Am I being gluttonous?
11-13-22, 03:09 PM
#27
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11-13-22, 03:11 PM
#28
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OP, you have a serious problem. You need to expand your horizons. Yes, you got a gravel bike and you will give its due. But you also need an MTB. If you cheap out and get a hardtail, you'll eventually need a full suspension as well.
3000 road miles a year is not insignificant, at 20 mph average that's almost 3 hours a week, every week of the year. I have five bikes, each with a different niche - road bike, urban/cx greenway bike, gravel bike, hardtail MTB and FS MTB.
Changing primary biking modes between seasons is nice and avoids burnout. You want an expensive hobby? Try auto-cross/taking cars to tracks, any form of flying. Golfing can suck up all sorts of $, hunting and fishing can suck up all sorts of time, and $ if you let it. You get fatter participating in some of those endeavors.
Biking is awesome. Either get off of this forum, hang your head in shame and take up scrapbooking or start scheming your next bike and upgrade details. Of course, always live within your financial constraints.
3000 road miles a year is not insignificant, at 20 mph average that's almost 3 hours a week, every week of the year. I have five bikes, each with a different niche - road bike, urban/cx greenway bike, gravel bike, hardtail MTB and FS MTB.
Changing primary biking modes between seasons is nice and avoids burnout. You want an expensive hobby? Try auto-cross/taking cars to tracks, any form of flying. Golfing can suck up all sorts of $, hunting and fishing can suck up all sorts of time, and $ if you let it. You get fatter participating in some of those endeavors.
Biking is awesome. Either get off of this forum, hang your head in shame and take up scrapbooking or start scheming your next bike and upgrade details. Of course, always live within your financial constraints.
11-13-22, 05:39 PM
#29
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The big question is are you married or single? If you're married, are your bike purchases endangering your marriage? If your bike purchases are endangering your marriage, do you consider that a problem? 
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11-13-22, 07:20 PM
#30
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wow that’s deep. It’s been a journey to figure out my hobby and myself. Thanks for putting it in perspective
I don't know if I have much to add but figure out what you're after.
I have a vintage hardtail mountain bike,
a long wheel base camping bike that is more of a rigid mountain bike than a road,
a gravel bike that the OEM sells as a rigid,
a gravel bike that was designed as a gravel bike,
a carbon aero-ish road bike,
a ridiculously light steel bike,
a vintage road bike
a folding bike,
a newsboy
an e-bike
I'm sure I am forgetting one.
For me the hobby is: "The hunt." Every single bike I own is especially configured to some specific goal or aim. To pursue some novelty of technology. The light steel bike? Disc brakes & 16.25 pounds as ridden. The folding bike? Bus trips with 14 speeds of planetary gear sets both crankset & hub. The camping bike? Continent crossing & travel. The e-bike? Belt driven, igh. etc...The point is every bike I own is purpose built as a unique expression of my knowledge, learning, & interest in the diversity of technology available to the field.
OP: Figure out what your hobby actually is. Is it riding bikes? Racing bikes? Building bikes? Learning about bikes? Being faster than the other guy? A tool for camaraderie & a sense of community on group rides?
I have a vintage hardtail mountain bike,
a long wheel base camping bike that is more of a rigid mountain bike than a road,
a gravel bike that the OEM sells as a rigid,
a gravel bike that was designed as a gravel bike,
a carbon aero-ish road bike,
a ridiculously light steel bike,
a vintage road bike
a folding bike,
a newsboy
an e-bike
I'm sure I am forgetting one.
For me the hobby is: "The hunt." Every single bike I own is especially configured to some specific goal or aim. To pursue some novelty of technology. The light steel bike? Disc brakes & 16.25 pounds as ridden. The folding bike? Bus trips with 14 speeds of planetary gear sets both crankset & hub. The camping bike? Continent crossing & travel. The e-bike? Belt driven, igh. etc...The point is every bike I own is purpose built as a unique expression of my knowledge, learning, & interest in the diversity of technology available to the field.
OP: Figure out what your hobby actually is. Is it riding bikes? Racing bikes? Building bikes? Learning about bikes? Being faster than the other guy? A tool for camaraderie & a sense of community on group rides?
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11-13-22, 08:43 PM
#31
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Are the purchases bringing you joy? Are your finances stable after all these purchases? If yes to both, you're doing ok.
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It's like riding a bicycle
It's like riding a bicycle
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11-13-22, 09:44 PM
#32
Full Member
In that case, n + 1 = s - 1, where s is the number of bikes you own that would result in divorce. Ergo, with simple algebra, s = n + 2, so you have nothing to worry about with one more bike purchase. You're welcome.
11-13-22, 11:36 PM
#33
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You know, I forgot about that. I'm sure there is a fine line somewhere between eye rolling and serving court papers.
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It's like riding a bicycle
It's like riding a bicycle
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11-14-22, 12:32 AM
#34
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I feel like I’m starting to spend too much on this hobby. How many bikes is too much? I only ride about 3000 miles a year but I already have a carbon road, steel road, I built a monster cross machine I barely put 300 miles this season, and now I put a down payment for an aluminum frame.
is this the nature of this hobby or should I reevaluate what I’m doing with my life?
is this the nature of this hobby or should I reevaluate what I’m doing with my life?
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11-14-22, 06:47 AM
#35
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There are certainly many hobbies more expensive than biking. Have you ever known anybody with a horse?
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11-14-22, 07:14 AM
#36
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I feel like I’m starting to spend too much on this hobby. How many bikes is too much? I only ride about 3000 miles a year but I already have a carbon road, steel road, I built a monster cross machine I barely put 300 miles this season, and now I put a down payment for an aluminum frame.
is this the nature of this hobby or should I reevaluate what I’m doing with my life?
Thanks everyone for making me feel not crazy or alone on having multiple bikes.
is this the nature of this hobby or should I reevaluate what I’m doing with my life?
Thanks everyone for making me feel not crazy or alone on having multiple bikes.
You just have to sit down and think honestly about why you are buying these extra bikes? Is it because of your need for different riding styles? Is it because you simply like looking at them and tinkering? Is it because you think your current bikes are lacking in some way? Or is it because you keep needing to buy something new to maintain interest? It could be all of these things or something else. But there will be a reason and you just need to figure it out for yourself. If you can't figure it out with rational thought then you may have a problem. A bit like asking a compulsive gambler why they gamble. They don't really know, they just do it!
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11-14-22, 07:26 AM
#37
Senior Member
LOL. We ghost ride 2 transfer bikes from one shop to another sometimes.
I like riding my bike, I don't particularly like bikes, it's the same for most of my other sporting good equipment, but I'm jaded having been in the industry forever. That being said, I will not be the one to discourage folks from buying as many bikes as they'd like, whether they use them or not.
I like riding my bike, I don't particularly like bikes, it's the same for most of my other sporting good equipment, but I'm jaded having been in the industry forever. That being said, I will not be the one to discourage folks from buying as many bikes as they'd like, whether they use them or not.
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11-14-22, 10:49 AM
#38
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That sounds like the Lego paradox. Some are more fun to build than to play with. Everyone makes their own choices, but IMO building a bike without the actual need for its specific functionality points to the building being of more interest than the riding. This from a guy who has a road bike, a hybrid for around town, and a bike for the rollers. No need for anything else so no desire to acquire another bike.
11-14-22, 12:54 PM
#39
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That sounds like the Lego paradox. Some are more fun to build than to play with. Everyone makes their own choices, but IMO building a bike without the actual need for its specific functionality points to the building being of more interest than the riding. This from a guy who has a road bike, a hybrid for around town, and a bike for the rollers. No need for anything else so no desire to acquire another bike.
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It's like riding a bicycle
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11-14-22, 01:38 PM
#40
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N + 1, dude, N + 1.
I just got a C-40 to keep my C-50 company hanging on the wall and I turn 60 in February, so a C-60 can't be far behind!
Wifey has long ago learned to deal with my obsessions.
I just got a C-40 to keep my C-50 company hanging on the wall and I turn 60 in February, so a C-60 can't be far behind!
Wifey has long ago learned to deal with my obsessions.
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11-14-22, 04:29 PM
#42
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11-14-22, 04:54 PM
#43
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Gluttonous is fine, it's when you descend into insatiability, voraciousness and wolfish you really gotta worry. I've seen it, it ain't pretty. Next step is piggishness, that's bad, no one here can help when you get to piggishness.
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11-14-22, 05:10 PM
#44
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I went through a big acquisition phase the last two years. Went from 3 bikes to 10. Every new purchase made sense - to me - in the context of the bikes I already had. Finally, last December, I bought a 1995 Litespeed Ultimate. It was a complete bike(mostly), but I really bought it just for the frame. I spent about the same price I'd paid for it to build it up with R8000 Ultegra kit. I finished that build maybe 6 months ago. In all that time I have not once felt the need, or even the desire, really, to add another bike to my collection. I still ride all of them, but mostly the Litespeed. It was like it filled the last corner and switched off the need for more. So, "Ultimate" turns out to be a good name for it.
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11-15-22, 05:37 AM
#45
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I'm taking your comment as tongue-in-cheek. Surely you know that you didn't lose interest in the hobby because you left the forum. You left the forum because you lost interest in the hobby.
11-15-22, 08:36 AM
#47
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If you can afford it, it makes you happy, and it doesn't negatively impact your life, then go for it.
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11-15-22, 12:28 PM
#50
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Fear not! Help is on the way. The current issue of the Adventure Cycling magazine has a review of a Titanium Moots bike for $13,000.00+ so you have plenty of headspace.
