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

[ajnkzn]

My Tallboy 4 has been unbelievable. 
 

Built like a brick sh1thouse but it pedals all day and just looks soo good. 

[RossTopher]

@BuffsVintageBikes what a brilliant, refreshing forum post. with all the negativity that can breed here, this is one that just reminds us why we're all on this site. the love of bikes, the adventures they take us on, nostalgia they stir up, and the search for the ONE.

 

*photo found on the net, not mine.

my pride and joy as a kid was a Trek 800 trail. at a time when all the kids were into "shocks" and grip shifting, i just wanted this. the colours, the brand (peak USPS era), the yellow touches on the grips. I loved this bike. was stolen 1 week into my time at uni and i didnt buy another bike for about 10 years.

i did eventually buy a similar one a few years ago, stripped it down to the frame and rebuilt it with some cool parts, but nothing could make it as cool as this. plus it made me realise that that things were heavier than sin.

 

[Mook]

16 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

What a legend these Choppers still remain to this day 🏆

I had one in the mid/late 70's. As @BuffsVintageBikes wrote, wheelies, ramps & spectacular wipe-outs were all in a day's fun.

I recall my chopper introducing me to torture by Friars Balsam. I would come home with grit embedded under the skin on my elbows or knees. Ma would "debone" me like the poor chicken getting the treatment to make pie for Sunday lunch. Once every chunk of gravel had been removed, wounds cleaned etc, the 🤬 Friars Balsam would appear to engrave the event in my memory banks for the remainder of my days on earth. I am convinced the neighbors regularly contemplated calling the cops to come check out my house for suspected child abuse.

Many, many, m-a-n-y moons later this topic brings back vivid memories. Those were the days when we would still get our rear ends lit up by dad for getting up to all kinds of 💩

 

Old's cool  🤙

[Dexter-morgan]

My Scott Genius 950, I do not have any picutres of it but it is the bike I had the most fun on and it was my first brand new Dual Suspension.

Found a pic

Edited June 14 by Dexter-morgan
Added a picture

[Block]

Cannondale Caad 7 with Dura Ace 9 spd and Fulcrum wheels. Lightest aluminium bike at the time.

Why did I ever sell that to convert to Carbon

[guidodg]

my current Epic Evo

 

 

[hansolo]

My 2007 Kona Explosif. Just a really nice bike that rode amazing. It snapped on the top tube one day and I had it fixed with a "patch" while I had to wait for a replacement frame. That frame eventually outlived the replacement frame and broke on the chainstay many years later. 

So much fond memories on that bike.

Those wheels do look so small today...

 

Edited June 14 by hansolo

[dexterdent]

When the Pyga Stage came out it did something to me. I wasn't in a financial position to afford one, but I could dream. A couple of years later I had a slightly better salary and found a well-used one in the best colourway (I think it was limited to something like 50 bikes?) - instant buy. It got delivered at work and the 3 hours from delivery to clocking out was the longest ever.

I've since "sidegraded" to the mini-max setup, and even though I don't get out on the bike much, every time I walk past it it makes me happy. I hope to get out more.

[I FLY]

I have had many bikes so very hard to choose.

But my Santa Cruz Superlight and Lynsky Pro29er in single speed setup were awesome

[Baracuda]

My Raleigh Burner BMX comes to mind, but also my Giant XTC 2004 - did everything from Dirtopia Enduro, to Karoo-to-Coast, to the Single-Speed World Cup, to touring France and climbing Alp du Huez on it. Now days, I have three bikes trying to do the same thing

[Pandatron]

Not the exact bike, but best picture i could find without going to the parents for a picture.

Hand me down that id do the odd weekend ride?, feels hard to call it  a ride even ha. Was absolutely horrible with weird brakes that were the gear shifters as well, wheels did not match either, think my dad just made a plan.

But if it wasnt for this, i wouldnt have started riding.

[NotSoBigBen]

Finally something I can contribute to meaningfully, I think 😎

 

After riding an old clunker my father in law had in his garage I bought myself a Western Flyer from Hypermarket ... Got me started as an adult riding bikes, many jokes and laughs from the 'cyclists' at the time about the junior cassette I tell you! 

 

Then I bought this beauty from AvH cycles .... Panasonic DX3000 with a white Sunrace groupset, finally felt like I may be one of them, cyclists that is! 

 

I recall the first ride on it to this day ... Lido circuit on a Sunday morning, improving my time by some 10mins according to my old Cateye 😁

 

No other bike has given me that feeling again 😎

[Shane S]

My old Sworks hardtail 2014 model is still the bike I pull out the garage 1st every time while training or riding for fun . 

Just feels right ....... even if she is now 10 years old .

Edited June 14 by Shane S

[El Duderino]

I love my current bikes, 2022 Trek Top Fuel, 9.8 and a Giant Revolt.

But, my all time favourite fiets was a 2015 Yeti SB5 with 160mm Fox 36 Fork. I learned to fly ( a little bit) on that bike and did everything from Enduros to Berg and Bush on it. What a machine.

Edited June 14 by El Duderino
Spelling

[Just Jacques]

Having owned many duel suspensions, hardtails and road bikes , i bought this Trek Stache in 2020ish(post covid) as an impulse-buy.  A couple of months into riding this machine a decided to sell it because “duel is a must when you stay i  CT northern suburbs and and and …” only to realise i never ran out of bike when i did all of my rides on the majority of trails and gravel rides . For some reason i always had a fat smile on my face (that matched the tire size) and every now & then i find myself wondering why did i ever sell this specific bike  ? Anyway , bit of an odd bike te post here i suppose , but those who have owned one will agree …it’s an absolute treat to ride ANYWHERE . 

[RustyHWR]

10 hours ago, RossTopher said:

@BuffsVintageBikes what a brilliant, refreshing forum post. with all the negativity that can breed here, this is one that just reminds us why we're all on this site. the love of bikes, the adventures they take us on, nostalgia they stir up, and the search for the ONE.

 

*photo found on the net, not mine.

my pride and joy as a kid was a Trek 800 trail. at a time when all the kids were into "shocks" and grip shifting, i just wanted this. the colours, the brand (peak USPS era), the yellow touches on the grips. I loved this bike. was stolen 1 week into my time at uni and i didnt buy another bike for about 10 years.

i did eventually buy a similar one a few years ago, stripped it down to the frame and rebuilt it with some cool parts, but nothing could make it as cool as this. plus it made me realise that that things were heavier than sin.

 

Well priced at that time and a solid bike.