Roadie Rob

You can never have too many bikes.

Frame material, geometry, style, favorite TdF team, weather, weight, are all valid reasons to go exploring into the infinite world of the obsessive compulsive (wallet also pending).

My current stable is pictured below (click for a larger view):
Calfee Tetra - SUB 16 lb. all carbon mountain climbing bike
Specialized S-Works "Festina" - 16 lb. criterium speed machine (wheelbase as "tight as a tiger")
Specialized S-Works "Domina Vacanze" - 17 lb. aero bike for cheating the wind
Airborne Valkyrie - 18 lb. rocker-recliner on wheels, so smooth, you swear the back tire is flat
Specialized M2 - 18 lb. daily rock 'n roll grinder
Univega Modo - 19 lb. cro-moly smooth operator
Dahon Allegro - it splits in 2, lays in a standard airline-sized suitcase, and travels anywhere for FREE (just put down 60+ miles in San Diego last month)
Univega Carbolite - 19 lb. stealth "nobody will believe your speed...until you pass them"
Specialized Sirrus - 19 lb. "neither rain, nor sleet, nor dark of night stops my winter training"
LeMond Team Z replica - 19 lb. retro "I remember when LeMond won...." story swapping catalyst

MTB's
Santa Cruz Blur - 24 lb. "what rock?"
(not pic'd) Univega Boralyn - 22 lb. corner carver, fireroad flyer, singletrack speeding wicked-light hardtail
(not pic'd) Marin Pine Mountain - 26 lb. classic all-around trail machine

Tandem's (only 12 pic's allowed)
KHS Alite - ugh...trying to sell it
(pic'd) Tsunami Ti-Boom - the new twin-rider, draft us at 30 MPH and I'l explain how the beam works

Bottom line, we all have vices - mine is bikes, cheaper than booze, women, dope, or gambling. Luckily, it is also a "healthy" habit to keep.

I-Like-To-Bike

Some people might think three golf clubs, or three baseball caps, or three hand bags or three pairs of shoes are too many.

Why worry about what anyone else thinks about this (unless you are sharing a bed or garage with him/her)?

lilHinault

I have the big bad Langster which will be a fixie soon, right now. I'm planning very soon to get a touring type bike I can set up with panniers for more carrying capacity, "touring" might be a low end Allez which has the all-important rack lugs and ..... gears. I'm looking forward to getting in shape to do some racing so that might mean a more serious roadie type bike later. Or, just enter crits with the Allez with the rack :-P

primaryreality

I have only one 30-year old bike. I really need a good road bike. Can I have one of yours?

roadfix

You're missing a fixed gear and a tour bike...

pakole

I used to own only a mtn bike because I did not understand the road bike, and I did want to get a flat and deal with the "restrictions" that the road offers. After a month of riding the mtn bike and learning cycling, I saw a great deal for a 80's road bike, so I decided to get to see why one would ride a roadie. Now, I use my roadie for commuting and long distance light load, and my mtn bike for downhill and high load. I still want a fixed gear, but I should also upgrade my current rides as well. Decisions, Decisions.

I-Like-To-Bike

Agreed, although some of those other pastimes are even more pleasurable (if not healthier) when done in combination with a bicycling habit.

bsyptak

Why have just one? Bikes are like clothes, crayons, flyrods, shoes. Variety is the spice of life.

In order of purchase:
MTB-1991 GT Avalanche purchased in 1991 (cobwebs removed lately!)
Road-2003 Jamis Quest purchased in 2003 (long rides)
Hybrid-2004.5 Giant Cypress SX purchased in 2004 (commuter)
SS-1985 Trek 460 purchased 6/27/2005 (converting as we speak!)

Up on "blocks" is a Trek road bike which will soon be summarily stripped of it's components and put on a cyclocross frameset whenever I find a worthy steel frame/fork. Top choice currently is a Soma Double Cross, but I really want something that was made in USA. Oh yeah, cheap too.

RT

Simply awesome, you guys. I rode my new roadie for the first time yesterday and was blown away by how fast it was. Almost effortless compared to the Giant. I want more.

bokes

Here's a very similar thread
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/113364-multi-purpose-bikes-one-each-role.html

dynaryder

Ok look. First off,I can stop buying bikes at any time. It's not a problem!

Besides,I need more than one bike. My Absolute is my fast commuter. My Dew is my backup fast commuter(what if the Fuji got a flat?). My Sedona is my bad weather bike. My Trek is the backup bad weather bike(can't ride the others in the rain/snow!). The BBU is for showing roadies that Lance isn't that fast. The Buzz is for screwing around. The Marlboro folder is for the Metro. And the Raleigh is....well....just too nice to get rid of. I mean,it's a project bike. Yeah,that's it,it's a project bike!

See,how could I live with just one bike? You know,I could use at least another. You can never have too many backups.

sbhikes

What? None of you have recumbents yet?

I have an older mountain bike I used to use for commuting until I got a recumbent. The recumbent is just so much more fun.

The recumbent is a little too effortless, though, so sometimes I think about getting a beach cruiser.

PALux

When I started commuting again in ’99 I had a ’80 Motobecane touring bike and an old 10 speed backup. I had stopped commuting when I returned from Germany in ’81 after getting run off the road several times. In ’99 and 60lbs heavier the Motobecane was a little hard on the gut. I bought a Specialized Crossroads for the upright position. A year later I bought a Specialized FSR Enduro Comp mountain bike for the disk brakes for winter commuting. By then I was back riding the Motobecane but worried about its age so bought a Cannondale T2000 touring bike as my primary commuter and weekend rider. The 2 Specialized were and are still used as backup bikes. The Motobecane is my roller bike now. Except for the Cannondale with 14 k miles and the old 10 speed with 16 k miles all the bikes have 3-6 k miles on them.

Three years ago I added a Quadracycle in hopes my wife who is a stroke survivor would join me for rides around the neighborhood. So far it has been just me and the dog or me and a grandkid. Even at that I have 400+ miles on it.

Last month I gave myself an Easy Racer Tour Easy recumbent for my birthday. Why another bike? Even on my short 5.2 mile commute my hands were getting numb. As I work on a computer 8+ hours a day I was worried about carpal tunnel. The first day on the recumbent and I had no pain. I may eventually get rid of the Cannondale and Crossroads. I have enough grandkids that they will probably get them if they want. Otherwise grandpa will have good bikes anytime any of them want to join me on a weekend ride.

For fun I am building a Tour easy clone and another home built recumbent of my own design from old frames I have. Current stable also includes 2 bmx bikes, 1 24inch mountain bike and 1 old 10 speed for grandkids when they come over. You say you have a bike you want to give away? Bring it over. I’ll fix it for a grandkid or use it for parts. I’ll stop at about 15 to 20. That would just cover kids, spouses, grandkids and extended grandkids. Would I love to get them all out together for a rail to trail ride.
Phil

Dewbert

1. cheap, x-mart comfort bike...heavy, unreliable, but my wife likes to take it out for a spin now and then
2. hybrid (giant cypress)...great for family rides and a casual spin around town....owned it for 29 days before I bought
3. road bike (giant ocr2)...much faster and more comfortable for long rides...

The x-mart is junk, but as for the Giants, it's like my mom tells her kids: I love you all equally, just differently....my therapist and I are still sorting that out! <g>

catatonic

OK my evolution since I started riding again a year and a half ago:

Diamondback Outlook
Raleigh Talus (I wanted a solid trailbike to go off-roading, the Outlook remained my commuter)

Then I wanted more speed on my commute:

Trek 1100 (nice bike, just way too small)

then

Motobecane Vent Noir (my current commuter, but it's down for a while going through a "rebirth" so to say)

I sold my diamondback and Trek when I found I was moving here, so I ended up with the Raleigh and the Motobecane.

I have plans for a Touring bike, and a classic I'm going to tweak up in my own style.

number1bike

I keep 2 working bikes at all times, and a number of projects.

My main bike is for the commute to work and is an x-mart, garage sale bike. This is the bike I am using as an experiment to compare how many miles I can get out of it before the frame dies, compared to the more expensive bikes I have had. The frame/fork is x-mart, the rest of the bike is what could be transferred from the previous Schwinn GTX.

The weekend, long ride bike is a Jamis Durango. Love riding it, but too scary locking it up at work.

Then there are the project bikes. One is a Miyata road bike that was my original commuter bike until the frame failed. Received a new frame from the manufacture, but not everything matches up so it’s a project.

The other project is getting a new frame for the Schwinn that was the last commuter bike but for now hangs on the wall.

lilHinault

Yayy I picked up this funky old Schwinn crossover type bike, butted frame, with MTB wheels/tires on it, for $200 at the LBS, now I have my "ugly duckling" bike to set up with a rack etc.

gotcoffee

i also have to keep two in running condition since i don't have a car. so a combination of necessity and affliction. currently:

- uglified track bike for daily commuting and fartin' around.
- road bike for training and long weekend rides.

now that i live in the 'burbs and have the space:
- internal gear hub cruiser to slow myself down.
- project track bike.

someday soon:
- replacing the road bike, maybe with a litespeed firenze or solano. love the classic styling and subdued decals.

RonH

I had 3 bikes but never rode the Raleigh road bike once I got the Jamis so sold it last December.
Now I only have two. But I'm always on the lookout for a good deal. One can never have too many bikes -- unless the wife disagrees.

halfbiked

RonH-
You need your wife to have more bikes than you do!

I have a mtn bike that I've owned for 13 years, though its now used primarily for commuting-like rides. Last year I acquired a used road bike, to ride with my girlfriend on 'exercise' rides. We also bought a tandem.

She has a road bike, mtn bike & last year acquired her now favorite bike - a 1969 Schwinn Typhoon. We (she, really) also have 2 mixte bikes in the garage, and gave 2 others away. Lastly, she pulled a 3 wheeler out of a dumpster that, so far, has only been used on liquor store runs (holds a 16gal keg nicely).

In Summary: She's a keeper.

chewa

I've presently got three, all steel.

My everyday commuter/audax/fast tourer is a handbuilt 531c frame which I had built 22 years ago and has probably the best part of 100000 miles on it. I had it stripped and powder coated 3 years ago and had canti's put on and the rear spread to take a 130 hub. It currently runs Campag Veloce 9sp ergo levers to an 8sp cassette with Campag mechs. I wear a set of rims out every 18 months to two years (I now have winter wheels for the gritty Scottish winters) and now use softer brake blocks which are replaced every month to 6 weeks.

My pride and joy is a 1964 Flying Scot Continental - handbuilt of 531 in Glasgow. I only use it on really nice days and it has Campag gears and mechs, Weinman centre pulls and a small bag suport rack listed as an option in the 60's catalogue. Chrome half forks and rear triangle. The picture is of it before I swapped the Shi(t)mano stuff for Campag! https://www.flying-scot.co.uk/frame_p...rame_345l.html

I've just finished building a 1995 Cinelli Supercorsa, Columbus SLX steel, pearl white and chrome, groupset is Campag Veloce 10sp with triple front, campag wheels - all Italian equipment and set up continental style - front brake on left. It's this middle aged mans Porsche substitute!!.

ou98dtbiggs

Bikes all serve a pupose:

Commutter/cyclocross/touring--
Bianchi Axis, I used to use my Atala for cummuting, but it was the heavy noodle, now with the Bianchi if I pound on it, it moves, and I like taking it for winter rides(has Fenders) on dirt rodes.

The Racer---
Bianchi Alloro Love the bike bought some spinergy Carbon spoke wheels a couple of years back and this bike is stiff and fast, for club rides, and the occational Time Trial.

The Racer Mt. Bike
C-Dale Scalpel, I got this badboy after I sold my hardtaill, this is a race mt. bike or fast trail bike outfitted with spinegy Xcyclones and Titanum Rotors

The Trail Mt. Bike
C-Dale Jeykll that can almost do anything besides the North Shore, I use this for the really hard Trails, or if I want to goof around, or maybe doing a new trail and don't know the serverity of terrian

The Project Fixie
A 1972 Atala that I made into a Fixie, I haven't ridden it much but I putt some heavy tires on it so I would like to do the C&O canal on it.

The New Tandem
Just Bought a Ti-Boom Tandem to ride with my girlfriend.

---I also have my roomates bike-my old diamondback roadbike, his girfriend's bike a Fuji Hybrid, and my girlfriend's bike a trek Roadbike------so the Basement is full!!!

Marge

my husband and I have six bikes, he has a trek, a bridgestone and a rodriguez.I have a terry, a rodriguez and a silly old 3-spd, and now we are thinking about getting a tandem, (we only have one car though)

moxfyre

Ideally, I would own 3 bikes: a commuter road bike, a fixed gear, and a road racing bike. But I sold my fixed gear because I need the money to improve my racing bike. I'll undoubtedly build a new one soon.

The number of bikes I own is exceedingly fluid and sometimes isn't even an integer I buy 'em, fix 'em, upgrade 'em, sell 'em at a bit of a profit. That way my hobby is self sustaining. For example, at the moment I have several large boxes of random parts, a 1980s Japanese road bike in semi-assembled state (my next fixie-to-be?), and some 1970s Gitane which I'd love to get rid of.

Roadie Rob

I want a bent, but the wife said, any more bikes, and I'd be the one living in the basement.

I could sneak it in the back door and down the steps, but then - I did that trick twice already. Amongst the "it was on sale" and "only $x.00 on Ebay" routines which I have also used several times.

We need a new post for how to bypass the Mr. / Mrs. and get that one extra bike in the shop. I figure, the more I keep the shop messy, disorganized, and full of spiders, the less likely she'll venture into it and the more likely I can pick up that titanium recumbent I have had my eyes on....

Has anyone had any experience with the NYC hyribd / commuter frames? I see those on ebay for cheap - another prospective build waiting to happen.