How many bikes is too many?

[paredown]

For me the tipping point is when looking at the project bikes makes you feel like they're adding more work to your busy life.

Others have got here too--less fixing/setting up, more riding.

I'm space limited too, so that helps.

[gbcoupe]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

I have too many bikes. I won’t bother with a number as it’s a silly number and I don’t even know how many really.

That said; the quote in the OP is dumb. In no way are bikes like kids. I have bikes that have been locked in my garage untouched in many years. They don’t need to be fed or cared for or loved. Bikes are at the end of the day just things.

Crap, just remembered my daughter's still in the shed.

[Hilltopperny]

Depends on where you live and how much space you have. I like the 3 bikes 6 wheelsets idea above, but realistically I think it is 6 for me. 2 road bikes, 1 gravel, 1rigid/hardtail 29er, 1 fatbike, 1 full suspension would be sufficient for where I am located.

We have 4 seasons and that means different bikes for those seasons. I have plenty of space to store them. The biggest deterrent to having so many is time. I find if a bike hangs on the hook for too long or I pick up a replacement then it should go.

I like the idea of getting down to less bikes and possibly using my new gravel bike as a road bike, but not really looking to get rid of my Kirk to try it out. It does mean the other road bikes will likely get passed along soon, but who knows?

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[oldpotatoe]

Ought to be 'how many bikes do you actually own and ride'. I own 5 but only ride 2.
I have a Moots with 80th Campag group and Molten Merckx with 50th Campag group but they are on display in Vecchio'. Plus a Ciocc that's sitting in my garage workshop, doesn't even have tires on it.
Moots and Merckx MXLeader are actually rideable.

[GregL]

Own six and co-own one (tandem). Two road, one "all-road" (fits tires up to 38mm), one gravel, one hardtail MTB, and one salty road winter bike. All are ridden regularly. In the warmer/dryer weather months, all but the winter rat are ridden at least once each week.

Greg

[C40_guy]

Originally Posted by gbcoupe

Crap, just remembered my daughter's still in the shed.

You should probably let her out. It's cold in there.

[jamesdak]

Dang.... I wasn't going to do it but I just counted them all up again.

32 bikes.

One of those still being built, three that are built but haven't been ridden due to massive snow every still. The rest are fully functional and part of my normal daily ride rotation.

Although, 4 are listed locally for sale for various reasons and I'll probably move a couple of more along this year also.

One is the Azor Dutch bike for errands, one is the 3 speed Guv'nor path racer, one is the old Raleigh Team USA set up for light gravel riding. All the rest are road bikes.

[maj]

Originally Posted by cuda

3 bikes, 6 wheelsets

My wife and I have 15 bikes. 12 of them are rideable right now. I have nine complete wheel sets for three of mine with another set ready to build. Each wheel set provides a unique ride so it’s a good multiplier.

[OtayBW]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

....Molten Merckx with 50th Campag group...

Want....

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by OtayBW

Want....

$25,000 and it's all yours

[Mark McM]

Just like we have a precise formula to determine how many bikes you need (= n+1), we also have a formula to determine how many bikes are too many:

You have too many bikes if:

Number of bikes you own > (total income)/(average cost per bike)

[lorenbike]

Originally Posted by Hilltopperny

Depends on where you live and how much space you have. I like the 3 bikes 6 wheelsets idea above, but realistically I think it is 6 for me. 2 road bikes, 1 gravel, 1rigid/hardtail 29er, 1 fatbike, 1 full suspension would be sufficient for where I am located.

We have 4 seasons and that means different bikes for those seasons. I have plenty of space to store them. The biggest deterrent to having so many is time. I find if a bike hangs on the hook for too long or I pick up a replacement then it should go.

I like the idea of getting down to less bikes and possibly using my new gravel bike as a road bike, but not really looking to get rid of my Kirk to try it out. It does mean the other road bikes will likely get passed along soon, but who knows?

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Yeah, agreed if I lived in NYC I could probably be more than happy with 1 bike. When I lived out west, definitely needed a MTB and gravel bike, and I sold off my road bike. Now that I'm back east, could honestly be fine without a MTB, but Ive basically converted it to my commuter. Personally, I'd rather have built out bikes rather than a bunch of spare parts and wheels in storage boxes. At that point OCD kicks in, and I feel like it becomes hoarding.

[Mike V]

8 is not enough. I’m working on that. I’m going to be picking up one in a couple of weeks I’ve been looking for for years.

[fried bake]

I enjoy conceptualizing and building them as much as riding so there’s always more than “required” but, I think all hobbies are that way. Thankfully this is a relatively cheap way to express my creative outlet.


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[EB]

Originally Posted by old_fat_and_slow

N + 1 is always the correct number of bikes. So therefore,

N + 2 is too many.

This is the only correct answer.