Life changing bike was in summer 1983 when I was racing my Schwinn Scrambler & I had gone through all my BMX mags and written out a component list of the ultimate BMX bike- total build sheet with the best of everything. I lost the list. I came down the steps on Xmas morning and saw the bike sitting there! Torker frame, redline cranks, hutch hubs, MCI neck, Shimano DX pedals, Uni seat...etc. exactly how I had written it down, with a couple of improvements courtesy of Rod at Howell Twp. bicycle world who built it and said it was the most 'rad' bike he had built in a long time. My grandfather had passed away in October & had left some money for me. My parents snagged the list used it to have the bike built as a last gift from Pop-pop. I literally grew up on that bike. Even if I wasnt riding, just hanging around the neighborhood talking, we'd all be on the bikes with the front wheel perpendicular & balancing while we chewed the fat. I still have it. I will always still have it!
The bike that made me less of a random idiot in the woods, though is my 01 Specialized Rockhopper that got me back into riding after too many years. NOthing has ever broken on it despite several trips to Whiteface Mtn. in NY for downhill and one full day at Diablo. It has recently been loaned to my brother in law, and has gotten him into riding as well although painfully for me he has fitted it with road-friendly tires & likes pavement more than trail.