brundle_fly

Do you keep your bike until it falls apart,or do you change it for a new one after a certain time.Like some people like to change cars every 3 years or so

renton

I started riding last year, see my signature

Sir Real

I've only had 3 bikes. I had the first one 28 years before replacing it. The second one I recently replaced after only 6 years. Right now I have no plans on another one.

ColinL

I'm planning to get 3-5 years of life out of my road bike. At that point it'll still be a pretty damn good bike, but technology will have moved along enough that I want something else. I bet in that time electronic shifting will be all the rage.

Campag4life

No fast rule to be sure. Depends on the owner. Some just upgrade the driveline over time...wheels, seat, handlebars etc if they start with a good frame. Then there is the issue of throwing good money after bad...trying to upgrade a poor quality bike that doesn't deserve it. Also there are economies derived by buying a complete bike versus assembling a custom one. Fussy cyclists tend to customize a bit however...but this still can be done thru buying a complete bike and changing out a few things. So the permutations are endless really..depends on the owner.
I for example am a bit torn right now. I am jonesing for a new frame but don't need one really. Will it be worth the $2K to buy the frame I want?...probably not at the end of the day. But if you are riding old steel or Al and haven't ridden a nice mid level carbon frame, you are in for a treat.

ilovecycling

For those of us with upgraditis the question is more like after how many months?

dmcdmc

I always have 2..my mtn bike with slicks/knobbys depending on commuting or trail riding and a roadbike. right now it is a cannondale supersix.

Over the past year I've bought/sold over 10 bikes however...but I always need to have 2 (daily and a weekend bike). Lets me ride lots of different stuff and slowly improve my own gear. I usually pour X amount of money into a hobby and through the magic of craigs/ebay get to have a lot of different stuff as time goes on

urbanknight

As a teen, every 1 or 2 years because I kept growing. Now, it just depends on when something breaks or gets too outdated for my taste... and how much I can afford to update.

Seattle Forrest

No.

You're thinking about this wrong. People get new bikes when they feel they have a valid reason to. That reason is rarely "my old bike broke" or "some arbitrary amount of time has passed." I got one bike because I wanted a more comfortable ride, a better climber, and a faster bike all around. A different one I got because I needed something metal that I could lock up outside of work and other places, and I also wanted something with aero tubing, and, as the coup de grace, I found a great deal on one.

gg-madone

as always it depends on your priorities and your discretionary funds.
I have been using and upgrading my 08 trek and I'm done, looking to step up to a 6-8k bike.
Do I have to? no. My bike(s) is in perfect shape.
do i miss all the oos and ahs when you roll up with a new bike bling? yep.
will a new bike make me faster? mentally definitely, physically, minuscule.
If you are unhappy with your current bike and think a new one will make you ride more then get a new bike.
flip your old bikes for new or start a collection, just make sure you ride them.

dwellman

n+1

robberry

It seems like there are two schools on BF, those who get one bike and keep it spotless, and those who buy a new bike every week. No middle ground whatsoever.

Hida Yanra

Well, other than my first couple of bikes, I now get a new bike whenever it is free...
Very few people need new bikes.

My next bike that I pay for will probably be a different TT bike - but that is a few years away at a minimum.

dwellman

Wait: there's new bikes???

DGozinya

It's recommended to check the "best before" date stamped on the bottom of the bottom bracket. Replace the bike if it is past this date.

jmX

Since I feel like my bike is "good enough" I'll wait until there is a compelling reason to upgrade. It could be average bikes are 15lbs in 3 years time, it could be that electronic shifting and disk brakes are common and affordable, or it could be that my current bike breaks in a crash. I suspect one of these conditions will be true within a few years.

knobd

I started riding for the first time ever in July 2010 with a Trek 7100. I did not like the gearing or the twist shifters so I traded it in towards a 7.2 FX. I kept that bike for 6 months until I realized that the bike was too small. This realization came about when I obtained my 1988 Fuji for free from a relative and learned what proper fit was the very first time I sat on the bike. This was January of this year. I then realized that I needed to replace the FX (sold to co-worker) and went with a entry level CX bike in March so I'd have something I can take anywhere in my stable. I've used this combo ever since with the CX bike getting about 60% of the miles and the Fuji getting the rest. Both bikes fit me pretty darn near perfect; especially the Fuji.

My plan for now is to ride the heck of both these bikes until I've had the CX bike for about 2 years (3/2013). At that time I plan on looking into a 2k carbon road bike and relegating the CX bike to a rain bike by furnishing it with fenders. The Fuji's main duty will continue to be the bike I keep at our condo at the Jersey shore. Until then, I may get a new set of wheels for the CX bike and get a lowered geared cassette for those wheels. Overall, I'm very happy with my cheapo stable but I ride too much to have just 1 modern shifting bike to rely on so when the engine deserves it, it will be rewarded with a chassis upgrade.

mmmdonuts

So that's what that means. I've seen BB30, so what date is "30"?

heresy

I bought my second bike two and a half years after the first. I have had No. 2 about six years (to the day) and I am in the market for No. 3.

Seattle Forrest

If A happens, B won't, and vice versa. Disc brakes are common and affordable in some CX bikes and hybrids, though. They aren't known for their low weight.

eippo1

So if I have 2 2011 bikes (Zurigo and Tarmac), a 2010 Masi frame, a 2005 Sworks Alum, a 1968 Philips 3 speed, a 1975 Raligh Gran Prix frame (and possibly another identical one on the way) and a 1985 Nishiki 10 Thirteen, do I not fit in?

jmX

I agree, but the weight penalty is not *too* bad. My MTB has a pretty light disc setup on it and I'd love to have that on my road bike. I also bet if the rims didn't have to double as a braking surface they could shave grams off them.

Anyway, I said "or"

Seattle Forrest

I know you said or, I wasn't trying to be a jerk.

If the rims didn't double as a brake surface, a lot of people might be more interested in carbon rims. But you have to strengthen the whole week because the braking happens at the spokes, and you need a stronger fork as well. I don't think they'll ever be able to offset the weight of the brakes by shrinking other parts of the bike because it has discs.

caloso

I bought my first real bike in '99. I bought a better real bike in '01 after coming into a windfall. Rode the better bike for 8 years, got into racing, and when I upgraded to Cat 3, I treated myself to an even better bike. I think that was in '08. Raced that for a year and then crashed it in the offseason. Santa brought me a nice replacement frame for Xmas '09 and I'm still riding that. But that's just my "A" bike.

I've also added two vintage steelies, one set up with Campy 10 speed, and the other as a SSCX. And I have a geared CX bike too. What I need next is a track bike. And a TT bike. And maybe a 29" mtb would be fun. And a beach cruiser. And a tandem. (You see how this goes?)

UCIMBZ

The era of buying bikes is over unless you are a vermin in the cesspool of cycling. In that case go right ahead and knock yourself out with a new "bike". The question should always be what frame and what components?
That way when it comes to replacing, you only replace what is broken or outdated.