Time to say goodbye?

[Andre Jute]

I used to think I was alone.  Then I found this place, and realized many people are just like I am - they overthink everything, and do it at least twelve times over.  It's great to be home. 

I certainly like to know every component I will fit on a new bike; and every cheap component I will have the maker fit if he doesn't have my preferred component in stock. That's how I discovered the excellent Indian Amar cranksets: I positively hated the chubby Japanese cranks Utopia fitted because they were available in several lengths, so I ordered the bike with "Whatever you have on hand that is cheapest, and don't forget to give me the difference," because I intended throwing it off the moment I took delivery of the bike and bought aesthetically pleasing cranks (I was thinking of ancient French cranks -- those have style but couldn't be made to work within the Rohloff chainline with my preference for a wide tread). But I liked the Amar crankset so much that several years later I still rode with it, until at last I saw cranks that looked perfect and worked perfectly.

It's not so much the money you save -- the last time my time was available by the hour two or three hours would have paid for all the bikes I ever owned -- as the satisfaction of a job well done without waste. And at least I don't cringe when I look  at hardly worn parts chucked off on a whim or for a fashion. (That's because I keep them in a sealed, light-tight box in the loft.)

[ridgeback63]

I've got 4 bikes now,including a new type Raven and an Audax with full 105,I much prefer riding the Raven as it just glides along albeit a bit slowly but thats fine as it gives me more time to admire the scenery,if I could only have 1 bike,this is the one I would keep,it's so versatile I feel with the Audax I am limited to the roads,not too sure about taking her along bridlepaths or canal towpaths,I'm not into chasing KOM,s on Strava so speed isn't that important to me, 

[il padrone]

Life is too short for cleaning bikes after every wet mucky bike ride or even dry dusty ride which is just as bad for the sensitive components.

I still like fiddling with bike components, so that is one potential disadvantage of the Rohloff. Normally it doesn't need much maintenance, and if it ever does need major maintenance, too complicated for me to try and dismantle the hub innards myself.

My son sure likes the idea of pulling the Rohloff down I came across him with it pulled apart and he asked me to take some pics. He had checked the Rohloff cut-away diagram and decided that one ratchet was wrongly drawn and thus set out to prove this to Rohloff. Don't know what they thought of all this.

Some time later I came across him pulling the hub apart again. "What is wrong with your Rohloff?"

"Nothing really. I was bored and wanted something to do"  

[aggs]

The Mercury is a great bike , but maybe a bit similar to your Touring bike   unless you do a very light build to make it nimble.
The roholf is not as sporty as  an Audax with derailleur gears , but obviously great for minimum maintenance etc.

I have an old Touring Bike which stays in the shed much of the time , but does come out occasionally if left outside the gym on a dark winters night or a salty road day, I do thinks its a bit of a waste and like yours rides a bit dead unloaded but we have many happy memories ( esp when it was my only mode of transport and I did an annual mileage of over 10,000)

If you have the space keep the bike for bad weather and salty roads if you go out in the winter as its likely you are not quite attached to it now as you were and possibly even put winter tyres on it for the occasional bad days in winter , but you can just grab it and go without faffing with wheels and tyres.
Or set it up for night riding, ready for action.
Its also nice to have a bike you could leave out when shopping and not worry about it too much as its not a major head turner with the bike thieves!!
Its always great chatting bikes, as we all have different ideas, once a bike is gone its gone!!!
Miss my Mercury, but equally love its replacement!!!
PS the CTC classifieds is a good place to advertise if you do decide to put it up for sale, but think carefully ha ha!!