A New Bike!

After all the deliberating, both public and private, I went out and bought a new bike. I am the proud new owner of a 2010 Masi Speciale CX. Detailed specs can be found at the Masi Bicycles web site.

I went to check out bikes at Cal Coast Bicycles on Wednesday, December 23. Thanks to Aaron, who helped me out and was extremely helpful. I didn't go in expecting to buy a bike that day, but they had the bike in my size and gave me a great deal. Due to a minor equipment glitch on the bike and the impending holiday, I didn't actually take the bike home until Saturday. That was cool, though, because that Saturday was actually my birthday, so it was quite a treat to be able to take home my new bicycle. The bike is a combined Merry Christmas/Happy Birthday/Happy New Year/Happy Bike Commuting gift from my lovely wife. Thanks, babe!

Narrowing the list

I've been thinking more about the bike I want. I think I will go steel...just because. Therefore I can immediately cross the few aluminum bikes off my list. I'll also pass on the disc brake and carbon fork bikes, which are probably overkill. I'll sneak the Handsome Devil in there, though I'd have to have that built up at a to be determined cost.

Here are the front-runners:

• Raleigh Clubman - Reynolds steel frame/steel fork, Shimano Tiagra, painted fenders, Brooks saddle ($1099)
  
• Masi Speciale CX - steel frame/fork, Shimano Tiagra/105 ($1195)
  
• Masi Speciale Randonneur - steel frame/fork, bar-end shifters, Shimano Tiagra/105, fenders ($1145)
• Handsome Cycles Devil - steel frame/fork, build TBD ($379 frameset + ?)

The Raleigh Clubman and the two Masi are all gorgeous bikes and at the top of my list right now. The Handsome is close behind. Masi is a San Diego-based company, so I like to factor that in. It is always nice to support the local guys. On the other hand, it is nice to support the little guys like Handsome (not that Masi are huge themselves). If I could do a comparable build of the Devil in that $1100 price range, it would be a tough call.

• Bianchi Volpe - steel frame/fork, triple crank, Shimano Tiagra/Deore ($1099)
  
• Surly Cross-Check - steel frame/fork, bar-end shifters, Shimano Tiagra ($1050)
• Gary Fisher Lane - steel frame/fork, triple crank, Shimano 2300/Deore ($1099)

The Bianchi Volpe and Surly CrossCheck are both solid choices, but don't seem to have some of the flair of the previous bikes. The Fisher Lane is brand new to the market but is very much akin to the Volpe and CrossCheck. I admire Gary Fisher and how he's an ambassador for cycling of all types.

• Specialized Allez Steel - Reynolds? steel frame/steel fork, downtube shifters, Shimano 2300 ($610)
• Kona Honky Tonk - steel frame/fork, Shimano Sora ($899)
  

The Specialized Allez Steel could be a dark horse here. The Kona Honky Tonk appears a close cousin to the Allez. I think the geometry of these two are the sportiest of the bunch. Not that I really understand much about bicycle geometry, but they have the shortest wheelbase and chainstay length. They may not take fatter tires either. The downtube shifters of the Allez are certainly a throwback, but the price is not to be ignored, especially if it indeed has Reynolds tubing.  In 2009 the Honky Tonk also had downtube shifters, but for 2010 Kona switched to STI shifters. Whether that's an improvement depends on your perspective, I guess, but this bike also looks like a good value. I've not seen a local shop yet that carries Kona road bikes, though.

What to do, what to do?? Test rides would be an ideal start, I suppose...

Handsome Devil

No, I'm not talking about myself. I'm talking about this bike:

I remember visiting the website for Handsome Cycles some time ago, but I guess I wasn't really paying attention before. Though I would prefer to buy a complete bike, something about building a bike on this frameset is speaking to me at the moment.

I found a couple interviews with the guys from Handsome online and it seems they were inspired by the Bridgestone XO-1 when designing this frame as a versatile all-rounder. Because of that Bridgestone connection, I'm thinking this might be a poor man's Rivendell (albeit no lugs, just double-butted chromoly to keep it affordable). EcoVelo apparently has a review of the Devil forthcoming in the new year. I can't wait to read it.

A New Bike...Part 3

My wife asked me tonight if I was getting a new bike for Christmas & my birthday (Dec. 26). Though I certainly want one, part of me feels that I haven't earned a new bike just yet. I am far from my initially stated goal of 21 habit-forming rides to work. My wife suggested that maybe a faster bike might make me ride more often. Maybe, but...
Hey, why am I even resisting this?? Well, partly because I am still undecided on what bike I want. Part of the problem is I fear that a lot of the bikes I'm considering might have to be special ordered without being able to ride the bike first. 

Here are the bikes by classification, with basic spec and price:

Cyclocross:

• Bianchi Volpe - steel frame/fork, triple crank, Shimano Tiagra/Deore ($1099)
  
• Surly Cross-Check - steel frame/fork, Shimano Tiagra ($1050)
  
• Masi Speciale CX - steel frame/fork, Shimano Tiagra/105 ($1195)
  
• Raleigh RX 1.0 - aluminum frame, carbon fork, SRAM Rival ($1425)
• Kona Jake the Snake - aluminum frame, carbon fork, Shimano 105 ($1399)
• Kona Jake - aluminum frame, steel fork, Shiman Tiagra ($899)
• Gary Fisher Lane - steel frame/fork, Shimano 2300 ($1099)
• Gary Fisher Erwin - steel frame, carbon fork, Shimano Tiagra/105 ($1429)
  

 Road Bike, rim brakes:

• Kona Honky Tonk - steel frame/fork, Shimano Sora ($899)
  
• Bianchi Imola - Reynolds steel frame, carbon fork, triple crank, Shimano Tiagra/105 ($1249)
  
• Raleigh Clubman - Reynolds steel frame/fork, Shimano Tiagra, painted fenders ($1099)
  
• Specialized Allez Steel - steel frame/fork, downtube shifters, Shimano 2300 ($610)
  
• Trek Pilot 2.0 - aluminum frame, carbon fork, Shimano Tiagra ($1149)
  
• Masi Speciale Randonneur - steel frame/fork, bar-end shifters, Shimano Tiagra/105, fenders ($1145)
  

 Road Bike, disc brakes:

• Kona Honky, Inc. - steel frame, carbon fork, Shimano 105, Avid BB7 discs ($1449)
  
• Novara Buzz Road - aluminum frame, carbon fork, Shimano Tiagra, Avid BB7 discs ($999)

Gee, that's a lot of bikes to consider...