Living Car Free - what kind of bike do you use

i was just wondering what kinds of bikes you all use. do you have more than one for different uses?

Years ago, I was into road racing, criteriums, and time trials. My racing days are over and I actually gave up biking. These days I like to cruise around and go for short rides on my Giant Cypress SX. It's really a road bike with flat bars. The LBS calls it a hybrid.

http://home.columbus.rr.com/pedex/smallworkbike.jpg

also 1 SS mtb, and 2 fixed gear

An old Mongoose hilltoper SX with slick tires.
On non rainy days this is what I ride :

Mikado Kensignton 2003 (www.velocia.ca/reviews/data/3/30Mikado_kensington-large.jpg)

I have four different bikes: a Giant Stiletto chopper for commuting, a Fuji Shangri-la beach cruiser as a back-up, a Firebike Bling Bling for weekend cruising and a modified Norco 15 speed trike/cruiser for shopping.

I have three, with one on the way:
Surly Steamroller, 49x18 fixed, for commuting and beating up.
Cannondale R1000 feminine, for mileage rides.
Specialized Rock Hopper, which was my commuter until I built the Surly, but now is barely ever ridden, except for my once-yearly ride to Harper's Ferry

On the way, a custom track frame.

Three bikes:

2004 Gunnar Rock Hound as my grocery getter/bad weather rider. Outfitted with fenders, a Tubus rack, slick tyres. I keep a spare set of wheels ready to go.

1959 Raleigh Lenton. I ride it for all sorts of rides in good weather. I use a Carradice saddlebag.

1988 Gitane Team Pro. Currently undergoing conversion to fixed gear while I rehabilitate some parts. I have a Nitto rack I'm going to install on it to make it more practical. It will be my primary bike once I finish it.

I have three bikes.

A Specialized Sirrus for commuting. A hybrid or flat bar road bike.

A Cypress DX, hybrid or comfort bike, which I use for errands around time and short rides or rides out the C and O Canal path which is unpaved.

And a Raleigh R500 road bike for recreation and fitness.

That's all the bikes for now, but if I get more space, I can see myself ending up with more bikes. Maybe a nice mountain bike.

is there an "archetypal" bike for those who only go by bike. i mean, if you could have just one bike for every possible use what would it be. i only have one bike. i feel bad cause i bought it new and i'm all about reusing. anyway, its a kona dew and i use it for everything. its great.

I have 3 bikes right now. Beater rain bike (Raleigh C40), fairweather commuter (Bianchi Strada), and pure roadie (Trek 2300)

I have 4 bikes Specialized Sequoia Hybrid from the late 80's I use it to commute in the winter. A Bianchi Grizzly MTB which is for my off road pleasure and back up commuter, A Bianchi San Remo from the early 80's which is for long distance pleasure. And a Softride Solo 700 which is what I use when I feel the need for speed.

here is some pics pics (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=69234&page=8&pp=25) post #200. Some updates from those pics are new chain, back gears, moved a lot of little things around.

GEEK

is there an "archetypal" bike for those who only go by bike. i mean, if you could have just one bike for every possible use what would it be. i only have one bike. i feel bad cause i bought it new and i'm all about reusing. anyway, its a kona dew and i use it for everything. its great.


My requirements if I had only one bike would be:
*Must be durable and easily repaired. I would rule out carbon fibre, titanium and aluminum frames and forks. I think these materials all have their place in cycling (I have a carbon bar and a saddle with aluminum rails; they're nice), but I prefer steel frames and forks.
*Must be equipped with or suitable for fitting fenders and at least a rear rack.
*Must have multiple gears. Sometimes I encounter hills.
*Must have a quill stem for easy and substantial adjustments.


If I had to pick one of my bikes as a do-it-all, it would be my old Raleigh. It fits all these requirements, and it's faster than my MTB. It even has steel handlebar, stem and rims. I expect it to last another 46 years.

My Gitane would fit the bill if it was still derailleur equipped.

Ideally, it's best to have more than one bike, in my experience. That way, if I encounter a problem with one, I can grab the other one without having to perform a hasty repair. A couple weeks ago, as I was on the way out the door to go to work, I noticed that the back tyre on the Raleigh was flat. Rather than getting my hands dirty and working up a sweat changing the tube, I simply took the Gunnar. I patched the Raleigh tube at my leisure over the weekend.

Plus bikes are cool. Because I don't own a car, I don't feel any shame owning multiple bicycles.

Langster.

That's it right now, I'm hoping to find a nice tourer, like an older Peugeot or something to set up with panniers, and if I'm going to ride in any clubs I guess I should look at a road bike with speeds.

I picked up a neat old Gary Fisher hardtail MTB at the local thrift store for $35 several months ago, wish I'd kept it, I sold it.

Yes, bikes are cool - much better to own multiple bikes than even one car!

I have a three bikes, but one that I call my truck and use everyday. The others are a singlespeed and a folder. The folder has a rack on the back and is used if I need to bring a bike on the bus during rush hours, the singlespeed is used for cruises when I don't need to carry anything with me, which is rare. I think my "truck" is set up to be very functional. It's a 91 Bridgestone MB-1. No suspension. Functional additions I've made are slick tires, fenders, a medium sized saddlebag, small Nitto front rack and wire basket in the front. Because I started with such a light bike it still isn't very heavy even with the additions. The basket in front makes the bike very, very useful and convenient. I recommend them highly to anyone who uses their bike as a car, with a cargo net I can fit a ton of stuff in the basket if the need arises.

i should have added that i usually have a beater in reserve but i gave it away to a friend that really needed a bike. i payed a six pack of microbrew for it and sold it for same. also, where can you get nitto stuff in the states?

Rivendell sells some: www.rivbike.com

I have an old Specialized Hardrock that I bought for $100 in a pawn shop. I put slick tires on it for the summer and added lights and other stuff for commuting. It is a rigid mountain bike with a stiff and nimble frame, which I think is nice for commuters. The main problem with it is that the seat post is hopelessly jammed, and the seat is about 1/2 inch too low for me. It is nice to be able to reach the ground more easily with my feet since I have to start and stop a lot. You can find unsuspended bikes pretty cheap because both serious mountain bikers and the kids usually want shocks and/or flashy stuff. I will buy a second bike this year--possibly a brand-new [gasp!] touring model, although I haven't decided for sure yet.

I am enjoying this thread and finding out what other diehards drive. I am getting some good ideas for my next bike purchase.

Car-free living is awesome.

Now that I got that outta the way, I have 4 bikes, but primarily use my ole schwinn world. Steel step through (in other words, "girly") frame, moustache bars, dt shifters (12 speeds), rear rack w/cargo net, fenders, platform pedals, two wheels, two legs, two arms, one body, 938459384508934750394 brains. I use it for everything, from getting groceries, running errands, visiting friends, and going to work.

I used to use my 3 speed for getting groceries, but the rear brake gave out, and I've been totally procrastinating on fixing it. Yes, I'm lazy. Kinda sucks, because that bugger can haul more stuff than my schwinn. Eventually, I'll get to it... esp. since we're moving into the Buckman 'hood in PDX and lots of options for good groceries (I'm so sick of albertons >:O).

My two other bikes aren't really complete :B I'm thinking of donating one of 'em to the community cycling center, and keeping the other one to build up for a friend of mine.

:B

i've looked through the rivendell site before but i never took seriously ordering anything from them. but i loved the picture of the bike with the baskets. i'm saving up to do that to my bike

I love my Trek520, great for commuting and touring when I go on vacation.

I have the Langster now, it's do-everything. It will eventually become a fixed with front brake, that will be set up to be easy to remove, to ride for fixie fun and at hellyer.

I want to get a tour-y mtb-y sort of bike to put a rack on and get panniers, for load carrying, swapmeet buying trips,etc.

Then, I also want a roady-road bike with gears and all that, since I'd like to join a roadie club and enter the odd race.

I've got an old Schwinn LeTour that's a good all-rounder but I primarily use for long, fast weekend rides, and an old Fuji Thrill MTB that's set up as a commuter, slicks with a rigid fork. When I need to haul stuff I throw a modified kiddie-trailer on the Fuji.

Diamondback Viper X
Kickass little bike, altough the stock tires and chain sucked the bike kicks ass.