Dwayne

In fairness, it's really only 4, the R5000 is no more, the frame was crunched when it was hit by a car head-on (with me on it), and the Super-V is my old full suspension that's been completely stripped. I think I'll split it up by retired and current (edit: just tried changing my sig, there's a 100 character limit now?). I am surprised that you're being called out for having 7 bikes though, when everyone knows that the number of bikes to own is N+1. C'mon, I think that's even in the rules you agree to follow when you create a bikeforums.net user account.

I didn't mean to start an argument, I'm getting the feeling that everyone's kind of jumping on you, that wasn't my intention. I posted my counter arguments to your post to show another perspective, but neither one is right or wrong, it just depends on what works best for each person. If my commute was almost entirely on the flat, smooth MUP, then sure, I'd go with something less heavy duty than what I'm using as a commuter now, wouldn't need fat tires, a horn, sturdier wheels and frame, etc. My commute though takes me over some crappy, crappy streets that have potholes punishing even for a MTB. The right tool for the right job, that's all!

cyccommute 

I have no problem with you. We can agree to disagree about small details but, generally, I agree that a mountain bike is a good commuter. I just prefer to leave them as a mountain bike and then find excuses to take advantage of their mountain bikeness. Going over the same route day after day for 25+ years gets old. Bombing down through the trees, along the creek, up and over the mountain behind work, etc. never gets old Speed and efficiency aren't the main goals of bicycle commuting. If I wanted speed and efficient use of my time, I'd drive my car.

jfowler85

I really don't care how many bikes anyone owns, I just wanted a good chuckle. Besides, what it N<5...?

Andy_K 

See, that's how it starts. You get a beater bike for bad weather days (N=2). Then you decide to try using your cyclocross bike for cyclocross and realize that while it's OK you really would like to have a dedicated cyclocross bike (N=3). Then you enjoy cyclocross so much that you want to try short track mountain bike racing, but really a mountain bike works better for that (N=4). Meanwhile, you've been getting more into long weekend rides and you decide to get a dedicated road bike (N=5). By now you've realized that your beater bike was crap and sold it, bought a nicer "nice" commuter and decided to use it in all weather and designated your old "nice" commuter as a CX pit bike, but you'd still like to have a true beater for those times when you need to lock up downtown and don't want to risk losing one of your other bikes (N=6). After a while you come to understand that the qualities you want in a road bike for 100+ mile rides are different from the qualities you want in a bike for fast group rides (N=7). I'm not sure what happens after that because I'm still waiting for delivery of number 7.

But I ask you, could I really get one bike that would do all of that at any budget? I think not. It would be particularly difficult for one bike to serve as both CX bike and CX pit bike.

BTW, I have a family and will soon have seven bikes. Whether or not I'm reasonable may be debated. Not only do my bikes and our other family bikes combined take up less space than my wife's car, they also cost us less.

Fynn

One of the greatest aspects to a mountain bike is the ability to run fat tires. Fat tires offer a very plush ride compared to skinny tires. On an 8 mile commute I'll take plush 2" slicks over harsh 23-25 cm tires any day of the week. On a rigid bike, your tires are the suspension. There is a VAST amount of difference between 2" wide tires and narrow road tires. The large gains in comfort and flexibility, would largely outweigh any small losses in speed on a reasonably short 8 mile commute.

tjspiel

I have a family and can't imagine having enough time or disposable income to buy/maintain half of those bikes let alone ride them. It's all a question of priorities I guess.

acidfast7

I agree.

7 bikes is great for some people. I'd rather spend my weekends/holiday time (roughly 10 weeks/year) traveling. I/We usually travel so much that overhead at home (owning a house or stuff in general) is quite a headache.

For example, we currently live in Frankfurt and have job offers in Texas, Hawaii, Basel and Copenhagen. We'll likely take jobs that are most flexible with our starting dates so that we can travel for 3-4 months before moving and starting to work.

For me n=1 and probably will forever.

zacster

1. 2006 Kuota Kredo
2. 1981 Davidson custom steel
3. 1982 Italo Zilioli Italian steel w/ Campy SR pantograph
4. 1990 Trek 7000
5. 1991 Trek 8000
6. 1994 Cannondale R300 (really my wife's, but is my trainer bike now)

So I'm still one short, but then we also have:
Specialized Dolce Vita road bike for my daughter, and Specialized Vita hybrid for my wife, my old Kuota Kharma frame which is cracked, my son's old Bianchi MTB, and I think that's it. I have 9 complete bikes in my house, and the frame.

mconlonx

A good start...?

GrouchoWretch

Please come live in Texas. It's completely insane.

acidfast7

I lived in Texas for 7 years. When I left, I got divorced, sold my fully renovated Victorian, my truck, my guns and left my dogs behind.

I'm not sure that I want to reestablish everything again, but we'll see.

krobinson103

Lets see for me personally n=3. Then I add my wifes bike, my daughters little cruiser, my babies 2 little bikes. ThT takes n to 6. Then I have a 50cc scooter that mainly does no parking duty. But if I were to be in
jured it would be useful so I keep it road legal.

daredevil

Seriously? Not something I could ever do I don't think.

acidfast7

I left them with my ex-wife. They couldn't move to Sweden without spending 6 months in US quarantine then 6 months in Swedish quarantine. Seemed like the humane thing to do was leave them with a loving person in the US.

cyccommute 

What makes you think that I...since you still seem to be fixated on the 7 bikes thing...don't spend my weekends/holiday time traveling? I'm out traveling on my bikes or dragging my bikes to places that I want to see but would rather see from the saddle of a bicycle rather than from in a cage. I even take vacations...long ones...where my transportation is my bike. I've even managed to raise two kids while owning many more bikes than I do now and getting them to participate in the activity.

As for maintenance, it's minimal. I do almost all of my own work and keeping a bike operational takes about 30 seconds per week. That's a big sacrifice The biggest job I've done recently is reinstalling a fork I just got back from being serviced and upgraded...about the only thing I don't do...and it took less than 20 minutes.

How do I do all this, you may ask? I have a 14 year old truck that I put less than 7000 miles on a year. Most of those miles are weekend trips to either go ride or go fishing. I don't put gas in it but about once a month...remember this forum is about bicycle commuting. The money that I don't put into the stupid gas tank or spend on purchasing a new vehicle or paying interest on the debt of a new vehicle, I can put into my other mode of transportation...my bicycles.

Now can you quit obsessing about my 7 damned bicycles...the horror!...and get this thread back on track?

daredevil

gotcha...sometimes circumstances get in the way....bet it was difficult though.

Leebo

My mt bikes make great commuters, mounts for racks and fenders and can take a beating on these "fine" New England roads. In warmer months I am able to get 8 miles of dirt on a 20 mile commute. N+1, I thought that was all cyclists goal. So the garage is full, of bikes. One winter mt bike, one winter road bike. Main commuter, a blue crosscheck. Beachcruiser tandem, weekend icecream runs with the mrs. For dirt, I have a dual sus. 26er, a hardtail 26er and a hardtail 29er. Plus a dedicated touring bike as well. That makes 8 by my count, plus 1 for the mrs., 2 for oldest daughter and 1 for younger daughter. Just need 1 more, a dual sus. 29er. Nice to be able to pick from the quiver. My winter beater bikes see sand, salt, slush and brown car snot, so the others don't get trashed. YRMV. I average 2,000 bike commuter miles every year. It is also nice that I have 15 miles of trails at the end of my street.

acidfast7

it was by the hardest part of the move. especially when i got a call each time one of them died

Fynn

So to summarize...a mountain bike is very suitable for an 8 mile commute. Just don't have 7 of them.

GrouchoWretch

You didn't just live here. You went native.

tjspiel

There's a country song in there somewhere... except the part about moving to Frankfurt, though I have been told that many Germans are fascinated with the old West.

Andy_K 

He might also need to substitute a double-wide trailer for the fully renovated Victorian. Otherwise, it's tailor made.

no motor?

Steve Goodmans' song? The Ultimate Country song (or something like that?)

Andy_K 

Well, he didn't say anything at all about mama or trains or prison or gettin' drunk.

mconlonx

What happens in Frankfurt, stays in Frankfurt.