Living Car Free - If you could only have one bike?

What would it be...a steel road bike, a touring bike, a MTB? A singlespeed or fixed gear? If you could only have one bike for doing everything you need to do on one, and had a blank check to get it with, what would you get?
Me...A Moots Vamoots with Easton EA90 SLX wheels running 25s (my dream bike way out of my price range), and a trailer for hauling bigger stuff on...or I would stick with my Surly LHT.

Seven Tsunami Steel - it is a cross bike. Of course, I would have multiple wheelsets... :)

I'd pass. I've already got three bikes; they're all more useful to me than any single bike could be, even if that single bike cost more than all three of mine put together. Two bikes means that if something goes wrong on one, I can ride the other until it's fixed. The third bike is for locking in places where I'd feel worried about the first two. A single bike couldn't fill both of these functions, so I'd possibly end up riding less with one bike than I do with three.

Oh a Seven? I am envious.
Uke...the question is, if for some unknown reason you were limited to only one bike and could have anything you wanted, what would be your choice?
Im like you, have three bikes, a touring bike, a road training and general trans bike, and a fancy carbon fiber everything racing bike. The carbon bike only appears at acutal USAC races.

all of the above! but i will be happy with bmx.

To keep in a reasonable budget frame I would order a custom Habanero Audax-style bike possibly with disc brakes. Something in between a CX and a roadbike with brazeons for fenders and racks.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/Bike&Trailer1.jpg

20 year old Specialized Hard Rock set up for street use. Got it already!

Seven Tsunami Steel - it is a cross bike. Of course, I would have multiple wheelsets... :)

Close, but I'd with the Ti. No paint to worry about scratching when I lock up.

On a realistic budget, I already own it--my beloved '06 Trek Portland.

Me...A Moots Vamoots

So you'd pass on the Moots Comooter (http://citybikes.com/itemdetails.cfm?LibId=54404)?

I'll second the Seven Tsunami. I think that looks like a great bike! Either that or a Surly cross-check, maybe a long-haul trucker. I like road-style bikes that can take fat tires.

Another option I like the sound of, even though it's not very popular, is a mountain bike fitted with slicks and drop bars.

Instead of having multiple bikes for multiple purposes, I'll take a trailer or two for hauling stuff.

Uke...the question is, if for some unknown reason you were limited to only one bike and could have anything you wanted, what would be your choice?

I'd get the most expensive bike available, promptly sell it, buy my Forge back, and put the rest in the bank.

Id pass on the Moots Comooter because I do a lot of road riding and some crit racing, so I would need a regular road bike..if I could only have one bike. With it I could haul a trailer for touring and shopping and stuff, swap out wheels for racing, etc. Very versitile.

If I could only have one, it would have to be a Brompton. It can carry almost as much as my tourer, is as easy to just jump on and go as my hyrbid, and although it isn't quite so good off road as my mountain bike, the ability to go on a bus trumps that - and none of the others can. I would need a trailer though.

English 3 speed. With thin tires its fast enough to commute on, great bike for errands, essentially maintenance free, fenders and chaingaurd keep you dry and clean.

What else do you need?

A hardtail MTB with slick tires is good for about 80 % of my riding, and will get by for the other 20 %. So I guess the road bike will have to go if they pass the one bike law.

A touring bike... something like a Surly Long Haul Trucker would do me nicely... except that I wouldn't feel like locking it up at the grocery store.... that's why I have a beater-type bike.

Old school English 3 speed

that one

that one

Ok... I'll bite... (I've always wondered...)

How the hell do you do a quick stop on that thing?

Ok... I'll bite... (I've always wondered...)

How the hell do you do a quick stop on that thing?

skid

I bought a great bike last year, a Dahon Smooth Hound. I loved it because of the Q-fork front suspension and the quick acceleration due to the 20" wheels. I put a Thudbuster suspension seat post on it and it was comfortable. I could have that bike as my only ride. Unfortunately an old spine injury is causing my arms and hands to go weak when I ride in that position. The weakness lasts for days after riding it so I must sell it.

I must now ride sitting upright with no pressure on my arms. I can't test ride any of the bicycles that interest me. This means that I will guess at the one bike I could live with as my only ride. Whichever one it is will have a Nuvinci rear hub with roller brakes on both wheels, fenders, and a rear rack.

I want infinitely adjustable shifting. When hauling groceries or any weight into a strong headwind regular cassettes often have uncomfortable jumps between ratios. With a Nuvinci hub I will always be able to be in the right ratio pedaling at my preferred cadence.

Roller brakes aren't as strong as disc brakes but vandals won't be able to kick them and warp them the way they could with a disc brake.

Fenders will help me and the bicycle keep clean and the rear rack will haul my groceries and other shopping items.

I will probably buy one of these this summer;

RANS Citi http://www.ransbikes.com/Citi09.htm
Cruzbike Freerider http://www.cruzbike.com/freeriderV2.html
Longbikes Slipstream (not in yellow) http://www.longbikes.com/SiteII/Bikes/Slipstream/Slipstream.html

Will I keep it? I don't know. Until I can spend some time on whichever one I get it is impossible to know. Each one offers unique benefits that appeal to me. Maybe I'll get lucky and find the ideal ride on the first try. Sometimes I wish I lived in a big city with plenty of recumbent bicycle dealers.

English 3 speed. With thin tires its fast enough to commute on, great bike for errands, essentially maintenance free, fenders and chaingaurd keep you dry and clean.

What else do you need?


Old school English 3 speed

Yup!:thumb::love:

BTW all 3 speeds all with dyno hubs and lights:D

Aaron:)

http://inlinethumb27.webshots.com/26586/2605508710066886751S500x500Q85.jpg

a custom curtlo cyclo cross fast tourng bike...

if i went with a stock bike i'd take a kona jake the snake and maybe change out the fork for a steel one.

If I could only have one bike, it would be a nice, steel, mid level hard tail mountain bike. Nice go anywhere kind of ride....good for trails or road.

My 1x9 Surly Pacer is my only bike.

Every once and a while I wish I had a front disc brake and maybe a little bit more of a touring bike geometry... but in the dry this bike is awesome and it is serviceable in the wet.

http://homepage.mac.com/awcg/.Pictures/Bike/Trailer.jpg
This is my most versatile bike.
I can use it as a road bike, commuter, light touring, or utility bike.

The only requirment I have is an upright riding stance and a three speed hub. I'm fond of my Raleighs but I had a Fuji Sports 10 set up for upright with North Roads and stem shifters that was good, so good someone stole it.

The only requirment I have is an upright riding stance and a three speed hub. I'm fond of my Raleighs but I had a Fuji Sports 10 set up for upright with North Roads and stem shifters that was good, so good someone stole it.

That's the problem I have with getting a really nice bike... spending a bunch of money getting the best equipment... then parking it at the grocery store... :eek:

I'd just stick with my:
http://i19.photobucket.com/albums/b176/remaofaes/ArzilloBOneWayPic001Medium.jpg

I only have one bike, a LHT. My riding consists entirely of commuting, errands around town, and touring, so, for me, it's the only one I need. It's pretty much my car. It has good clearance for fenders, handles loads well, and has wide tires that can deal with broken pavement and dirt roads. It's a very comfortable ride, and though I'll never win any races, I can still manage 16-20 mph on flat ground without even trying, even if my panniers are full of beer, and that's good enough for my purposes. (If I try hard, and I'm not carrying too much, I can manage 25 mph, but that tends to hurt like hell, so I rarely attempt it.)

Since the LHT is my only transportation, besides walking and public transport, I often have to lock it up outside. Theft is a concern, but I'm absolutely not going to let fear coerce me into riding a beater to the grocery store. I use a high-quality U lock, take reasonable precautions, and have insurance, but I ride, and park, my bike wherever I want.

I have thought long and hard about this question. I couldn’t do it. One bike can’t fit all my riding needs. I fold.

If I could only have one bike, it would be a nice, steel, mid level hard tail mountain bike. Nice go anywhere kind of ride....good for trails or road.

Think Kona makes something like that.

Only one bike? Hah! ain't going to happen for me, and not even worth my speculating on.

I have three, but I'd take the Rivendell Bombadil . The 60cm size take 700c tires..... up to 50 something mm's wide.


Run it with speedy narrow tires, knobbies or balloon tires. Can't beat that :thumb:

Another vote for an English 3spd. Something with a hub gen, northroads, a Brooks B66, rack, and full fenders.

I have three bikes. If I could only have one it would be a Big Dummy no contest. As it is I may actually get a BD.

I'd pick my 1970s steel Coppi "10-speed". It was a gift from my bike riding son, who picked it up for $60 and thought it would be a good fit for me. The frame geometry suits me. Folklore is "Italian bikes are good for short legged riders" and in this case it's true.

The bottom bracket is closer to the ground than usual. This gives me a critical inch and a half more standover room for the same frame size. I have to be careful with pedal clearance over speed bumps, but that's second nature for me.

The old steel wheels and components were heavy. I modernized to 700c alloy wheels and Shimano 105 9-speed drive stuff with a triple crank. Had to use frame tube adapters, cold-spread the rear dropouts, and also reroute the front derailler cable to go from top shift to bottom shift. I replaced the drop bars with a classic 3-speed upright head set. I found Tektro long reach brakes that could accommodate the change in wheel size and the leverage change going from road style to mountain style brake levers. I use Panaracers now instead of tubular tires. The only original Campy components left are the downtube friction shifters, which are excellent. The original Campy rear derailler wound up being displayed in a local bike shop's "museum". I added a kickstand, quick releases, SRAM gold link chain release, and a seat leash.

As a final touch I complemented the green frame with a bright orange water bottle holder mounted with radiator clamps - an anti-theft uglification step.

Cost effective? Not even close. It's just a bike that's been much loved and tweaked to my preferences.

Cost effective? Not even close. It's just a bike that's been much loved and tweaked to my preferences.

Those are the best kind.

I'd pick my 1970s steel Coppi "10-speed". It was a gift from my bike riding son, who picked it up for $60 and thought it would be a good fit for me. The frame geometry suits me. Folklore is "Italian bikes are good for short legged riders" and in this case it's true.

The bottom bracket is closer to the ground than usual. This gives me a critical inch and a half more standover room for the same frame size. I have to be careful with pedal clearance over speed bumps, but that's second nature for me.

The old steel wheels and components were heavy. I modernized to 700c alloy wheels and Shimano 105 9-speed drive stuff with a triple crank. Had to use frame tube adapters, cold-spread the rear dropouts, and also reroute the front derailler cable to go from top shift to bottom shift. I replaced the drop bars with a classic 3-speed upright head set. I found Tektro long reach brakes that could accommodate the change in wheel size and the leverage change going from road style to mountain style brake levers. I use Panaracers now instead of tubular tires. The only original Campy components left are the downtube friction shifters, which are excellent. The original Campy rear derailler wound up being displayed in a local bike shop's "museum". I added a kickstand, quick releases, SRAM gold link chain release, and a seat leash.

As a final touch I complemented the green frame with a bright orange water bottle holder mounted with radiator clamps - an anti-theft uglification step.

Cost effective? Not even close. It's just a bike that's been much loved and tweaked to my preferences.

Wow... great story. Nice that your son gave it to you.

Here's a thread on this bicycle. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=304664&highlight=coppi+speed

I only have one bike, a LHT. My riding consists entirely of commuting, errands around town, and touring, so, for me, it's the only one I need. It's pretty much my car. It has good clearance for fenders, handles loads well, and has wide tires that can deal with broken pavement and dirt roads. It's a very comfortable ride, and though I'll never win any races, I can still manage 16-20 mph on flat ground without even trying, even if my panniers are full of beer, and that's good enough for my purposes. (If I try hard, and I'm not carrying too much, I can manage 25 mph, but that tends to hurt like hell, so I rarely attempt it.)

Since the LHT is my only transportation, besides walking and public transport, I often have to lock it up outside. Theft is a concern, but I'm absolutely not going to let fear coerce me into riding a beater to the grocery store. I use a high-quality U lock, take reasonable precautions, and have insurance, but I ride, and park, my bike wherever I want.

That would ease the sting somewhat. I looked into insurance a while back and it didn't seem it would cost a whole lot. However, I never pulled the trigger.

Wow... great story. Nice that your son gave it to you.

Here's a thread on this bicycle. http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=304664&highlight=coppi+speed

That's the one! Thanks for posting the link. Mine is the same as the one in the picture posted by Tony-Coppiowner, with minor differences in the decals. His verdict was -- not bad and fairly light.

I have more than 20 bikes... Having only one bike would seem like I suddenly became aware that I have a problem. Having only one bike would mean I had long term and successful therapy. Having only one bike suggests that I can actually be satisfied.

...and then I woke up.

None-the-less, my favorite bike is still the one Sheldon Brown built. It's a beauty, and it fits me perfectly. The only thing that would get me to give that one up is a perfect condition 30's to 50's Rudge.

None-the-less, my favorite bike is still the one Sheldon Brown built. It's a beauty, and it fits me perfectly.
A truly gorgeous bike! Stunning.

I cannot imagine only having one bike anymore, although it was a few short years ago that that was the case. If I could only have one it would be a custom build. 700c wheels, mountain drop bar, clearance for 29x195 tires with fender, eyelets for fenders and racks. Basically a bike I could make minor modifications on to use for many purposes.

My mid 80's lugged steel touring bike. It can keep up with my weight weeny friends on lengthy road rides, it's geared both low (for climbing the hills in my area) and high (for spinning on the flats), it can take wide tires and fenders, and it can pack a load. It's also extremely comfortable to ride.

My mid 80's lugged steel touring bike. It can keep up with my weight weeny friends on lengthy road rides, it's geared both low (for climbing the hills in my area) and high (for spinning on the flats), it can take wide tires and fenders, and it can pack a load. It's also extremely comfortable to ride.

My 84 Schwinn touring bike is also getting the most use lately, for miles used it is a toss up between that one and my bike-e. If I really had to choose only one to replace all my bike needs it would be the steel touring bike too.

That's the one! Thanks for posting the link. Mine is the same as the one in the picture posted by Tony-Coppiowner, with minor differences in the decals. His verdict was -- not bad and fairly light.

The gold one? Hmmm... me like. Does it have the little decal of Coppio himself?

http://i205.photobucket.com/albums/bb311/aschryer/02130016.jpg

The gold one? Hmmm... me like. Does it have the little decal of Coppio himself?
Mine has a different set of decals that doesn't include Fausto Coppi's picture, plus I changed out the handlebars and most of the components. Its frame is a forest green, thus my bike's name is the Green Platypus.

As everyone knows, bikes that have been given their own names work better and last longer.

I have 4 bikes, and one I'm planning (I'm like an expectant mother LOL)... an all the bells and whistles carbon racing road bike, a steel early 80s Univega Viva Sport, a mother of a mtn bike, and my commuting/touring bike, my Diamondback.

IF I could ONLY have one bike, and had any choice, it would actually be my diamondback. It's comfy, and surprisingly quick. It's built up with XT and XTR components, carbon fork, bars, spinergy wheels, dangerboy brakes. It's all I could want in a general purpose bike. The downside is anytime I ever have to lock it up anywhere, at all, I'm a neurotic mess, so the Univega is handy for that stuff. It's so hard to have just one.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v79/Pugdawg1/DiamondbackSummer09.jpg