Singlespeed & Fixed Gear - How many bikes is too many bikes

well the day is soon approaching when i will take possession of another fixed gear bike. this will be my fourth fixie, and i'm starting to wonder if i'm a hoarder. in general i own very few things, my life is fairly simple. i own plenty of tools for work, but beyond that i keep only the things i use. the thought of parting with even one of my bikes makes me very sad, and i know if i did sell one i would quickly replace it with a new bike. i guess i was wondering how you folks decide when enough is enough, where will it all stop, how many bikes is too many bikes.

- how much room do you have?

:-)

(working on #5 now)

...too.. many.. bikes...?

Sorry, does not compute.

Seriously though, I've got 9 bikes, only about 7 of which actually function. I don't think too poorly of it though, because it means my friends and I can go riding when they visit instead of having to drive around, and most of them are junkyard rescues, meaning that if I didn't fix them up, they'd be scrap metal, and that would just be sad.

I don't mind getting rid of bikes now and again, since I've got a few that are my favorites, and the others are just extras, or ones I picked up because I thought a friend might want them. I like Chimblysweep's plan of "If you don't ride it for a year, sell it." Sounds reasonable. :)

Just put up more hooks in the ceiling, and hang up a few more bikes, you can fit a lot of bike in not a lot of space with front wheel hooks.

peace,
sam

...too.. many.. bikes...?

Sorry, does not compute.


ditto. the only reason i'm living where i'm living is because of the gigantic shed. when i get it filled up i've got a huge basement to work with.

i too have plenty of space, and plenty of friends to ride with. perhaps i should just get over the guilt and keep getting more bikes. i suppose there are worse things to spend your money on. now i'm starting to feel guilty for not owning enough bikes.

well the day is soon approaching when i will take possession of another fixed gear bike. this will be my fourth fixie, and i'm starting to wonder if i'm a hoarder. in general i own very few things, my life is fairly simple. i own plenty of tools for work, but beyond that i keep only the things i use. the thought of parting with even one of my bikes makes me very sad, and i know if i did sell one i would quickly replace it with a new bike. i guess i was wondering how you folks decide when enough is enough, where will it all stop, how many bikes is too many bikes.

I currently have twelve ridable bike, seven of them are fixed-gears (one with a single-speed option.)
I have another frame already sripped down and ready for fixie number eight. As long as I have room for more I will build more. That gives me plenty of room for at least another dozen.

there's too many when you can't give each the attention it deserves. or, when there's no room in the kitchen to cook, eat, or even open the refridgerator door.

The ideal number of bikes is N+1

Where N, presumably, is the number of bikes you currently own.

i own plenty of tools for work, but beyond that i keep only the things i use.

there you go. bike=tool. if you use it, keep it!

If your mouth is full of food and someone asks how many bikes you have and you have to take off your shoes so you can use your toes as well as your fingers, you may have too many...

For a while I was like, "Bikes, can't have too many of them." Now my little apartment looks like a bike shop. I'm trying to keep it simple:

1 track bike
1 road bike
1 bmx bike
1 winter bike
1 track bike that I don't mind locking up for a while

I figure as long as none of my bikes are too similar to each other, I'm doing just fine.

I've got six at the moment, and for the most part they're different enough that I'm alright with it.

My wife and I definitely disagree on that number ;)

-s

Wow, thanks guys for making me feel remotely normal. I currently have 9 in various states of completion. 2 are my wife's and I have a Fix, 2 SS MTB's, Geared MTB, Geared Road Bike, and 2 cruisers. I ride all of them, some much less than others. I've reached an equilibrium deal with my wife. New bike enters the garage 1 old one needs to leave.

1 track and 1 mtn/urban assault/jump bike. Currently I'm only on the track because I live in the city but if I got another bike I'd feel like I was cheating on my old one. Only buy it if you want to ride it all the time.

I figure as long as none of my bikes are too similar to each other, I'm doing just fine.

I've got six at the moment, and for the most part they're different enough that I'm alright with it.

I'm with jim-bob. I only have two functioning bikes at the moment, but ideally I would have:

a) Track bike
b) Road bike
c) mountain bike
d) "touring" bike (put in quotes, because this can mean different things to different people)
e) beater bike

maybe a bmx too, but whatever. I've got (a) and (d) covered.

My wife and I definitely disagree on that number ;)

-s

Yes, my wife would have issues with the growing number of bicycles at home (half of which are inside the house).

in the house:
1) fixie (main commuter)
2) cyclocross bike (sometimes commuter/racing)

in the shed
3) mountain bike (which I would give up if I had to)
4) beater 3 speed which I just like the looks of.

Just put up more hooks in the ceiling, and hang up a few more bikes, you can fit a lot of bike in not a lot of space with front wheel hooks.

since my mind has changed about the amount of bikes i own and the guilt has dissapated(sp?)
i was wondering about storage. is it hard on the front or back wheel if it is hung from a hook? just wondering not trying to hijack my own thread

...too.. many.. bikes...?

Sorry, does not compute.


Yes? :D

there's too many when you can't give each the attention it deserves. or, when there's no room in the kitchen to cook, eat, or even open the refridgerator door.

Just leave the bikes in the kitchen and ride another one to a restauraunt. C'mon !! Be reasonable! :)

I keep half of my bikes at the office so that my partner never really knows how many bikes I have..when she asks I evade the question...I agree that (with the exception of a certain few beautiful collectible bikes) it's best to not have any two bikes that are very similar. I used to think the perfect number was 6, but for some reason that has slipped lately...I'm at 12 functioning and 3 in transition.

1-fixed
1-geared
1-hard tail mtb

:D
i 'need' more

I have:
Mountain: Hard-tail single-speed
Road
Fixied

I need:
Touring
Time Trial
Mountain: Full suspension geared

Theres never too many bikes. Unless your significant other decides its them or the bikes (in which case, you should choose bikes)

If your mouth is full of food and someone asks how many bikes you have and you have to take off your shoes so you can use your toes as well as your fingers, you may have too many...

i agree with judah

Hehe, jumping in :)

1 classic roadie w modern group
1 Bianchi DISS SS Mtn bike
1 full suspension way over the top Mtn bike
1 rescue me out of the dumpster and turn me into a Fix/Free Miyata
1 diamond back from the early 90's mtn bike (stored in Bklyn for when I visit my folks)
1 beach cruiser tandem pimped w Rhino Lites and a Nexus 7 internal gear hub
1 87? Lemond Team (frame only)

N+1? N is the number of bikes that you have at any one time.

well the day is soon approaching when i will take possession of another fixed gear bike. this will be my fourth fixie, and i'm starting to wonder if i'm a hoarder. in general i own very few things, my life is fairly simple. i own plenty of tools for work, but beyond that i keep only the things i use. the thought of parting with even one of my bikes makes me very sad, and i know if i did sell one i would quickly replace it with a new bike. i guess i was wondering how you folks decide when enough is enough, where will it all stop, how many bikes is too many bikes.

hate to say it but i have too

the one with the most bikes wins.
like how my mom has a sign that says the one who dies with the most fabric wins
dad has the sign the one who dies with the most tools wins

ha ha i am funny.
i need a beerski
i need some beer refreshing! it is friday!

Oh wait! There is also the other Bianchi DISS and the English 3 speed that my sis and Brother in Law is "barrowing" in Phillie

Just put up more hooks in the ceiling, and hang up a few more bikes, you can fit a lot of bike in not a lot of space with front wheel hooks.

since my mind has changed about the amount of bikes i own and the guilt has dissapated(sp?)
i was wondering about storage. is it hard on the front or back wheel if it is hung from a hook? just wondering not trying to hijack my own thread

Hanging from the front wheel is an accepted way of hanging up a bike. Some suspension manufacturers recommend against it for their forks, and some recommend it, to help lube them. If your bike has suspension, it might be worth checking with the manufacturer, but in general, its just fine to hang up a bike by the front wheel. Just use a rubber coated hook so you don't scratch it. I buy them for 5 for 2$ at home depot.

peace,
sam

Here is my logic. I have too many bikes when the next one I purchase puts the wifes car out of the garage (I would never displace my car for a bike :) ). So I look for inovative ways to store bikes. 2 car garage now with 6 bikes, riding mower, tool chest and ping pong table. All cars live in the garage. I have become quite the engineer when it comes to bike storage.

when there's no room in the kitchen to cook, eat, or even open the refridgerator door.

that just means you need a bigger place.

troll

i think 3 is a good number

Just the right amount is a+b.

a is what I have

30 speed Road Bike
Track Bike (for the velodrome)
Converted miyata 210 fixie to ride around
hard tail 24 speed mountain bike
My 25 year old rusty 15 speed miyata 310(which I'm slowly restoring)

b is what I still need

time trial bike
rivendell-style touring bike
unicycle
ss mountain bike

any more than a+b is too many!

ideal for me - my everyday commuter, my fancypants bike, and a loaner for visitors.

The lady doesn't know about all the ones I plan on getting, but that'll come... Currently it's:
1. geared hardtail MTB
2. converted fix

The Wish List (in no particular order)
1. ss MTB
2. ss ninja bike
3. texas cruzer
4. roadie
5. tri
6. track

15 all track except for 1.

S/F<
CEYA!

I have 3 - only one is rideable the others are just frames i am building up.

2. ss ninja bike

Ninja bike? Like with throwing stars and stuff?

my friend and i have always had 3 bikes each... albeit our inventory revolves and the bikes are of different types (fixed, mtb, vintage, geared, new, squishy, etc)... the magic number has alwasy been 3!

Ninja bike? Like with throwing stars and stuff?
Somebody else used that term to describe the type... I thought it was common parlance.

Single-speed/fixed roadie with narrowish flat-bars. Rattle-canned black like the night. Swift and light with single purpose.

Somebody else used that term to describe the type... I thought it was common parlance.

Single-speed/fixed roadie with narrowish flat-bars. Rattle-canned black like the night. Swift and light with single purpose.

And what is that purpose? Getting hit by cars???

I'm the last guy to go on the safety tip with my lack of helmet, brakes, or blinky light...but I'm not about to go painting a bike black just so it's hard to see in the dark!

I have 2 track bikes, a road bike, and a 3 speed schwinn.
I need to put the beater track frame out of her misery and buy a kogswell or something I can build up to be a super classy not too flashy commuter bike. then all I need is a cyclocross bike.
yes, then I think I'll be set.

And what is that purpose? Getting hit by cars???

I'm the last guy to go on the safety tip with my lack of helmet, brakes, or blinky light...but I'm not about to go painting a bike black just so it's hard to see in the dark!

I painted my "grocery getter" utility bike flat black to deter theft. This color makes it less noticable to those who might want to mess with my ride when I'm parked in front of the stores, post office, etc.

I have 11 working bikes, including two fixed (one of those is a winter MTB w/studded tires), wife has a bike making twelve. Also I have two more "on the way", a SS MTB and a classic three-speed "club racer".

And what is that purpose? Getting hit by cars???

I'm the last guy to go on the safety tip with my lack of helmet, brakes, or blinky light...but I'm not about to go painting a bike black just so it's hard to see in the dark!
You don't paint it so it's hard to see in the dark, you paint it so that it's badass. And you say it's painted to be like the night to be more ninja-like.

Ninjas don't wear black to hide, but because it's slimming. They just say that it's to hide so it sounds cool.

You don't paint it so it's hard to see in the dark, you paint it so that it's badass. And you say it's painted to be like the night to be more ninja-like.

Ninjas don't wear black to hide, but because it's slimming. They just say that it's to hide so it sounds cool.

Suuuuurrrrrreeeeee. Good luck out there!

I have 3 bikes:

Soma Rush-fixed
Surly Karate Monkey- SS
Specialized P2- geared MTB/ Dirt jumper

I want to build a lowrider and a snow bike
Surly Pugsley would be an awesome snobike, but I might convert the P2 into one, make it single speed like 32/18 and throw some studs on it. the disc brakes would do well, not sure if it will take fenders.
any opinions?

I have 3 bikes:

Soma Rush-fixed
Surly Karate Monkey- SS
Specialized P2- geared MTB/ Dirt jumper

I want to build a lowrider and a snow bike
Surly Pugsley would be an awesome snobike, but I might convert the P2 into one, make it single speed like 32/18 and throw some studs on it. the disc brakes would do well, not sure if it will take fenders.
any opinions?

i have serious pugsley lust (and absolutely no use for one, currently). So I vote for the Pugs simply as a vicarious thing. i want to get one to use for farm work. Need to start working with a farm first I guess.

I'd think you want fenders on a sno-bike, but they'd need enough clearance from the wheel to keep from getting all packed up.

Crap. I think I've got seventeen right now. Most of them are old and French, clearly showcasing my masochistic side.... But I keep finding real nice 62cm frames for literally nothing, and I do enjoy tinkering with them and fixing 'em up, though not always fixieing them up.