What's your "go-to" bike?

[GeePig]

My Kross, because it allows me to do this...

... and still get me home.

 

[bmxerpete]

This is my favorite all around ride. It’s an early 90’s Marin chromoly frame with a 100mm Rock Shok fork, Answer taper bars, Shimano Deore hubs, brakes and drivetrain, Sun CR-18 rims, Marwi stainless spokes and Odyssey pedals. I built this thing years ago and nothing on it besides the tires, chain and cables is newer than ‘94.

 

[K_50]

My go-to is my Wheeler 9800. It's such a blast to ride! It will be going in the attic for storage soon, though, as the city uses a lot of road salt during the winter. And steel frames no likey salt...

 

[K_50]

My winter got-to this year will most likely be a rebuild of this MIT framekit (no-name, but reasonably light, and rides nice) with as many parts from the stash as possible:




So far I'm thinking blue rims, blue BMX stem, moto or BMX cruiser bars, front rack or clickfix+waterproof bag, either 1x8 or SS, and of course mudguards (I hate the look, but they're necessary for commuting during the wet/cold season). I have all that stuff already, so I'd only have to buy new grips, chain, cables, and other smalls.
Basically, I'm picturing a winter-friendly version of the summer house cruiser:

 

[deorman]

Resisting the urge to post a Honda Shadow pic.....

 

[K_50]

Resisting the urge to post a Honda Shadow pic.....

As in "Not a Harley. But pretty much the same thing, only far more dependable, and probably much cheaper as well"?

 

[Tallbikeman]

I traded for this Schwinn Varsity in the late 1990's. In these pictures it is an IGH machine. I gave up on IGH after my Shimano Alfine 11 quit in under 2 years. It is now a 700c 1 x 10 derailleur setup. This bike has always been my favorite. Sold a lot of bikes but not this one. It gets ridden all the time.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Wow. That's a tall bike, man!
Sweet guard

 

[Kevin B]

My go to bike is an '09 Schwinn that I try to put six to ten smooth asphalt miles on per day. I've put thousands of miles on this bike. It is a testament to how exaggerated the criticism of modern bikes is. I do service the bearings a couple times a year and keep everything in order. It has always been stored inside.

 

[Karate Chicken Industries]

Wow. That's a tall bike, man!

The 26"/XL Varsity and Continental electro-forged frames are monster. That's what I rode in high school, Kool Lemon Yellow Varsity with flipped bars. I have two that will probably be paired up for a tallbike build in next Summer's BO.

 

[deorman]

My go to bike is an '09 Schwinn that I try to put six to ten smooth asphalt miles on per day. I've put thousands of miles on this bike. It is a testament to how exaggerated the criticism of modern bikes is. I do service the bearings a couple times a year and keep everything in order. It has always been stored inside.

View attachment 175736

I've got one of those. Sold off the fenders and rack, added a front brake and some steel pedals. Light and straight, has held up well.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

I've got nothing bad to say about the Pacific Schwinns either. My wife's go to, the Island Queen, is a made in Taiwan from the nineties, solid as a rock. Had to replace the bearings on one side of the BB because of a broken race, but that's about it

She's the one on the bench, riding partner of His Duckiness, the Duke of Norris

 

[JA331]

My 2012 Kos. Its well built, simple, fast, comfortable and soaks up the bumps. With a few very simple changes, it feels like it was built for me.

 

[Indyjps]

Sunday Model C

 

[Tallbikeman]

The 26"/XL Varsity and Continental electro-forged frames are monster. That's what I rode in high school, Kool Lemon Yellow Varsity with flipped bars. I have two that will probably be paired up for a tallbike build in next Summer's BO.

I ride a modified 26" Chicago electro-forged frame with the original 27" wheel size. The only original parts are the frame, fork, and kickstand. Everything else is not Schwinn anymore but even more enjoyable in my book. Absolutely my favorite bike. I have lighter, faster big frames at home but I still ride this bike a lot.

 

[JA331]

I ride a modified 26" Chicago electro-forged frame with the original 27" wheel size. The only original parts are the frame, fork, and kickstand. Everything else is not Schwinn anymore but even more enjoyable in my book. Absolutely my favorite bike. I have lighter, faster big frames at home but I still ride this bike a lot.View attachment 178622

They’ve got good geometry for an old ride. Looks like you have it set up to take on the Paris Dakar rally! Are they the Velo Sebot pedals? I have a black pair. Very slick.

 

[Tallbikeman]

After I pass someone will buy this bike for the parts unfortunately. Velo Sabot pedals, Profile 180mm cranks, Velo Orange rear hub with 10 speed cassette run by a Shimano Deore Shadow MTB derailleur. Microshift 10 speed shifter on S and M chrome moly 5" rise cruiser bar held by a BMX 4 bolt stem. Tektro 559 brakes on Velocity chukkar rims with 40mm rubber. 40mm is all the rear fork can take. This bike is setup to load onto a top tube bike rack thus the rear rack and bag. This bike is terrific to ride. Took years to get all the $$$$ parts together but it is worth it. I forgot I posted pictures of the other side in two previous versions of this bike earlier in this blog. I've had it for about 25 years. Got it free in a trade for a bike I had been given.

 

[JA331]

Thanks for sharing the history behind it. I have a few bikes I suspect will be subjected to the same torture. This ‘89 double butted cromo Shogun mtb was the bike I rode during uni and for several years after. I sold it around 99 and got it back as a basket case about 12 years later. Took me a few years to find the period parts like the NOS Deore thumb shifters, moto style brake levers and correct Araya rims in black to upgrade it to the better bike I couldn’t afford at the time. I kept the dmr V8 pedals when i sold it and I got a buzz refitting them years later. The frame and fork are the only original parts still on it. Photo below was taken the day it was returned to me.

 

[MattiThundrrr]

Great story behind your Trail Breaker, @JA331 . Love that japanese chromo

 

[JA331]

Thank mate. My Shogun is a Taiwanese built one. double butted cromo but not sure if its Tange tubing. I think 89 was the first year they were built there. Many of the Japanese cromo Shoguns preceding it were incredible bikes. I could have picked up one of early Japanese built Shogun mtb’s a few months back but let it go to someone else who would make use of it. It had a very unique type of Tange tubing, loaded with good bits and the rear brake under the chain stay. The seller was the original buyer and had the matching lady’s model. Both were barely used and not expensive. I’m more into the laid back big cruiser rides to minimize my neck dramas. I find the Shogun feels cramped in comparison. Sadly its one of my forgotten rides so I may take it for a ride tomorrow to relive the times i had on it.