Ride or Build
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syncrosfan
Senior Retro Guru
Sadly I must admit I'm mostly a tinkerer. I like riding the bikes but most of them are at a certain point non operational due to me constantly messing around with them (oh yeah on that one I need to bleed the brakes, on that one I need to fix the fork, waiting for parts...) My wife's already making fun of me (how many bikes do you have? how many of those are running?...) Well, having a 4-month old eats up all the weekends. Too many projects going on at the same time (and not enough time)... then I spot some cool bike frame and get it = another project that will get done in 10 years if ever.
ljamesb
Old School Hero
I found myself having this kinda problem too. The never ending bike buildsyncrosfan":3hgi0bm4 said:
. I'd prefer if my bikes were all running all the time, but it's difficult sometimes. Waiting for parts to arrive, adjusting this and that, swapping parts out for something better/more suitable. Sometimes it just makes more sense to leave something unfinished, rather than have to repeat the same jobs twice.To counter this, I have a crappy runaround bike (still one I like though
) that I keep running 100% of the time and I never change anything on it. Funnily enough, this gets the most use.doctorstewie
Senior Retro Guru
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I do lots of tinkering, because I am not particularly well. I get out and ride when I can though, and particularly enjoy riding with my girlfriend ( fnarrrrr )
I always have one bike operational: the Rift Zone and I am working on a couple more at the moment. The great thing about having bikes to work on is that I always feel I am making progress of some sort, even if it's not getting a better time on Afan
I always have one bike operational: the Rift Zone and I am working on a couple more at the moment. The great thing about having bikes to work on is that I always feel I am making progress of some sort, even if it's not getting a better time on Afan
Re:
For me, tinkering is an (enjoyable) means to an end, that "end" being riding what I have built.
Starting a project from a rough looking frame and locating the parts I want to put on it, bringing everything together is definitely satisfying.... but not as satisfying as taking the finished article out for its maiden trip to the dirt
For me, tinkering is an (enjoyable) means to an end, that "end" being riding what I have built.
Starting a project from a rough looking frame and locating the parts I want to put on it, bringing everything together is definitely satisfying.... but not as satisfying as taking the finished article out for its maiden trip to the dirt
Long winter in Canada so I do most of my building and tinkering in the colder months. The summer is spent riding, accumulating parts like a chipmunk for the long hibernation, and maybe a wee bit of building if I get excited about something.
I always have at a modern bike (Kona King Kahuna 29er) and a well prepped retro mtb (1993 Brodie BHDT) ready to roll.
I'm always at odds with the 'do I ride everything I build and how much?' thing. I've had my Fat Chance out thrice ... I can't enjoy that bike. It stresses me out too much!
I always have at a modern bike (Kona King Kahuna 29er) and a well prepped retro mtb (1993 Brodie BHDT) ready to roll.
I'm always at odds with the 'do I ride everything I build and how much?' thing. I've had my Fat Chance out thrice ... I can't enjoy that bike. It stresses me out too much!
Tinkering for sure, but now I've more bikes than I can possibly ride so I should start to do that really. Starting to use my folding commuter daily so it's a start. Must get out on the newly acquired road bike more, and put the ST'S through its paces along with the pipedream. The rest I'm happy to just own and bimble around on.
I like to try and ensure I'm getting out a lot on a Mountain Bike. So I always have one "fully operational" (emperor voice). Two or three different reasons I find myself building for though. 1 - to make something that works and that I can use (eg my KHS montana which is nothing special, but it's running like a new bike right now). 2 - to make something pretty, something I could hardly bare to ride, but it's just a beautiful thing (straying into bike art almost). 3 - to make something light (but that tends to be a feature to some extent in 1 and 2, and perhaps not a reason on its own). That's me!
