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

[Stretched@Birth]

1 hour ago, Jensie said:

The bike that started my cycling as a kid. Got one for Xmas and would not stop riding it till in the night. Had loads of fun and crashes on it. Die grond paaie het lekker wiele gesleep met die brieke...

 

No front brake, how did you do endo's on that...?  Oh, yes, I forgot, jam a foot between the front wheel and fork, who needs brakes.  Wrecked my Tractor skoens doing endos on my Probike BMX.

[nathrix]

8 hours ago, Stretched@Birth said:

There have been a number of bikes over the years, some of which I wish I never sold.  If I have to choose an all time favorite, it has to be the Ritchey P29.  SS simplicity, nothing fancy, easy to take care of and just a lekker ride.  I'm sorry that I sold it, but it does make my heart happy knowing that the new owner is loving it too!

Know exactly how you feel, glad I still have mine and appreciate every ride.

[Chomps]

Haven't been riding bikes (“properly” at least) for very long at all but here’s my input on this fun topic:

Being over 2metres tall has its downsides when trying to find a bike and I’ve more often than not found myself disappointed when I can’t get to my desired inseam while testing something new…

so in a desperate measure to get on the road I bought an old beat up 63cm(!!!) Cannondale R1000 off Facebook Marketplace for a measly 600rand, spent close to 10x that amount on getting it cleaned up and resprayed (flawlessly might I add) by Jared at BMC, found an old R7900 Dura groupo on the hub and managed to buy some ZIPPS off a friend who had recently upgraded to a disc bike. 

What I ended up with (after some minor upgrades to stem/bars/etc over time) was still the best feeling bike I’ve personally ridden so far. NEVER gave me a single issue. Felt bulletproof yet light as a feather and “kept up” with the fast boys without a hiccup. It sparked the joy in cycling for me and remains high up in my happy cycling memories. 
 

I still regret selling it in a time of financial need, and have since owned a handful of modern carbon fancy things that give me nothing but issues and anxiety over hairline cracks! 

About a month ago I bought another big (only 61cm however…)  cannondale frame off the hub (a Six13 this time with a beautiful almost untouched red Seaco paint job) and can’t wait to gather the parts to make something similar to that beloved other bike. The whole thing is making me froth for cycling as if I’m starting from scratch all over again. 
 

 

[R.D.P.]

Back in my racing days I rode a few bikes but the best bike ever was my Battaglin. Should never have sold it when I stopped riding.

[Jewbacca]

Nostalgia!

I had a grey Niner SIR9 that did many adventures with me in many guises....

It's my favourite bike but probably not the 'best' bike I ever owned. 

I remember it fondly because it slept in bushes with me, raced all over the country, Lesotho and a few international races, did RASA etc

It was stolen from outside my flat the day after racing X-Terra Grabouw. I was devastated. 

I hope whoever has it has enjoyed it half as much as I did

Edited June 15 by Jewbacca

[MORNE]

What about bikes that make you realise your other bikes were a waste of money (if you are honest with yourself)? 🤣 Look, it hurts shredding the gnar on it but every time i ride my Banshee Paradox i have buyers remorse for every single other bike i own. It just handles so well. I wish i could replicate the way it feels on the trails. I’m slowly starting to realise that i want a 140mm downcountry bike. Hardtails are just good. 

Edited June 15 by MORNE

[Kom]

Sorry for the photo dump, but my answer is easily my crux with aethos DNA. Ive traded, kept a ton of bikes, but none that touch the crux. Its easily my default happy bike.

[Eugene]

My 2005 Raleigh RC6000. 

I built it up with the black Shimano 105 groupset. The white frame, with black parts just looked so much better than white with the original silver parts. 

I wish I had never sold it....... Everytime I see one for sale, I debate in my mind if I should buy it. 

[BuffsVintageBikes]

You should 😁👍

[Rouxenator]

After cracking a couple of GTs and Giants I bought a used 2014 Silverback Sola 1 in middle 2016 and clocked up around 33,000km on it till the chain stay cracked in 2020. This was in the time when I commuted to work and did rides on weekends, so I did about 10,000km per year. Working from home since 2020 I do half that. 

So, the best for me in terms of value (rand per kilometres) is that Sola:

I rebuilt it using a 2020 Sola frame which is now sitting just under 20,000km so it remains to be seen how long it will last. If it does die, I'll just ride my 26er Kona which is currently in hiatus on the west coast. 

[DJuice]

On 6/16/2024 at 7:29 AM, Eugene said:

My 2005 Raleigh RC6000. 

I built it up with the black Shimano 105 groupset. The white frame, with black parts just looked so much better than white with the original silver parts. 

I wish I had never sold it....... Everytime I see one for sale, I debate in my mind if I should buy it. 

@Eugene buy one! 

Few years back I sold my racing bike from the early 2000, after a month, bought it back for more.

The bike holds sentimental value, my first proper race bike my father bought at that stage more worth than is 1984 VW Passat. Miss you dad!

[Simon123]

My Intense Primer.   Still own it and every year I wonder what to replace it with, and cannot think of anything that will ride like it, weigh the same or be as fun.    Sadly dont ride it as much as I want to and rather ride my eBike or Enduro bike mostly these days, but taking it out for a 50km jaunt, I can hit all the DH sections pretty much on par with my enduro bike (Intense Tracer 279 180mm).

Fuckit I love the Primer.  

EDIT:  other bikes I've really loved was my 1997 GT Zaskar,  2001 Giant DH-Team and 2015 Giant Trance 650b.

Edited June 18 by Simon123

[Fleming]

1995 Kona Cinder Cone. Dont know why because the bike that replaced is arguable better with rockshox suspension, V brakes, aluminum frame but somehow the Kona was just special.

 

[I FLY]

When your wife is a knowledgeable cyclist and was in the bike industry there is no buying her an inferior bike

Our Lynskey Pro 29ers in singlespeed mode- our first high end singlespeeds after  our starter commuter SS bikes in 2010. My frame cracked and could not be repaired so I had to scrap it
sadly we have sold these SC Tallboys as we had to consolidate our bike stable due to downsizing in December 2023. Most capable all round bikes we have owned

[Shebeen]

On 6/14/2024 at 1:33 PM, Ozzie NL said:

These two

Giant TCR ... first road bike I bought and did 58k km on it before replacing it with 2024 Propel earlier this year

Santa Tallboy ... simply the best MTB I have been on .... If I crack it, I will just get another one.

Only two things not to like about Santa Cruz; their colour schemes and the price

And dropping Greg Minnaar like a dog turd.

[MORNE]

3 hours ago, Shebeen said:

And dropping Greg Minnaar like a dog turd.

Don't forget about all the Dentist jokes you’ll have to deal with…

(PS: for the record, i too lust for a v5 tallboy in XXL lol, numbers just all look right when you are vertically blessed)

Edited June 21 by MORNE