buckleyheaven

I'm a firm believer of stockpiling spare parts and the like.
Recently my wife's been having a go at me for buying too many bits and pieces.
I like to have 3-4 spare tubes lying around (I carry a spare always), spare rear lights, spare tyre levers, drink bottles, an extra saddle or two, cleats, energy gels etc.

Does anyone else here like to "stockpile" spares or am I a bit of a freak?

I think I do it because we've got 3 bikes. His and her mountain bikes and my road bike.



Couldn't find a thread for this. Apologies if there is.

DataJunkie

Your supposed "issue" is normal.
If you are like most men you stockpile spare parts for everything cars, lawnmowers, bikes, house parts, etc.
Why toss it if you may need it later? That is why we have an entire industry devoted to organizing the home and especially the garage.
It is not an issue! More like common sense.

Map tester

Thank god I have a basement workshop my wife won't enter. Probably got enough 'spare' bits to build a spare bike or two, aside from repairing the four hanging from the ceiling like sides of beef.

Cynikal 

I think your issue is minor at best. I currently stock pile enough parts and frames to build 4-5 complete bikes. This is just in case one of my 8-9 ridable bikes has a problem.

Show this to your wife, she will realize that your stockpiling is fine.

buckleyheaven

well it's great to hear I'm not the only hoarder/stockpiler around?

I always thought it was normal to scour ebay for bargains bits.

My wife thought it was more of an addiction.

hang on, it is an addiction!! hahahaa

adamtki

Just store it away in a covered container. If she can't see it, it's not gonna bother her. Just never show her what's inside.

CliftonGK1

I don't have a stockpile. I only have 1 bike, and the spare bits I keep around are all things that fit in my toolbox: Cables, brakepads, little bolts and such.

buckleyheaven

lol adamtki. that's exactly what I'm trying to do.
However, we have joint accounts so she keeps asking me what's this $10 purchase, what's that $7 thingy?
lol

Marylandnewbie

That reminds me -- I don't have a drinking problem. I get drunk. I fall down, no problem. This is not the place to come looking for an assessment of what is normal! We are a happy band of enablers here. We'll tell you its perfectly normal to soak greasy parts in your bathtub or run them through the dishwasher. Some might even reccomend sleeping with your favorite frame or saddle. So in short -- look elsewhere for normal.

That said, I stockpile bits and pieces as I happen across things, but so far its a small pile of bike stuff in camparison to plumbing and electrical bits for the house. One can never say enough about the basement workshop. I think the idea of storing it in containers and maybe out of sight is a good way to ensure domestic tranquility.

squeakywheel

You need to find a better place to hide your stuff.

DataJunkie

pssst..... that is what a garage is for.
The only part of the house that I basically have for my own. That and my cycling clothing closet.

dwainedibbly

I have stuff from the 1980s.

caloso

It's just stupid not to stockpile parts. Tell her Caloso said so.

unkchunk

I think I've got more of a boneyard than a stockpile.

Raiyn

Having spare parts now means having them when something breaks while the bike shop is closed.

pinkrobe

I had a 10x10 room that I worked in, but then I couldn't really maneuver, so I moved out into the 15x30 area of the basement, but only a little bit. After a month I have taken over the entire area, with bits of bike crap everywhere. I got in trouble when tools and parts started migrating to the bedroom. Buddy, you're 100% fine.

lance.house

the closest business to my house is the tipshop. stupid bargains can be had if you get there at the right time.
fortunately it means that for run of the mill parts, they can stockpile it for me! i only take home the good stuf... which is still too much really..

lance

buckleyheaven

hahahah thanks for the reassurance everyone.

Just an extension of this thread.
Sorry that this has become long winded - it's just a curiosity thing for me now.
what level of stockpiling do you guys think is considered "okay".

My inventory is roughly as follows:
3 spare brake pads
2 spare helmets
spare bike locks
4 spare rear lights
2 spare front lights
6 spare tyres
8 spare tubes
cables
handle bar tape and grips
4 spare drink bottles
2 spare sets of cleats
then theres the odd pump and lock etc etc.

This is for 2 mtn bikes and one roadie (perhaps a hybrid in the near future)
We do weekend rides quite frequently and I commute regularly.

pinerider

I don't stockpile, I accumulate. I tend to buy a couple of whatever I need, so sometimes I have spares, sometimes not. I make up for it by having about 2 bikes for each function (winter commuters, summer commuters, road bikes, touring bikes, mountain bikes). My wife doesn't like the looks of the garage or my workshop. I tell her to look the other way if she happens to wander into either place.

ItsJustMe

I have a collection of stuff I've upgraded. My stock of new parts is limited to chains, brake pads and tubes. I've upgraded the size of the box I keep the stuff in twice in the last year though. It's now in a big rubbermaid 10 gallon tote. Hopefully I can keep it smaller than the footlocker I use to corral spare computer parts (it was tough to get DOWN to just a footlocker full of computer parts).

Marylandnewbie

Buckley -- that doesn't sound so overwhelming in number or scope. I have about the same plus a couple of wheels that need new rims laced on, so we are in a similar place.

ollo_ollo

I built our house & we moved in before it was finished(not recommended!). For about a year, while I was doing trim & cabinet work, I stored a partially rebuilt tractor engine in our spare bedroom along with my bikes & spare parts. I did this to avoid the sawdust in the garage(Not as bad as it sounds because everything was clean). When the house was finished, I moved all the bikes & parts to the garage, put the tractor back together & did the landscape work.
Don

max-a-mill

i got 10 chains.... they were cheap. i will use them eventually. i do the same with tires/tubes/etc

i have much more accumulated crap i'll probably never use. that is the only stuff i see a problem with.

Artkansas 

You forgot brake pads and cables.

TimJ

That's a completely reasonable amount of stuff. I wouldn't call that stockpiling at all. That's all basic stuff that will always be useful. I stockpile a small amount because I've got a decent amount of stuff I want to use but may never get a chance to, like an SA 5 speed hub w/ drum brake, a suntour ARX derailleur cuz they're pretty, an odyssey pitbull centerpull brake in case someday I make a trail bike out of one of the old 70's road frames I have, etc. The stuff you got is inexpensive stuff you're most likely going to need someday.