Multiple bikes - specific uses
 

From a lot of your profiles, many BF.net members have several bikes.
How many are "purpose specific"?

My collection started 2 years ago. Following angioplasty and a stent implant I began actively cycling as a lifestyle change to increase my fitness level and drop some weight. It has grown as a result of trying to become "car-lite", with a focus on safety and advocacy (having the right tool for the job).

I was pretty heavy in that regard. I had one for road rides, fast road rides, touring, commuting and trail riding. I've since changed how I look at bikes now and only have 2. On road and off road. I made sure both bikes are versatile so they can meet many of the needs I have without having to have many bikes to do it.

A number of my bikes are very similar to each other, which isn't the way I would've planned it if I had a master plan. That's just the way it worked out.

Bike #1 [ranked in order of how often I ride them] is my single speed dream machine.

Bike #2 is also single speed, used to be my dream machine, but that was before. Now it mostly goes out when it's raining, because it has good mudguards, or is very windy, because it has flat bars which I find slightly more stable.

Bike #3 used to have a three speed hub gear but now has only one gear because it's a folder and I wanted it to be as light as possible. It's exactly the right tool for its job: going on trains when full-sized bikes aren't allowed.

Bike #4 is permanently fixed to a turbo so maybe doesn't count, but it's put in a lot of time on the road so it gets an honorable mention. It's a hybrid, so was designed to be a multitool.

Bike #5 doesn't get used as often as it should, but it has an important job: taking me places where it needs to be locked up for some length of time. It was my cheapest bike, so it's been designated the sacrificial lamb, in case the gods decree that it's time for another thief to get lucky. Needless to say, it's single speed.

Bike #6 (scroll down) used to be the right tool for Bike #3's job, folding. Like bike #2 it got made redundant, though to a far greater extent. I've removed the rear derailleur, and it never had a front one, so guess what?

Bike #7 has multiple gears! But I never ride it.

http://www.notanothercyclingforum.ne.../biketools.jpg

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386526http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386531

Thats a very versatile bike. But right now its setup with multiple hand positions for brevets and long rides. It can also be an mtb (sans rack of doom of course!) with a bar and wheelset change.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386527

Thats my commuter and sacrificial lamb. Cheap to build, rides great, looks ugly. Gets parked outside

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386528

That what I ride if I want to go 100-200km up hills

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386529

The bike with baskets.. self explanatory I think. General kid carrier and shopping/wet weather bike. The one next to it got modded into my wife's bike.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=386530

Creme folder modded into a kids bike. Later repainted and fitted with slicks for the ultimate kids 8 speed folding cruiser that fits till you are 14.

They all have their uses. :)