But what if the beautiful bike ALSO fits your beautiful but worn down body!?
One thing I think I'm going to quickly be adjusting, and this is as much time, cost and scarcity as much as it is a desire to ride something that fits and works better, is to be much less beholden to period correct builds.
Sure, certain bikes and frames still "deserve" the time and cost and attention of doing so (I do love the hunt and capture, after all), but I think I'm going to build a lot more for fun and practicality in the months and years ahead. I still think the parts have to fit the style and should of the frame, but I guess that doesn't always mean that needs to be period.
Other than hoping to stumble upon a couple more unicorns grazing in the wild, my main bike-related goals are as follows:
1. Finish the bikes in my collection currently needing minor adjustments to their original builds.
2. Build a well-fitting, cheap, beat-up 26" camping bike, using mostly what I already have on hand in my various parts bins.
3. Try to find a secondhand Black Mountain Monstercross and build that up with a mix of new and old parts.
4. Ride this retromod I'm working on now a whole bunch, and decide if that's a more realistic and comfortable approach for the majority of vintage 26" builds moving forward.
5. Based upon #4, begin to make inquiries about a one-off custom frame and fork that fits me exactly how I'd like, and does almost everything I might want, based on more relaxed, upright 80's geometry, and throw a bunch of old things I love on it!
