How Many Bikes Should A Cyclist Own?

[Tharg2007]

n = fixie comuter, pashley trike (for SWMBO), an a retro style fixie (in progress)
+1 = a mountain bike, a racing trike, a bakfiet, a trailer, a old style 80's - 90's geared bike, a tandem, a quadricycle.

 

[swee'pea99]

The most sensible post so far. I've never got the "winter bike" thing either.

+1. 'My bike' is my lovely Vitus racer, which I use to commute year round. Ok, it gets filthy in the winter, but so what? I can't imagine riding an inferior bike by choice - why do people do it? Genuinely baffled, me.

Apart from that, I'm currently assembling (from the frame & forks, bought on ebay) a hybrid, 'cos my kids like going off-road, and the 23mm/120psi just doesn't cut it on muddy towpaths. And I'm also very gradually trying to turn my old 'best bike' - a Benotto - into a fixie. Just to find out what all the fuss is about.

Personally I've no desire to own any more. Quite apart from the fact that I've nowhere to put them in any case.

 

[Proto]

Or guitars ... I had eight at last count. Why do I need eight? I don't!

Lightweight! My mate Jonnie had 13 at the last count, including some silly expensive ones. And he's not even, and never has been, a professional musician. He's pretty good though.

 

[ChrisKH]

I have 5 and want another - a folder. Looking at airnimal or brompton on the bike to work scheme next year.
The current 5 are:
carbon roadie
853 tourer
mtb hardtail
mtb 5" FS trail bike
mtb 8" travel DH bike

Having just got a full sized folder as well as an existing Brommie, I would opt for the Brompton for its sheer versatility and folding size. There will be very little performance or usage difference between the Airnimal and your carbon roadie unless you have storage or transport issues and need the Airnimal for that reason alone. Otherwise the Airnimal is not really a folder but a performance bike that folds (sort of) and only fully folds if you take the front wheel off (from memory). So it will be a pain to fold whereas the Brompton is a positive delight in that area and you can throw it on the road, train, car (not literally) in seconds.

 

[bonj2]

I've got two bikes. (possibly soon to be 3 if i get a recumbent ).

I for the life of me can't understand the need to have more than one normal, upright geared road bike. Yes, ok, have a recumbent. Yes, ok, have a fixie. Have a folder if you really must. But all this about 'commuter, tourer, summer road bike, winter road bike, race bike ...' bloody hell it's just a goddamn road bike!
My road bike is sufficient for commuting in winter and summer, and would be perfectly sufficient for touring as it can take a pannier rack (although I don't have it on most of the time), and would be perfectly sufficient for racing at all but a fairly high level if I did do racing, as it's light enough for fast recreational riding.
If you mainly do touring, then it's possibly all other things being equal the best bike to get, but I've never really grasped the need to have a dedicated touring bike for touring purposes.

 

[porteous]

Mmmmmmmm. All a bit difficult. Only came back to cycling this Summer after a 43 year lay off. So far got a nice 1990 Raleigh Royal, working on a 1949 Rudge clubman in the shed, refurbished a nice 1980s Raleigh Mixte for the wife and the stepson has a decent Saracen MTB and a rebuilt Kettler aluminium frame tourer. I now find myself looking in the small ads for old bicycles, so thats two for me and five for the family. Do I need medical help?

 

[palinurus]

I've currently got:

Cross bike, road bike, shitty hack road bike, TT bike.

That's enough, given that we live in a one bed flat. Obviously if we had more space...

Ms P's only got one bike, she likes it that way.

 

[Abitrary]

If you mainly do touring, then it's possibly all other things being equal the best bike to get, but I've never really grasped the need to have a dedicated touring bike for touring purposes.

A dedicated touring bike is the only real choice for proper touring, i.e. long distances.

Its steel frame provides a more relaxing ride, and any damage on the trip can be fixed with a quick bit of welding. An alu bike you would have to throw away and buy a new one.

Also the frame will have clearance for mudguards - a necessity when covering any significant amount of ground in various conditions.

 

[bonj2]

oh, shut up.

 

[Abitrary]

You can also use it for light off-road and cyclocross.

 

[Moose]

Erm
1 geared road bike
1 MTB/hybrid/commuter
2 Single speed road bikes
2 Single speed 26" cruisers (BMX)
Currently building another MTB/Hybrid/commuter
Looking to buy a new geared road bike

and that's not counting the 'others'

 

[Abitrary]

and that's not counting the 'others'

A robust steel tourer for comfortable, dry, maintainable and extensive distances?

 

[Moose]

No - they're all 20"

 

[louise]

I may or may not have a bike, my current bike is a coventry eagle MTB whisch has sat unridden in the shed for several years though it may now be sitting on a skip somewhere as I gave my neighbour permission to throw it out when he cleaned the shed out (the shed we share)

I am currently saving up for a Giant City crs 3.0 and I intend to stick with that bike alone, I have chosen a bike that best suits my needs and I see little point for me personally to spend a small fortune on buying bike after bike

 

[Sig SilverPrinter]

My husband says I have too many but then he's got too many guitars and he's a drummer
Just remembered he's got another guitar on order, hmm so maybe another bike......