jgwilliams

I've just bought a new road bike at the end of last year. The one previous to that I bought in 1993, and the one previous to that in 1974. I can't see myself getting rid of those older bikes but having now ridden a modern carbon bike I can't see myself riding the old ones much either. This is the first time I've bought a complete bike, though. Previously I've bought the frame and transferred older parts onto it. The '93 bike was my regular workhorse but it was no longer possible to source high end replacements for parts that failed. When my Record 9-speed brifters failed, for example, the only Campy 9-speed replacements available were bottom of the range - and I then found that I had to change the rear derailleur to match as the pull ratio had changed. I could have bought a complete new groupset but it wasn't a huge amount more to buy a new bike.

jpescatore

I buy a bike planning on it to last forever and they do. I seem to buy a bike about every 15 years, and they are all still in use - either by me, or by others whom I've given the old ones to!

Kapusta

I buy bikes for a life time......then I replace them in 2-5 years.

OK, it really depends on the bike. I’ve averaged 2-3 years per frame for MTB, much longer for gravel/road, indefinitely for our townie/cruisers.

In the case of road/gravel, my tastes and goals have changed over time. But other than the expansion of gravel bikes over the past ten years, not much else really changes, IMO.

For mtb the bikes kept getting better. A lot better.

DomaneS5

Buy quality bikes good enough for every application... whether it's road, mountain, fat or gravel and keep them for a long time.

Cross Creek

If 5-10 years is your idea of keeping a bike long-term, then I’d say “replace every few years” is your answer either way.....

Kapusta

I don't know.... 10 years is a long time for a mountain bike.

OldTryGuy

I'm not a "need the latest version" type if person.


At 7PM last Friday I began my 12 hour Relay For Life ride and rode the first 100 miles on my 1983 hybridized Waterford Road Racing Columbus tubing Paramount. After a stop at my house I continued on my 2018 Specialized Robaix Expert, a 67th year birthday present from my wife, for an additional 33 miles shortened due to 2 flats. Did not ride the 2013 Giant Propel Advanced SL, (another present from my wife to ride the 112 miles in my first Ironman Florida event in 2013) because I am replacing shift cables. Just got back from doctor visit for a required injection followed by drug store stop and 2 food store stops riding my $100.00, 2002 Magna 7 speed hybrid purchased at Target. 800+ miles per year riding the Magna.

highrpm

Before I got my Trek hybrid in 2015, I owned my Magna mountain bike for 25 years. The Trek is 4 years old now and still rides great, but I do get the occasional idea about getting a gravel bike. I expect that I'll upgrade in the next few years.

Koyote

My oldest bike is now 16+ years, and it still gets ridden occasionally.

I buy with an eye toward the future. I've got a new custom gravel bike on the way, and the frame will have mounting eyelets for fenders and a rear rack. I have no intention of using such things with the bike, but maybe I'll change my mind in ten years. In the meantime, I can deal with the extra ounce of weight.

firebird854

I started biking in 2017 with a Trek 1.1, then got a Specialized Tarmac Expert in 2018 (2016 model), and am nearly done building a significantly more expensive Emonda ALR frameset (carbon wheels, disc, carbon handlebars, etc.)

So, I guess I've been a "Once a year" type person...

freeranger

All depends-on the type of bike-and how much technology has advanced since I bought it, and use. My mtn.bike is very old (I've replaced just about everything on it at one time or another), but isn't ridden much now (lack of the type of off-road riding I used to do around PA), and it's still in excellent shape, tho a bit heavy. If I rode off-road more and was seriously into mtn.biking, I'd replace it, as components are better now and a lighter weight would be appreciated. The LeMond road bike-I'll probably never part with it. Though not the newest in tech, it's fine and this bike just flat out works for me. It was the first "real" decent road bike I owned, and I still prefer it over newer bikes I've ridden. It's not a sentimental bond, can't describe what it is, it just plain out fits my riding!

jon c. 

My bike is 35 years old. Hope I stay healthy enough to ride it for another 25 years.

Nachoman

My personal philosophy is to keep the frame and upgrade everything else.
I don't have one original part on my frame and in fact everything has been upgraded two or three times over.
But it's all good.

cyccommute 

Come on now. You aren’t even trying hard. I have an orange Specialized Stumpjumper Pro M2 that I bought in 1999 (to replace a stolen bike). When the frame broke 4 years later, the only original parts were the front and rear hub. It then became a white Stumpjumper Pro M4


93590004 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

and the only original part was the front hub but it was still the same bike. Then I got tired of having only white and black bikes in my garage so I changed the color to red.


DSCN0167 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

and the hubs had to be changed because of the disc. But it was still the same bike!

Then I found a killer deal on a Dean from Pro’s Closet and the color, as well as the frame material changed again to this


DSCN0934 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

But it’s still the same 20 year old bike. Of course, there isn’t anything from the original Stumpjumper and the color has been changed three times and it’s not even made from the same stuff but it’s still the same bike! One thing you might notice is the Race Face Turbine crank. It’s not original to the 1999 Stumpjumper Pro but it was on it for a while. But it is still the same bike!

Well, sameish.

cyccommute 

I have chased technology in the past but I’m less likely to do it now. I’ve owned 39 bikes of various types, flavors and uses over the last 40 years. Some I’ve had for around 20 years...I had a Schwinn Montague folder that I had for 20 years and it had about 400 miles on it...and others for only a few years. I can’t tell you what makes me keep a bike and what makes me give one up.

Right now, I doubt that I would buy any of the new bikes out there. I’m not interested in carbon as I have a titanium fast road bike that is perfect for what I want. I have a touring bike that I consider one of the best touring bikes ever made (a Cannondale T1). I won’t buy into the 29er craze and I consider the 27.5ers to be an admission by the bike industry that moving away from 26” wheels was a mistake.

I also have two wonderful titanium mountain bikes (a 1998 Moots YBB and a 2000 Dean hardtail) that are better than anything I could buy today. I also have a cache of high end 26” suspension forks that I can go to if the 26” straight steer tube suspension forks I use break.

I also have 2 Specialized Epics which I consider to be the best cross country dual suspension bikes I’ve ever ridden. Every dually I’ve ever ridden has “inch wormed” and robbed me of energy. The Epics simply don’t do inch worm.

I additionally have a cache of parts for maintaining my triples on all my bikes since I deplore 2x and 1x systems which are all that are offered on new bikes. I’m simply not interested in the “simplicity” of those systems at the expense of a good gear range.

Do what works for you. Sometimes new technology is ground breaking...front suspension, threadless headsets, external bearing bottom brackets, etc...and sometimes it’s just a mistake that is kept around for too long...I’m looking at you, U-brakes!

greatscott

There is no reason to replace a bike every few years unless, A: you're wealthy and the cost to replace is meaningless; B: you have outgrown your bike's abilities and need something a bit better, but then once that's accomplished again there is no need to replace that one for a long time; C: you don't know how to ride a bike and you crash it all the time; D: you buy carbon fiber bike and ride a lot, so it's almost mandatory that you buy another every 5 years or so.

A good quality bike made of good materials will last easily 30 years, and believe it or not parts will be available.

sdmc530

FOREVER!! its hard enough to get permission from my wife to get anything new the way it is so when I do get permission to spend money it better last forever. Her opinion of bikes.

My opinion you can never have enough toys. I believe there is no reason to replace a bike unless it not safe or not rideable any longer. If you get a quality frame you will never be without a ride unless there is a frame failure.

BTW I am currently building bike #4 lol

It really comes down to budget, desire, and personal choice. Do what you want but there is no reason to replace every X amount of years just because.

NoWhammies

The only reason I replaced my bike is because I wanted a new bike. There was logically no reason for me to do so though. My old bike worked great and served me well. But I had the itch to get a new bike and once I started looking around it was game over.

Funny enough, when I did buy a new bike, for the longest time I felt like I was cheating on my wife/girlfriend. I had this perfectly good bike (albeit apporx. 8 years older) sitting in the garage. Yet here I was, riding around one a new machine. That feeling left soon enough. But still, it was a strange feeling.

eja_ bottecchia

As soon as the bike gets a little dirty I replace it. Life is too short to waste it cleaning bikes?

Seriously, however, I bought my Bottecchia new in 1989 (after watching Lemond ride one).

I keep my bikes forever...too many good memories to replace them.

Between my oldest and newest bikes, I enjoy them all equally.

Obeast

I used to be really into this compact crank craze but now I ride triple. I will never be out of gears and my chains will last forever. At the end of the day, most of the things you need in cycling has already been invented and you pay a lot of money out of peer pressure.

bruce19

Can you give me the location of that dumpster? Oh, and make sure you buy your bikes in a 54-56 range. Thanks.

xroadcharlie

I meet a fellow yesterday on my ride on a very old road bike with some rust on wheels and spokes, But otherwise in good shape for its age. My advice to him was if he likes the bike, It is comfortable, and meets his needs why update it.

I just replaced my 30 year old mountain bike with a X-Trail bike. But I should have replaced it 29 years ago as it was never very comfortable. Buy a bike that you like and meets your needs and be happy!

If your needs change, Then by all means consider something more appropriate. If I choose to commute 15 miles to work 5 days a week, I would probably want something closer to a road bike with narrower semi-slick tires and a semi-tuck riding position vs 1.95" wide semi-knobby tires and a bolt upright riding position - Which is great for sailing, Not so much for commuting.

Wileyrat

The second newest bike I own is 7 yrs old. My oldest bike I bought new in 84.

I ride my road bikes a lot longer than mtn bikes, that 7yr old bike I mentioned is a mtn bike, and I'm considering a new one right now.

I have the wife acceptance factor already, I just don't if I can spend the money on it.

sputniky

Somebody doesn't have much experience with riding different suspension systems then. Your Horst link Epics, as well as DW bikes, VPP bikes, VLK bikes, Four by 4 bikes, etc. don't inch worm.

The only suspension system that I have ridden that inch worms is URT.

This is odd. When I moved from 3x to 2x I had no issues with the gear range. When I moved from 2x to 1x, I had no issues with the gear range.

This is for actual mountain biking though.

cyccommute 

I don’t pay much attention to what the different linkages are but I’ve ridden a number of suspension systems and all of them, with the exception of the Epic’s inertial valve system, have inch wormed horribly at my weight. The FSR I had before the Epic was no different from any number of others and it had, if I recall correctly, a Horst link like the Epic. I had the shock revalved and pumped the shock to insane pressures but it never was satisfactory.

You can stop right there. I know what “actual mountain biking” is. I’ve been doing it since 1984. I’ve ridden tens of thousands of miles off-road on nearly 2 dozen bikes from rigid steel bikes to modern dualies.

As for gearing, I know a thing or two about that as well. 2x systems may have the range of triples but they lack the selection. There is a large hole in the middle of the shift pattern. With 1x systems, you have to choice of having a good low or a good high, you can’t have both. 1x and 2x systems might be good for the local skills park or ski area but out in the real world where an “actual mountain biker” rides, having a high, a middle and a low range is a good thing.