my own "darkside"

[roadmaster]

i always love seeing when you guys refer to "going over to the darkside", when you get your bmx/freestyle bikes. even if i don't get it, i love it. well, on friday, as i rode home from work i passed by two 80's trek pro series 560 racing bikes in a church parking lot. long story short, the guy there said that they were at their parkinglot yard sale the day b4, didn't sell and if i wanted them to just take them. free. so in under an hour they were back at my place and a few hours and new tubes later, both on the road and very rideable. i havent been on a roadbike since 99', when i used to race local roadraces and triathalons, swearing id never get on a bike with 700c x 25 tires, drop bars and dt shifters, but these treks are super light and very well built, costing around $400 to $500 new. both 560 pro series, an 83' and an 88'.

since i these bikes have been rideable, i havent even sat on my cruisers and have just spent time detailing and working on these cool road machines. whats wrong with me?! these racing bikes are pulling me back into my roadracing past (as if i could even still compete, but in my prime, i always placed in top 3) and back to my "darkside". i hope that in afew days, the "spell" will wear off and i can get back into the cruisers and customs i love.

does this ever happen to anyone else? your into one type of bike (for me cruisers), and then you get something from the total opposit end of the spectrum (racing light weights) and things change for a quick minute. at least a mountain bike is closer to a cruiser or custom, but racing bikes? me and my gut have no business being on 700 x 25 tires, drop bars or lightweight frames.

 

[Buck Masterson]

I look at it like this, no matter the "type" of bike, the important thing is, you are into bikes. Ride like the wind and have fun. Nothing says you cant paint one flat black with red rims!

 

[deorman]

I have a 10-speed road bike that lives in the basement at my parents house. No matter how much faster it can get from A to B, I can only use it for a few rides before I tire of the beating on my wrists, unsuitability for packing a load, and lack of inertia and off-road capabilities. I'm also too lazy to give it proper spin for any distance In spite of all that I keep air in the tires and rust off the shiney bits, because for some reason I like it anyway. There's no reason that a "roadie" can't be a cool custom either, as evidenced by recent postings right here on RRB. 8)

 

[Rat Rod]

This has happened to me for sure. I caught the vintage BMX bug there for a while, but after I built the KOS Kruiser and realized that it didn't ride any nicer than the other bikes I had, I decided to give up the BMX collecting world and stick with the cheap bikes.

I recently found that 65 Traveler and I've been having a blast getting it all cleaned up and road worthy....this being after I went through my Schwinn Lighweight phase and burned out on them.

I think it's cool that there is a variety of bike styles out there to choose from. I think it's best to just consider yourself a lover of all bike styles and then go with whatever catches your interest at the time. The good thing is you can usually sell whatever you're working on, make a little money and then move on to the next phase. :wink:

 

[roadmaster]

just gettin gback from a good ride on one of my new treks and i see it will be easy to park them in a few weeks, if i still have them. allready got one if not both of them more than likley sold, as to remove temptation. nothing will rival the smooth ride of my cruisers, as i felt just about every little pebble i rode over on my ride. i am cruisers at heart and like said, its best that its an interest in all types of bikes and to go with whatever catches ones interest at the time.

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Just picture a fat man in spandex on a roadbike, and it should help. Saw one the other day and I started to tell him to get his fat spandex covered but off that bike,but who am I to judge. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

 

[thatismytruck]

Just picture a fat man in spandex on a roadbike, and it should help. Saw one the other day and I started to tell him to get his fat spandex covered but off that bike,but who am I to judge. :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

Were you eating a twinkie? :lol:

 

[Uncle Stretch]

Yep but I wasnt wearing spandex or a speedo. :shock: :shock: Some things are just too gruesome to imagine.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

I look good in spandex, just ask me.

lucky OP finding the two free Trek 560s. I had one "back in the day" (1986), purple and yellow, Reynolds tubing. Great bike. Got squashed by a truck while I was on it. Hate it when that happens.

 

[thatismytruck]

I look good in spandex, just ask me.

:shock:

OP finding the two free Trek 560s. I had one "back in the day" (1986), purple and yellow, Reynolds tubing. Great bike. Got squashed by a truck while I was on it. Hate it when that happens.

Was that you?

 

[Buck Masterson]

I live on a quiet river with a road that stretches for miles. Every weekend we get a group of "fellas" in spandex going by the house. One guy is in pink Spandex from head to toe. I guess he will never get ran over if all the motorists are cracking up laughing at him. I could never bring myself to wear it. Even when I was a pro wrestler I would not wear it. It is itchy and feels funny on the skin.

 

[roadmaster]

yeah, when i used to road race i had the spandex and tanktop, i wouldn't quite sell out to go as far as putting some little skimpy italian jersey on. i got the occasional whistle from the ladies as id ride by (cuz at 24yrs old...), but now id hate to do the same thing and make a baby cry.

 

[Tommy Atoms]

Even when I was a pro wrestler I would not wear it. It is itchy and feels funny on the skin.

Was that big time wrestling??? :lol: :lol: :lol: I hear alot of those guys wear make-up. Ya know for the cameras and all :mrgreen: