Wildwood 

not sure if it all fit in the title...

Assumptions:
You have more than one bike.
You are happy with the bikes you have.
They cover the range of your riding needs.
You feel no urgent need for N+1

Question is:
What causes you to purchase another N+1? (Flipping excluded, tho not a putdown to the flippin' business.)

Value? Back-up? Grailish? Components? Donor that rode too well to strip? I need another bike project to live?

Reason for question = you guessed it, N+1. And I need support, not therapy. (extra validation for pics of n+1)
Pic is from seller's CL.

bikemig 

I'd buy that bike in a heartbeat and figure out a rationalization afterwards preferably over a few good pints of beer

feesh

bikemig 

There is a good website with a lot of information on Follis bikes. Much of it is in French but there are also Follis catalogs in English.

FOLLIS - Joseph FOLLIS - Marcel FOLLIS - ANCIENS VELOS LYONNAIS

Given the chrome socks, it would not surprise me if that bike was at least a follis 172 with a reynolds 531 DB main triangle.

oddjob2

Value, color, condition, if I have bike cash available.

sdn40

You obviously have never had Lays potato chips or three wives

Bicycle Addict

Reason? Ummm . . . because I want it! That's it basically!
Lol

Poguemahone

Here are my currently limitations:


1) Frame must be well built with care and attention to details and brazing.


2) Prefer obscure makes.


3) Custom builders preferred.


That's it; takes a bit to get me off my duff and spend money. I get occasional calls from local dealers trying to sell me what I consider mundane bikes. Nope.

Andy_K 

You seem to have an implicit assumption that there's actually a reason behind my bike purchases. I'm not sure reason has anything to do with it.

Right now I'm in pretty much the state described by your assumptions. I'd kind of like a British bike, but mostly because I joked with my wife that I'm collecting bikes from every country. On top of the current fleet meeting all my riding needs, it also fills all the hooks I have to hang them on and then some. If I get another bike I'll have to move yet another one into the pile in the storage room that years ago had enough organization to be designated my "man cave" but has since devolved into a rat's nest.

Nevertheless.... There's a frame on the local CL that has captured my interest. I don't know anything about it other than that I like the lugs. The seller thinks it's some lightweight Columbus tubing. I think he's probably wrong. It looks like it might be British. It'll probably be in my garage before the end of the month.

What causes that? I guess browsing CL is the efficient cause. Seeing a bike and having an idea about what it could be is the final cause.

randyjawa 

N+1=happier, in my world.

Simply put, finding a cool old bike is not something that happens every day, these days. With that in mind, when something desirable comes along, it really does not matter if you(I) need it or not. The simple fact is, you(I) like it! And...

There is such a thing as N-1, which can be implemented at a later time, if you(I) wish.

Put another way, I cannot imagine passing on something special and that Follis is pretty special, eh mon ami?

non-fixie 

Sheer curiosity and lust. Ergo my latest +1. The only thing keeping me in check is the WAF.

merziac

Make it so.

scuzzo

I never got the n+1 bug,. I have had a number of road bikes going at one time,,. But I was never able to get them all ridable at the same time past 4 or so,,,. And even then I still gravitated to 1 or 2 favs,, and the other two never saw a pedal turn,,. now I have my dream bike the issue is even more pronounced,,. I cannot for the life of me get my other bike up off the blocks,,. every time I do,,. I look over at my number 1 and think.. I think I would just rather ride... I guess it depends on what you get from the sport.. my favorite bike ticks all the boxes so much so that,,. I cannot even justify getting some nice spendy carbon wheels or anything... my last pruchase was for some red anodized presta valve caps... and some gold ones.... so... I guess its that way when you find YOUR BIKE.. feals kinda cool..

Wildwood 

Not a single pic but mine.

tch, tch, tch, tch.....

Wildwood 

@bikemig = thanks for link. Will have bike tomorrow so can evaluate for model and year. Only a couple of threads on BF. Maybe we need an Authoritative Follis thread for all the search engines.


All i've seen from a few extra pics: the fork ends appear stamped, no tubing decals, 27" wheels. All bad. On the good side: chromed socks, drop-out adjusters, room for fat tires (30mm smooth) AND fenders, nice handlebars. Maybe all original.

Wildwood 

Missed your link on first pass. Yeah, that's the spirit!

And besides, given your permission, this one can soon be presented in 'Show yourself + your bike' thread.

CliffordK

Still trying to figure that one out. It is time for N-10

Bike Hoarding?

Truthfully, the bikes I've been riding each fall into a different class, and are used for different needs.

I'm now getting rather picky with what I'll buy, and generally pass on any high tensile bikes.

I do want to start selling soon, but I'm not quite sure what market niche I wish to fill.

Wileyone 

Looking for a North American and "maybe" a Japanese Grail Bikes.
Then maybe I can say I'm done...

Darth Lefty 

Today, I want @dweenk 's Gitane Hosteler. But that'll pass.

DMC707

Grail bikes -- plus the curiosity of trying out "grail bikes" against other similar bikes to see if they are all they are cracked up to be -- I am fascinated with this

(I have found my old restored DeBernardi rides close to a Colnago Superissimo as they have similar parts and wheelsets , - but the SLX DeRosa seems to "get up and go" as if guided by unseen forces, -- even if the average speeds at the end of the ride are all about the same

---
My concept of "grail bike" has changed demonstrably over the years ----- I used to think if I had a nice titanium machine from Litespeed or Merlin, then all would be right with the world --- after having a Litespeed for a while, I re-learned to like lugged steel again ,

I used to think my lugged steel Ciocc was about as good as it gets , but more knowledge gleaned through this website and others showed me that, - yes , while still a nice bike, its not at the top of the mountain,
So along the way I have procured several more plus restored a couple from my misspent young racing efforts

I have stalled out at a resto-mod DeRosa with a modern 10 speed groupset, and a 1990 Colnago Superissimo I purchased from another forum member a few months ago

---- I'm afraid my definition of grail bike has now expanded to the point that I am keeping my eyes peeled for mid-late 70's Masi GC's, anything Galmozzi, or even a newer Pegoretti. A vintage Paramount track bike is also a grail bike to me (stuff like this means more money )

My limitations are that anything I find has to be rideable , so at my lofty height of 5'8 and a 1/2 , has to be between a size 53 and 55 at the most ------

My search isn't very active or aggressive anymore but the fire still burns

beicster 

I have a lot fun learning about bikes during the planning and purchase phase. And, learning about one can lead to another. My wife picked up a 79 Raleigh Super Course for me at an estate sale recently and I had a blast learning all about the brand as I built it up. I am now interested in a Raleigh SC Mk II, maybe one of the early seventies models before the MK II, and any of the higher end Raleighs from that period. For the right price, I would snap one up.

A good price on an Atlantis that fit me when I had the money might just do the trick, too.

USAZorro

Given the assumptions - which are largely, but not entirely true, I would either want a Frejus from the 50's or 60's, or a Constructeur (read French rando) bicycle from the same time period.

USAZorro

You need to come visit the Raleigh corral sometime. There's one in Lexington too, but I don't think he haunts Bike Forums.

iab

I'd like to upgrade my commuter to a custom bike. I'd also like to ride a bike from the 1920s.

n+2

Bikerider007

I have stopped looking as I am at the stage of having enough but find myself fine tuning each to my taste as well. But, you never know what may call to you and...