The unbearable lightness of my empty garage.

[Clean39T]

Here we are just nine short days into 2020 and I am down to just two bikes - my Kirk and my Ellis. It is a strange feeling, but nice...in a way. It makes it easy to feel good about obsessing over the minutae of those two - a Phil headset for the Kirk is finally in (had to match the hubs) and maybe I'll get a Phil BB for the DA cranks too (yes, they make them for 24mm outboard) - plus the Ellis is still undergoing some little tweaks here and there.. Dunno. I could get used to this.

[Matthew]

I'm cynical. You have an itch you can't help but scratch.

[donevwil]

Just say NO !!!

We have faith, however, this is but a short lived transgression.

As you well know, many here live vicariously through your many acquisitions and subsequent forfeitures.

(One can only wonder what the next chapter in this saga might bring?)

[robertbb]

Rehab is for quitters.

[vincenz]

I’ve found I can’t have more than 3 bikes before I go nuts, as I too tend to obsess over their build and maintenance. I have one bike that is my main that I will never give up, and two play bikes that get rotated. These days though, I’ve switched that ratio around and it’s even more manageable and enjoyable.

[erik$]

I have been able to keep a couple road bikes at my parents place and this Christmas I bought an old cx at my inlaws' house. Great trick to keep it less crowded at home. Being roughly the same size as my wife has also been a solution to get a new bike through the door. But I do agree with the OP, it is a nice feeling to trim the stable. Some bikes are missed more than others.

[Hilltopperny]

Having shared the same sickness as you I can relate. This year I am going to try and just ride more and buy less. I am pretty comfortable with my No22s, Stinner, Columbine and newest acquisition is a Santa Cruz Highball. They check all the boxes for me and I will enjoy time on them this season.

I enjoy building them up and such, so I may tinker with a build here or there, but I am going to try to see what it’s like not adding to the quiver this year and see how it goes! Good luck Dan! Your Kirk and Ellis are two of my favorite bikes to look at on here!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[ducati2]

To each his own but the less I think about things the happier I am. I used to collect Italian cars, Italian motorcycles, bicycles, classical guitars, and archery equipment. Acquiring and coveting things became so time consuming and distracting. Like Tyler Darden said...The things you own end up owning you. I now have one car, bicycle, guitar, and bow. No more motorcycles and no more searching for something elusive, more perfect, better, etc. I now focus on the music and not the guitar, the ride and not the bicycle, the next shot and not the bow. But that’s just me, do what you like and be happy.

[PaMtbRider]

I give it a month before you come cross a deal too good to pass up.

[R3awak3n]

Good luck dude. But I think you are setting yourself up for failure. But so is life, at least you are not buying cars as your bank account would have a much lower balance

[AngryScientist]

Ah, so you sold that cool RL.

That was likely my favorite bike that you have owned, and close to what i would have built for myself. Hopefully the new owner gets it out there with some fun miles and posts about the exploits here!

the good news about bikes, is unless there is some catastrophic crash or something, they dont wear out, or go away. every new bike made just adds one more used bike to the market out there. they can come and go - and there will always be something out there to fill a need.

i must admit - i wish my garage were more empty!

[DonH]

Originally Posted by ducati2

To each his own but the less I think about things the happier I am. Acquiring and coveting things became so time consuming and distracting. Like Tyler Darden said...The things you own end up owning you.

I agree 100%

[merckx]

I've Kundera'd my way through a few bicycles in my lifetime, though no more than two at a time. I've concluded that it is profoundly satisfying to physically connect with one machine at a moment. When a lot of time is invested in turning the pedals, every minute increment of connection that we have with the machine becomes important. A fraction of a degree of saddle tilt, a millimeter or three of pedal spread difference, or where the brake levers are attached to the bar curve between various machines can distract from the simple pleasure of leveraging the body forward on two wheels. For some, it makes no difference. These lucky individuals can indiscriminately throw a leg over any bicycle and always come home hollowed-out, happy and hungry. For me, it takes a while to settle in so that I become the machine, or the machine becomes me. I've had the pleasure of riding a bicycle for a duration long enough to see it tossed into a dumpster. Once very expensive machines that didn't have one pedal stroke remaining.

[Tickdoc]

I feel for ya. You are but one click away from the next bike that you must have

[pbarry]

Ride as much as you wrench. 🌈