How many bikes do you have and which one is your favourite?
- Thread starter Anonymous1502
- Start date
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figbat
Slippery scientist
- Location
- South Oxfordshire, UK
Five. No favourite - each one has a role that it does best.
Felt Decree 1 full-sus carbon-fibre MTB; magic carpet ride over all but the worst trails; climbs surprisingly well. My pick for summer trail riding over varied terrain.
Cube Reaction GTC Pro 29 hard tail carbon-fibre 29er; an unburstable, do-it-all bike used in all weathers, all conditions, all terrains. My pick for wet offroad riding.
Fuji Altamira 2.7 carbon fibre road bike; my pick for any road-only rides but usually only in the dry as it is not prepared for 'guards.
Trek 830 Mountain Track gravel project; built myself from a 1997 MTB frame, altered from 26" to 700c, cantilevers to discs, 3x7 to 1x10, flat bars to drops. My pick for winter roads and year-round gravel. My first and, so far, only self-built bike project so quite special to me.
Dawes Kingpin; 20" shopping bike. My pick for riding to the local farm shops and village stores to support local businesses and leave the car at home.
Each bike is my favourite for its job. Some overlap - I've taken the liberty of preparing a Venn diagram:
Felt Decree 1 full-sus carbon-fibre MTB; magic carpet ride over all but the worst trails; climbs surprisingly well. My pick for summer trail riding over varied terrain.
Cube Reaction GTC Pro 29 hard tail carbon-fibre 29er; an unburstable, do-it-all bike used in all weathers, all conditions, all terrains. My pick for wet offroad riding.
Fuji Altamira 2.7 carbon fibre road bike; my pick for any road-only rides but usually only in the dry as it is not prepared for 'guards.
Trek 830 Mountain Track gravel project; built myself from a 1997 MTB frame, altered from 26" to 700c, cantilevers to discs, 3x7 to 1x10, flat bars to drops. My pick for winter roads and year-round gravel. My first and, so far, only self-built bike project so quite special to me.
Dawes Kingpin; 20" shopping bike. My pick for riding to the local farm shops and village stores to support local businesses and leave the car at home.
Each bike is my favourite for its job. Some overlap - I've taken the liberty of preparing a Venn diagram:
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Four now, was five.
Favourite is my hand built Columbus SLX road bike with full Dura Ace - no other bike like it anywhere (it's unique).
For fun, has to be my Boardman FS Pro - it's a really good bike and a very capable MTB - it's also my most ridden.
Favourite is my hand built Columbus SLX road bike with full Dura Ace - no other bike like it anywhere (it's unique).
For fun, has to be my Boardman FS Pro - it's a really good bike and a very capable MTB - it's also my most ridden.
sleuthey
Legendary Member
- Location
- South Gloucestershire
2 to keep and one project that will be sold shortly.
My favourite is my Single Speed converted from a 1990s MTB.
My favourite is my Single Speed converted from a 1990s MTB.
Specialeyes
Guru
- Location
- Essex
Embarassingly, I keep a Google spreadsheet to track the family bike fleet! 
The OP has just prompted me to assign a 'registered keeper' to each one in the spreadsheet, much like DVLA. In reality we all mix-and-match, so we'll all have a suitable bike for the occasion, including the kids' other halves. The default setting for keeper is 'me', which I guess is fair enough but does explain the results below. Fortunately, we're all pretty much within the range of adjustment of the bikes - though our son is now over 6ft, we haven't marked the kitchen wall for about 6 years / 4" so we're officially still the same height!
Me: 14 (road, gravel, mountain, vintage, Brommie)
Mrs Spesh: 4 (road, hybrid, vintage, Brommie)
20 y/o Jr Spesh: 2 (vintage, Brommie)
15 y/o Speshette: 4 (gravel, vintage, mountain, Brommie)
Guests / Other halves: 4 ((vintage, Brommie)x2)
Average age across all the bikes: 24 (1996)
Oldest: 1938
Newest: 2020
Favourite to ride: Bianchi Specialissima X4 1987 - just an absolute pleasure to ride
One to grab if the store was on fire: Bianchi Folgorissima 1952
The OP has just prompted me to assign a 'registered keeper' to each one in the spreadsheet, much like DVLA. In reality we all mix-and-match, so we'll all have a suitable bike for the occasion, including the kids' other halves. The default setting for keeper is 'me', which I guess is fair enough but does explain the results below. Fortunately, we're all pretty much within the range of adjustment of the bikes - though our son is now over 6ft, we haven't marked the kitchen wall for about 6 years / 4" so we're officially still the same height!
Me: 14 (road, gravel, mountain, vintage, Brommie)
Mrs Spesh: 4 (road, hybrid, vintage, Brommie)
20 y/o Jr Spesh: 2 (vintage, Brommie)
15 y/o Speshette: 4 (gravel, vintage, mountain, Brommie)
Guests / Other halves: 4 ((vintage, Brommie)x2)
Average age across all the bikes: 24 (1996)
Oldest: 1938
Newest: 2020
Favourite to ride: Bianchi Specialissima X4 1987 - just an absolute pleasure to ride
One to grab if the store was on fire: Bianchi Folgorissima 1952
KiterStu
Active Member
- Location
- Rickmansworth
Bickerton Junction 1707 County, bought during the 2017 rail strikes, great for nipping down to the local shops
B’Twin Rockrider 540 Hardtail, for the local woods and towpaths
Raleigh Pioneer Classic 1996, gradually improving this and kitting it out as a long distance towpath tourer. If I could only have one bike it would be this one, cheap as chips, easy to fix, a very good all rounder.
Raleigh Dynatech 700 1990, fancied an old style Raleigh to recapture my youth 😎
Bianchi Via Nirone Xenon 2016, bought this recently, always fancied a Bianchi in Celeste blue. It’s a truly lovely bike 💖
B’Twin Rockrider 540 Hardtail, for the local woods and towpaths
Raleigh Pioneer Classic 1996, gradually improving this and kitting it out as a long distance towpath tourer. If I could only have one bike it would be this one, cheap as chips, easy to fix, a very good all rounder.
Raleigh Dynatech 700 1990, fancied an old style Raleigh to recapture my youth 😎
Bianchi Via Nirone Xenon 2016, bought this recently, always fancied a Bianchi in Celeste blue. It’s a truly lovely bike 💖
DCLane
Found in the Yorkshire hills ...
- Location
- Dewsbury, West Yorkshire
I could add my son's, five of which he either built or helped to build:
Oh, and SWMBO has a never-ridden Specialized Globe Daily Step-thru and son no. 1 has a Carrera Subway 1 for university use.
- Cervelo S3 - race bike. Going to me next year
as he's getting a Ridley Noah Fast team bike (it's now 'public' so I don't have to keep quiet 
) - Langdale Lightweights track bike. Staying as it's brilliant and rare.
- Argon E116 - TT bike. Also staying. Or I'm getting it if he gets hold of a Ridley Dean.
- BeOne Raw Comp - his training bike and he built it up last year. Very rare, amazingly fast but very hardcore to ride. He loves it.
- Boardman AirPro - the only 'spare' we had last year so became his winter bike despite being matt black. Currently on a Zwift set-up and my new NeilPryde arrival will take it's place on the smart turbo.
- PlanetX Nanolight - built this summer for hillclimb competitions. Weighs 5.5kg. Apparently fast but I'm over the rider weight limit
- Columbus X-Wing - cross / commuter. Someone at his school dented the top tube
so it's staying. Weighs nothing as it's half-carbon. - Carlton Corsa - orange retro. He built this last year as a fixie for holiday use. Rarely ridden as we live in the hills.
Oh, and SWMBO has a never-ridden Specialized Globe Daily Step-thru and son no. 1 has a Carrera Subway 1 for university use.
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vickster
Legendary Member
You should be ashamed of yourself
- Location
- London
Getting on for ten (too lazy to count) in three separate places, two countries.
The most expensive list price one (outside those ten) is broken down to a frame in my garage and probably won't be reborn/built up again.
My two favourite/most used bikes both cost me £30, though that's a slight cheat - they have had quality bits added, tho one of them has bits on it that came from that broken down expensive bike and a front wheel that was effectively free.
Waiting in an upstairs back bedroom is another bike related to those favourite two that cost me £21 and I plan to eventually build up before winter bites. If I manage to do it I have no reason to think that it won't be the equal of my rather fancier looking Hewitt, which effectively cost more than the broken down dale sitting in my garage.
Keep things simple folks
The most expensive list price one (outside those ten) is broken down to a frame in my garage and probably won't be reborn/built up again.
My two favourite/most used bikes both cost me £30, though that's a slight cheat - they have had quality bits added, tho one of them has bits on it that came from that broken down expensive bike and a front wheel that was effectively free.
Waiting in an upstairs back bedroom is another bike related to those favourite two that cost me £21 and I plan to eventually build up before winter bites. If I manage to do it I have no reason to think that it won't be the equal of my rather fancier looking Hewitt, which effectively cost more than the broken down dale sitting in my garage.
Keep things simple folks
DCBassman
Guru
- Location
- The lumpy far South West
Three.
Flat-bar Scott roadie, modified so I can make it go up hills. Alloy. Around 2004-ish, original cost: £0
Trek 800 Sport rigid MTB, upgraded to also climb hills better. Steel. 2001 (2002 model), cost new £199.
Madison Revell mixte, Ishiwata/531 steel. Project as second/vintage bike. Modification list changing daily at the moment. Mid-80s. Cost: £17.50.
Most ridden is the Scott, by a long way. I may sell the Trek at some point, but I'm rather attached to it as I've owned it from new.
Flat-bar Scott roadie, modified so I can make it go up hills. Alloy. Around 2004-ish, original cost: £0
Trek 800 Sport rigid MTB, upgraded to also climb hills better. Steel. 2001 (2002 model), cost new £199.
Madison Revell mixte, Ishiwata/531 steel. Project as second/vintage bike. Modification list changing daily at the moment. Mid-80s. Cost: £17.50.
Most ridden is the Scott, by a long way. I may sell the Trek at some point, but I'm rather attached to it as I've owned it from new.
fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Mrs F has two bikes.
Pinnacle Stratus 3.0 hybrid - really nice bike to ride - about £550 new. She's had it over 10 years
BMC Fourstroke FS03 - 29er XC MTB full suspension 100mm travel - bought from a mate - bike is worth over £2k. Mint condition.
She likes both, but the Pinnacle is so easy to ride - just glides along.
Pinnacle Stratus 3.0 hybrid - really nice bike to ride - about £550 new. She's had it over 10 years
BMC Fourstroke FS03 - 29er XC MTB full suspension 100mm travel - bought from a mate - bike is worth over £2k. Mint condition.
She likes both, but the Pinnacle is so easy to ride - just glides along.
