Considering MTB for Commute - Pros/Cons

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01-25-13 | 06:53 AM

#101

zacster

Senior Member

Joined: Jul 2004

Posts: 8,162

Likes: 647

From: Brooklyn NY

Bikes: Kuota Kredo/Chorus, Trek 7000 commuter, Trek 8000 MTB and a few others

You play the country song backwards and get all those things back.

And of my 6 bikes listed above, only the Zilioli hasn't been ridden in the last month. I somehow have managed to be on the other 5 at least once here in the now frigid northeast.

01-26-13 | 05:05 PM

#102

Chris Chicago

Senior Member

Joined: May 2009

Posts: 1,336

Likes: 33

From: near north side

Getting a second bike was awesome. Surprise flats in the am don't matter, takes the time pressure off other repairs too, plus adds som variety to the commute. I highly recommend a 2nd bike if you have the room. The argument that they require more maintenance is kind of silly as maintence is almost totally a function of how much you ride a bike and you can't ride two bikes at once.

To be fair, the 3rd bike didn't add as much. Diminishing returns, at least for me. To each their own.

01-26-13 | 05:25 PM

#103

frantik

Chainstay Brake Mafia

Joined: Mar 2011

Posts: 6,007

Likes: 19

From: California

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chris Chicago

To be fair, the 3rd bike didn't add as much. Diminishing returns, at least for me. To each their own.

once you get 3+ it helps if they serve specific functions or are for specific conditions..

01-26-13 | 05:48 PM

#104

droy45

tougher than a boiled owl

Joined: Oct 2008

Posts: 1,125

Likes: 1

From: Rocky Coast of Maine

Bikes: Fetish Cycles Fixation / Fuji S12S / Gary Fisher MTB / Raleigh Grand Prix / Ross Professional / Kent comfort cruiser

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyccommute

What makes you think that I...since you still seem to be fixated on the 7 bikes thing...don't spend my weekends/holiday time traveling? I'm out traveling on my bikes or dragging my bikes to places that I want to see but would rather see from the saddle of a bicycle rather than from in a cage. I even take vacations...long ones...where my transportation is my bike. I've even managed to raise two kids while owning many more bikes than I do now and getting them to participate in the activity.

As for maintenance, it's minimal. I do almost all of my own work and keeping a bike operational takes about 30 seconds per week. That's a big sacrifice

The biggest job I've done recently is reinstalling a fork I just got back from being serviced and upgraded...about the only thing I don't do...and it took less than 20 minutes.

How do I do all this, you may ask? I have a 14 year old truck that I put less than 7000 miles on a year. Most of those miles are weekend trips to either go ride or go fishing. I don't put gas in it but about once a month...remember this forum is about bicycle commuting. The money that I don't put into the stupid gas tank or spend on purchasing a new vehicle or paying interest on the debt of a new vehicle, I can put into my other mode of transportation...my bicycles.

Now can you quit obsessing about my 7 damned bicycles...the horror!...and get this thread back on track?

I do about the same thing as you do. I save alot of gas by commuting to work as often as I can. I mix it up too by making part of the commute off road. I agree it keeps it interesting. When we get settled in sometimes we tend to accumulate stuff. I remember years ago I had 6 snowmobiles. I certainly didn't need all of them, but I loved them so.... Now I only have one and don't use it because gas cost too much. I have a few bikes too but certainly have my favorite that gets all the TLC and miles of great riding.

01-27-13 | 09:46 PM

#105

ephin

Senior Member

Joined: Jun 2009

Posts: 109

Likes: 0

From: Pennsylvania

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjspiel

I have a family and can't imagine having enough time or disposable income to buy/maintain half of those bikes let alone ride them. It's all a question of priorities I guess.

Yet as a family man you do have enough time to troll bikeforums and pass judgement on the appropriate number of bikes others should have. Your kids must be proud of your wise use of time. Priorities, I guess.