chainstrainer

I've a few favorite bikes - many of us do I'm sure. Hypothetically, if I absolutely had to eliminate all but one, which would I choose to hang on to? The road? The MTB? The single-speed? The cruiser? The low-racer? The folder? I ride them all, some more than others, but to eliminate any of them would be like culling a member of the family. Which of your own bikes would you keep above all others?

Retro Grouch 

I've thought about that from time to time.

For me, the first to go would be my Porsche mountain bike or maybe my fixed gear. I should be able to get more money for the Porsche but the fixed gear would probably be a much quicker sale. Actually, my wife has a hybrid that never gets ridden that I'd sacrifice in a heartbeat.

The ones that I'd definitely hang onto longest would be my tandem and my Klein road bike.

Tom Bombadil

I'd get rid of Ribbie, my RB-1, and Kemo Sabe, the Trek 970. I've had them too long anyway. Time to put them to pasture. Keep my new Specialized mountain bike.

Mojo Slim

My wife's Diamondback MTB. She hasn't ridden it in years.

roadfix

I've thought about this as well. I think I get the most satisfaction out of riding my Surly Steamroller. I'll hang onto the Steamroller. The rest, I can let go.

stapfam

There is no way that Boreas would go until it would be bettered- but that will not happen for me now. But the 2nd MTB- the 3rd road bike and the bikes I haven't ridden for over a year may get the chance to find new owners.

SaiKaiTai

No hypothetical, here; I've already made the choice.
The Kaitai goes first and then the Reno.
My Giant? No way.

Louis

That would be a tearful decision, it's like choosing between my children.

But to answer your question, I would have to keep the Bianchi/Columbus SL/Campy that I built up. It's pictured in my profile.

maddmaxx 

The only time I remove a bike from the herd is when I sell it to generate funds to build its replacement. Then the decision is slightly easier. That bike is only going away for a while untill it returns in faster, stronger better form. It's hard to keep the price under $6mil though....

Jet Travis

"No contest. The single speed," he said--diving under the table.

BluesDawg

Rot in hell, TB.
And next time you decide to desecrate someone's cherished partner, at least spell Ribby correctly.

Allegheny Jet

I'd get rid of one of my wife's bikes first. It would be a while before she would notice a bike was gone. That might even be an opportunity to replace a 2nd of her bikes with an additional one for me. (TT bike)

True story: Last summer when my wife was gathering items from the back basement for a garage sale, she asked me who's bike was hanging upside down by the wheels from a floor joist. I said "are you serious?, it's the Raleigh road bike I bought you two years ago when I sold my unused vacation time". She said "oh, it looked different than I remember it". The bike only has about 180 miles on it, with most of the miles from when our son's borrow the bike for their girlfriends to ride.

robtown

Instead of culling my herd, I've just added three more. I've considered what bikes I could take with me if I spend a year or so overseas - and how I'd store the remainder. I've built, refurbished, or heavily modified/updated all of them. A couple are collectors items of various degrees (paramount, grand record, PX10). Quality old school lugged steel bikes are going to be harder and harder to acquire - whereas mid to low quality MTB are available in abundance.

If the question was which one bike I'd cull it'd be Pumpkin, the Alan Shorter bike w/Campy Chorus 8 speed group. That's essentially because I haven't rode her enough to become attached.

tsl

My Trek Portland is the keeper.

It's my daily commuter and grocery-getter. It dances in traffic well and hauls amazing amounts of stuff without complaint. I've taken it on pokey-slow family bike-path rides, fast group rides, ridden it on centuries and up mountains. It's equally happy in those roles too. Swap to the cyclocross tires and it's just as happy off-road. Swap tires again to the studded snow tires, and it goes all winter long.

VolGirl

I would never give up my Giant. So pretty, both in looks and ride.

Retro Grouch 

Yeah, but what do you have that's on the semi-expendable list?

BA Commuter

Without question, I would keep the Commuter 3.0. It gets me to work and is more functional than the others in my stable. Any bike to me is enjoyable, but the Jamis is my all around fav! Love that IGH!

CB HI

For me, since it is never going to happen, I see no reason to waste time or energy even trying to think about it.

tsl

The gray Giant hybrid is already gone. I'd really hate to have to part with Yellow Bike, but that's the one that would have to go if I could have only one.

Jay Andriot

Just sold my MTB, I'm too old to fall any more. I'm looking at another road bike to take it's place though.

BluesDawg

I've avoided answering this question because I get so angry at the person who so lamely attempted humor by impersonating me, but why let him spoil my fun? You crossed a line, TB. Not funny.

I would hate to be faced with this hypothetical situation, but if I had to give up all but one of my bikes, the choice would be clear if not easy. My 1992 Bridgestone RB-1, Ribby, has been my faithful companion for tens of thousands of miles and will be for many more to come.

freeranger

I only have two bikes-my 98 GT mtn bike, and my 06 Reno road bike. Can't part with either, as I enjoy both types of riding. But if I HAD to part with one, it would be the road bike--I could put slicks on the mtn bike and ride it on the road, but the road bike couldn't take trail abuse.

BengeBoy 

Tsl, I really like your Portland. Have looked at it several times now at my local Trek dealer since first reading your ride reports on it.

Do you find the frame at all "buzzy" or "harsh," as folks say about aluminum? The only alum. bike I've owned was a Cannondale, but it had pretty small tires. I'm think your bike, w/wider tires, must be pretty comfortable, and I know you take it on (much) longer rides than your commute.

Rick@OCRR

I did sell my folder, but only because I'm looking for one that will fold smaller (read 16" wheels instead of 20").

I could never sell the MASI because I love it, and I've had it since '82. Couldn't sell the Mercian Vicitore either (had it since '86 and rode it on P-B-P).

Actually, one of my Ti GT's is almost sold . . . but I wouldn't sell the other one any time soon. And I would only sell my Calfee to replace it with another Calfee, so what's the point?

My mountain bike (GT Zaskar LE) doesn't get used much anymore, so I could sell it. But, I do want to have a mountain bike, just in case. So it stays.

My Hercules 3-Speed stays because I couldn't get much (if anything) for it, and it does so well for grocery shopping and errand running. And it looks so awful, no one would steal it. So it stays too.

That leaves my Reynolds 853 GT edge, and I have no logical reason to keep it . . . so it may go one of these days. I do really like it, but it doesn't get used much once I put a triple on the Calfee.

My wife's Paramount could go, since she never rides it. She rides her Redline Conquest D the most, then her LeMond, then her TREK. The Paramount collects dust. Ditto her Giant XTC mountain bike, though she does take it along when we go camping. The Paramount is Japanese, so it wouldn't fetch the silly collector bucks anyway!

Rick / OCRR

Condorita

I only have one bike.