Made a BIG mistake today ...
 

Yep. I went to a bike shop and browsed around. Now I feel like my bikes are a bunch of antiques and not in a cool retro sort of way. :(

The shop carried Felt, BMC, Niner, Jamis, GT, Norco and a couple of other brands. They all looked so modern and high tech. Pictures on web sites do not do these newer bikes justice.

So what's the secret to being happy with what I already have considering that my current bikes are all perfectly functional and more bike that I'll actually ever need.

My bikes:
2011 Giant Roam-2, modified mutt bike
2003 Raleigh M60 Mountain Sport, heavily upgraded and hybridized
2004 Raleigh Supercourse, stock except for wheels
2014 Specialized Secteur Elite fame with NOS Ultegra components

I was a devout N=1 guy. Then I made a similar mistake, and test rode something that was the polar opposite of what I ride every day. I put 20K miles on a KHS CX300, then another 5K on my Ritchey Swiss Cross before ever sitting on a proper road bike... and it's a whole different thing. I honestly don't think I could live life as an N=1 if that ONE was my Cervelo R3. But it is a fantastic thing. It's just fast, all the time.

So be thankful you just looked at them and didn't ride any of them. I had no intentions of N+1, and that R3 came home with me. But I'm quite content at N=2, because even while doing the same sorts of things, the Ritchey and the Cervelo are as different as two diamond frame bikes could be, as far as I'm concerned.

It could be worse. You could have Old Bike Lust.

Sell them all on CL and start all over, and start by buying a new bike.

I've considered selling a couple of them, but due to their age they won't bring in much moolah, even though they may have low miles or be in excellent condition.

True. Craig's List where I live is full of older bikes. Maybe if I just hold out my bikes will become vintage too. I doubt they'll become collectible though.

There is no secret. We trade up in cars, we divorce and marry younger women, we buy all manner of stuff just because fashion changes, and bikes are no different. I have a few older "retro" MTB's that I converted to road bikes, one of them I ride occasionally but mostly I just look at them. Once you have ridden a 29er it's hard to go back to a 26" wheel for long rides I found.

2014 isn't old! Give your bike a really good cleaning, polish the frame, put on new bar tape and you'll get plenty of great looks!

I bought a brand new bike early this year when the 2017 models were fresh.

I saw a post from someone else talking about the BRAND NEW 2018 models of the same bike.

Immediately I started screaming to myself "DON'T LOOK AT THE WEBSITE!!! DO NOT LOOK AT THE WEBSITE!!!!"

I didn't look (yet) and my credit card has remained safely in my wallet.

^^^This works for me. I'm almost always piddling around with one bike or another. Plus I flip enough "free" bikes and cycle commute to work, so my hobby pretty much pays for itself even when I do eventually buy a bike.


Growing a large nest egg is more important to me than wasting money on bikes... retire early and secure.

I frequently ride with the local bike club on 18-20 mph group rides. Sometimes I will ride 30 year old bikes, sometimes I ride my newer bike. For all the money those other guys spend on the latest and greatest equipment, they are not that much faster. It is NOT the bike holding me back. Their extra speed has more to do with the amount of riding they do than their bikes.

Spend some time polishing your bike and maybe buy some new tires and grips, it will look like new! Then just get out and ride and stay away from the bike shops! :)

sell them all & start over

Took a buddy of mine to the same bike shop yesterday. https://www.thegearpage.net/board/smilies/facepalm.gif I'm afraid there may be no hope.

Fortunately, I've managed to curb the desire in my other hobbies, but this GAS pain seems unstoppable. Only time will tell.

For me, old bikes (1990s - not that old to some, I know) take the place of old cars. I love old cars but don't have the money, time, or extra garage space to own one.

I'm also not too interested in modern bike features like disc brakes, to name just one (had one once, was constantly adjusting the pads). I just don't see the need to spend a ton of money to have the latest features when the old stuff works just fine.

That's a valid point. Since I'm looking mostly at hybrids, it seems most of them in the mid-range and up come with disc brakes. I'm perfectly content with V-brakes and know how to adjust them and have never had a problem with them stopping the bike.

And I understand that with hydraulic disc brakes I can't turn the bike upside down, but upside down is how I've been working on my bikes for decades. It's just too easy to flip a bike over to change a tire or wipe down and lube the chain.

Thanks!

I say if you can afford it why not add another to the stable.....your LBS will certainly appreciate it :D serious though nothing wrong with wanting something new.....I just recently got into cycling, started with a hybrid and a few weeks later bought a road bike, also did the same for my wife.....were learning to appreciate what each of our bikes offer, its fun to have choice :)

I don't think it's entirely true. It's more like rumors based on lawyer talk to protect themselves in case a half ass bleed job was done by a mechanic.