Dilemma....
I have a frame ('01 Klein) that I love to bits. If I rode it in to the ground (frame fail) it'd break my heart (and prob a fair bit else but that's beside the point). If I hang it on the wall and call it art I'll spend the rest of forever wanting to ride it.
Given that I really, REALLY love that bike what would your advice be?
Ride it.
Ride to destruction then hang on wall and savour the memories............the end.
Do you see your partner as a whore or a princess?????
couldn't you ride it and keep it alive? it doesn't have to go into the ground. check the old Konas thread, there are loads of bike looking good and riding well that are older
@viv - she's a princess of course!! But getting a bit dirty together out in the woods could imply otherwise?
thepodge - sure, it might run for ever. but then again, maybe it'll pop cloggs tomorrow..... is it a gamble worth taking? Maybe....
Ride, break, chuck, replace. Its only a bike frame.
can you not ride it till it fails then hang it on the wall?
It's not made of wood is it! Just ride and enjoy the thing.
ride it into the ground then cry over the loss of a loved one later.then buy a new bike and there you go.a new love is born.
and the cycle continues.
sorry about the punn
ride it, it won't break (touches wood)
I have a '00 Klein and have similar feeling for it. I watch most Kleins that come up on ebay as you can no longer get the frames from Trek (even on warranty). When a Jamaican sunset medium frame comes up I will buy it as a spare.
Ride it 'til the first crack appears then retire it honourably and display it as the work of art it is. Kleins aren't freeride bikes, they're fast XC bikes, so it could easily last for years yet. Just ride light and treat it with respect.
oh and my klein has seen some serious abuse so it's doing pretty well, i wouldn't take it off any big drops but it's happily done some pretty rough stuff.
It'll break at cannock tomorrow now
this thread is so ripe for bad puns and innuendo - I say abuse her a little bit longer ride and enjoy - if your that way inKleined - sorry....
....well that's that then! Will continue as planned - swap out the rigid forks for some Rebas then let it do what it does best this weekend at the set2rise.
Unless I crack it riding it to work tomorrow...
Viv has a point. Swap 'Klein' for 'wife' (or husband, gf, bf etc for that matter) and it raises a smile.
retire it as a road hack