More Than 2 Road Bikes Pointless?

[bpsmith]

This^ Question answered in one succinct post-thread should be closed now really.

Except, it doesn't actually answer the question.

 

[Tin Pot]

When creating a different thread, with my 2 bikes being aimed at fast flat riding vs climbing, something dawned on me. If I had a third road bike, would I actually need it?

Don’t get me wrong, I love bikes and could spend hours just looking at loads of different ones, but in real life ownership terms is there any point?

Just wondering what you Bike Collectors think and what you tend to use yours for that you couldn’t with less bikes?

I don’t think you need three roadies.

 

[biggs682]

I have too many bikes , but rule of thumb for this time of year at least 2 road bikes that can take full guards in the summer this goes down to 1

My old Marin mtb is my joint main commuter along with a 50's Raleigh Lenton and both do all year round duty

I like to have at least 2 bikes without guards during the dryer parts of the year

then the rest are just excess

 

[Will Spin]

The minimum number of road bikes one needs is 4. You need 2 with full mudguards for those wet days and 2 without mudguards for dry days. This way if you have a problem with one bike that requires maintenance then you've always got a backup, whatever the conditions!

 

[steveindenmark]

I like to ride different bikes at different times. I could manage with just one. But prefer not to.

 

[Alan O]

I have five bikes at the moment, three of which are functional, but I've not actually spent much on them - apart from one steel road bike I bought 30 years ago, the other four are recent second-hand purchases and probably cost less put together (after inflation) than that original new one.

Two are steel road bikes. One is 531c setup with fairly close-ratio gears, slick(ish) tyres, no mudguards or anything like that, for good tarmac road only and useless for getting fat me up anything like a serious hill. But it's fun.

One is a 531ST tourer, triple chainset, wide gears, mudguards, pannier rack, etc, Marathon tyres, great for moderate off-road too (but limited to rough cycle paths, canal towpaths). My main (and favourite) bike, and I love it.

Next up is a hardtail mountain bike, front suspension, hydraulic brakes, approx 2006 vintage, which is wonderful - until I came back to cycling in 2016 the only MTB I'd ridden was a 1990s rigid (which was terrific, but my 'new' one was an eye-opener, especially for the £110 I paid for it in perfect working order).

Those are the only three I've used so far, because no 4 is a 90s rigid MTB that needs work before it's ready (and it only cost me £30, so a serious bargain), and no 5 is a fixed-wheel project that I keep coming back to and which should be ready by the summer.

I'm far from wealthy, but to others on a similar budget, I might seem extravagant. But, if I had the money, would I add top-of-the-range modern aluminium and carbon road bikes to my collection, maybe a titanium tourer, plus a full-sus MTB, and a fatbike? And maybe a Brompton, a Pashley Roadster, a trike*? Too right I would!

It's all about balancing your income with your needs and wants, and nobody can tell you how to do that but yourself.

Alan

*Talking of trikes, many years ago I briefly tried a "racing" trike, and anyone who can steer one of those at high speed has my admiration.

 

[Racing roadkill]

I proved the multi bike approach works, this morning. I set off on one of my road bikes, with pneumatic tyres, and both tyres went bang, inside 1 mile, so I walked it back home, grabbed the Tannus tyred road bike, and off ai went, knowing that I can’t get another puncture..



The only disadvantage is that it seemed to attract some unsolicited attention.

It was some sort of teeney weeney horse, and it started chewing my handlebars.

 

[Diggr]

Carbon TCR for summer,alloy tcx with mudguards for winter,both get ridden road and gravel tracks,can't see need for another road bike,do have full suspension and a hard tail mtb's though

 

[Milzy]

I know people with Summer bike winter bike aero bike crit bike track bike classic bike MTB.

 

[vickster]

I know people with Summer bike winter bike aero bike crit bike track bike classic bike MTB.

And no comma?

 

[davidphilips]

Up to nine bikes (max was 15 before a house move some years ago forced me to drop down to 1 bike) and keep telling myself no more but i can find room if another turns up?

Could use one for every thing but i just like bikes, 5 steel bikes (all ride different) 2 carbon one alloy and a dynatech (reminds me where is @mickymusterd as he helped me find the dynatech?

Like all my bikes and spend time and money on upgrades and spares etc but to me its time and money well spent and to put it into context if i worked out the money i have saved on transport then my bikes spares and bits and bobs have cost less than nothing, Just thinking about it i can find room and justify another after all 10 is not an odd number, now thats my new years resolution buy another bike.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Think I am moving towards one or two bikes that can take different wheel sets to cater for road or off road use. So I may have reached peak bike in terms of n+1

 

[hondated]

When creating a different thread, with my 2 bikes being aimed at fast flat riding vs climbing, something dawned on me. If I had a third road bike, would I actually need it?

Don’t get me wrong, I love bikes and could spend hours just looking at loads of different ones, but in real life ownership terms is there any point?

Just wondering what you Bike Collectors think and what you tend to use yours for that you couldn’t with less bikes?

Yes you would.
I have ;
Ridgeback MBK - Cycling to shops
Roberts Tourer - Only been to IOM so far. Changed gearing from 44 triple to 48 to make it more exciting to no avail. Shortly going to try a 46 and per thread on YACF assess what tyres I am using.
Revolution Audux built up from parts I had. Thought this might be more exciting than Roberts.
Bianchi ML3 Triple currently my go to bike as it just feels more exciting.
Trek Madone 3.1 thought I would try a 56cm rather than 54cm frame and jury is still out to what I prefer. I have equipped this one with Ultegra and I cannot believe the difference to 105.
Orbea Onyx CF just wanted to see how one rode. Brought it second hand on Ebay and its ok but steering tube cut a bit too low for me.
Dolan Etape CF literally brought a couple of days ago again on Ebay so when the better weather arrives I am looking forward to riding it, Thankfully I can already see that the bars are higher than on the Orbea so that's good.
Specialised MBK hard tail intended to use on South Downs but need to get a lot fitter before I attempt that.
So you can see why I say you would use another if you had it.
Just wrote on another thread that I think we accumulate bikes because they become your friends and sadly their resale value is so low you just as well keep them.
Really would like to get a titanium frame set but to be honest even second had a decent one is expensive.

 

[Welsh wheels]

I'll tell you what is pointless....having a load of pencils but no pencil sharpener.

 

[Edgy Dee]

Long-distance commuter - perfect excuse to duplicate all specific cycling functions. So 2n+2? No one at work seems to have twigged that most of the bikes are mine!