One Bike Only - Who's Done It

[weaponsgrade]

I have about 10 or so bikes. And every now and then I think about reducing it down to one. OK, maybe three: a road/cross, a mountain bike, and a beater grocery bike. I figure I'll sell everything except for the mountain bike and the beater, and put the money towards a Ti cross bike w/ S&S couplers and an extra wheelset set up w/ road tires. A few problems: 1) I always find an excuse for why I can't get rid of bike X. For example, I will never again find an '85 Masi w/ 1st gen C-Record - UNRIDDEN!; can't get rid of the Serotta since that was my first real road bike; I haven't even gotten a chance to build up and ride the Luigino yet; I've been mountain biking all over the country on my Ibis Mojo and have so many memories, etc. you get the picture.

And 2) I feel I might regret the decision later on. So, I want to hear from people who have decided to simplify and don't regret it.

[paulandmonster]

i had 15 but severe perotonitis bills so i had to sell im down to one after bus hit me . over a year now and its ok i miss my pog chrome 50th annivesary but i never rode it my panto olmo i also miss but didnt ride it much so all in all its not bad i have alot more room but it will be nice when i get new bike piece of mind in having backup so ultimately only need 2but you need at least 3 sets of wheels

[Ray]

I still have four and a half (the folding bike only counts as half) but I basically just ride one for fun and one other for errands. A road bike and a town bike seems to be all I need anymore. That's ALMOST one. If I lived where I couldn't use the town bike, I guess I'd be fine with one nice road bike. But that would suck.

-Ray

[Frank]

It is a road bike, Specialized Tarmac Elite.

I truly don't miss having other bikes and stuff around, although I might buy another non-full carbon fiber road bike in the next few months just to have some variety and back-up around.

[djg]

Nah, I've got three, and that's not counting an old hard tail plus hard fork mtb that never gets ridden. I did sell the second road bike, but still have a road bike, a cross bike, and a fixed gear bike.

Of course, I was in much better form back in the day, when I had just the one road bike and no thoughts of anything else.

[gemship]

I bought a trek 4300sl mountain bike a year ago just to go trail riding with my girlfriend and we only went once. To make the bike useful I added a front fender,slicks, and a quick release rack/bungeed milk crate. Its become my four season commuter bike but it actually does everything rather nicely. I have three other bikes that I can't really see parting with simply because I may never replace them again, like the op states. One is a r3sl that cost me 5k, that was a one time purchase dream bike and as I get older with more sensible money related priorities I'm pretty sure I'll never spend that on a bike again.

[alancw3]

i downsized to one bike two years ago from a stable of four. love the simplicity of having only one bike. in reality, for me, each time i would get a new bike i would rarely if ever ride the others, so the decision suits me.

[Elefantino]

I did it for a while. At various points I was down to a) a Trek 5200, b) an Atlanta and c) a CSi.

I have since come to my senses. I now have two. Well, three if you count one without brifters sitting in pieces in the bike closet.

I would like at least one more. But the economy has to turn a bit before I can make SCS an offer on his HC! ;)

[MerckxMad]

before my wife reads it. This is a horrible thought that should never be spoken of again. Everyone knows that you can never have enough bikes.

[Ahneida Ride]

One Legend Ti .... I can't afford another ...

[Joellogicman]

An '82 Trek 728 updated to fit Tubus Racks and other long distance self-supported touring and two customs, both basically commuters.

Much as with motorized vehicles, full camper bikes tend to be a bit large and awkward when used for commuters. So going to one only would not be all that practical.

I could get rid of one of my commuters. Both are custom, however, (and one I have not actually taken possession of yet) meaning I would probably have to take a big loss selling one. The plan right now is to bring one to a vacation house I share with my sister and her family. I fear when I am not there my nephew may let curiousity get the better of him and wreck the bike somehow. So the plan is not fully committed yet.

I would like to get either a '60s Masi or a '50s or '60s Herse more as piece of art than a rider. If you do not ride it does it really count?

Finally, I have an odd obsession with having a road bike with coaster brakes. As coaster hub widths are not all that compatible with modern road bike chain stays, I find myself looking at project frames on eBay and other sources more than I ought to. So far, I have been able to resist.

[spiderman]

i ride one to go fast
one to go slow,
one in the rain
and one for the snow,
one that goes uphill
and one that goes down
and just one to ride
all around town...
i like to ride my bike(s)!

[benb]

I have 2 and I think I could manage with just one.

I have my Serotta Concours, and I have a F/S Mountain bike. Realistically I could get by with just the Serotta as I ride it most of the time. If I was to make a change I think it would actually be to switch back to a hardtail MTB that was lower cost, simply because I end up riding the MTB in the winter and I prefer simpler.

I have had up to 5 bikes.. I had 2 nice road bikes, a fixie, and 2 MTBs in 2004. When they mostly sit it feels like a waste and just represents consumerism.

Little things.. but I wish my Concours had been made to take racks, should have asked for that, just to make that one bike even more versatile.

I guess the nice thing about 2 is I have one to ride when the other is down for maintenance.

I think some of my lack of desire to have more is I seem to have enough fit issues just trying to make one work perfectly. Having more just represents more hassle.

[Dave]

Own what you need and actually ride (good advice, hard to follow). Obviously, a road bike is no substitute for an MTB or cross bike. 10-15 bikes is ridiculous, though. You couldn't put any significant mileage on most of them and what a pain to store.

I always have two bikes - one really nice one and one that's older and perhaps lower level or older-parts equipped. The lesser bike is used on an indoor trainer and dirty roads. It's got fatter tires for better traction on dirty roads.

I splurged this year and got a third bike that's high level (LOOK 585 Ultra). I didn't need it at all, but the frame was a closeout bargain and I wanted to set it up with PowerTap wheels. With PowerTap wheels, the bike cost about the same as my other bike with a LOOK 585 origin frame bought at full MSRP (special edition paint, couldn't resist).

Now I feel silly having two good bikes and only riding 5,000 miles a year. The third bike will only see 5 hours or so of trainer riding each week in the winter and 500-1000 miles of road use each year. The remaining mileage will be split between the other two good bikes.

If I don't see much value in the PowerTap wheels, maybe the third bike will be sold off as parts sometime next year. In the meantime, however, both are being converted to Campy 11 speed. I sold off all of my spare parts, netting enough to pay for one Record group (with Chorus cassette). The 585 Ultra bike will get a minimum changeover group (shifters, RD, cassette and chain), unless more parts are needed.

[David Kirk]

I have two bikes...... one road and one mountain. I'd like to add a cross bike when I get time but I don't suffer in the slightest.

dave

[benb]

That is one of the things I have a hard time with when people are screaming "CROSS CROSS CROSS!" the last few years.. even though a cross bike represents a nice flexible bike I really don't want a 3rd bike just for a type of race that only happens in the fall and has it's own bike requirements...

Only way I could see it is replacing a mountain bike, and a mountain bike still opens up a lot of terrain that a cross bike can't safely access.

[Kines]

Owning many bikes is only rediculous if you don't ride them.

I have a nice road/race bike (the Serotta)
second road bike that acts as back-up, commuter, and rainy day bike
Full suspension MTB that I race
Hard tail MTB that I ride at the start of the season, or just when I feel like it
Cyclocross that I race on, and occasionally commute
Triathlon bike that I race (although lately just "relay" tri's, unfortunately)
Lugged steel roadie that's about to be a fixie

And the only I bike that I consider to be really "extra":
Old Aluminum MTB that has studded tires and fenders for the rare occasion I need it here, wouldn't be worth $100 on ebay, so why not keep it since I've got the space?!?

KN

[gemship]

I have a friend who has made a neat little business buying and selling bicycles. He specializes in old Raliegh/english 3 speeds but will basically buy any bike between 20$ to 100$ for resale. The dude currently owns in excess of 40 bikes. Its so funny but obnoxious. By trade he's always been a junk/antique dealer so what used to be a fun treasure hunt of a shop to browse thru has become a over crowded bike depot. Its funny to know this dude and see how a silly interest has become a real chore.

I guess my point is, it's easier to have many bikes than only one. Definitely hard to have none. At least to me anyway. In fact the less bikes most folks have is point against them in my book unless I see them riding all the time :)

[djg]

That is one of the things I have a hard time with when people are screaming "CROSS CROSS CROSS!" the last few years.. even though a cross bike represents a nice flexible bike I really don't want a 3rd bike just for a type of race that only happens in the fall and has it's own bike requirements...

Only way I could see it is replacing a mountain bike, and a mountain bike still opens up a lot of terrain that a cross bike can't safely access.

Um . . . if you're not into it, you're not into it. If you're into it, it's cool and you may have a fair number of races to choose from, from September on into December. I suppose you really sort of need a cross bike to do them (although if it's a matter of jumping into one or two C races just to give it a shot and see what it's like, you can show up with an old mtb, take off the bar-ends, and do just fine) but the cross bike does not have to be a high dollar item -- sure, you could have a high-end race bike, and a high-end pit bike, and many wheel choices, and there's nothing wrong with that, but lots of race-worthy things don't cost a bundle, even before you start looking at used gear and, at leat around here, lots of folks show up and do pretty well on inexpensive gear. I dunno, I'm a relative newbie, cross-wise, but it's not my first season and I'm still into it and itching to do more than my schedule allows.

[mcteague]

I used to have two but finally sold the mt bike as I almost never rode it. After riding in the woods for 20 years these old bones just grew tired of it. When I got my Seven Axiom I was so in love with it that I rode through Winter, my usual mt bike time. I then discovered I really preferred the road for cycling so I now have just the one. I do have a couple pairs of wheels though for backups. While I like the new stuff I just cannot justify more than one bike. The Seven does what I want and I cannot imagine what I would change on it.

Tim McTeague

[eddief]

Long wheel base recumbent
Tadpole trike recumbent
S and S coupled Kogswell
Steve Rex
funky old Rockhopper

Since getting bent, uprights mostly hang in the garage.

[14max]

i had 15 but severe perotonitis bills so i had to sell im down to one after bus hit me . over a year now and its ok i miss my pog chrome 50th annivesary but i never rode it my panto olmo i also miss but didnt ride it much so all in all its not bad i have alot more room but it will be nice when i get new bike piece of mind in having backup so ultimately only need 2but you need at least 3 sets of wheels

Why three sets?

In theory, I own two bikes as I'm still waiting on both framesets to come back from paint. Both are road bikes and, frankly, I don't feel the need/want to own more than that. I don't understand the need for three sets of wheels though. Help me get it...

[scottcw2]

2 geared road bikes, 1 fixed gear.

[sloji]

I had several recumbents and sold them all for the one Serotta Ottrott and that's the only bike I have and I ride the crap out of it. If I did have another bike it would be a cargo bike of some kind.

[xjoex]

I have 5 bikes.

Road bike: Seven Odonata ride it a good deal.

Mountain bike: A 2003 Klein Palomino

Cross Bike: Seven Mudhoney

Commuter: Bianchi Castro Valley, that I ride and ride and ride

Beach Cruiser: I have a cool army styled beach cruiser I got when I leaved in a cruiser friendly town on craigslist for $100. I just can't get rid of it, I'll move to the beach soon and use it there :)

Here is the year to day amount of my riding by type of bike.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h85/boulderjoe/bigbike.png
or another way of looking at it:
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h85/boulderjoe/multiline.png

I really enjoy riding the cross bike, I will ride the double track in my local park on muddy days instead of tearing up the singletrack, I like racing it too.

I like bikes is what it comes down to...

-Joe

[WadePatton]

Clean, polish, and hang the unridden bikes with semintanmental (yeah, I know) value and call them trophies or art-whichever she'll let you. A sturdy old frame on the ceiling in the kitchen would be a great place to hang cookware-yeah, I'm single--one could install a few sockets and it'd be a lighting fixture.

Have 5 now will replace all of them with my own work eventually. My optimum number is around seven. One or two mountain (until I settle on a wheel size), one roadie with gears, one flip/flop, one 'crosser, one spare 'crosser, and maybe a rig with fenders, lights, basket, and a trailer hitch.

Spares for "helping" friends discover new disciplines or loaners are good to have too. ;)

Hellfiredamnation-I keep a spare truck or two! Chainsaws and tools are always held in duplicate as well. Does anybody have just one screwdriver?

[jmc22]

I have 3 bikes.. a Serotta Ottrott, Cervelo R3-SL for the road and a Yeti AS-RSL in the Mountains for the Mountians....it's nice having 2 road bikes as I can have one in the trainer and one ready to go for the road if it's a nice day without having to worry about changing out the wheelset, removing the cadance and other stuff...Right now the Ottrott is currently hooked-up to the Computrainer for the winter, the R3-SL ready to ride on the road and the AS-RSL up in the mountains for Vail, Keystone or Breakenridge until they start to cover it with snow. :)

[Peter P.]

TEN BIKES?! That makes you more of a collector than a rider. Which do you want to be? It never made sense to me to own something you don't use enough to justify owning.

Your bikes don't love you back and you can't possibly ride some of them enough to justify owning them, so they're just pieces of art.

Stop coveting those things and winnow your stable down to the essentials.

Here's what else you can do:

Those bikes you can't bear to get rid of for whatever reason-have gorgeous, studio quality poster sized portraits taken of them. Have them framed, maybe even matted. Hang them as the art they are in your bedroom, workout room, shop, etc. They'll look beautiful and you'll have the memories. I wish I had a room with pictures of my old bikes; THAT would be cool.

Here's what else I see: a cycling aficianado needs two bikes, maybe three. One will be a performance/racing bike because that's the type of cycling most of us do.

A second should have fenders for bad days, or days when it LOOKS like the weather will turn foul. You should not be afraid to get this bike wet OR dirty. It should not be expensive; the less you pay for it the more you're willing to abuse it. This bike COULD have a rack for carrying stuff, if you do that type of riding. This bike could EASILY double as a training bike, or a primary bike when a serious mechanical sidelines your main ride.

The third bike could be a mountain bike or a cross bike, or the mountain bike/cross bike could double as the second bike above. Just have two sets of wheels; an off-road pair and a skinny tired set, with fenders that quickly install/remove.

Save the money/space/marriage. STOP COLLECTING BIKES!

[bigman]

MerckxMad gets it.

[Ahneida Ride]

Ya know, I could easliy turn into a Bigman or DBRK .... ;)

[rwsaunders]

One Legend....one Poprad.

[dogdriver]

Hello. My name is Chris, and I'm a gearhead.

Ti Legend with RED, because I built it from completely used parts and its cool.

Orbea Orca with a Powertap for pain days.

Ventana El Rey 29er luxo cruiser because its the best mtb I've ever been on.

Surly Karate Monkey SS to make the short mtb rides more interesting, and to practice spinning out following my 8 year old.

Surly Pugsley because I don't run any more and would rather be outside on the snow than in the garage on the Kurt Kinetic.

Orbea Lanza 29er hardtail for towing the kids in the Chariot to the bagel shop, and riding studded tires in the winter.

Thanks for listening. My name is Chris, and I'm a gearhead.

[caleb]

I currently have four:

1) Pedal Force RS2 road bike.

2) Yaqui Aerolite tri/tt bike.

3) BMC CX02 cross bike.

4) Trek 720 commuter.

I race the first three all the time. I think a commuter is its own justification.

If I cut down to one bike I'd have to stop doing a couple of activities that I really enjoy. That doesn't sound like a good idea.

[Jawn P]

I ride BMX, so that definitely complicates things.

Waterford 1200 go fast setup.
Surly Long Haul Trucker commuter / tourer
Surly Steamroller fixed / ss cross / towpath rider
Redline Monocog fixed MTB
Sunday BMX

I'd like a geared MTB and if my first season of cross goes well a geared cross bike, but besides that I think my stable is pretty comprehensive.

[Lincoln]

To the OP: Keep the Masi, that's not a bike anymore, it's art. I think the picture collection is a kool idea but sometimes you need the real thing to fully appreciate it. As far as the rest, if they are Just My Size (tm: Dave) then sell some of them :rolleyes: .

Chris: What happened to the Santa Cruz? Did you actually sell a bike? And yes he is a gearhead. Don't even get him started on his ski collection....

I'm currently at four, but will be back to three shortly. The lack of a garage is seriously cramping my style.

Strong road bike
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR
Fisher Rig SS 29er mtb (new addition)
Bianchi Pista (on the way out, anyone need one?)

I'll miss the Pista in the Spring on the roads but I mostly use it as a townie/trail-a-bike bike and the Fisher will do that better. If I were single (ie could just keep all the bikes in a spare bedroom) or had a garage I would keep the Pista. I guess I will see how much I miss having a fixie come Spring time, I can always build up another one.

[jimcav]

i had at least 12 built, now down to 3 (and i don't count my mtb or my tri bike (last used in 2003--sentimental and i plan to do another ironman)

1 crumpton sl
2 IF 953
3 vanilla

i also don't count my Rig SS 29er and my serotta coors light which are with relatives for when i get back home on leave (vacation)

i actually think about going to one, but i know i'd be buying/selling every 6 months or so. If i didn't have the 3 to mix things up, i'd want to try something new, and then i'd have to sell one, buy one, then sell it, but something else--it is just how i am

[ox_rider]

I have three. A road bike I ride outside, a road bike that stays on the trainer and a mountain bike I never ride. I keep thinking I will sell the mountain bike but then I see kids riding to school on bikes that look just like it and figure my kids will grow into it and then it will have a use again.

[JMerring]

Right now the Ottrott is currently hooked-up to the Computrainer for the winter

hooking on ottrott up to a trainer seems like a waste, imo. i'm not judging, just saying.

[jmc22]

hooking on ottrott up to a trainer seems like a waste, imo. i'm not judging, just saying.

That's okay, I think hooking a bike up to a trainer (especially a Computrainer) that you don't plan to ride seems like a waste of good training time to me...one might as well get a Lemond spin trainer bike at that point...besides, it's not like it's hooked up all year, just the winter months.

[flickwet]

hooking on ottrott up to a trainer seems like a waste, imo. i'm not judging, just saying.
I hate the trainer but I do it so I make it as cool as i Can, I love ogling the curves and details of my Colarado while I'm whiling away my life sweaten in the basement, and I think she likes the attention, I do put a bath towel from the seat to the bars and wipe her down good, thing is with carbon or ti you don't even have to worry and your baby gets some guilt free indoor miles

[thwart]

i had at least 12 built, now down 3 (and i don't count my mtb or my tri bike (last used in 2003--sentimental and i plan to do another ironman) Jim, is that a new version of the 12 step plan? :rolleyes:

I too see the need to downsize. So folks, next spring, keep your eyes peeled...

[Hard Fit]

I would find it difficult to just have one bike. I have 3 now, but could easily get down to 2. I have one bike (fixie) for errands/commuting/bad weather ridng and is my if they steal it, I don't care bike. I have one main bike where I do the most miles. Finally, the mountain bike just sits there and could be sold.

[72gmc]

I basically have one, my Davidson, that I ride all the time, all year round. I put wheels on my cross bike if it snows.

On the three wheelsets argument, I can see it working for me: 1) a set of "event/summer" wheels, 2) a set of "commute/off season" wheels, and 3) a set of tubulars that I ride once in a while and then hide away in purple velvet like the Billy Baroo.

[Arnabio]

Interesting thoughts. In a perfect world, I'd have 4. I currently have 4 frames, but 2 are busted and wouldn't cover the 4 required.

2 Working:

Roadie: 2008 Serotta Ottrott (actually, this one's in the mail to my, and I am SO excited, there are pics in the images forum!)
Commuter: 1987 Trek 560 Pro Series (Thank you craigslist for this amazing bike, it's comfortable, plush, yet race twitchy, and it's old enough to drink)

2 Busted, both from accidents this year:

Tri/TT Bike: 2007 Felt DA (Car turned against a light, hit me, I was doing 22, screwed up my wrist and cracked the frame, wrecked the wheels, thankfully not the race Zipps, but the rear was a powertap)
2006 Cervelo Soloist Team (I love this bike, but after 12,000 miles of abuse it finally struck me back, at the end of june something went in my front spoke while I was sprinting from a light and flung me into the ground, face first, broke my jaw that was pinned and plated to fix it. As a result the fork and frame are both pretty busted)

Wishlist/Remorse for loss

2005 Giant Trance 1: I LOVED this bike, I lived in vail for 2 years after I finished undergrad before moving on to grad and med school and this bike was my summertime companion. I sold it when I moved to chicago and still wish I had it, especially now that I moved to Philly for med school and there is, once again MTB terrain (and basic elevation gain!).


So there you have it, the storied bicycles that I own/want/have fought back)

-Aaron

[labratmatt]

I feel like I'm at the minimum with three: one road, one mountain, and one commuter.

One pair of mountain shoes, one pair of road shoes.

One spare set of road wheels.

I'm a minimalist and take pleasure in keeping things simple.

[shinomaster]

When I was in college, and just after, I had only one bike (a purple paramount) and one decent set of wheels. It truly was all I needed. I rode it all summer and through the worst inclement weather in Boston.
Looking at the huge pile of wheels and bikes in my living room I wonder if or how it has improved my life or cycling. I don't think I'm any better off now.
I do need the cross bike as I race cross, but I doubt I need all the extra road wheels and frames in my closet. When I had two road bikes built up I always favored the Cannondale and the other bike was neglected. I'm toying with the idea of rebuilding it, but now I wonder if I'll just neglect it again in favor of something new and faster.

[jimcav]

Jim, is that a new version of the 12 step plan? :rolleyes:

I too see the need to downsize. So folks, next spring, keep your eyes peeled...

i edited my post as it should have read down to 3 (road bikes)

I very briefly had 1 (vanilla), but only as i was builing up the crumpton, then got the IF just before moving to san diego once i realized we'd not be selling our house in WA, and not be buying in CA...

all i can say, 2 was too few--i wanted another. 3 is good--some days i feel like selling one so i can get something else. some days i think i should just have 2--the favorite and the back-up. today i think 4 would be nice
i should sell my tri bike and then get one if and when i start doing triathlons again. then again i "should" have been content with my 1995 c-40 with record 8 and shamals and my '93 coors light

I have 3 of the best bikes i could find, yet still my eye wanders.
honestly i did good (for me) going from 12 road bieks to 3, 15 sets of wheels to 4, and 3 mtn bikes to one

[Jack Brunk]

What the purpose of having only one bike?

[Elefantino]

What the purpose of having only one bike?
:banana:

[WadePatton]

What the purpose of having only one bike?
I sold my 1st roadie and my 1st atb in order to buy a newerfangled atb-result, one bike. Almost the DUMBEST thing I've ever done. :crap:

'Twas many years ago.

[SimonC]

I'm now down to one bike - my custom Mather randonneur. I commute 16 miles round-trip on it, go grocery and general shopping on it (two panniers will take about a week's worth of food). I ride audax and general weekend riding on it. Heck, I've even chained it to a lampost before when I'm having a few beers with friends and want to ride home....

I had originally planned to keep my MXL, but the Mather was so practical I barely rode the MXL. I also originally planned to keep my Seven Sola, but I'm just not riding off-road sufficiently so I'm in the process of parting it out and selling it.

Part of this is because I live in London, so I don't have much space. The most part is that I'm happier with one bike that will do everything. No decisions about what to ride, no need to hoard multiple sets of spare parts. Less cash tied up in things that depreciate.

[Ginger]

I had 12 at one point...but now just the one.
My Kirk Montana road bike with terraplane stays.

Everyone mistakes it for a cross bike...silly people.


Oh, I did have three sets of wheels for it. One set of Neutron tubulars, open pro clinchers with road tires and open pro clinchers with knobbies.

[Fixed]

one bike = one mt. bike one cross bike one track bike one road race bike
one city bike and a backup for each just in case imho
cheers

[Oirad]

Yeah, Fixed!!!

I own 4 bikes:

A Conti, 10 speed (Yes, a ten speed! It used to have 12, but way many gears for me) that I bought in Italy in 1986. I couldn't get rid of it;

One 1988 Wicked Fat Chance converted to fixed gear but will be converted back to a geared mtb (so that I have a geared mtb). Why would I ever give up my Wicked?

One ANT fixed gear road (fork only takes 25mm max) that is the bike I ride for all sorts of rides, most of the time;

and I'm going to have another ANT bike soon, a fixed mtb, 26" wheels, for urban riding, not too technical mtb, grocery runs, etc... to accompany me into old age, with a front rack that I can take on and off. Do I need it. Heck, no! But I've turned 50 and was recently promoted, so "this will be my last bike!" :rolleyes:

If you ride and enjoy all of your bikes, then they are indeed necessary (to your sanity).

-- Oirad

[benc]

I got rid of my road frame and fork, moved my components to my cross bike and have been riding it as my primary bike for a few months now. I still have a mountain bike and a track bike or two and a tandem and a couple of beaters... but I feel like I have one bike because its all I ride and I love it. Thats the most important piece of cutting back your stable. Find one you love and you'll forget about the rest of them.

[maxdog]

before my wife reads it. This is a horrible thought that should never be spoken of again. Everyone knows that you can never have enough bikes.

I'll second this emotion.

[54ny77]

for years i had only one road bike, with different wheelsets to mix it up if needed. rain, snow, sunshine--one was the only number.

then i discovered this place and vsalon.

it's been pretty much downhill ever since....n +1.....

[DHallerman]

Save the money/space/marriage. STOP COLLECTING BIKES!

Why? Did it hurt your marriage? :rolleyes:

I mean, I have more bikes than any one person needs, but I enjoy the multiple choices, and my wife thinks it's a fine pastime.

Of course, she has five bikes due to my bad influence.

Dave, who almost never ever uses smilies in these message board posts but thought that first comment above definitely required one and he hopes he used the right one

[pdmtong]

bikes are cheaper than porsches or girlfriends on the side

road
mtn
cross/rain
town
tandem

need 5 minimum

[sloji]

I've had one bike for three years now, it's a 99 Richard Sachs. I rode with some pros up Tunitas Creek in the Bay Area on vacation and wondered if a 13lb bike would help cause it's stiffer and more cranky but logic convinced me that i'd still suffer and be on the trailing end of nothing.

[christian]

I currently have one bike - a 1996 Merckx MX Leader. (I also have a frame in the rafters, but the frame is not the bike, atmo.) I often think of getting another bike when I'm reading the forums. I never think about getting a new bike when I'm riding my bike. I do have two wheelsets, because not riding because of a flat tubular, well, that's not just done.

[Germany_chris]

I've had one bike for three years now, it's a 99 Richard Sachs. I rode with some pros up Tunitas Creek in the Bay Area on vacation and wondered if a 13lb bike would help cause it's stiffer and more cranky but logic convinced me that i'd still suffer and be on the trailing end of nothing.

I've pondered selling the my last remaining two bikes and keeping the Centaur group and just getting a Sachs..

[jtakeda]

I feel like most really only need 4 (ok not really need but you know what I mean).

1) Round town bike that you can lock up and not worry about.

2) Commuter Bike.

3) Go fast/All day long ride bike.

4) The bike your heart desires. (I.e. Cross, Mountain, Classic Sunday rider,fixed)

[eippo1]

because when that one needed some work, I found myself so annoyed to not have a ride (until I fixed it) that I added a rain bike. Then I added a cross bike, then a Sunday bike, then a mountain bike.

And then I added a touring bike and a beater. I'm getting rid of the touring and the beater, though. Not enough space.

The nice thing about what I have is that I own the TI bike I've always wanted, my dream bike that I wanted in 2005 (an Sworks E5) and my dream bike that i wanted in 1989 (an Ironman Centurion), so they all have meaning for me.

[sonicCows]

*

[Spinner]

... all this talk of one bike only is pure blasphemy.

[Kirk Pacenti]

Fwiw, I have only ever been a one bike at a time kinda guy...One MTB and one road bike.

I figure I can only ride them one at a time anyway...

Cheers,
KP

[wooly]

I did it for about 2 years. But now I have a Peg Respo being built and I am falling off the wagon!

[Jeff N.]

I have only one GARAGE so far.

[kgreene10]

I did it last season when I trained and raced on a Fisher Cronus. The trouble was for TTs. I tried clip-on bars, but just couldn't get the right position. This year I bought a TT bike (so I now have two bikes -- or one real bike plus one very special occasion torture device.)

[PanTerra]

Decisions, decisions...

http://panterragroup.home.mindspring.com/misc/IMAG0053s.jpg

[Toddtwenty2]

I tried by going with a Litespeed Appalachian cross bike. It didn't work out for me, so now I've got a road, mountain, and touring bike. That covers my bases.

I also married a woman that is almost the exact same size as me... so I have two more bikes as well :)

[christian]

I also married a woman that is almost the exact same size as me... so I have two more bikes as well :)Now, that's good thinking!

[d.vader123]

I feel I only need 2 bikes max. One all-around bike that can serve as my comfy, commuting, long-distance ride. I don't race so a race bike is not a concern for me. My all-around bike is plenty fast.

I have considered another bike in the form of a folder because there are times I needed to park my bike outside and can't afford to do that with my all-around bike. If I had a beater that would work, but then I thought, why not get a folder. I would enjoy it far more than a beater, and it would serve practical purposes whenever I need to bring it indoors (i.e. restaurant, gym, etc.)

[benc]

My wife and I ride the same frame size too. She used to ride my cross bike and I rode my road but I got rid of the road and cross became primary so guess what she got?

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7018/6784883059_8871441c8f_z.jpg

[Bob Loblaw]

I had one bike for many years. Now I have three, two racing bikes and one single speed road bike. I have thought about simplifying, but I am so hard on equipment there are occasions when I am down to only one functioning bike.

BL

[Jaq]

One bike at a time, 30 years now. Buy a new one, get rid of the last one. I hate "stuff."

[luno]

i think for bike people 2 bikes would be the bare minimum, but 3-4 is ideal. gotta have a backup bike though imo.

[Black Dog]

Polygamy vs Serial Monogamy. This is at the heart of the human condition.

[bfd]

i think for bike people 2 bikes would be the bare minimum, but 3-4 is ideal. gotta have a backup bike though imo.

Agree! When I was just doing "recreational riding," e.g., riding on weekends only, one bike was sufficient.

However, now that most of my riding is commuting, I find that a backup bike is necessary. So, two or more is the minimum and 3-4 is ideal! Good Luck!

[Blue Jays]

"...I think for bike people 2 bikes would be the bare minimum, but 3-4 is ideal.
Gotta have a backup bike though imo..."Completely agree.
There will be a time you're rushing to meet-up at the group ride only to discover a flat tire or similar inconvenience.
It is nice to simply grab another bike off the hook and start pedaling to where you need to go.

[velotel]

One bike, a Litespeed for maybe 15 years, replaced by an Eriksen. Ride the one bike everywhere. That's enough for me. Hard enough just having a mistress and a wife much two bikes.

[mcteague]

Just one, a nearly 10 year old Seven Axiom. Sometimes I am curious about a Crumpton or Parlee but I can only ride one bike at a time. One is bound to be my favorite and that would be the one I would ride.

On the other hand, it would be nice to have a spare in case of a major accident.

tim

[William]

Three right now: Cross, Mtb, SS road.



I'm good.





William

[Spinner]

... ciii, rambouillet, trek 2000 (1985), american-made marin hardtail and a co-motion co-pilot tandem.

I wish that I still had my 1972 schwinn continental, traded it in for a nishiki international, sold the nishiki to a close bud who still has it in pristine condition, followed by a motobecane grand record that was lifted from my condo storage unit.

Many here like to buy/ride/sell and that's cool; I prefer to hold on because of all the memories that I've had with each one, which you cannot price.

I enjoy the variety of the rides and always having a back-up, at least of single road bikes. After all, what do one-bike owners do if their chain is too dirty before a scheduled ride?

[DHallerman]

After all, what do one-bike owners do if their chain is too dirty before a scheduled ride?

They squeek.

I think I've been on rides with some of those people.

(And I always know where they are.)

[KidWok]

To each their own! I always like to joke that the degree of rationality between a person who owns one $10,000 wonderbike and the person who owns five bikes worth $10,000 is, in the grand scheme of things, minute.

There's no way I could ever be down to one bike...some bikes are tools to get the job done and some are manifestations of joy. Beyond that, I keep loaners in 54-58cm sizes around specifically to lower the threshold of getting someone into cycling (actually part of my day job).

Tai

[TandemGeek]

I believe the formula for the correct number of bikes is n + 1

We have more than our fair share...

[67-59]

I have had only one bike - my 2005 Kirk - for many years. I have no desire for anything more or different, but as my riding has increased over the years, I find that I am more frequently riding with less than optimally adjusted/cleaned/tuned parts. That's because I like to ride whenever the weather and my schedule permit (had a string of almost 90 straight days this spring/summer) and have increased my mileage per ride, so I often don't have the time and/or expertise to do all the necessary work between rides. And I just HATE having to leave my bike at a shop for repairs...and then miss rides on beautiful days.

Because of this, I'm not too far from getting another road bike. As soon as one needs repairs, get it into the shop and give them the time to get it fixed just right, and have another to ride while I'm waiting. Keep 'em both fine-tuned, but never miss a ride due to mechanicals. :hello:

Gotta convince the boss first...and then make sure she understands why it would have to be something special in its own right, like another Kirk or similar quality bike. That may take a bit.

[bozman]

I am down to one - my 2011 Strong. It is a great bike and I love it but having only one bike is killing me.

[dancinkozmo]

I also married a woman that is almost the exact same size as me... so I have two more bikes as well :)


How many dates before she let you measure her PBH ??

[Toddtwenty2]

How many dates before she let you measure her PBH ??

LOL

"Now stick this book between your legs, dear"

I had to chase long enough that I decided I wanted to marry her. Nobody stays with the easy catches.

[DAG]

To lock up your $1000+/$5,000+ mileage machine outside of a bar on a Friday evening.

2+ bikes for me, please.

[gpl916]

Five is the magic number for me:
one century geo road bike
one cross
one mtb
one vintage (building now)
one track (adding soon)

Of course I am thinking I MAY need a crit bike so i don't scratch my pretty road bike, and I am curious about how much time I could cut off my 30 mile morning commute with a TT......

[rustychisel]

there is a problem for me in that I have two bikes I know without a doubt I will never sell.

so that's my bottom line, even though I do the majority of my riding on just the one bike at present

[tsarpepe]

If I decided to go down that road, I'll do it with my IF Club Racer. I can turn it in minutes from a road bike into a tourer/commuter with fat tires, fenders, and racks. It is not too shabby as a cross bike either. So, basically, the only territory it cannot cover is MTB, which I have no desire for anyway.

[dbh]

If I decided to go down that road, I'll do it with my IF Club Racer. I can turn it in minutes from a road bike into a tourer/commuter with fat tires, fenders, and racks. It is not too shabby as a cross bike either. So, basically, the only territory it cannot cover is MTB, which I have no desire for anyway.

If I had to go to one, which god forbid will never happen, I'd go for something like a Club Racer with cantis or a Carl's Personal Blend. I wouldn't race crits on them, but you could do just about anything else. Maybe even a classic sports tourer or British audax-style bike if cantis aren't a must have for clearance issues.

[eak12]

I think there should be a distinction made between 'want' and 'need.' I only really need one bike, in my case, a road bike. But I like bikes (a lot), so I want more than one. I'm at eight, and I justify it to myself by saying that there's a right tool for every job. But if I'm gonna be really honest with myself, I should be at three, a road, a commuter, and a mtb. I think I need to go into therapy :)

[g00dride]

I'm attempting to do this. Looking to a Ti frame that I can use as a daily beater slash weekend racer.

[weisan]

I had been monogamous, bike-wise, since 2009. Old school; custom steel construction, 9-speed stuff.

Totally killed the bike lust. Darn.

Everything is simplified now.

I am actually quite happy, don't really miss the wild days.

Just hop on the bike and go. No problem staying in the front group with people riding on their carbon wonder bikes.

Love it.

Wife happier too, which is always a bonus.:p