How many bikes is overkill?

I have a feeling some of us on here have more bikes than we wish to admit. I'm up to 3 so far. Bianchi Road, Giant Mountain, and Trek Hybrid (which is currently abroad).

UPDATE (as of 6/8/11) - I'm up to 6 now... 2 aren't ride-able at the moment though.

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 19, 2009 at 4:30am

I got an unknown junior road bike. everyone who works at the bike shop has no idea. Even Martin. Probably a junior development cyclecross.

Ian said:

well? What did you get?

Julie Hochstadter said:
uh oh...I may go up to 4 tomorrow....

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Kate on June 19, 2009 at 5:09am

Maybe 14.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Meghan on June 19, 2009 at 5:18am

I have only two bikes but I'm totally looking into getting a third! If anyone's looking to sell a road bike, I'm interested!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Trulock on June 19, 2009 at 12:34pm

maybe three
As I get older I'm looking to simplify things. I love my Surly travelers check, it's the cross check frame with S & S couplers. The couplers and the cable splitters allow you to pack it in an airline legal bag (26" x 26" x10"). On United that means $15 not $175.

The cyclocross frames are quite versatile. You can commute, tour, do randonneuring, or even god forbid race cyclocross.

Still, I also love my Soma smoothie ES. It's more of a weekend bike for club rides.

If I had to pick one bike it would be the Surly, however it's very nice to have a second bike when you find a tire went flat overnight.

Mark

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Gary Gilbert on July 10, 2009 at 12:18pm

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/ethicallivingblog/2009/jul/10...

Confessions of a serial bicycle buyer

Is it an indulgence to own more than one bicycle? Maybe – but at least it's cheaper than yachting or cocaine

There are many ways of classifying the various types of cyclist, but one in particular separates people into two clearly defined camps: those for whom one bike is plenty enough, thank you very much, and those we might call serial bicycle buyers.

Like a branch on the evolutionary tree, members of the latter group begin their cycling life in the first faction, but are one day struck by a realisation, usually while in a cycle shop or poring over a magazine advertisement: "Hang on – I could buy another one."

For me, the defining moment came around eight years ago, when a silver-tongued sales assistant raised the notion that my elderly, rigid-framed mountain bike, till then used for all riding, both on and off road, was a bit outdated, and guided me gently towards a rack of gleaming new models.

To my slight shame, I now own four bikes, something that mystifies not only non-cycling friends but those, my girlfriend among them, who happily make do with a single bike. To me, it makes perfect sense: I have a mountain bike, a road bike, and an older, slightly scruffier bike I use for commuting and leaving locked up around London. The fourth, a single-speed machine fashioned from an old road frame, is perhaps an indulgence, but it is at least on long-term loan to a friend.

I have also met many worse cases, people who have entire rooms in their house filled with bikes, frames and the assorted components of half-finished "projects".

Such habits raise a series of questions, the most obvious of which – where do you stop? – is a popular one on internet cycling forums. One oft-repeated answer is that the ideal number of bikes is X plus one, where X is the number you currently own.

The other debate is more obvious still: why? Isn't it an indulgence? To an extent, yes, but my argument would be that when set against many other leisure pursuits (classic cars, yachting, cocaine), cycling is absurdly economical.

The New York Times motoring column recently published some apparently back-of-the-envelope calculations about the relative costs of running a car and a bike, and concluded that cycling costs an average of about $390 (£240) annually, even spreading the purchase price of the bike over a series of years.

If it's that cheap, I could always get another one.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on July 17, 2010 at 8:57am

I own a dozen(the dirty dozen) just to keep it a manageable working stable.

I get asked two questions every time I show up with a different purpose built bicycle.

How many bikes do you have?

Where do you keep them all?

Soooo, the most common reaction I get is, "you are crazy!"

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Glenn on July 17, 2010 at 10:05am

I have too many salvaged scrap bikes to count, a sweet cruiser, an old mountain bike turned tourer, a trek 460 and soon a pedicab.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Craig S. on July 17, 2010 at 12:51pm

I have 4. I'd like 3 more. I think the sweet spot is 7 bikes. If I had 7, however, I'd find reasons to own several more.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Joel on July 17, 2010 at 1:32pm

I have 2 and want at least 3 more. I have a nice tourer and a jack-of-all-trades hyrbid with fenders and a rack. I'd like a nice light, fast, race bike; a more urban-cargo styled bike, and a light and simple single speed. I would probably ditch the hybrid at that point.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on July 17, 2010 at 1:38pm

i have 1 bike, a mountina bike...but it has multiple personalities. sometimes it's touring, sometimes commuting, sometimes racing (albiet slow), and sometimes watermelon haulin. don't tell him. ignorance is bliss.