I have a road bike that I bought used and I have ridden 1200 miles on since March. I love it!! It is comfortable on long rides ( 68 miles ) and mechanically works great. Why am I searching for a new bike all the time ? I know it is a losing battle as I will be getting a new one. Should I buy a newer model of the same bike with higher class components? My current one is a Cannondale Synapse Aluminum with Sora components. What do you think ? The Cannondale dealers in my area are not my favorite. I have a great Giant/Specialized dealer nearby that does all my work. Are those brands that much different when riding the same style?

You have upgraditis. It is treatable, but will always come back.

Each manufacturer has similar bikes. When it comes time to buy a new bike, do some test riding of the other brands... You are bound to find something that fits your needs.

And the proper number of bikes is N+1, where N is the number you currently own. I think I am somewhere around 15 bikes now, and I am pretty much always looking. Although, I have to admit, it is easier to resist now than it used to be.

No. someone else makes the frames and assembles the parts and boxes it up , for seagoing container shipping


to the distributor that owns the brand name .. shopping price-points & types. the bikes will be more the same than different.

_________

then there is getting away from having a Derailleur at all .. a example of Rohloff's hub ,

done right in the 1st place , there is not much press about new and improved , so things like

adding a 36 hole hub-shell to the prior 32, and a shifter for Carbon MTB bars is about all you have ..

+ not having a big pile of cash for Advertising Buys .. driving the market .

Sram, Campag and Shimano are in a gadgeteering contest, it seems .. Using racing to show it off..

Definitely would lean towards getting the new bike from the dealer you like. Giant, Specialized, and Cannondale all make good bikes. There is no substitue for the test ride to make sure how you feel on any bike.

N + 1...Resistance is Futile.

As long as you hang out on the forum people will be showing you bikes nicer than yours.

And this is why Im glad I am broke... I can only look.

This is a 12 step program, pure and simple.

Do you get a bike with each step?

I'm actually a musician, this is a chromatic approach to an addictive problem.

I've found that a temporary solution to new bike addiction is buying new equipment for your existing bike(s)/modifying your existing bike(s).

Less expensive but just as addictive, and unfortunately is always an eventual gateway to new bikism...

Sorry but that isn't working

I think this is your answer. Less Internet, more riding.

Join the club of N+1

I'm not generally a negative person so it pains me to say this, but it sounds like negative reinforcement is the way to go here. You can buy a new bike only after you ride another 1200 miles on your Cannondale Synapse. No wait – is that positive reinforcement?

Cure:
(1) Go to retirement seminar.
(2) Project your life expectancy
(3) Determine where/how you want to live and project the needed cash flows
(3a) Re-calculate with the impacts of health care reform and potential for long-term care premiums
(4) Examine current financial and real assets, investment/savings program, needed savings rates to meet you target figure
(5) Look at current expenditures to see where you can cut 10% to divert to savings/investments
(6) Look at current household goods to see what you can sell

...then...look at your current bike. Does it work? Keep riding...

Fair enough. I will have that by year end no problem

For me this solution works only if you have an additional bike to ride while upgrading, but after upgrading I still look for the next bike.

I have a few bikes but I am looking for a TI touring frame that can use disk brakes. I saw some hubs this past winter at a good price and built the wheels for my future ride but I can use them on my current touring bike with rim brakes. The upgrading never ends, there is always the next ideal bike.

and BTW there is nothing wrong with you.

No, the steps are nested in an infinite loop. The only way to exit the loop is D-1.

There must always be a new bike in one's future. It should be the one that puts the biggest smile on your face.

Yea But... if you ride over a Sharp , you get a Flat ..

That's what I want to know.

What's wrong with you, boy?

waaah! good one!

... but seriously, there's something wrong with all of us

..