This statement resonates strongly to how I view this hobby and how I also approach it.
Hobbies are meant to be fun, and you'll know when it starts to become less fun. When daily life gets worrisome, heed those signs.

You can't just state a cold number as an ideal limit and label things are supposedly fine. Everyone's status is different. The collective cost of one person's fleet of 6 could well be more than all of my numerous bikes and parts. And just 2 mega $$$$ bikes could break one's bank and ruin their financial health and relations.
When it affects other aspects of your life, you've cross into the red zone. You have your warning signs. It's no longer fun when you become a slave to your possessions. Just don't let them possess you.

So I was sitting in a parking lot this morning, waiting to meet a guy to pick up a bike. On the radio this brain researcher was being interviewed. They use MRIs or PET scans to model brain activity during buying/shopping decisions. They were talking about how a part of the brain, called the nucleus accumbens, was the 'Gimme That!" reptilian part and the anterior insula was the "Oh, No!" don't buy that part. Apparently the modeling showed the decision was already made by those parts before the rational prefrontal cortex got involved.

N+1

No affiliation, but I've noticed this one a few times: https://cleveland.craigslist.org/bik/2766444389.html

The reptilian part of my brain doesn't know I'm married yet.

...well THAT explains it... my "rational prefrontal cortex" is a little slow on the uptake or has suffered damage... hmmmm. could have been that kool-aid before the Allman brothers concert.

What?!?! Hooker cadavers?
If they were just bicycles hanging upside-down, Clarissssssssss, it's hardly a Silence of the Lambs moment.


There are genuine perverts walking in our midst with several times as much money as the most affluent amongst us have invested in our bicycles on Peter Pan costumes, Star Trek memorabilia, Beanie-babies, bagpipes (blech--shudder), baseball cards, Bazooka-Joe comics and things too repulsive to even mention.
Just get used to the guilt. It's natural to feel this way, living as well as we do. So we have more than we need; would you rather have less? Not me.

My bikes are kept in a clean dry basement. To keep thing organized I have hooks on the wall which hold the collection. I try to just maintain my collection to the number of hooks that I have (around 18 I think). I am probably over a couple at the moment but have a plan for getting back to status quo. As a person that needs some order and a plan in his life this seems to work pretty well for me. Sell a few buy a few!

OP, to answer your question directly.
No six is not enough as there are more than 6 kinds of bicycles you need at lease one of each

No guilt...well just a bit but I thought it was funny that she asked if these were all mine, like why would anyone need 3 bikes. My brain was thinking" Hell no! there's a basement full of 'em". But, I went with the answer she expected, "yup, all mine". Strangely, my sense of humor related the moment to Silence of the Lambs? I enjoyed the encounter which is just another facet of this wonderful hobbie.

P.S. You neglected basements full of trains in your litany of the sick and perverted collections

P.P.S. Guns back in the holsters Choo Choo Boys, my son's got that affliction, so being Christmas Eve, I've got my Engineers cap on and it's time for me pull the Shay off the siding and make a run for the christmas tree village.

P.P.P.S. Good thing you didn't mention gun collectors in your litany, those guys can be dangerous. By they way, anyone have a recomendation for a good Tatical Shotgun?

P.P.P.P.S. sleems Eggnog is not a breakfast dink, should have paced myself better

Merry Christmas and a Happy Hanukkah to all!

I'm liking the line of thought of "different bikes for different needs" as a way to justify the need for more then one.

DD (Daily Driver) T700
DD beater 420 when the place is just too sketchy to take the T700 (I'm having a major internal battle not to pretty this bike up but that's a different psychosis all together) and Trainer bike.
DD M400 foul weather bike.

R300 built as R1000 when I feel the need for speed (or I wanted to make my riding buddies feel better about dropping them after 40 miles on the MUP by not doing it on my 40lb Commuter anymore so I built a 22lb wonder to do it on. I feel funny without my bar bag and wearing full kit though)

Then I have My Mountain bike thats just not street friendly with the knobies
Super V1000

Two theme/Project bikes
Fuji TIII Porteur build
Raleigh thats not a Raleigh Randoneur build

My child hood Schwinn Stingray converted to BMX thats actually for sale

Then we get into bikes that are not mine so they don't count in my count of my bikes (see how that works in this logic of too many bikes? not all are mine)
Wife's
Terry
Bridgestone XO-2

Then the kids
Schwinn
Novaro

Then parts because they are not ride-able (never mind plenty of parts to build them here)

Proflex Arcadia frame and fork (for sale)
Trek 950 frame that will eventually be built for my little one when she gets big enough (not far off)


So 8 is just right (unless that guy takes my offer on the Opus III then its 9)

hahaha Velognome, I was just considering getting rid of all the low-end HO trains I've been neglecting in my basement so that I can move some bikes down there instead ;p

My deciding factor is space, but I may have too much of it. I really need to thin the herd to riders and get rid of the many 'projects' that I may never get to.

I have too many bikes.

I have no desire to do anything about it.

Anyone who wants to conduct an intervention better bring cash.

Every manufacturer makes a version, and they all do the
job pretty damn good (make a big hole where you point it.)

I prefer the pump action, because usually the noise it makes
racking a shell is all you need.......simplifies your life.

If you are buying new, look for drilled for laser sight and
a short barrel, but there are so many floating around used
that your choices are limitless.

ps: Merry to you, too, Bubba

I have six bicycles, but am in the process of building up two more. I guess I don't really need eight bikes, but, yes I do.

2 is minimal, 3 is Zen, and 4 is guilt (for me). Right now I have 4.

There are far worse and far more expensive hobbies than collecting and fixing old bikes.
Iagree with the ride and let go. As long as there are a string of new (old) bikes around for a good price - I plan to selectively trade/build/explore new brands, etc.
Thank God for Bike Forum - to allow me to learn from others!!

8 is such a relative number - go for more.

And cycling affords exercise - outdoors!! wth can you do with a beanie baby.

At least Shays are geared: There's hope there ...

I was coming home from work one day and saw a cute girl on a cool old MTB. All these bells started going off in my head. I caught her at the light and realized that I had sold her the Raleigh she was riding a couple of years ago. She told me that the bike was great and except for one flat; she had not had a single issue with it. She rode it daily for school and work. I was humbled that my little self supporting hobby was actually having an important and positive impact on her life.

Kind'a cool... This is the bike I sold her.

This happened to me in October, I've been fixing up and overhauling bikes for a little bit now. I sold about 50 ish this year. Every once in a while I get a nice email from a person that bought a bike off of me telling ms how awesome the bike has been and that they love it dearly. It definitely makes me feel good knowing that they're really happy with what I sold them. I don't usually hear from about 50% of them but I figure no news is good news!! I've never had a bad complaint yet so I figure I'm doing something right
For the first time about a couple months ago I saw a bike I sold being used in it's natural habitat. It's kinda funny cause I saw him ride by and I was like, I sold him that bike!

As far as limits go, at the moment I have 4 keepers that all do the same functions. But About 25 other bikes that are waiting for work.

I don't think there's such thing as a round number for keepers, I say if u have the space and money then who cares, the bikes will probably be better in your hands then other peoples

I'm still in touch with a few of the people I have sold bikes too. I like when I see them and find they still like the bike I sold them.

My last sale I let go real cheap. It was a Trek 220 that a lady was picking up for her daughter Thursday evening. I still made a little money (very little but not a loss) but at $50 (and could have got $100) she got a screaming deal on a good youth bike for her daughter to ride with her on the local MUP. Sure beat a box store bike that was the only thing in her price range. Hope she has got a big smile on her face right now.

<.< I don't know which is more terrible, you guys or me for expecting you guys to be reasonable LoL Merry christmas to you all, and our overflowing bike collections.

Seven is absolutely necessary. I have six.

I've got around 160 bikes! We moved quite a few bikes this last summer, too! Every once in awhile I would have a lot of bikes out to re-organize the garage, shed, stockade, old pool areas. Too many bikes to put away befor dark! I would take 4 or 5 pictures and announce an "Impromptu Bike Sale"! I would put my phone number and adress on Craigslist and stand back and wait for something to happen! Within an hour or 2, I would have sold 12 or 15 bikes to 2 or 3 people! Once I start to sell bikes to somebody, the deals start!
If someone has 4 bikes, and I like 1 of them, I will not leave the other three bikes. Just can't do it! In the end I do end up with some good parts bikes. I have also been surprised by the worth of some of the "junk bikes"!
I had a "If you can find them and get them out, you can have them" experience! I ende up with a Miyata 110, a Centurion Sport Dlx, a Japanese Royce Union, a Raleigh girl's Sport, and a nice old Rudge Sport! Score!! The Miyata and the Centurion are ready to ride! Oh. Yeah! I also found the original Centurion seat and 2 old Brooks leather saddles in perfect condition