I, of course, go spewing across the road and end up with some road rash. I was sure that you would be getting an order for a new bike, but to my surprise, the RS had come through it better than I did. There was a small scratch on the down tube paint and the handle bars had been twisted and that was all!

I straightened the handle bars enough to get home and, after calming the driver down some, I hopped on the bike and finished my ride! I can not imagine a charcoal frame surviving such an event. Great materials and great manufacturing paid off for me.
 
Burt (no relation) Sachs:  I have been riding a Richard Sachs (serial #5525) frame since May 15,1981.  I have used it for pack racing (USCF Cat 3) and triathlons. I no longer race but still train as if I am racing tomorrow.  My frame responds after 20 yrs as if it were brand new.  If a product must stand the test of time, your frame, which I ride after 20 yrs, certainly is a testament to that phrase.
 
Steve Gaither:  I bought my Richard Sachs bicycle in 1980 to ride in the Ironman Triathlon.  Shortly thereafter, I participated in the Markleeville Death Ride.  I'm not a serious contender but there's nothing that I enjoy more than spending a couple of hours a week spinning away and traveling the back roads of ... wherever.  For over 20 years it has served me well.  If the value of a bicycle only appreciated like real estate, I'd say that my frame was the best investment that I ever made.  I guess that I'll just have to settle for it being the most satisfying investment I've ever made.
 
Inspector Bob Rogers (SFPD): When I go to the NorthEast, I always wander towards Chester on the Connecticut River. My wife understands and walks with me through the village to the shop.  If Richard's not there, we look through the windows at the frames, torches, and quiet.  When he is there, we stop in to touch base, and I feel a lot better when I leave.

You can ride and appreciate his bikes for sure—yes, you can tell right away.  I think, though, to go and see his shop—his home, and what he has done with a life is a special experience.

He probably could get along very well without the visits and interruptions, but for those of us with a passion for flying along country roads—and for those who could stand to see what living a life of quality is all about—then going to see Richard Sachs can help your soul.
 
Peter Rumsey:  I have had my Richard Sachs bicycle for almost 2 years now, and I can say with certainty it has the best ride of any bike I own.  I have it all—aluminum, carbon, and titanium...but when I want the sweetest ride I go for the Sachs.  By the way, the white one featured on the home page, that's my bike!
 
Jim Albert:  I won the Connecticut State Veteran Men's road race in 1978 and placed second in 1979 on my first Richard Sachs bicycle.  I rode it in the National Championship road race in 1979, DNF due to weather problems.  In 1980 I missed the key moment in the states sprint and placed 6th, but this is not podium-level achievement, at least until they build podiums for 6.

Now this is a long time ago, and the reason I mention it is because I am still riding that same bicycle.  Richard recently repainted it, and it has the date on it that I got it—April 21, 1977.  I have put in countless miles on it, wearing out all kinds of clothes and parts.  Several years ago the Campy crank that it came with broke the right arm—metal fatigue.  My second Sachs was built in 1983, and it, too, has outlasted the crank—broke that one a year later than the first—again due to metal fatigue.

Speaking of fatigue, I am now 60, and at the current rate of non-attrition of my Sachs bicycles, expect them to outlast me.  If I manage to wear my Sachs out, I will get another. 

One further point—in 1977, riding in the Connecticut Senior Men's road race, I watched Richard go off the front, dropping the pack about half way through the 140 miles.  I thought I could sense that my Sachs wanted to try to catch his, but my legs said no.  DNF at 90 miles—cramps in my feet.  I mention this so that you who are inspired by my comments to buy a Sachs will realize that some pedaling is still involved.
 
Eric Mausolf:  I commute on my Richard Sachs 20th Anniversary Replica bike 150 miles a week through New York City.  As a law student I have no time to race anymore.  All my riding is done to and from school-books, laptop, and all.  I navigate bridges, potholes, traffic, NYC taxis, and rain.

For as much as I abuse my Richard Sachs frame, it still remains perfectly aligned.  The same precise steering and geometry that helped me to win crits, now helps me to navigate the city streets with ease.
 
Bruce Herndon:  I saw my first Richard Sachs bicycle in a local shop when I was a student. It looked so graceful; I pined away for one for years.  It was the first thing I bought once I had a steady income.  The bike was all I had been expecting and more.  It was beautiful, and with a shorter top tube than is standard on a 63cm bike, it also fit me perfectly.  I was more comfortable and experienced less fatigue on longer rides. The geometry was also perfect.  I was able to both climb more strongly and descend more aggressively.  Riding my Sachs made me love cycling more than ever.

After five years and more than 25,000 miles of ranging through the California hills, my trusty frame developed a crack.  Unfortunately, the local Sachs dealer had closed up shop.  I took a chance and phoned Richard directly.  He asked me to send the frame back to him.  Without hesitation, he replaced the affected tubes and lug, had the bike repainted, and returned it to me.  It is as good as new.  Clearly, Richard goes to great lengths to stand behind his workmanship.  I was extremely impressed.  Honestly, I've never been happier with a purchase.
 
Michael Zagachin:  If Georgio Armani can personally design and tailor you clothing for you at the same price as at J.C. Penny, where would you go?  If you can have Richard make your frame why to look elsewhere?

If you admire beauty, appreciate quality, insist on the perfection then look no further. Riding a Richard Sachs frame is like floating through the air without actually knowing you are on the bike.  After riding my RS for the last 15,000 miles the only regret I have is not getting it earlier.
 
Marc Forman:  A meticulously crafted frame.  A pleasure to view.  A greater pleasure to ride.
 
Victor Chance:  I've owned a Richard Sachs bicycle since '88 and can truthfully say that I have never regretted the purchase a single minute.  As my friends have gone on to the latest fad frame material (aluminum, carbon fiber, titanium) I've stuck with my Sachs.  They're always dissatisfied and looking for the next "thing" while I remain perfectly satisfied with my ride!

One thing I've learned is that weight is one of those attributes that have to be taken in context.  What good is an 18 pound bike if you can't ride it more than 50 miles because the thing is so uncomfortable and ill fitting?  My Sachs is perfect for me and has what it takes to be ridden all day, day after day.  This, by the way, is one of the characteristics mentioned by every one I've ever met that owned a Richard Sachs bicycle and it's what sent me to Richard to start with.

I currently own two Sachs bikes.  My original bike was crashed in a tangle with a pick up truck and was replaced in '91.  Since the Insurance Company had no interest in the damaged frame I kept it and had Richard repair it in '96.  Its as good as new, rides true as the day I got it.

I've ridden both bikes many miles.  For example, 4 RAGBRAI's, 4 Across Maryland rides and numerous other cycling trips.  My Sachs is always a topic of conversation ("I've always wanted to see one of these", "Boy, the workmanship is terrific, how does it ride?").  A memorable day was a ride to the top of l'Alpe d'Huez on race day with 250,000 cycling fans on the mountain waiting for the Tour de France.  I didn't set any records going up that mountain but there was a sense of pride knowing that any of the peloton would have been satisfied to have had my bike that day.
 
Lenny Passiglia:  "Big boys, big toys," my wife teases.  I guess there's some truth to that, and I have my favorites.  In 1996, I began shopping for a new road bike. A year later, after all was said and done, I met with Richard Sachs (a heck of a nice guy) to be measured for what turned out to be the best money I ever spent.

Due to constraints on my time, in cycling circles I consider myself a weekend warrior.  My Richard Sachs 25th Anniversary (#15 of 25), outfitted with Record 10-speed, has taken riding to a new level for me.  For fitness, stress reduction, freedom and pure enjoyment, my Sachs has proven to be an investment that continues to enhance my life.
 
John P. Barron:  I have owned several RS bikes over the years. They have been used exclusively for racing in criteriums.  Conventional wisdom is that the slightly lower bottom bracket height of an RS frame would be a drawback in a criterium. I have found just the opposite to be true!  The stability that I gain from the lower center of gravity allows me to carry more speed into and out of the turns.  It is this higher exit speed that gives me an advantage entering the final sprint.  In a sprint, when I really put the hammer down, my RS frame goes forward ... not every which way like other frames I own.