A new goal and a shocking realistation...

[TonyEnjoyD]

...at 52 next birthday I'm never, ever, going to need a better, lighter, faster, road bike than the one I've got now.

I can now go away and concentrate on being a better mountain biker, which was my first love anyway, and use the road cycling, and the gym, as a proper means to an end, getting and staying fit enough to enjoy enduro style riding, trail centres and a few multi-day off-road challenges,

There I've said it.

Can you hear me?...no-one else can....I am the little voice just behind your right shoulder....you may have thought it and posted it on that CC forum, but you know I'm not going to let it go....n plus one....n plus one....n plus one.....n plus one... Lighter frame.... Better components...your only limit is your imagination...go on...look at he shiny bikes...how sleek and wonderful..............

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Can you hear me?...no-one else can....I am the little voice just behind your right shoulder....you may have thought it and posted it on that CC forum, but you know I'm not going to let it go....n plus one....n plus one....n plus one.....n plus one... Lighter frame.... Better components...your only limit is your imagination...go on...look at he shiny bikes...how sleek and wonderful..............

all true. but no road bikes now feature in my dreams. those that do are sleek and wonderful but have fat tyres and go boing-boing.

 

[Linford]

After 50, it should all be downhill....but then again, you don't bounce as well as you get older, and downhill is a young un's pastime

 

[GrumpyGregry]

After 50, it should all be downhill....but then again, you don't bounce as well as you get older, and downhill is a young un's pastime

If only it were! Seriously though, after 50 it is all enduro. Might as well play to one's strengths.

 

[srw]

I don't understand. What did need ever have to do with it? I believe the formula (chez nous, at any rate) is:

If (enjoyment I/we will get out of better, faster, lighter bike) > (expense x difficulty of explaining expenditure to other half) then the bike should, clearly, be purchased.

(NB: if the bike is a tandem, clearly "difficulty of explaining expenditure to other half" = 0)

"difficulty of explaining expenditure to other half" = 0 for all values of "bike", as far as I can tell.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

"difficulty of explaining expenditure to other half" = 0 for all values of "bike", as far as I can tell.

The lovely Helen's exact words were "Yes you can buy another bike, provided you sell one of the others and it doesn't stop us getting the tandem."

 

[GrumpyGregry]

An interesting variation on one in one out.

In all truth I think three or four of the current fleet will be moving out, though I don't need a bigger shed as much as a longer shed it appears.....

The green 'un (tourer and commuter) has only been ridden once, on a long weekend away, this year. Gotta go.
The Strida just keeps having problems. Takes more time fettling than it gets use. Twas fun but good money after bad? No ta.
The purple 'un has found a home on loan to someone how wants to know if ss mtb is his thing. I don't miss it enough/ride it off-road enough/enjoy riding it enough (crap rim brakes and weird early 90's mtb handling). Fleabay/retrobike when it comes back, or wheels off and hang frame in shed until another day when it can be restored. Possibly.

The plug stays. I like commuting on fixed. Even one with blue tyres and scuffed bar tape. It's a Zen thing. Will stay away from Buckinghamshire on it though. Just in case.
The white 'un (Boardman HT Pro) stays. Everyone needs a hardtail.
The black 'un stays. Definitive "I don't need a better road bike" machine.
Rhubarb the Brompton stays. London calling and H likes riding it too.
The other white 'un (pompetamine ex Al MacB) gets xtra-cycled as my new 'car.'
The purple/green tragic hipster cockwomble 'fixie' from hell project gets finished, gets used on a FNRttC, and then retires as a bomb proof ss pub bike (can't ride fixed when I'm pissed and the colour scheme is more appealing when drunk)
n+1 = boingy boingy mtb
n+1 = circe helios.

Sorted.