# Do I need more than one bike?



## Nurse_Flash (Sep 1, 2008)

It's starting to look like a bike shop here! My wife thinks I've gone over the edge...

OK...I am commited to the road. I kept the mountain bike though and I intend to keep riding it when I feel the need.

I was riding a Scott Speedster...will soon be upgrading to the CR1 Pro....like next week.

I also have a Giant Defy with 105 goodies and decent wheels that I have designated for "training".

I'm no pro nor will I ever be. I enjoy riding and like to participate in a race here and there.

I was thinking I would keep the CR1 for sun shiney days and events...the Giant is for rainy days and Mondays. 

Is this necessary? Or should I sell everything and beat the CR1 into submission?


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

Which bikes haven't you ridden in the past 3 months?


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

strictly speaking, you don't "need" any bikes at all.

maybe you should just get a pair of running shoes?


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## M__E (Apr 21, 2006)

its sounds like your looking for a logical answer to your question...but the truth is there's no right one! Only you can decide whether you NEED them or not and how much you VALUE your experience with them when youi ride..and not to mention pleasing your wife at the same time!
Ill give you my experience though...

I trained for years (very seriously..full time) on one bike (my carbon OCLV trek)
and rode year round in crappy european weather with it (winters..) and never had a 'training' bike or a 'winter' bike. I trained/raced/ and wintered all on it. not to say I didnt want one (as the years went on and the weather took its toll with KM's)

now Im on a different path..I ride less often, and Ive finally got around to getting a winter bike!..and a touring bike, and even contemplated a crappy bike too for commuting to college!

Do I NEED 3 or 4 bikes? Probably not, do I WANT 3 or 4 bikes YES!
I had a love hate relationship with bike maintenance/cleaning duties back then..but I was doing it full time so I decided to train more instead of devoting hrs to maintenance ect (and train in more favourable conditions (within reason) ). Now I cant pick and choose so much and am a born again maintenance junkie! because I cant clean or pick and choose my training time so much anymore and so that new winter bike (with old parts 9 spd stuff) will get the winter beating, the Trek will get the rest and my touring bike will see some action in there too..hopefully!


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## Nurse_Flash (Sep 1, 2008)

iliveonnitro said:


> Which bikes haven't you ridden in the past 3 months?


Rode them all. I rode the mountain bike the least...raced this paced October. I try to get out on the road at least once a week.

My plan was...

Put a training tire on the Giant and use that for the fluid trainer, wet and cold days.

Mountain bike goes out on Friday or Saturday for about 10 - 15 miles of single track.

CR1 comes out under perfect weather conditions or big rides like Tour de Cure, etc.

This is my first carbon bike...I haven't developed that "warm fuzzy" feeling about carbon yet. I'm afraid of hurting it. I over-tightened my first carbon seat post and felt really bad about it...I didn't break it but the seat tube put two big creases in the post.

I try to keep my equipment nice...I take them apart frequently, lube and wax...it's good therapy for me. My rationale was to try and keep the CR1 "new" as it is the nicest bike I have ever owned.


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## iliveonnitro (Feb 19, 2006)

I think you should keep them. Though, I'm somewhat biased.


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## Creakyknees (Sep 21, 2003)

ok I can buy into your rationale.

and there's a lot to be said for having spares / backup bikes. especially if all the critical parts are compatible sizes. 

and I also have a "nice" road bike and a "rough stuff" bike that's also my trainer bike. 

I have a 3rd road bike that I haven't pedaled in several months; it's not really anything special and it's 8 speed so it's not worth much or compatible with my other 2, so I'll probably sell it in the Spring.


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

I have a lot of bikes and here is my rationale;

1 - Any decent biker needs at least one crown in the Jewel - mine is a Look 595 with Super Record & Bora's
2 - Of course it would be insane to ride a bike like that every day unless you are very rich so you need a decent training bike and it has to be good enough to spend all thouse long training hours on it for this I use a Ridley Damocles with Chorus and Zonda's
3 - My no 2 bike is just too nice to be worn out on a trainer so I use an old Alu bike with 9 speed Mirage gruppo for my trainer.
4 - One needs a bike for commuting or popping into town - one you can lock and not get stolen - for this I use and old Ribble (reynolds 631 steel) with an old Ultegra 9 speed gruppo & left over wheels.
5 - Of course you have to have a Classic and mine is a Colnago Altain - I use it once in a while for those lazy scenic rides.
6 - And then there is the need for an MTB that I use when my back starts to complain or when going on trails etc.
7 - there is always a 7, this could be your next no 1 bike or not - I may buy it ride it and either keep or sell dependng on how I like it but it always changes.

Of course I have more as I have a complicated life which requires me to kind of live in 4 different locations (in 2 different countries) and due to the frequency of my travels I'd rather leave at least one bike in each location to ride when in town.

Ok so perhaps many will say it costs too much to have so many bikes but a change in lifestyle will more than make up for it - I spend less on cars than I should, I go out less than I should and I buy less clothes than I should.


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## Nurse_Flash (Sep 1, 2008)

toonraid said:


> I have a lot of bikes and here is my rationale;
> 
> 1 - Any decent biker needs at least one crown in the Jewel - mine is a Look 595 with Super Record & Bora's
> 2 - Of course it would be insane to ride a bike like that every day unless you are very rich so you need a decent training bike and it has to be good enough to spend all thouse long training hours on it for this I use a Ridley Damocles with Chorus and Zonda's
> ...


Ok...this was the answer I was looking for.  

I don't have a back-up trainer but I do have a very nice Forza Spin bike which is kept in my office as a reminder to ride.

So I still need to get myself a classic...which I was thinking about the other day.

I don't think I need a commuter but I have been interested in a single speed...hmmm

Ok...so I need my wife to read this post so she can stop telling me I need professional help. 

Thanks!


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## Salsa_Lover (Jul 6, 2008)

Racing bikes are expensive items, but not that so if you compare them with cars, motorcycles, collectable guitars etc.

Do with your money what makes you happy, but keep it rational.

take me for example.

I also had a trusty Trek 5500 I used for many years and my only racing bike, plus one Trek T30 I used for commuting in the city.

I bought a used 5200 for my ex-gf who never really got into cycling so it was not being riden.

I had this only 3 bikes for almost 7 years ( in fact only 2 where mine ).

Last season I decided to upgrade, learned bike mechanics and did it myself, and I got good at bike building so started buying parts and building bikes and selling them.

result, to make the long story short I ended with :

*My 3 bikes :*
1. My jewel bike : a Bianchi 928SL full DA, Cosmics + Ksyriums
2. My Cross bike ( autumn/winter) : a Ridley X-Fire full DA, Open Pro/DA wheels
3. Trek T30 commuting bike

a full DA 7800 group kept to replace parts of my 2 bikes

*1 Bike that will probably get sold next season*
1. Bailey TT frame with Profile design aerobars and full DA 56/44 with tubular cosmic

*7 bikes for sale that I'll sell next season*
including 
- Bianchi 928 L, Ultegra,Ksyriums
- Ducati Bianchi, Ultegra SL, Ksyriums
- Futura/Look frame, Ultegra, Ksyriums
- Alu/Carbon frame, Ultegra
- Alu/Carbon frame, Ultegra 9
- TT 650c alu, 8 speed DA
- Price Cross bike, 105

So I have 11 bikes, but "only" 3 are mine (or probably 4). the others are for sale  

Also, I have been thinking on upgrading the T30 commuter to a full 10sp 105 group. ( It has a 7 speed mixed up low level set ). Because this is the one I ride almost everyday year long, so I guess it deserves something better, but not that good that it makes it desirable to be stolen.


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## moab63 (Aug 7, 2006)

*OK on a related subject do you race*

the crown jewel, assuming that you race or the beater (trainer). My 2009 race bike is going to be my a 09 super 6, I don't see the a to race the older 2300 trek or my carbon motobecane.

I think you should race the super pimp ride , but what do I know.


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## saf-t (Sep 24, 2008)

Bikes and fly rods. 

You always need _just_ one more.....  

Of course, the advantage of fly rods is that they take up less space......


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## toonraid (Sep 19, 2006)

Nurse_Flash said:


> Ok...this was the answer I was looking for.


I really like Salsa Lovers rationale too - put a few up for sale and that way you can dis-own them and just count the keepers as your bikes!

BTW I forgot to mention that the key to my success was to get her hooked on it too and she ended up with 3 bikes, an MTB, and a road Alu bike set up with cheapish components and a 585 Look carbon bike - she instantly recognised the advantage of the Look bike over her Alu bike so now only uses the Alu on the trainer, and the MTB for running around in - the way I see it is that once she cycles and sees the advantage of multiple bikes she will understand why I need so many bikes - after all I do spend more time on my bikes and don't worry it would be too expensive and you will probably only need to buy her a bike every 5 years!


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## Samhain (Jun 14, 2008)

I currently have three bikes. I have a MTN bike, I mainly ride in the winter. I also have two road bikes, one I use for commuting to work and another I use for group rides and races.


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## jlgoodin78 (Dec 13, 2007)

You have more than 1 finger, right? More than 1 kidney? More than 1 nostril, eye, ear, tooth (unless you live in the Ozarks)? 

Then, yes, you need more than 1 bike. Technically you could live without it, but isn't life so much better with more than 1? 

That said, I only have 1 road-specific bike (a 2006 Orbea Orca), my MTB (a 2005 Fisher Paragon 29er), & an old Trek hybrid that I keep around for beating on. I'm trying to butter my wife up & have her let me buy a TT bike & a custom roadie in the next couple of years, and maybe use some parts I have lying around to maybe build up a 'cross frame this year.


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## danahs (May 24, 2008)

i am in love with my cross bike so much right now that I sold my road bike and I am thinking about selling my mountain bike as well.


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## h2o-x (Aug 8, 2008)

I have five bikes and only one kidney. 

Cervelo R3 Dura Ace... good weather road bike
Specialized Stumpjumper Comp hardtail XTR... utility infielder of mountain bikes
Ibex Aprisa Pro Ultegra... bad weather and loaner road bike
Mountain Cycle Stumptown Dura Ace... fun bike, but doesn't get ridden as much as it should
Specialized Langster London... commuter and ride with the family bike

All my bikes see very regular use except for the Stumptown. I raised it from a pup and love it, but I rarely ride it. I should sell it to someone who will use it, but I know I won't. 

By the way, I learned a long time ago that the correct answer when asked how many bikes I have is always, "One less than I need."


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## cpark (Oct 13, 2004)

My wife asked me a same questions when I met her about 20 years ago.
My response was "do you own more than one pair of shoes? Why? You can only wear one pair at a time.... 
Seriously, I think you should keep them all as long as you ride them all.


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## pbayne (Sep 2, 2008)

Here are some alternatives:
1. Sell the old road bike and buy a rear wheel to use on the trainer with the good bike.
2. Buy a torque wrench to help you get used to carbon bits

Or keep them all and keep buying bikes.

You also need a cross bike, a single speed, and a full suspension mountain bike, maybe a freeride bike too, and a cruiser.


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