Not liking your bike or gear

I've known this for a long time, had the bike for about 6 years and, I don't particularly like it.

I sold a frame I was enjoying owning and riding, it did what I wanted from it and more, I also liked the look of it and the brand felt right too. However, it didn't fit in with my work and I felt the time to move it one. Some other options came and went very quickly , some built up, some ridden too, but I ended up with a Bridge Club.

Now, I like Surly, I have another and I've owned many over the years , I would probably buy another one too but, this Bridge Club just doesn't do it for me.

It does exactly what it is required to do, very well in fact, however it could be the colour ( bad smile green ) the aesthetic, or even the fit, although it does feel comfortable, anyway I just don't like it and don't look forward to riding it when required to do so. I only have 2 bikes now so have made this the mudguarded option so it gets ridden on the shitty days.

I know I don't really like disk brakes , and I know I prefer a horizontal tt . Bah....

I've been through this feeling a couple of times.
Maybe find a cheap set of wildly different handlebars to try on it.. Or treat it to a set of really nice tyres?

I've found my preference for handling and steering feel depends greatly on handlebars and road feel, and I've recently fallen back into liking on of my bikes when I put a set of Ritchey Kyote handlebars on it.

don't look forward to riding it

Buy another frame or bike. Life too short.

I feel the same about tig my welded Soma, it just feels boring and soulless.
So this ^

This fucking sucks. For the longest time I wasn't content with my bike/bikes and only thing that helped was either changing the most of the parts or the whole bike.

It's not about the bike...

I always used to tell customers this when I worked in bike shops. Don't just buy the bike with the best spec, buy the one you want. Doesn't matter how much sense it makes on paper, if you don't like it you won't ride it.

I had a Dolan el’tape and put about 5,000km on it and hated it. It felt sluggish and dead. The bloke I sold it to loves it. Go figure.

If my bike doesn’t look nice, then I’m unhappy riding it.

I hate to say it, but I've never liked the frame I made on Dave Yates course, just because it's heavy. 25 lbs built up with durable bits for touring. I tried really hard to love it, but I should have bought a silly carbon weight-weenie fest. Which I eventually did.

I've had this, more than once.

I think my head wants highly practical but my heart wants stupid and wildly inappropriate.

I have like 10 bikes or something so there's definitely room for both but whenever I build the highly practical thing it just annoys me and I end up getting shot of it pretty quick then it starts all over again.

Okay mr. Crux

Trying to make a frame/bike ride like one you sold.......and spending many miles wondering why the fuck you sold it on?!

Buy another frame or bike. Life too short.

Seconded! Particularly if you like horizontal TT, rim-brake bikes, should be plenty second hand to float your boat

Ah but it's not that easy. £££ isn't available for bikes currently having spaffed £££££ over the years. Kids, Victorian house, life......

I fell out of love with my Dolan. When I first got it I thought it was brilliant then other bikes came along (Canyons) and it felt dead to ride thereafter

solution is simple, do not ride bikes made with steel

I have regretted selling 3 bikes so far. One steel, one carbon and one alu
Genesis Fugio 853 before I "improved" (ruined) it
Cannondale MK1 supersix liquigas. It was just so cool
Cannondale caad12. Nothing special but felt amazing, was quick and comfortable.

Been chasing the same feeling as these 3 bikes on every bike since and they just don't cut the mustard

I definitely know this feeling. The last bike I truly loved was some random old 531c track frame branded Taurus, back in the days when we were all still drunkenly skidding around London together every weekend. I don’t even remember why I sold it.
Every bike I’ve had since has been perfectly adequate and done the job just fine, but nothing since has had that same sizzle. Maybe I’m just a jaded old cunt now…

Sounds like you are due for an njs frame build up. You are not obligated to velodrome specifications so replacing the fork with a drilled road option would make it more suitable for road use and will help mitigate toe overlap. Only down fall would be tire size restrictions but won't be an issue if you stay on road. Keep the Bridge club for utilities and take the track bike for fast spicy laps around town. It doesn't take a long time to get a good workout riding fixed...

So true. Spending tons of money on a bike is an extravagance so make sure the head doesn't suddenly take charge and you end up trying to justify the purchase by buying the one with the best spec sheet.

solution is simple, do not ride bikes made with steel

I like all my bikes. I don't like other people's bikes or anything with Campag on it.

I love bike.

Nail on the head. Bikes are lame. Get a real hobby like collecting expensive watches or sell your bikes and do a renovation on your house to make you feel something.