One trek 520 touring bike I use as my main bike for everything, and a mountain bike that is my backup and offroad vehicle.

+1. Keeping two bikes road-worthy is a good strategy. I don't have a car, so my fall back is the city bus... but I haven't had a time when both bikes were DOA.

"Normal" went out the window when we started riding our bikes to work. Only rule should be that you need a minimum of one bike that will comfortably and reliably get you to work and back. :thumb:

25 I just don't sell. When I die someone will have a lot of nice bikes.

**I just bought the Vaya Ti.**

I suggest that people who rely on their bikes for travel have an A and a B bike, with both being in decent repair.

Mine go A through S right now.

I'm looking into getting a second winter bike now.

Three commute-ready bikes should take care of my needs I think.

I've ridden to work at one point or another on every bike I own, but I've mostly kept it to two set up for commuting. I want to get that number down to one because I feel like the bikes are too similar. I'm converting my fendered singlespeed commuter to gears with a wide range double and a dynohub. If I can get it geared low enough for the odd trailer hauling I'm selling the triple-equipped bike.

Still trying to convince the wife we need a Big Dummy in our lives.

Five bikes all of which I've commuted on over years. During the last year and a bit I've found myself gravitating more to one bike in particular (heavily modified MEC Desire. Emphasis on heavy). Weight restriction on the Dahon Cadenza and the Big Apple tires/lack of fenders keeps it relegated as a fair weather light weight commuter. The shaft bike and I just aren't feeling the love anymore so I may soon reduce the fleet by that one. Of the two e-bikes I rarely ride one (eZee/Tidalforce frame) is getting the Xtracycle Free Radical treatment soon which should lead to more use. Meanwhile the other (BionX/TidalForce frame) will stay as is until I go nuts and buy a recumbent/velo that will then inherit the BionX system (then sell the TF frame).

+1

The car usually only happens when I get lazy and don't fix the one with the problem...

my current stable consists of 3 bikes and i regularly commute with each of them:

- road bike - fair weather commuter

- IGH/disc brake hybrid - foul weather/winter commuter

- folding bike - when i have plans after work so i don't have to street lock one of my other bikes





My ideal stable would have a couple additional bikes:

- CX bike with disc brakes - i'd slap some fenders on it and make it a dedicated rain bike, then i could just leave the studded tires on my hybrid and it would become a dedicated winter bike.

- Surly Moonlander - a dedicated heavy snow bike. this would be more novelty than anything as it doesn't snow a whole hell of a lot in chicago , but i rode one at a bike show last spring and i want one!

I only have one bike that I use for both transportation and recreation. It's generally probably a good idea to have at least one backup bike if you commute regularly, but I am so attached to the one that I have that I know that I wouldn't bother to ride any others. Also, I am not willing to devote extra space to storing multiple bikes.

"Commuter" bikes i have probably two. One a Motobecane Fantom CX with rack but no fenders [yet, maybe someday] I also have a Scott S40 speedster road bike that technically i could ride to work but I would have to wear a backpack and I don't think that I would like that.

When you own enough commuter bikes that you can walk from your home to your workplace, just by stepping from saddle to saddle, then you probably own too many... :D

It took me the better part of 2 years to finally build up the perfect commuter all around bike and have gotten so attached to it, I can't see myself riding anything else. That happens when you buildup your own vs buying one at a shop. You become partial to it. Although I am presently looking for another used 26in mountain hardtail to build up a good beater to replace my broken down LL Bean Schwinn. I have had up to 5 bikes in the stable obviously didn't use all of them. I'm now down to four total.

Obviously n+1 is the right total number of bikes, but I think it's possible to have enough or maybe even too many commuter bikes.

I've got six bikes right now. I clearly need seven. I have commuted on all six, but only one of them has commuting as its main purpose.

I've got:

1 commuter
1 cyclocross race bike
1 cyclocross bike with flat bars (for courses that are mostly MTBish)
1 road bike
1 mountain bike
1 beater bike (for times when I need to lock up in a sketchy area or for more than 8 hours)

I need a folding bike for when I travel (n+1). I'd like to have a time trial bike and maybe a nicer road bike. A leisurely bike path bike would be nice too. I wouldn't mind having a full suspension mountain bike, and I guess a singlespeed 29er. I should never have sold my fixie. However, I don't have any reason to get another commuter.

Right now I only have two - my IGH/front-back racks/panniers/full fender utility bike for most commutes, and a road bike with raceblades/backpack for the "ohcrapIoverslept" commutes.

But I could justify SO MUCH MORE.

I want:
A folder, for when I have to travel.
A fat bike, for snow (it only snows like 2x a year here and is usually melted in an hour, ha ha)
An MTB with studded tires, for ice.
A CX bike so I can take routes that involve some dirt and some pavement.
A long-tail cargo bike/bakfiet/BAW trailer for when I have to do some serious haulin'.

Give me some time, I'm sure I could think up more. And this doesn't include bicycles I want just because they'd be fun to ride, like a TT or a track bike.