Am I being gluttonous?
 

I feel like I’m starting to spend too much on this hobby. How many bikes is too much? I only ride about 3000 miles a year but I already have a carbon road, steel road, I built a monster cross machine I barely put 300 miles this season, and now I put a down payment for an aluminum frame.

is this the nature of this hobby or should I reevaluate what I’m doing with my life?

Thanks everyone for making me feel not crazy or alone on having multiple bikes.

Maybe

Welcome to cycling.

Maybe your primary hobby is actually building bikes. Sell some?

This is your hobby, define it by figuring out what it is you're enjoying.

life-long questions. enjoy the debate ;-)

Ride more buy less….live longer…..or just do what makes you happy.

Too Many Bikes is Bike Happy.

That's a big part of it for me. There is huge satisfaction from building a bike where everything is working perfectly and smoothly, fits just right, and is simply a joy to ride. Therein lies the problem - they are a joy to ride, and I don't want to get rid of them. Every time I think about selling one of my bikes, I ride it and think "No, I could never sell this one." And that's true for all of them. They each have their own personality.

This is a relatively inexpensive hobby, as serious hobbies go. If I were into restoring vintage cars, I would have a LOT more money tied up in them and would probably only be able to afford one or two, let alone have space for them. Or a boat. There are plenty of hobbies that are way more expensive, and take up more space.

Buy and keep what you want, and if you end up with something you don't love, just sell it. But there's no such thing as having "too many" bikes, if your budget and space allow.

I have seen this on many forums including musical instruments, vintage razors, pipe smoking, and now bicycles. I was never that interested in smoking a pipe, but when I left the forum, I completely lost interest, which leads me to think forums increase acquisitions.

Too much means you are unable to purchase food and necessities to life. Don't do that. However putting a lot of money into what you love is not a bad thing at all unless of course it is totally immoral which cycling is not.

I still do like to believe in N+1 but I am also trying to re-kajigger my fleet and downsize a bit to upsize some of the bikes in it (or replace them with nicer stuff that fits a little better now that I am realizing I like an even less aggressive position then my not aggressive position from before). I hate to downsize but there are bikes I really am not riding and built to look at seemingly more than riding them.

Sounds pretty normal to me, gets boring riding the same bike all the time. You could take up golf and spend a lot more if you want.
Tim

Well, I really can’t say . It is an individual’s own estimate on “too many bikes”. I love to build bikes and I love to ride bikes so I have a lot of bikes. I have built bikes for others just because they don’t have the tools or desire , so I do it as a favor. Mine are all vintage steel light weights so I get them fairly cheap and fix them up , occasionally I restore them. I have about …uhm….. a lot of bikes . My friend and sometimes riding partner has a very nice Specialized full carbon road bike and he has spent more $ than I have in my entire collection , so it’s not about the money , it’s about what makes you happy. I have way more bikes and I have room to store them properly because I have a shop with bike racks. For a lot of us C&V guys , it becomes a space issue, still, some guys just don’t want to have a lot of bikes and only have one or two. Again, it is an individual’s own limit. I am at my limit , I think , but if the right bike pops up on CL or something…….?

Am I being gluttonous?
 

I just finished having three glazed donuts for breakfast; would that be considered gluttony or 'carbo-loading'? ;)

I don't know if I have much to add but figure out what you're after.

I have a vintage hardtail mountain bike,
a long wheel base camping bike that is more of a rigid mountain bike than a road,
a gravel bike that the OEM sells as a rigid,
a gravel bike that was designed as a gravel bike,
a carbon aero-ish road bike,
a ridiculously light steel bike,
a vintage road bike
a folding bike,
a newsboy
an e-bike

I'm sure I am forgetting one.

For me the hobby is: "The hunt." Every single bike I own is especially configured to some specific goal or aim. To pursue some novelty of technology. The light steel bike? Disc brakes & 16.25 pounds as ridden. The folding bike? Bus trips with 14 speeds of planetary gear sets both crankset & hub. The camping bike? Continent crossing & travel. The e-bike? Belt driven, igh. etc...The point is every bike I own is purpose built as a unique expression of my knowledge, learning, & interest in the diversity of technology available to the field.

OP: Figure out what your hobby actually is. Is it riding bikes? Racing bikes? Building bikes? Learning about bikes? Being faster than the other guy? A tool for camaraderie & a sense of community on group rides?

I agree totally. I have several as well and every one has a specific purpose. You just have to weigh it against money, space, and time. If you have plenty of all three, then own as many bikes as you like.

For some people collecting bikes is a bigger part of it than riding them. Spend whatever you want on stuff, it's your money.

I should hit 4000 miles this year, all on one bike, my Domane 4.3 2014. I have my first Trek FX hanging on the wall, more or less unridden since I bought the Domane. I have bought a fatbike this fall to ride in a large local cemetery when the snow hits, where I ride 20 miles repeats inside it's road net. I have been doing it with the Domane over the years, but the 25mm tires makes it a bit dicey when it not reasonable clear of snow and slush. I bring the bike there with a bike rack.

Course a new problem. Getting use to using the dropper seat post and getting my feet down, when need be.

Having more than one road bike seems redundant, but as long as you ride them, who cares? Plus, the wear and tear on each bike is greatly reduced the more bikes you own.

If you feel this way, then you feel this way. None of us can comment intelligently on it, as we know nothing of your budget constraint, your other financial responsibilities, your age, retirement savings and goals, your preferences, etc.

It seems the nature of many people with this hobby do tend to collect bikes. I'm no exception.

Some years ago I started volunteering at a local bike Co op, and realized much of my non riding bike enjoyment could be met there. Eventually I donated most of my parts collection and a few non riders. Secondary benefit was spending time with other bike enthusiasts from different walls of life. It's true occasionally I pine for my teal Trek 560, but it's nice having access to my riders without having to navigate frames, wheels, and projects.

Concur. I mean you’re essentially spending on entertainment. It’s ok as long as those who you provide for aren’t suffering. I have 4 or 5 bikes that all get ridden regularly/frequently. But they’re all old bikes…from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. If one is in need of maintenance, I have the others until it’s repaired.

Dan

It's pointless to hoard bikes and not use them. But it's your money, do whatever you want with it.

If you are not sacrificing other parts of your life, or alienating your loved ones or friends, then you are fine. When other parts of your life start to suffer, then you may have an issue, otherwise carry on and enjoy.

And then there are all the parts for those bikes; especially older out of production.

John

It's a hobby- there is no right or wrong way to participate.
If you want just 1 bike, cool.
If you want 4 bikes, cool.
If you want 2 bikes and 8 different drivetrains because you like experiencing the differences, cool.

If you feel the need to justify purchases, cool.
If you don't feel the need to justify purchases, cool.