I ride a lovely custom titanium road frame from Firefly, a Boston, USA-area builder, spec’ed out with SRAM parts, external hose routing with Zeno splitters for easy packing, some colorful bling from Wolftooth, and Reserve Wheels. But that’s not the point of this post.
The point is that I am completely content. I’m not looking to upgrade anything in the foreseeable future. As a lifetime cyclist (solidly late middle age), I am finally at acquisition rest. Call it N+0. Or just “N.”
It’s not a feeling I’m used to. I love bikes. I love working on and tweaking my ride. I usually am skratching an itch for something or other - a saddle, a head unit, new wheel bearings, a pair of handlebars. Something. It’s always been something.
I’m just not feeling any such itches these days. I’m content. I’m loving it. I hope it lasts.
I am in the queue with them right now, estimated build time is March ‘27. How was your experience working with them? I’m nervous about fit/geo but am reminding myself they have made 1000s of these and know their stuff.
Can relate. I’m better these days, but still a long way from “ok, I’m done - this is it”. I often find I get close to what could be such a sensation, only for something to change (injury, fitness, distances, intensity, terrain), or for a “what if” idea to creep in.
More recently I’ve landed on the realisation that contentment may not be an everlasting. long-term thing, but that being content ‘in a moment’ is ok too.
Do you feel contentment must be achieved with just one bike?
I also feel quite contented but I have eight bikes. Contentment to me may mean the same thing - no yearning for other than what is already hanging on the hooks!
Firefly make lovely bikes, I owned one made for someone else originally. Now I ride a Brad Bingham made for me!
I also have a Firefly! No 1169, all “all-road” build and I also really love it.
Last year I got a road wheelset for it and swapping between road and gravel mode has made the perfect upgrade. No compromises with slick gravel tires - its full road or full gravel.
But I still think about getting one piece handlebars (clean look), or internal cable routing (again, I like how clean it looks despite the maintainence hassle), smaller Ti bits etc. All pretty unnecessary.
I need to work on finding that contentment: thanks for sharing the inspiration
Far be it from me to dictate contentment. I am still at “aqusitiion rest” for the time being. It is a relaxing place to be. But I didn’t think it’s because I own a certain number of bikes or any bike in particular. I just happen to own a bike and other gear that delivers everything I need …. for the moment.
Kidding. It’s really cool to see people’s “forever” rides. That’s what I thought I was chasing when I built my last bike, but I’ve learned that tinkering with new parts and tech is an enormous part of what I love about cycling. There will always be something newer, shinier, lighter, more aero, stiffer, more compliant, wider/narrower, etc., that will pique my interest. I’ve decided to accept my love of the tinker, and I think it’s a perfectly fine way to enjoy the sport too.
Lol. I hope I make it that long. I love to tinker too. In fact, I need to replace my BB bearings this weekend. And I want to experiment with my position a bit. But for now, I don’t “need” anything new, shiny, or aero. It def won’t last.
Or, as I’ve experienced recently, there’s always something old too.
Some stuff has cropped up at prices that are too hard to ignore and have turned out to be really interesting to rediscover (a 2009 Colnago EPS and a mid-90s Somec ProMax), including an original Merckx MX Leader in nearly-new condition. It never ends!
