How do you choose?

[Mzilliox]

Once you have built up a nice stable of bicycles, how does one choose which to take on any given day? Oh the problems! way better than discussing politics... at least there's an answer here.:beer:

do you have a system?

algorithm?

matchy matchy?

bikes to fit the conditions?

Today its windy and it may rain or it may be 70 degrees. who knows? which horse out of the stable?
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2925/34159640976_fd2373cf08_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U3z6ab)Choices (https://flic.kr/p/U3z6ab) by Matt.zilliox (https://www.flickr.com/photos/41573599@N06/), on Flickr

i let the hen pick. she choose the blue bike. good choice in the wind with lower profile wheels and wider tires.:banana:

[Tickdoc]

Eeny meeny miny moe ......

But that's only two bikes?

One always calls out to me louder than the others.

That blue is just so right.

[Mzilliox]

Eeny meeny miny moe ......

But that's only two bikes?

One always calls out to me louder than the others.

That blue is just so right.

At the moment i have one other choice, but im tired of fenders, so at least i made it this far!

[45K10]

Is that a real chicken?

[weisan]

The secret is to make sure you don't duplicate and there are enough of a distinction between them to warrant the occasion. Some pals have racing bike #1, racing bike #2, racing bike #3....nuthin' wrong with that if that's what float your boat.

Here's the way I differentiate...

Classic steel bike #1 (Rivendell) - 32mm Compass tires, all-day comfort, relatively bad roads

Classic steel bike #2 (Eddy Merckx Corsa Xtra)- stage racer geometry, hot sexy red, bring to group ride where 99% of folks show up on their 5k carbon bikes, let them know who's boss :D, bears the name of god on the downtube

Classic steel bike #3 (Richard Sachs) - S&S coupled - travel or bring bike on trips, Eroica/PBP

Custom steel bike #4 - Ritchey Breakaway coupling - travel/carry bike on plane, meet airline restrictions, can fit 35mm tires, D2R2 bike

Multipurpose steel bike #5 (Surly Trucker) - platform flat pedals, saddle almost level with handlebar, big fatty 48mm Switch Back Hills compass tires, do-it-all, can serve gravel duty or just neighborhood bike

Titanium gravel bike (Merlin) - full fenders, triple crank, can fit 32mm file thread slicks or 42mm knobby, bad weather bike, has a rear pannier rack, light-duty/credit card touring

Carbon road bike (Cyfac) - absolutely must have the latest and the greatest but doesn't seem to make me any faster, I am no retro-grouch

There are others....but you get the idea. Buy/Build/Ride with Purpose.

[dcama5]

At the moment i have one other choice, but im tired of fenders, so at least i made it this far!

Hey, nice bikes for sure! Is your other choice a maroon Jeff Lyon L'avecaise? That's three beautiful bikes. Congrats!

[FlashUNC]

One has a compact, one has a standard.

The route helps dictate what I'm going to ride, along with the weather. Ones the nice day bike, the other can get disgusting.

And sometimes it's just mood.

[Matthew]

I have three really nice bikes. I usually ride one day, the second the next, the third the following. Once in a while I will get the itch to ride one a few times in a row but usually just swap them out one after the other. Keeps the drivetrain wear, etc. about equal.

[Kirk007]

The secret is to make sure you don't duplicate and there are enough of a distinction between them to warrant the occasion.

I think this is key. I currently have 3 "race" bikes that are essentially the same bike but for frame material. I'm thinking that's two too many; one of each style that you "need"/use. 1st world problem for sure but there's a feeling tugging at me that not having to decide and just going with one would be better (NB- there's still the rain/rando and the travel and the 29er so ...).

[bironi]

Once you have built up a nice stable of bicycles, how does one choose which to take on any given day? Oh the problems! way better than discussing politics... at least there's an answer here.:beer:

do you have a system?

algorithm?

matchy matchy?

bikes to fit the conditions?

Today its windy and it may rain or it may be 70 degrees. who knows? which horse out of the stable?
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2925/34159640976_fd2373cf08_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/U3z6ab)Choices (https://flic.kr/p/U3z6ab) by Matt.zilliox (https://www.flickr.com/photos/41573599@N06/), on Flickr

i let the hen pick. she choose the blue bike. good choice in the wind with lower profile wheels and wider tires.:banana:

In your case either is fine and neither sht like a stable steed.

[Hilltopperny]

I have narrowed it down to two race bikes and a gravel bike. One titanium for when the weather may turn the others are steel. I found that when I have 5 or more high end bikes at least two don't end up getting ridden.

[makoti]

I take the clean one

[kingpin75s]

Tires.

Why change tires when you can change wheels.
Why change wheels when you can change bikes.

Kidding aside. As I ride every surface I can and preferably most or all in the same ride when possible. For road, dirt, mountain and snow, I really have slotted most of my bikes based on tire size and tread purpose at this point.

[OtayBW]

One has a compact, one has a standard.

The route helps dictate what I'm going to ride, along with the weather. Ones the nice day bike, the other can get disgusting.

And sometimes it's just mood.
Yep - it's 1) gearing best suited to the ride, and then 2) mood. No fuss, no muss.

[Mzilliox]

Is that a real chicken?

Yes, thats one of my silly flock of birds!
I love the answers
here's my bikes by tire clearance

Zanconato: race bike, fits 25mm tires, 52-36 subcompact crank, stiff as, long and low, nice day bike, hammerfest bike.

Goodrich: steel roadie, blue, fits 30mm tires, 53-38 crank, performance oriented but more comfy all day then the Zanc (maybe its the wider tires), and blue!

Lavecaise: all road, fits 35mm tires, 50-34 compact crank, steel fork, fendered, pump peg, gravel ready, no computer.

Berthoud: out of commission for now, future town bike with flat peals

the weather here has really been bad, so its been a lot of the Lavecaise and lately the Goodrich when i can.

[NHAero]

CAAD10 - new-to-me - when I feel like riding hard, dry weather, 25mm tires

Anderson all-rounder - all day comfort on 37mm tires

Bob Jackson - fenders and rack, it's been wet out and I'm doing errands so need to carry a small amount of stuff - 25mm tires going to 28mm soon

Nagasawa fixed road trainer - usually, nice day, not a lot of time to ride, 10 miles around the state forest loop or back and forth to the library. Couple times/year ride it on a 35 mile loop.

Pivot MACH429C - weekly 3 hour ride with VORBA and other MTB rides

Litespeed Unicoi drop bar conversion - errands and short trips that combine pavement and trail, 54mm file tread Contis

Klein Pulse II - studded Freddy's Revenge tires, for fun when the roads and trails are ice and snow

Big Dummy - carrying more than the Bob Jackson and/or wet weather - generator hub and great fender converage

Raleigh 20 folder - hike or kayak outing that is not a loop but connected by road so can ride back to get the car

Nine bikes yet not a ton of overlap. Pretty lucky to have 'em, and my wife is more than tolerant (she's got a Salsa Casseroll all-rounder, a Spesh MTB, and a nice old Gunnar Rockhound with rack and generator hub for commuting)

[PacNW2Ford]

Tires.

Why change tires when you can change wheels.
Why change wheels when you can change bikes.

Kidding aside. As I ride every surface I can and preferably most or all in the same ride when possible. For road, dirt, mountain and snow, I really have slotted most of my bikes based on tire size and tread purpose at this point.

This^
Bike 1 - steel with carbon rims - flatter rides
Bike 2 - aluminum with fenders - wet rides
Bike 3 - titanium - anything
Bike 4 - carbon - just built, but by weight, the hilly stages :)

[rePhil]

I am the weird one with two identical (with the exception of wheels) 585's plus a third road bike, a Moots compact. From 35 years of riding I know what I like. And being retired in Florida I don't need a rain, gravel, CX, MTB or SS.

[bicycletricycle]

I try to keep a variety around. Still have a few that never get ridden :(

Oh well!

[witcombusa]

Not to over state the obvious but... which ever one you want!
Sometimes I take a different bike each time I ride for a week or two. Other times I may ride the same bike for five rides in a row.
I doesn't have to make sense! :banana:

[Llewellyn]

Easy.

If it's nice weather then I take the Llewellyn at least 80% of the time because it's simply the best fitting bike I have and it's the most fun to ride. My Tommasini gets a run when I feel like riding something different and my wife's old Ricardo gets a spin if I feel like going retro and using DT shifters and 6 speeds.

For wet or "it might end up wet" weather I take the Lynskey. And the Bianchi all rounder is for cafe rides with my wife or commuting.

[MattTuck]

If I'm riding outside on a road, I ride the Kirk, set up to handle roads and reasonable dirt. If the Kirk is being worked on, I ride my old Lemond Zurich.

If I get another bike, it will be set up more toward the big tires, fenders and the possibility of doing CX. Between those two, I'd be able to handle pretty much all road riding that I can imagine. If I needed to spend more money on bikes after that, I'd probably go for something a little more race oriented, with light wheels/fast tires.

[Vientomas]

Horses for courses...32c steel bike for dirt roads and 28c carbon bike for pavement.

[mhespenheide]

The secret is to make sure you don't duplicate and there are enough of a distinction between them to warrant the occasion. Some pals have racing bike #1, racing bike #2, racing bike #3....nuthin' wrong with that if that's what float your boat.

Here's the way I differentiate...

Classic steel bike #1 (Rivendell) - 32mm Compass tires, all-day comfort, relatively bad roads

Classic steel bike #2 (Eddy Merckx Corsa Xtra)- stage racer geometry, hot sexy red, bring to group ride where 99% of folks show up on their 5k carbon bikes, let them know who's boss :D, bears the name of god on the downtube

Classic steel bike #3 (Richard Sachs) - S&S coupled - travel or bring bike on trips, Eroica/PBP

Custom steel bike #4 - Ritchey Breakaway coupling - travel/carry bike on plane, meet airline restrictions, can fit 35mm tires, D2R2 bike

Multipurpose steel bike #5 (Surly Trucker) - platform flat pedals, saddle almost level with handlebar, big fatty 48mm Switch Back Hills compass tires, do-it-all, can serve gravel duty or just neighborhood bike

Titanium gravel bike (Merlin) - full fenders, triple crank, can fit 32mm file thread slicks or 42mm knobby, bad weather bike, has a rear pannier rack, light-duty/credit card touring

Carbon road bike (Cyfac) - absolutely must have the latest and the greatest but doesn't seem to make me any faster, I am no retro-grouch

There are others....but you get the idea. Buy/Build/Ride with Purpose.

Weisan-pal, I am impressed. I knew you had a good collection, but two coupled bikes? :rolleyes: :eek: :banana:

[R3awak3n]

I keep trying to diversify but seem to always have to have 2 road bikes that do exactly the same.

My elephant NFE does everything so it serves as commuter, gravel bike, touring bike and occasionally road bike. It is just too good that I don't need more bikes, expect I like road bikes on the road (which is really where the elephant kind of.... I wouldnt say sucks, but its less good).

So I have the English. Steel, 28mm tires, love the geometry on this, very comfortable and fits me perfectly. Will be great on long rides.

Now I just bought a look 585 ultra because I always wanted to try carbon. Still building it but to be honest, this will do the same duty as the english... I should have bought a MTB but I am just not into it right now... maybe in the future.


Matt, you are kind of the same situation. The zanc and the goodritch are kind of the same bike so it will be a tossup all the time. The Lyon will always be picked in crappy weather or gravel. ah, same situation as me, but I don't have the chicken.. at least not yet (I am about to move to a farm so we might get chickens at some point)

[YesNdeed]

Simple: Ride the Zanc, mail the Goodrich to me. Done.

[bking]

https://photos.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/Various/i-2zQdkVC/0/X2/IMG_2936-X2.jpg
Kind of like TickDoc above, whichever one calls my name sweetly...or screams loudest. And I usually stick with it two days...then move on.

[oldpotatoe]

Wet, like yesterday-Moots. DT shifters, friction, Phil hubs and BB..hardly ever clean it.

Dry, like today, Merckx MXLeader/Delta/EPS

[Mzilliox]

https://photos.smugmug.com/Tour-de-Bike/Various/i-2zQdkVC/0/X2/IMG_2936-X2.jpg
Kind of like TickDoc above, whichever one calls my name sweetly...or screams loudest. And I usually stick with it two days...then move on.

I love what you've done with the place!

[Mzilliox]

Matt, you are kind of the same situation. The zanc and the goodritch are kind of the same bike so it will be a tossup all the time. The Lyon will always be picked in crappy weather or gravel. ah, same situation as me, but I don't have the chicken.. at least not yet (I am about to move to a farm so we might get chickens at some point)

The Goodrich is really a pretty good all rounder to be honest. i mean i could ride it on gravel no issues with 30mm tires.

I see the Goodrich being my daily driving Cadillac/BMW, the Zanc being the Porsche that comes out on weekends, and the Lyon is the farm truck or station wagon, doing the dirty work.

[weisan]

I see the Goodrich being my daily driving Cadillac/BMW, the Zanc being the Porsche that comes out on weekends, and the Lyon is the farm truck or station wagon, doing the dirty work.

NOW you are getting the hang of it! :D

Just got back doing a short ride on my Merlin Ti bike. It doesn't go out as often as the others because it's a dedicated touring and gravel bike. But man, for a 30-year-old bike it sure rides really nice...heck, even nicer than bikes produced in 2017!

Anyway, just to add on top of what I posted....acknowledge that this is all a matter of "excess", more of a luxury than a necessity, a privilege not a right. When we were staying abroad, I had only one bike and it was fine, I was able to do everything I wanted and enjoy cycling to the fullest. Coming back to the States given the extra space, easy access, relatively inexpensive due to "soft" market, and some dumb luck - I was able to acquired several really nice bikes in short order, plus it helps that I had been doing this for like 30 years, I kinda know what I am looking for and what I like, so when the opportunity knocked, I answered.

Can I go back to only one bike again?

Yeah sure...anytime.

It's the ride that I am looking for, not the bike.

[etu]

Matt,
It makes sense to differentiate the bikes based on their riding characteristics, but it's ok to just to have variety.
My commuter has been getting the most love over this wet winter but i rebuilding up another bike that should ride very similarly. It's got a great paint job and it's blue, not orange.