This poor bike. It’s been embarrassed numerous times on this blog. It went from that goofy stem to the goofier bar and lever setup. I look back at those photos with shame. What the hell was I thinking? My only guess is that this bike was never a real necessity. I had my Merckx and so I barely rode the MKE. When I sold my Merckx to fund the Bishop, the MKE became my only road bike. I’ve been putting in miles on it and even with the SRAM Apex and FSA cranks, this bike rides and handles a lot better than any other road bike I’ve owned.

Check out more below.

I am very pleased with this bike. It comes in around 22lbs, which isn’t bad at all considering the PAUL brakes and the Phil Wood wheels aren’t exactly the lightest components on earth. As you can see from the brake clearance, it’ll fit some rather large tires for off-road action and fenders. This bike will be accompanying me in Australia where I plan to put in some saddle time in Sydney.

If you’re looking for that first road bike, you should check out the Milwaukee Bicycle Co. Orange One road. Made in the USA and customized for your needs, starting at $679 for a frameset.