Originally Posted by
Fenny07
I agree, but dropping serious $$$ on two bikes isn't an option, especially considering I'm not 100% sure exactly how my riding time is going to be divided up over the next couple of years. I'm essentially trying to figure out where to compromise. I may not be able to get one bike that will excel everything (very understandable), but I should be able to find a bike that will at least let me get out and do them all in some form or fashion. Right now it looks like riding with the buddies is the most demanding/challenging of the requirements, but it's also the lowest priority as family time and rides with my wife are more important. So I'm thinking sacrificing at that end is the best compromise. So I'm hoping that something like the growler or the fathom, which with obviously function just fine for the family rides even if it isn't the best option, should still let me go out with the buddies. I'll go slower and be more cautious than if I had a better bike for that kind of riding, but at least I'm still out with them. If I get something like a dual sport 4, which would be better for the family runs, I'm skeptical it that would even survive the runs with my buddies. Does that make sense?
Again, 2 bikes would be best and maybe 2-3 years down the road that will be the plan. At that point I'll have a much better idea of exactly what type of biking I'll be doing as well as having a bunch more time on my hands. Then I can look into getting a more task specific bike and spending serious cash on a bike that will make a big difference in the riding I'm doing. I just can't justify that kind of investment when I'm still discovering my interest and time availability. So one bike for now.
Thanks for all the wisdom, it's great having all the videos and stuff posted but I've always preferred real feedback from people who can share their experiences.
Well, nobody is saying you need to spend big bucks on your family bike, even if it is the bike you will ride 60 to 90% of the time.. An old hybrid or comfort bike might work. Or even a older touring bike or road bike from the 80s or 90s might work. Shoot, I gave a 1997 Bianchi Advantage hybrid to my cousin in Chicago a couple of years ago. That would be a perfect bike for everything you need except for challenging single track. And that bike was in tip top shape. Only ridden by me, my son, and a handful of friends and relatives visiting us over the years. And kept indoors for at least half its life. And fully tuned up by a local shop just a couple of years earlier. You could probably find something like that eventually for $200 or less if you look around.
A few years ago, I picked up an 80s era Gitane road bike for my son. Somebody put 90s era road components on the bike, so it had indexed shifting. Now that was a deal I made in late November, so the bike shop who sold it to me was eager to flip it quickly rather than have it sit till spring. I don't remember what I paid, but it wasn't much, maybe $200 or so. And the frame had a few scratches on it, and looked a little rough. The reason I bought it was, I spent almost $1,000 on a new mountain bike for my son, who was competing at that time for a local team, so my bike budget for the year was already stretched thin, However, 4 years later and that bike is still running great and my son uses it almost every day as a campus commuter, and occasional weekend road bike. That $1,000 mountain bike. He rides it maybe 4 or 5 times a year when he is home from school. But mostly it sits unused in my garage.
I know your budget is tight, but there is no one bike that can do it all, and the bikes you think can do it all really can't.