yamsyamsyams

My Garage fits 5, so that痴 how many I can have at any time. Not moving them into the house. If I had a bigger garage I would be tempted in buying more to fill that space.

downtube42

My bikes mostly have different purposes, though there is some overlap.

First is a recumbent brevet bike. Normally it gets plenty of kms but all brevets are canceled for the forseeable future. It hangs, waiting. It wouldn't make a very good commuter.
Next is the commuter bike. Generator lights and fenders put it in brevet-bike territory, but it's not comfortable enough for brevet-length rides.
Then is a hardtail MTB, a just-for-fun bike. With all offroad trails now clogged with people trying to escape each-other, it doesn't get much use. I suppose it could be used as a commuter, but it's not ideal in that role.
My 80's celeste Bianchi road bike was an impulse buy from CL. It's not practical for any riding I do. Mostly, it's pretty. It would kill me on brevets, there's no room for fenders, and it will never see anything but pavement.
Finally is a 70's Windsor, my go-to non-commuting non-brevet on-road bike. I've replaced the drivetrain with a 1x at 34 x 11-28 8 speed, an injustice I could never inflict on the Bianchi. I do have fenders for the WIndsor, and it serves as my backup commuter.

What I want for N+1 is an all-day comfortable road bike, to try on brevets. It will absolutely cover everything I do with the Windsor, so the Windsor will go. So actually it's N neutral! Honestly when things become more normal-ish I'll likely sell the Bianchi, so if I consider it a single transaction, this new bike is actually N-1.

What I don't have is a track bike, touring bike, gravel bike, cross bike, tall bike, full suspension MTB, road fixie, or cruiser bike. No velomobile, titanium bike, carbon bike, trike, or weight-weenie climbing bike. There are many functions that are not filled.

ramzilla

I've got two that I ride all the time. A vintage 6 speed Raleigh upright city bike and, a 10 speed Team Fuji CF race bike. The other 12 bikes I've got squirreled away in the attic & other places are all for sale. It's not a problem. I can quit anytime I want. Ha ha. Who cares what the wife thinks anyhow. The garage belongs to me. Be good. Have fun.

BobbyG

I was a single bike owner until I was 47. I commuted on a modified MTB. Then I acquired a friend's old road bike. Six years later I bought a new commuter that was a blend of the two. About the time I got the road bike, we bought my wife a 24-speed comfort bike with a suspension fork, suspension seat post, and a seat with springs...I rarely ride that.

While my three bikes are not different in purpose (although the old MTB gets studded snow tires and becomes my winter bike every fall) they are different in design. It's like having three different children. They're all variations on the same theme. And while they share some of the same values, they each have distinct personalities.

At least the bikes don't bicker and fight among themselves, or vie for attention and favor.

I do desire to get to know other bikes, but I have been through Gear Aquisition Syndrome (GAS) before with cameras and audio equipment, and as I'm about to enter my 60s my wife and I have just spent a year "de-cluttering" our lives and it feels good.

There are really only four types of bikes I could see adding to the stable, if money and space permit:

-A folding bike, since I like mechanical gadgets, (although I have ridden a few and the actual riding doesn't appeal to me as much as the mechanical appeal).

-A new, state-of-the-art super-light road bike with through-axels, hydraulic disks and electronic shifting. I'd have to pad the seat and handlebars slightly, which I've had to do since my late 40s.

-A bicycle rickshaw with the seat in front, so I could ride with my wife. She doesn't ride very often so our joint rides are short. We have discussed renting a tandem, but that isn't going to work for us.

-An electric comfort bike, so my wife can ride longer and faster. We rented a couple last fall, and she really liked it. Me...not so much. Although ask me again in 10 years when I'll be approaching 70.

Maelochs

yeah, both absolutely super fields for constantly "needing" to buy more and better.

Not really a bike, then .... just a gadget.

Definitely worthwhile. You are a couple decades too young to be thinking about your "last bike" but you are seasoned enough to be thinking about the serious bike you will use for most of your riding for the next couple decades.

MTB is a blast but it gets harder and harder, and the risk of injury matters more and more since recovery time increases with age. Road biking you can do forever (well, MTB too, but you need a less awesome bike because you less likely to be doing ten-foot drops and such.)

Actually, if you get a comfortable bike (comfortable to ride slowly) then you don't ned the rickshaw. get the wife the electric-assist bike and pedal along with her for ten or so years. Then get yourself an electro-bike when she gets impatient with how slow you are.

Slightspeed

No plan here, bikes just happen. I was a one bike guy for over 30 + years, only riding the 1964 Legnano that I received new, as a junior racer. A couple of other bikes came and went, like a steel frame Bianchi that got killed by a car, and a silver SR that I gave to a friend from work. I needed something to replace the killed Bianchi, and got a super deal on a new, but closeout, Specialized Allez in 2002. I made the mistake of riding a carbon Roubaix at a Tour of California demo. I just had to have one, found a closeout smokin' deal on a 2007. In 2013, I had a chance to demo ride a modern aero carbon, Di2, disc braked Culprit Croz Blade, a bike I never heard of, but what a great ride. The techie stuff intrigued me, and I got a deal on the demo bike. My brother in law brought home a '73 Raleigh Super Course frame. I had never built a bike before, but what beautiful lugs that Raleigh had. $1000 later, its one of my favorite bikes. I saw a friend's gold PX10 on a Pasadena vintage ride, and lusted after it. A pretty gold '78 PR10 popped up on local CL. The paint and decals are original, but nearly pristine. I overpaid, but love it, even the Frenchness. A gold Raleigh frame popped up on CL a year or so later. Not as nice condition as the Pug, but another Super Course, newer than my '73, and now I'm a bike "builder", so for $20, I grabbed it. Coming home from last year's Eroica, I heard about a $50 barnfind '61 Legnano Gran Premio, same blue and white, and a little brother to my Roma. It went in the car alongside my beloved '64 Roma, my Eroica ride, going on 60 years, loving every mile. I think that makes 8. Recently an older gentleman (I'm only 70 for another month) that I ride with, offered me a deal on his newish Roubaix, as he made the move to an E-bike. He wanted "too much", and I thought 8 is enough, but I counter offered anyway, and found out later that he let it go for only $100 more than my offer. One that got away...

Roughly chronolohical, newest acquisitions to the left.

Oldest on the right.

All keepers, I love and ride them all. The Gran Premio is a little small, still working on fit issues.

The main problem is storage. Since this picture, I've added two more bikes.

Maelochs

I have a soft spot for old Raleighs ... the $20 frame story just about had me killing myself ..... where is mine??

Well, i don't really need it and you did such good things to it .....

Jax Rhapsody

I've got the schwinn high sierra I ride with my g/f or when I feel like doing some nsfrb stuff. The Prelude for solo rides and lookin fancy. The LaJolla will be for cruising. I probably can't get rid of the trek 800 sport s/t, since the seatpost is stuck, might get rebuilt and relegated to permanate trailer rig, when I finish building it. The rest are all frames for now.

bblair

Working backwards...

Lynskey R230 Titanium. My main bike and comfy as hell. Can go all day on this one.
Trek 5200 Carbon. Showing age, so my Zwift bike.
Trek T-50 tandem for when I can convice the Mrs. to go.
Falcon from circa 1973. Made this in to a single speed to ride around town, get bagels or a haircut.
Raleigh Pro 1975. Full Campy Record. I rode this thing for 18 years, many centuries and a few double centuries. Now, when I ride it my arms, wrists and neck are sore for days. Need to adjust something, cause I'm not getting any younger.
Paramount 1968- work in progress. Frame is at LBS for a repaint. Wheels and parts are scattered across my basement and yet to be discovered on Ebay. Hopefully, by end of summer.
Next....?

Kabuki12

My bikes all get ridden. I rotate randomly and love them all for different reasons. They are all racing type geometry, some more than others, but basically the same. That said, they each have their own feel. I am long legged for my hight so a short top tube and long seat tube works for me. Storage isn’t a problem because I have my own grind shop that has plenty of extra room to keep them. I keep one or two at the house so I can ride from home which is about 15 miles from my shop. Sometimes I ride a bike in to my shop and trade off for the ride home. I get a lot of customers that ask if the bikes are for sale....... nope! Just my collection and then the look, like really? I also have some memorabilia hung on the wall. My wife is currently painting and organizing the whole thing. I will post pictures when she finishes. Joe

Kabuki12

I have an ebike for my wife who has disabilities limiting her riding. I am 65 and can see the value of electric assist for those who would not be able to ride without it. I hope I never have to get one for me, but if it were the only way to ride I wouldn稚 hesitate. She can easily do 15-20 miles if I ride a slower pace and we are together.

Senior Ryder 00 

Hi folks,
First N+1 ground rule, the number must be acceptable to the significant other. #2 , if you have/own them, you have to ride them. Fortunately, my dear wife of 50+ years has her hobbies and I have mine. Unfortunately, mine take up more space.

Current stable contains 8:
1964 Holdsworth Typhoon set up as a SS path racer.
1966 Eddie Soens club racer.
Early 70s Don Farrell English tourer.
1976 Eisentraut Limited
1979 Wm. Sampson sports tourer.
1988 Schwinn Paramount Anniversary Edition.
2004 Giant Iguana, rigid, disc brake townie.
2014 Ridley CX

Oh, and wife has a Trek comfort bike, which, maybe comfortable, but is heavy.

Cheers,
Van

Viich

Hmmm..... I guess I have 5 now.


In chronological order of aquisition:

88 Bianchi Strada - currently commuter, drop bars with Sturmey Archer 3 speed (downtube shifter)
93 Giant Innova - was a hybrid originally, I think. Now has drop bars and 7sp bar end shifting, along with studded tires. My winter commuter.
2004 FMF XXXL BMX race bike - 20" bike
2003 Specialized Allez - road bike - wearing an odd mix of components - Tiagra 4600 shifters, Ultegra 6600 RD and 105 5700 FD, Tektro brakes and FSA compact crank.
2013 Redline Proline 24 - Cruiser BMX racer (24" bike)

We'll not count the 5 bikes for my two kids or 3 for my wife, right? (BMX race bike and hybrid-type each, plus BMX park for my oldest and road bike for my wife)

Bryan C. 

Literally my exact situation. I may add on electronic shifting to a bike but for now I don't have any need for anything new.

For me I would feel guilty having 2 bikes with identical uses. Variety is key to keeping cycling fresh and fun. The whole idea of a quiver killer is great until you start riding a nice purpose built bike, and then your thoughts may change.

Oneder

I keep extras around in case friends or family want to go for a ride with me, and also for parts.

jackb

I have one bike in each of the several categories: road bike, mountain bike, touring bike, single speed. 90% of the time I'm on the road bike because I like road biking best. The mtn bike is new, so I'm on that once a week or every two weeks. I ride the touring bike when I need a bike with a rack or I take a tour, which I haven't done for years. I rarely ride the single speed. Nice to have these bikes. I like the options for different rides that they represent.

Mr Carl

I have a mountain bike. Then, I have my 2 vintage bikes. A 3 speed Western Flyer 1960 with street tires for just on solid surfaces. Then my Sears 5 speed for St. Patrick's Day parade in this area. Yes the bike is green. But, mainly we should have different bikes for different days/weather. We change shirts, why not change bikes. One is a lonely number.

mnlavey

I have 3 road bikes - a Specialized Tarmac Pro which was my first string bike until I kept upgrading my second string bike which is now a Pinarello Dogma F8 and has become my first string bike. The Specialized has been relegated to second string but still sees a lot of riding. The F8 is a work of art and a joy to ride. I also have a Cannondale R800 with Rolf Vector Pros that was theoretically my wife's bike at one time. I haven't ridden it in several years but its still hanging in the garage.

I had a mountain bike at one time, but I let my son take it to college and I haven't seen or heard of it since I replaced the crank he somehow lost.

sunburst

Maybe the best cycling quote and best cycling photo I've ever seen!

And btw, although I have not read each post in detail, guys that are talking (only!) 4-5 bikes are making me smile. I started restoring vintage bikes 10+ years ago, and complete 2-3 per year, and rarely sell anything. I've already finished two absolutely beautiful keepers this year and it's only April.

SweetRower

I have 3 standup ellipticals (streetstriders) 1 my spouse took over, 1 touring type bike w a gates drive &nuvinchi 380 (seldom use)rei gotham &1 Rowing bike (rowbike)
Need psych help[img]blob:https://www.bikeforums.net/fa2cebdb-dbbb-4215-b642-78171581c4a9[/img]

Russ Roth

So far N=
Museeuw 1.0 with force, built up this year
2018 C-dale trail 2sl 29
2018 Raleigh Rush Hour
2016 Blue Prosecco Touring
2007 C-dale tandem
2003 Spec BMX
2001 Trek 7100
1980s Gitane tandem
+1 is a Rock Lobster cross bike that parts will start showing up for this week.

As to the wife and kids, there's plenty more
2 of the kids have new MTBs for trail riding, 2 old MTBs from 1999 and 2001 which they ride to school and loan to friends for riding, a road/cross bike each and a track bike each, one velodrome and the other BMX track. The youngest has a 12" he's outgrown, a 16", and a trail-a-bike.
Wife has 1 each road, cross, touring, mtb. Makes for a bit of a stable.

obrentharris 

The current fleet in order of acquisition:


Rock Lobster Road Bike




Rock Lobster Cyclocross Race Bike




Cannondale Tandem




Rock Lobster "All-Day" bike




Vintage Bruce Gordon road bike




Centurion vintage touring bike




Vintage LeJeune




Rock Lobster drop-bar mountain bike




DiNucci custom road/gravel




Vintage Peugeot PX10 grocery store bike.




...Oops. To be continued. Bike forums only allows 10 images per post.
Brent

obrentharris 

Vintage Raleigh Professional road bike




Vintage Olmo (restoration in process)



Brent

collcs

I have 5 bikes (3 road and 2 cruiser) and a trike (delta style, fabricated). Being 72 with arthritis, I start with one particular one and end with number 4. Each has a different crank length, handlebar style, handlebar height, saddle position, style/geometry and weight. I go from the early easiest (position and effort) to the most challenging last in the day. They look very different. 2 steel, 3 aluminum. I have done custom fabrication on them....I enjoy building them as much as riding them I guess. If I were to look for another, it would need to be very different from my other 5. That's my story....

SDkid605

I currently and usually have about 7 or 8;
Gotta always have a simple beach cruiser with a milk crate on the back for a grocery go-getter;
A couple of long distance bikes;
And a couple of daily rider-commuter bikes.

Having many bikes means you can always get to work after waking up to an unsuspected flat tire in the morning.
Any one of them will get you to work on time, in a pinch.
Hardest part is keeping them covered in the back yard from the weather.

Read some advice on this forum, or another, that choosing just one tire size between bikes, helps to switch out flats;
As opposed to having 700c & 26" wheels on different bikes, for example.
Plus 700c tubes aren't as readily available everywhere you might travel.