Ever bought your dream bike and it wasn't all that?

My fortieth birthday looms and I have the opportunity to spend a decent amount on really any frame I want. I have been looking at the Santa Cruz Bronson C and the Orange Gyro. I'm fit, getting fitter and doing more technical riding than ever so thought either bike might increase my thrills. That said I'm not about to get a pro contract through the post and I get a lot of enjoyment from my current rides.

Either of these would obviously be a massive treat but the thing is I'm really a bit of tight-arsed puritan - can't resist a bargain and not a great one for big self indulgences (other than moving to Wales last year). I love riding the bikes I have - especially my 15 year old Bandwagon and I just wonder whether ultimately i wouldn't just carry on doing that. Clearly, this is a very pleasant dilemna, and I'm not expecting sympathy but I just wondered if any one had built their dream bike, been a bit underwhelmed and then carried on riding the old beater?

Rich

Well like many guys on here I continually have built bikes. I have been doing this for most of my life and I enjoy the building process.
I'm no natural bike handler of athlete unfortunately. I build bikes to be ridden and a mix of modern and old mtbs.

In the last couple of years a have built a ragley Troof, commencal meta am, maverick ml8, custom single speed, building a ritchey p-team, yeti arc, surly karate monkey

But I always lusted after a jones bike, the best I could justify was a ti truss fork i found via mtbr. I got it and bolted it onto an old mongoose ti frame that's too big (29/26er style) used an old ss rear wheel and I must admit that although it's a mutt it suits me well for most of my riding.

Ok I was underwhelmed by the yeti arc ( well beaten to a pulp) enjoy the ragley, meta and ml8 because they are really good climbers and make up for my nervousness descending. Karate monkey is ok until you go downhill (29 makes it have great traction) I suppose I will probably sell a couple of these.

So........ I dunno it's always more fun to find out than to always wonder.

I'd be looking at the 5 29 before the Gyro tbh. I've got one and it's ace. Saying that, I'd try a 650b 5 before them both if I was looking now.

I've done the opposite. I have a not really special in any way but very nice Trek hardtail that I put together to replace my previous much loved well travelled bike which was stolen out the back of a van (still miss that bike)... I decided I also needed a 'pub bike' so bought a tatty old GT Tequesta for that purpose for about 20 quid.

Couldn't resist doing it up, though, and eventually paid to have disc mounts braised on then an orange powdercoat, now my 'pub bike' is my favourite ever bike and the Trek stays in the garage!

i built an amp b1? (twin down tube) years ago...it was light, but felt like the back wheel wasn't attached to the same bike!! back to the zaskar!!

Good question...

All I'd add is that I like having one modernish 'performance' bike that I know will handle any serious days and if a bit of it gets damaged I just swap it out for a new part. Rather than worrying about chipping, denting or smashing some hard to find retro component.

I find I ride the maverick with more confidence than I do my Lts because there is little doubt it'll fail.

It's for this reason (plus finance!) that I'll probably never own a green/white/pink Attitude...

I have done the opposite with a Dave Yates Diabolo recently though - picked up cheap and a bit rough, unsure what to expect I've been totally and utterly blown away by how absolutely sublime it is!

Yes I built a Specialized FSR with all the bits I lusted after bitd and rode it twice!

Given that you like FTW frames why not go for one - tweeked to suit. At least that way you know what you will be getting. How about a 650b Bandwagon?

gt lobo

rode awful

sold

Not exactly my dream bike but much vaunted and lusted over by many, so thought I'd give it a go- an Independent Fabrications Deluxe SS. It looked the part with pristine helitaped paintwork and fancy dropouts,but wasn't very well made and went round left hand bends a lot better than right hand. The head tube was welded on 2 mm out of whack.
THe slick IF customer service machine confirmed it was one of theirs and not a fake. Shame their quality control weren't so on the ball. The worst built frame I've had.
Pile of Arse!