baj32161

1: my current gravel/cross bike
2: a dedicated road bike
3: a backup road bike to keep permanently mounted on my trainer

Being poor sucks.

Well, actually, I am not poor but I do not have a lot of disposable income. What I do have tends to go to travel.

Oh well.

Please pardon my typo....far thumbs,😁

Trey83

I think subconsciously you want 8 bikes 😉

indyfabz

Adjust your priorities when it comes to what you spend your disposable income on. Or attain more disposable income.

baj32161

baj32161

Yeah, option B should be that easy.

datlas 

If thrifty, you could use the gravel/cross bike as your backup road bike.

SoSmellyAir

You don't need 3 bikes. You only need to keep #1 and buy #2. During the good weather months, ride either bike depending on the terrain, and forget about the trainer. During the crap weather months, ride only #1 outside, and mount #2 on your trainer.

indyfabz

Nobody said life was easy.

I’d like to have a second home in NW Montana. I don’t expect a deed to one to fall into my lap.

Mojo31

Sucks to be you then.

eduskator

Had 3 at some point, and I now have only 2 (main + spare / trainer bike for the winter) and I would like a third one (dual suspension trail bike).

Once / If I find time to add mountain biking to my life, I'll grab another.

seypat

If you're trying to raise funds for multiple bikes, a few b8king sales might help. Just don't compete with the Girl/Boy Sounts and take their customers.

Mojo31

There is no competition for Girl Scout cookies!

Jack Tone 

Actually, Walmart (!) has some that are pretty close.

TiHabanero

There was a time when my wife and I planned our grocery budget around the annual girl scout cookie sale, but in the off seasons the craving was still there and we found alternatives that are equal if not better. Now we make our own cookies! YUM!

tomato coupe

#3 should cost almost nothing on the used market.

genejockey 

Exactly. All you need to be able to do is replicate your position on your road bike, reasonably close. And trainer tires can be tires you'd no longer trust on the road - that's how I do it.

Zaskar

I have lots of bikes. But, I do think the two or three bike model is all most of us needs - assuming road and gravel are the only types of riding you do.

1. Primary road bike.
2. Gravel bike
3. Backup bike - this should not be a cheap, second-hand bike to be the backup/trainer bike. This should be your old Primary road bike ;-)
or
1. Primary road bike.
2. Gravel bike with two wheel sets - gravel and road

JochenRindt

I definitely need my three bikes. I never know if one will need servicing at the shop, so I like having at least one as a spare. It would not be fun not being able to ride for lack of a bike.

SoSmellyAir

You misunderstand. I also have 4 bikes, and I would never suggest someone to get rid of a bike that is appreciated and/or comfortably ridden. I was merely conveying to baj32161 that he does not need to buy #2 and #3 at the same time.

jonathanf2

The internet is full of free tutorials. I've assembled 3 of my own bikes, 1 gravel and 2 road bikes. Chinese carbon/AliExpress parts is a viable option or bargain shopping for used frames and components is another choice. There are kids in Vietnam building their own exotic super car replicas from scratch with parts/materials you could probably find at Home Depot. There's no point dreaming, start planning and do it!

plumberroy

Yep that's how many I have and I am happy 😁

Eric F 

I have 7, and I am almost happy. Obviously, the answer is another bike.

Brazosbynemo

I have kind of been looking for a 3rd bike to put on the trainer. I would rather leave my primary road bike ready for the road. I have been checking Craig’s list every so often to see if there is a deal on a classic steel road bike. Something I can restore, use on the trainer, and take out on the road now and again.

Jrasero

I had the three bikes you spoke of but in the end they never got utalized as much as I thought, so this year I sold my gravel bike and trainer/project (aero) bike and bought a lightweight climbing bike that I use as an all-road bike w/ 30c tubeless tires to go along with my aero bike. Even then I rarely ride gravel, so I have been using my lightweight bike for rides that I know will have a ton of climbing, for events, and for training in the winter. I still use my aero bike 70% of the time since most of my riding has sub 1000 ft elevation.

point being, while having various bikes is nice you have to do a lot of gravel or gravel that is beyond just pact dirt trails to warrant a dedicated gravel bike and IMO the current gen of aero bikes have gotten so light with such wide tire clearance that having even a climbing bike or an all road bike is somewhat redundant. I am tempted at this point to sell my two bikes and even just go with a Tarmac SL8 and use a mid depth wheelset w/ some 30c-32c tubeless tires

Broctoon

I have five or six bikes, and I'd like to have only three. The trouble is, I've gotten so attached to them, I'd have trouble parting with any. That goes for even the ones that I don't ride often. I've found keeping several bikes to be kind of burdensome, as they take up space and they require maintenance. It's not a big problem, and not a really bad problem to have. Still, part of me desires a simpler lifestyle that would include cutting back my fleet to half of its current size, and doing the same with my cars.