A back up bike
 

Does every serious cyclist need a 2nd bike as a back up?

I live a good distance from any bike shop...so it's a real inconvenience for me when something goes down and needs repair. Also..it sometimes takes a few days to get items shipped from Performance. So when my primary bike goes down for any reason...it usually requires an 'out of the way' commute to the nearest shop. What's more...there is never any guarantee that my bike can be fixed on the spot. Maybe I'll have to leave it at the shop overnite. what this usually leads to is a missed training ride. Also...what if the weather is bad out?...do you always feel good about putting your 'A' bike on the trainer?..or riding it in the rain?

Not that my bike suffers many mechanicals because it does not...but I don't like to alter my routine when they occur. I don't want to miss my training ride because I had to go wade through the traffic and a 1 hour commute to get to the bike shop. I'd prefer to go on my training ride as planned and get to the shop when it is more convenient to do so. Plus..if I need a part that takes a few days to get in...I can still continue to train with a 'back up' bike.

So....how many of you have back up bikes? Does every serious cyclist need two bikes? How has having a backup worked out for you? What kind of bike do you have as a 'B' bike. I have ordered a Trek 1200...wheels upgraded to Bontrager Race Lites...and brakes upgraded to 105's. This will be my backup to my 5200 OCLV. I may use the 1200 as my Century bike as well. She'll get plenty of miles I'm sure!...just enough to make the 'A' bike a little jealous.

Need one? No, but it is a nice convenience. My back-up is my old comfort/hybrid.

I've always had a "back up" second bike called my "winter bike". It's the one with fenders, lights and a bit of dirt on it. The race bike is for most of my riding but the winter bike is the one I get dirty. It also works as the bike for the trainer and a spare when something goes wrong with my race bike.

I thought one backup bike was mandatory? Two backup bikes is even better... ;)

I always had a beater backup bike...with a daily 30km commute, if something happened that wasn't quickly fixed (like a flat) I could always hop on the "backup"...Also the backup was my winter bike, so I didn't ruin my Campy Record 10Speed by riding it through 12inches of snow and slush...

Funny thing though...my "backup" fixed gear turned around and became my main ride..after riding it for a few weeks I got hooked on it.

Since then I sold my Road bike, although I am still sitting pretty with a condo full of 4 bikes and several "partially built" bikes.

I love having a back up bike. There has been two occasions where my "A" bike needed parts and had to be left at the LBS for a few days. If I did not have my Fuji Roubaix on standby, I would have been screwed. I keep my back up bike on the trainer at all times. Even when the weather is nice, I still ride on the trainer two days per week. Having a back up bike keeps me from having to put one bike on and off of the trainer and switching wheels in and out. I believe anyone who rides 4-6 times per week needs a back up.

seems like a good excuse for a 2nd bike

just tell ur significant other it's a "back up bike" hehe :D

What we all need is a back up to the back up to the back up. That's 4 and that should do. At least until I need another back up.

55/Rad

Back ups are nice for a lot of reasons- bad weather, riding on trainers, having a bike set up with a triple or compact for hills, etc.

As I ponder upgrading to an OCPcycle, I realized that I could put toe clips back on my Trek 1500, which would make it more convenient for riding with my kids. Yes, that's right. Dropping $$$ on the dream bike will actually make me a better father!

nope both of my bikes only go forward.

i bought a fixed gear bike as a backup but now im thinking I need a bakup for the backup....

ONE ?? Surely you jest? Biggest decision around here every day is picking which one to ride and that,and exept for rare occasions,that is only amongst the road rides.

serious bikers have a garage full of bikes. generally have a backup bike better than most being ridden. also have a garage full of saddles, stems and other components.

I have several bikes but yes, a back up bike has proven useful especially when traveling.

Someone said serious bikers have a garage full of bikes. I won't argue that. But I'm also sure that there are some people that are very serious about cycling and yet they have but one ride. I've found that you tend to accumulate bicycles in the garage over time. Here's a solid rule: don't ever sell or get rid of a bicycle. Keep it! I have multiple bicycle options in the garage, but I've been doing this since I was eighteen. All the old timers will have multiple rides.

I don't consider my second best bike to be a back up. It's more like the Daily Bike. So, I had to get a back up to that, a 80s vintage GT mountain bike. It's ugly beautiful: 6 speed friction thumbshifters, superheavy steel frame, nylon toe clips. I'm going to totally Fredify it with lights and racks and fenders.

And then I think I need a fixie. And a TT bike. And one of those supercool S&S coupling bikes that break down to fit in a suitcase....

Check out the thread from a couple weeks ago about how many bikes each person had. I'd say about 90% of the people here have more than one. Of course, not all of them are considered "back-ups"... some are just a different type of ride. For example, my primary ride is an aluminum Felt, but I'm building a steel single speed just to have something completely different... I don't consider the ss to be a "back-up" but it could be used as such if needed.

minimum 2 -- that's the LAW around here

No, but if you travel at all, the Ritchey Breakaway is a wonderful excuse for a second bike that can easily fill in for your main road bike. The rear hub on my Tuscany disintegrated on a short check-out ride the night before 6 Gap Century last year. Since I'd been training practically the whole year for the event, it would have been a major disappointment if I hadn't been able to use the Ritchey.

Not to mention that I'm currently writing this post from a hotel room in Geneva (Switzerland, not Illinois) and the Ritchey's parked about three feet away. Since I'm stuck here over the weekend, I'm planning on riding to Montreaux tomorrow.

Stephen

Stuck in the Alps, eh? Poor baby!

I sorta have a back up, my single speed mountain bike (gearing is 32x18, so its really slow)

I want to get a cross bike to use as a cross/winter/commuter bike but don't have any idea when I will have enough money to buy it.