Re: [CR] Is it possible to meaningfully discuss the ride qualities of a bike?

(Example: Framebuilders:Rene Herse)

Date: Sun, 2 Aug 2009 22:27:44 -0400
From: Marcus Coles <marcoles@ody.ca>
To: CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
References: <000301ca1377$39dc3810$ad94a830$@net>
In-Reply-To: <000301ca1377$39dc3810$ad94a830$@net>
Subject: Re: [CR] Is it possible to meaningfully discuss the ride qualities of a bike?


Some of thoughts on this from my perspective.

One of the problems with discussing ride characteristics is coming up with standards to measure against and also the complication of the natural ability of people to adapt to different riding characteristics and make that the new "normal".

I sometimes have multiple bike riding days where I will grab one of my bikes and go for an hour ride or so, return and grab a bite to eat, a drink and another bike and of I go on another ride, repeating this several times.

I can go for a ride on one bike, which for example may have predictable, very stable behaviour and then immediately after go for a ride on another bike and initially be convinced it is trying to kill me and then after a half hour or so find myself relaxed and enjoying the responsiveness. Upon returning to ride a bike similar to the first one I will find it has sluggish handling and slow response to inputs, until once again I adapt.

Different bikes for different purposes, different feels, variety is the spice.

That said, there are definitely bikes that never feel right to me, bikes I can never bond with.

There is for me a kind of magical balance of characteristics in some bikes, the package working together well as a whole. At the extreme something as lowly as a steel rimmed, ten speed might have it, but a famous brand race bike might not. In my experience this balance can sometimes be made or lost by something as simple as wheel and tire change.

In summary I think it is possible to compare different bikes and discuss with others the strengths and weaknesses from one's own frame of reference, but the big variable in trying to quantify any of this is not related to the bike itself, but rather the rider.

Marcus