The unicorn bike paradox

[pw_pw_la]

I semi agree but surely there is the joy of ownership...unless you get the "never meet your heroes" syndrome...but I agree the quest is a big part of it.

Absolutely. The joy of ownership should be a major factor. But I guess I think of that as something different. Once you have the bike, unless it is in someway a disappointment, it should become almost something else entirely. A favorite ride, ideally. Or at least something trusted, cherished and true.

It moves from the devine to the earthly once it's in your hands or under your body.

Unless you're a garage queen kind of collector. In which case I could see it remaining in someway holy, if it's just sitting there being admired, worshipped for its aesthetic purpose and importance. What's the word for that? A relic?

 

[pw_pw_la]

@uno-speedo As the owner, current and previous, of at least three of my own personal unicorns, whatever it is I trust your judgement completely!

 

[uno-speedo]

You are too kind .

 

[pw_pw_la]

How do we feel about imperfect or indirect Unicorns?

As in, it's not a specific model/color you even want, you just want something by that builder from roughly that era. Or, you do want something very specific, but what you find is maybe not exactly the year/color/size, but it's as close as you're going to get (anytime soon)?

Do those still count as unicorns/holy grails?

Because, if they do, and I think they do, I've somehow ended up with two from my own list in as many months.

I thought it would take years.

But it turns out luck can strike at any moment, as long as you're really, really loose with the money you should be saving for other things.

Like food. And rent. And Christmas.

Anyway, one of these is staring down the barrel of a first, ridable build (it was 80% ridable at purchase, to be fair, and all thanks to Mr Speedo up there). And the other is in frame only form, currently winding its way from Nebraska to California in the back of a UPS truck.

 

[Elfman]

For me, half is the ride quality and half is the aesthetic. Therefore, obtaining the steed by the wrong color wouldn't qualify as the unicorn. As an example, unless I'm building a Bontrager (which requires no fuss), that ringle part just isn't the same unless it's purple.

 

[yakboy]

Unicorns for me do not arrive fully formed...other builders can come close but for me it is so specific...and I hope for everyone else it is the same unless it is a specific catalogue build you are after.

 

[pw_pw_la]

This, 100% Yak.

 

[doctor-bond]

Come on: 9 pages and we’ve had bikes I want, bikes I like, bikes I still can’t afford, the three perfect bikes I could have owned, the best bike I bought but didn’t like, etc ...

A Unicorn doesn’t exist: it’s the thing you want and chase. If you find your Uniccorn, it’s dead: it has to be - you got it, made it real.

Unicorns don't exist.

The only Unicorn left is mine, ALL MINE a 1987 Dave Tesch Team Stumpjumper. No know examples; only a few fuzzy pictures. Rumours.

Prove me wrong. Cash waiting. I want to kill it.

 

[pw_pw_la]

Aye.

But I'm pretty sure I said that two three posts ago! ; )

 

[yakboy]

If you can never fulfill the chase you would never seek...it had to be attainable...7 years for one of mine and I still get a huge kick of looking up at it in the garage.