Well, this week, a friend dropped off a fully restored Schwinn Paramount bike for me to play with. At first, I just wanted to buy the Shimano 105 groupo off the bike to use on my trusty Fuji, but David talked me into riding the 12 year old hand-built-Waterford-tubing bike before I made up my mind.

So far, with a little over 40 miles on the Schwinn, I must admit that I like the ride! The steel frame does ride a little nicer than the aluminum, doesn't seem quite as harsh. And, I love the 105 groupo!!

Why am I feeling guilty? I really love the old Fuji Roubaix. That bike has hauled my considerable personage around with never a complaint or breakdown. It has taught me a lot about road biking, been patient as I learned to shift, put up with excessive approach angles of the chain as I learned what I could (and couldn't) do, steered me out of harms way, and if I could somehow muster up a little extra strength to meet some challenge, the Roubaix was always ready for that extra level of performance. I don't feel that I ever really allowed that bike to exhibit it's full potential, even though I was! Must be something wrong with the darned air conditioning in here....causing my eyes to tear up a little...

It is just a collection of aluminum tubing and components assembled with care by some Japanese craftsman (it's a 1990 model, the last year the Fujis were built in Japan.) I wonder if he/she has any idea of how much I have benefited from their labors?

So, this morning before I left the house, I couldn't bear to leave the Roubaix out on the front porch, so I rolled her into a place of honor in the front room. (The wife has to think I have finally plummeted into insanity! Bicycles in the living room, indeed!) I will have to make peace in my ever growing stable of velocipedes when I return home tonight. In typical fashion, the Roubaix will probably handle the change better than I.

Life, and cycling, goes on.....

Nebill,

If you are guilty of having a sweetheart, Mike is guilty of maintaining a harem! His garage will someday be purchased by a wealthy Chinese businesswoman and become a bicycle museum.

As for treating your favorite "girl" to a rest in the living room--where else is a guy supposed to put his bike?

In the bedroom, of course! That's where I used to keep mine when my wife and I lived in a one bedroom apt. a few years ago.

Nebill,
Don't feel bad. My wife "allows" me to keep my 2 bikes in a corner of the living room because we don't have a garage (just a carport). And the tool shed is too dirty and crowded with a lawnmower, leaf shreader, rakes, patio furniture, etc.

She puts up with my "habit" because she has seen the health benefits of cycling.

Don't worry about the air-conditioning either.
I had a hard time explaining to my "old" Raleigh that I was getting a new bike.
But things turned out for the best because I converted the Raleigh to my commuter bike and he/she gets ridden 3 days a week. If I can muster up the energy I'll be riding 5 days starting next week.
My new bike only gets ridden on the weekends and organized rides.

Who's getting all the attention now?

Now that I am home for the summer, my roadbike happily resides in a corner of the living room. Interestingly enough, not only does my mom not mind, she actually thinks it's sort of (emphasis on sort of) neat, and makes a good 'conversation piece.'

While at school, however, I was blessed with 12 foot ceilings, so I rigged up a rather ingenious (if I do say so myself) pulley system to hang my and my room mate's bikes above our heads. The other benefit of this system it that it put the bikes at eye level from our lofted beds, so we could say "Good night" before turning in!

I'd never leave my bike out on the front porch in public view. This all reminds me of a place called Glen Innes that I visited on a tour a couple of years ago. I had been camping every night, but I actually stayed at a motel for just that one night.

The staff treated me as though I was doing them a favour by bringing my bike inside for the night! I kid you not.

Chris

We keep four bikes in the living room. It would be five, but the garage sale special is spending its nights and weekends locked up outside a train station in a remote Chicago suburb, so as to facilitate my husband's 2 bike and train commute. At first I was kind of iffy about the bikes in the living room. We only had 2 bikes at the time. We had kind of an enclosed porch we kept the bikes in, but it's not totally secure (anyone with a strong shoulder could probably break through the door latch). And it's inconvenient. So we started leaving them in during the day, if we were going to be using them. Then they started just spending the night, but we'd banish them to the back porch if we were expecting company. Then I started thinking, "well, if the people that come over don't like the sight of my bikes, well, I don't want them over." And then we started acquiring the other bikes. But I'm absolutely going to draw the limit at four bikes each. That's it. Well, four bikes each and maybe a tandem.

That's right. I have 52 bikes in my garage. I sell some, I give some away, but I can't seem to get below the 52 bike figure.

My bikes can't even think of being jealous and I can't even think of feeling guilty because I am too busy keeping those bikes in motion. I ride at least three different bikes a week. Yesterday, I picked up my son from the babysitter's on a 1963 single speed Spaceliner with a tank and headlights - the works. "That is a FANCY bike, Dad"

All bikes have different "personalities" - I guess the work is "characteristics". The ride and handling is different on all of them. They are all a joy to ride - with the exception of a 1930's skip-tooth sprockt, balloon-tired bike with a tank. That bike is too heavy to ride anywhere. It is hard to imagine that skinny kids in the old days used to actually ride those things on dirt paths and farm fields. I can barely ride the thing on flat pavement.

You aren't the only one to get sentimental about a bike. When my first "good" road bike reached the point that I was afraid to ride it anymore (corrosion in the bottom bracket), I couldn't just throw it away. It was the bike that I'd come to love cycling on!
But there was no room to keep it, either. I took a hacksaw and cut off the head tube right behind the lugs. Still have it!

Congratulations on the Paramount! Sounds like a sweet ride. Hopefully your bikes can resolve any sibling rivalry amicably!

"That's right. I have 52 bikes in my garage. I sell some, I give some away, but I can't seem to get below the 52 bike figure."

52!?!?!? Mike you may have saved me! My wife thinks I'm obsessed! I have one (count em' one) mid 80's Raliegh and a rapidly filling tool box for "stuff" and closet of bike clothes and that's it!!! Wait till I tell her about the "guy on the computer with 52 bikes!!" Thanks buddy!!

I have five in my kitchen. I leave the one with with baskets at the front so I can use the baskets to store fruits. They serve well as coach hanger, towell hanger, etc.

Hey, Nebill, did you ever stop to think the Roubaix might appreciate the break? Besides a person NEEDS at least two bikes. That way if one has a flat tire when you get ready to go to work you can just grab the other one. No, wait, at least THREE bikes because you need one set up for running errands. No, FOUR bikes, because a mountain bike is handy for bad weather or a little off road recreation. Wait, no, FIVE bikes . . .

Actually it is a sad thing is that even though I have several bikes I have difficulties to use more than 1 bike.

I do like my 70s Scwinn, and my old beat-up mountain bike (that I use to ride everyday). My Benetto racing bike (whose frame is too small for me) has a very special place in my heart. etc. but in the end I can seldom get to use anything but my usual Bianchi Volpe.

I guess I am the natural monogamous type.
How boring! :

I know the feeling.

When I get the opportunity to take out the old mtb I say to myself "Why don't I do this more often". It is so quiet and shifts so nice.

But then I always grab the sexy wh*re of a road bike the very next time and don't look back.

I've only got 2 bikes at the moment, a Sandy Gilchrist custom built and a '63 Flying Scot Continental.

Much as I love the Flying Scot, I couldn't bear for it to be chained up in the office garage all day so I use the SG for commuting. As the SG fits me so well it's always my bike of choice and I must admit to nearly having palpitations when it was damaged coming back from Amsterdam on the plane (Luckily only the back wheel)

I understand how nebill feels. When I got rid of my old gas pipe special for the SG, even though it was a heap, I still felt sad. All those miles covered, memories of great cycles, memories of bad cycles(but never that bad), all the tinkering and upgrading and adjusting.

Must stop, it's getting hard to type with tears in my eyes

Well, I've only got one bike at the moment. I'd like to have about nine like one of my friends out here has, but I'm not that rich.

Chris

There are some great finds one can get in yard sales and stuff. It depends where you live though. I bought one of the best bike I have for $10.