🤭 I was waiting for this kind of post! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

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Ragley piglet with 130mm fox 32 front and Fulcrum Red metal wheelset. I remember the days... 

Why - First steel frame I built from pieces. Very responsive on the trail. And rode it during a phase of life when I was a stronger and fitter version of myself... so I could enjoy the bike. 

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Custom Marino dualie! Perfect for the trails ;)

Very similar geometry to the Rapide Tigre that came before her, just with a bit of a seat angle update, and of course the coil rear shock. Super flowy on the trails, and just fits my riding style perfectly.

WhatsApp Image 2024-06-13 at 21.00.43.jpeg

Edited by Nic Brigando
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