Bikes are kinda neat

It could easily be the Vicodin talking but lately, I've been looking at some different bikes. It's no secret that I'm very eager to get the CTR finished so that I can try some other things. Specifically, I would like to write my formal letter of intent to line up in Banff next year for the start of the Tour Divide. While this race isn't necessarily a once in a lifetime thing (Matt Lee has now completed it 7 times), it is one of those rides that I think I'd want to do on something special. Every one knows I spend hours in the confines of the garage using Pledge to gradually wear through the clear coat on the Orbea. It's a bike that is quite capable of making the trip. However...I think it would be really nostalgic to do it on something a bit more retro in design but still with the modern day componentry that will make life easier. I've been looking at titanium lately but I'm not sure I want that and I don't know that I could even afford it. Perhaps a steel frame? Most know that I am incredibly picky and fairly quick to notice small things on cars, bikes, and shoes that can quickly make things into a deal breaker. I don't even know if I could afford a steel frame really but I'd sure like to have something special for the event.

Retrotec and Inglis make some really nice looking stuff. The lines are nice without being too overly artsy fartsy. This is kind of what I'm thinking of but not a single speed and not rigid. These are also fairly up there in price.


Some of the residents of Salida are a bit odd (mainly the Kansas transplants). They seem to like their bikes in this variety so I've been focusing a lot of my research in that region. salida is where you can find the cult like following of the McClung. Super sexy fillet brazed/artisitcally lugged frames that are mostly very retro. Guys like Jay Shelman like to ride these rigid with the old style fork, platform pedals, minimal gear, Open Pro rims and cantilever brakes (I recently saw one guy running older Campagnolo ones). I would love to have a McClung but they're more than some of the ti frames I've looked at.

Victoria Cycles is run by a guy named Dave Hill who also resides in Salida but I don't think he's got roots or kin in Topeka (not that there's anything wrong with that). This is also steel and he likes to use a good deal of lugs in his designs but also throws in some fillet brazing as well. I really like the lines on this frame. I'm not a fan of curved bars but that's personal taste.



This is (or at least used to be) owned by Dave Zabriskie. I think this would be a really nice bike for Tour Divide but, in my mind, it's just not real classy but I've always like it. I'm sure it was a pain in the ass to build with the Dura Ace triple and bottom bracket spacing issues but that's where I'm impressed and it gets the attention from that it loses with the off the shelf frame.


This is another frame from Victoria Cycles and I really like the lines of this. I am not a fan of the huge frame bags that take up the entire front triangle area but the separater tube on this frame creates a great space for a custom bag to fit into. It could be functional and still show off the beauty of the craftsmanship. The curved top tube is just enough art for me and I like the straight stays. This frame also uses a more traditional bridge on the seat stays instead of an unattractive monostay. I even like the baby blue. It reminds me of a time period when TK and I were getting more colorful with paint choices. Ironically...many of those frames were of the GT Psyclone fillet brazed type and there was colors ranging from peppermint green (Tim's) to a really gorgeous pearl white (that I think belonged to Dan) and mine was bubble gum pink. I loved that bike and shold have never sold it.

Not sure what to do. I hate (and always have) getting geeked out in lycra (which I hear the kids refer to as "kits" now....hate that term for some reason). don't know if I'm turning retro grouch but I'm actually wanting to get back to my roots I guess. I find myself looking more and more at particular frames/designs and a lot of Brooks saddles too. Maybe it's a mid-life crisis of sorts. Or....it could just be the Vicodin.