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Buying into the hype...

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Buying into the hype...

Old 05-10-20, 07:02 AM
  #51  
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Originally Posted by Chrisp72
staehpj...I think I'm broadening my horizons as to newer bikes and styles. I have a pretty good idea of where I like to ride and what works for me...it's mostly light trails and city streets. I don't really ride for speeds sake; never really did. I enjoy going from point a to b. It's always a motivator to have a destination where I can have a coffee or a pastry or something delicious. Touring appeals to me on so many different levels and the more time I spend in this forum the more I see and experience.

I like many builders and companies from afar. I don't think buying more than one bike is the way to go anymore for various reasons, mainly because I don't have the room to store them. I'm trying to have only one bike to do everything on...when that no longer serves it's purpose I'll move on to the next bike. I'm in more of a car centric area of Canada so commutes are a little more difficult to make by bicycle. I'm debating whether to keep my car but that's a whole other thread...
A long tour is a pretty great experience. Short ones never appealed to me, but others love them, so YMMV. Typing this made me think of Grant's "bike camping" vs "bike touring" and "S24O thing" which to me, has all the appeal of "camping" in the back yard. No offense to those who relate to it but another example of stuff of Grant's that puts me off.

Sadly, this Covid pandemic makes this an unfortunate time to be starting to tour IMO. It seems uncertain when/if things will get back to something that resembles normal again and if it doesn't what the new normal will look like.

To my way of thinking the new gravel bikes look hard to beat as a do everything bike, but they certainly are not the only way to go. A standard touring bike may suit you, to me they usually feel kind of clunky and truck like. They don't scratch the right itch for me, but do for many and may for you. To be fair a lot of that could be addressed for me with wheel choice or even tire choice, but there is just something special for me about riding my old road race bike even on tour. Strangely I minded my mountain bike with XC racing tires less than I would have my touring bike on the road when I used it for a mixed on/off road tour. Not sure if it was just because I expected less or it it actually was better, but I enjoyed the ride more.
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Old 05-10-20, 08:17 AM
  #52  
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This topic touches on the whole culture of consumption anyway, and to be at least aware of buying stuff and crap we don't need it that has a short lifespan.
With bikes, for sentimental reasons I kept my old touring bike, the kuwahara, even fixed it up a bunch of years ago, and since then I stick it on my bike trainer I got ages ok and like keeping the legs going in winter, a nice bonus for cross country skiing and come spring with legs in good shape.
Got a used mtb and used that commuting for ever, now use it as my winter bike, so use my car less even in winter, so win win keeping it.
I have a garage so makes things easier space wise, and repair and cleaning wise, especially for winter riding, washing regularly keeps the bike from rusting all to hell.

So hey, I've got a bunch of bikes, but I use them all, so all's good. And I like to do my own work on them, so that helps heaps of savings.
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Old 05-10-20, 09:25 AM
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Originally Posted by djb
...
So hey, I've got a bunch of bikes, but I use them all, so all's good. And I like to do my own work on them, so that helps heaps of savings.
Every time I count, I seem to come up with a different number. I just say I have one for each day of the week.

I retired one in the early 1990s, have not ridden it since. Sturney Archer 3 speed with drum brakes front and rear. I retired it because I could no longer find 650b tires. That was pre-internet, so if the local shop said they were unavailable, they were unavailable.

But now that 650b are a "thing" again, maybe I should buy a pair of tires for it.
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Old 05-10-20, 11:28 AM
  #54  
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Originally Posted by djb
This topic touches on the whole culture of consumption anyway, and to be at least aware of buying stuff and crap we don't need it that has a short lifespan.
With bikes, for sentimental reasons I kept my old touring bike, the kuwahara, even fixed it up a bunch of years ago, and since then I stick it on my bike trainer I got ages ok and like keeping the legs going in winter, a nice bonus for cross country skiing and come spring with legs in good shape.
Got a used mtb and used that commuting for ever, now use it as my winter bike, so use my car less even in winter, so win win keeping it.
I have a garage so makes things easier space wise, and repair and cleaning wise, especially for winter riding, washing regularly keeps the bike from rusting all to hell.

So hey, I've got a bunch of bikes, but I use them all, so all's good. And I like to do my own work on them, so that helps heaps of savings.
djb...It's n + 1 when it comes to bikes isn't it??? n being the number of bikes you have currently? I am ready to believe that this is another thing that can be chalked up to bicycle advertising...

Most of my early memories of cycling are pretty pure...my grandmother bought me a bike that had a fake gas tank on it that used to rattle when I went off road in the school yard...but as I got older and became more aware of the outside world I really got swept up in marketing. Now I'm trying to get back to a place where it's all about being on your bike and this forum helps a bit when I can't really travel anywhere. It for me is a good way to cope. I am making progress towards a first tour and hopefully will be able to do something multi day when the gear has my confidence. I'm thinking of staying in Canada and as I've driven across the country in my mid twenties I hope to travel from Toronto to Vancouver. That's the ultimate goal. Who knows when it will happen but you need to have something to look forward to.

I suppose hype has it's place but it's a good thing to be aware of. To each their own.
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Old 05-10-20, 11:37 AM
  #55  
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
Every time I count, I seem to come up with a different number. I just say I have one for each day of the week.

I retired one in the early 1990s, have not ridden it since. Sturney Archer 3 speed with drum brakes front and rear. I retired it because I could no longer find 650b tires. That was pre-internet, so if the local shop said they were unavailable, they were unavailable.

But now that 650b are a "thing" again, maybe I should buy a pair of tires for it.
Neat on the drum brakes.
We once borrowed a junior road bike for my wife to try, 650b but partly it didn't fit well and partly I didn't feel like having a third or fourth tire size in the garage.

Also pre 650b thing
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Old 05-10-20, 03:09 PM
  #56  
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I have no idea how many bikes I own. It is extra complicated for me because some were loaned out long term to my daughter and others haven't been ridden in years. I think if they were all here and it was just me, I'd pare down the list to just a few to free up space. At least I should do that. There are only three that I have ridden in the last two years and I'd consider paring down to ones I actually ride, plus one that I would ride if my daughter didn't have it. I am not sure if the touring bike would make the cut or not since I don't actually ride it any more. If I did keep it, it will probably be for sentimental reasons. I may never need to decide if it doesn't come back from my daughter.
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Old 05-10-20, 04:16 PM
  #57  
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
I have no idea how many bikes I own. It is extra complicated for me because some were loaned out long term to my daughter and others haven't been ridden in years. I think if they were all here and it was just me, I'd pare down the list to just a few to free up space. At least I should do that. There are only three that I have ridden in the last two years and I'd consider paring down to ones I actually ride, plus one that I would ride if my daughter didn't have it. I am not sure if the touring bike would make the cut or not since I don't actually ride it any more. If I did keep it, it will probably be for sentimental reasons. I may never need to decide if it doesn't come back from my daughter.
1. My errand bike is parked on my patio, which right now is in the rain. Paid $5 USD for it several years ago, put another $50 of parts and supplies into it to make it functional. It was stored outside for over a decade when I bought it, so I did a heavy coat of frame saver as part of the re-build. I probably use this more often than any other bike, but rarely for more than 3 to 5 miles at a time. 1994 Bridgestone MB-6. Since I am in isolation like everybody else right now, this is an unusual year in that I am not using it much.

2. Heavy touring bike, Thorn Nomad Mk II, Rohloff hub, 26 inch wheels and S&S couplers. This is the bike that I use when I have to haul several weeks of food and plenty of clothing, rated for about 60 kg of weight not counting weight of rider. Worked great for a month in Iceland which included some interior roads that are only rated for 4X4. This was a heavier bike than I needed last summer in Canadian Maritimes for five weeks, but it is my only S&S bike and getting from Madison WI to Halifax NS had complex logistics, the S&S made that much easier.

3. Medium touring bike, Thorn Sherpa, 3X8 drive train, 26 inch wheels. Used this for most of my tours in USA, works great on pavement and on rail trails. Rated for 35 kg excluding weight of rider and I may have had close to this much weight on it a couple times and it handled the weight great. In storage at this time.

4. Light touring. 2017 Lynskey Backroad, 3X8 drive train, 700c wheels, max tire width 37mm with fenders, Titanium. Used on one week long tour that I started and finished at my front door. I often ride this bike around town because I like the bike.

5. Rando bike, 2016 Velo Orange Pass Hunter (rim brake version). 3X8 drive train. Max tire width with fenders is 32mm. I like the feel of this bike and probably put more miles on this so far this year than any other bike. But, I sispect I will not be riding any brevets this year so this probably go in storage soon.

6. Road bike. 2018 Raleigh Grand Prix with Ritchey Break Away system, 10 speed with compact double. 28mm tire width and no fenders. In storage right now, but most years I switch between this bike and the rando bike, one will be in storage and one ready to ride. I did not need another bike, but this showed up on a sale price sale price that I could not pass up, was about two thirds off of MSRP and came with factory warranty. So, bought it.

7. Folding bike, don't use it much, stored in my truck. I did use it a couple years ago for a ACA van supported trip for a week, being a folding bike it was simplest to use this since I flew SW Air and had two free checked bags, I can pack it in an S&S case.

8. In the late 70s or maybe early 80s I bought a very beat up Italian bike that was mostly Campy equipped. Have not ridden it for a couple years because I dislike friction down tube shifters. But I love the feel of the ride on this Columbus silver soldered frame. The Campy rear hub had a date code of 1961. I put a modern triple on it, modern bars and brake levers. Bought a used pair of clicher wheels with a 126mm hub that I can fit in the 120mm frame. I painted it in the 80s and again about 5 years ago. In storage at this time.

I am not counting the three speed with drum brakes that has not rolled since the 90s. I mentioned that above, 650b tire size.

And picked up a hybrid mixte out of the trash one day, that is permanently mounted on an indoor trainer. About five years ago I had shoulder surgery, I needed something for exercise and the surgeon was clear that i was not to get on a regular bike for six months while my shoulder healed. So, it was extreme luck that I found this bike in the trash a few months before it became my sole source of exercise on a trainer for several months. I have never ridden it other than on the trainer, so I am not counting it as one of my bikes. Being a mixte frame, I could easily get on the bike when I only had use of one arm, 1980s vintage Bianche with 3X6 drive train.

I count that as 8 but some people might count it as 10.
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Old 05-10-20, 06:41 PM
  #58  
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Thks tmsn for ask the details, I'll be over next time you're out for a few hours with the cable cutters and a rented van.
Don't worry, I won't eat your porridge or sit in the little chair.
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Old 05-11-20, 06:50 AM
  #59  
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Originally Posted by djb
Thks tmsn for ask the details, I'll be over next time you're out for a few hours with the cable cutters and a rented van.
Don't worry, I won't eat your porridge or sit in the little chair.
There is some value there, but no carbon and no high end racing groups. Most of the value is to me since I built more than half of them up with the specific components that I wanted. So, I am not too worried.

The Rohloff hub is probably the most expensive single item, but Rohloffs are so rare in USA that almost nobody knows what it is. I have had a few people ask me why I have a single speed electric bike, they think the Rohloff is a motor. One of my neighbors is a bike mechanic, he told me that my Rohloff is the only one he has ever seen.
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Old 05-11-20, 07:21 AM
  #60  
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
There is some value there, but no carbon and no high end racing groups. Most of the value is to me since I built more than half of them up with the specific components that I wanted. So, I am not too worried.

The Rohloff hub is probably the most expensive single item, but Rohloffs are so rare in USA that almost nobody knows what it is. I have had a few people ask me why I have a single speed electric bike, they think the Rohloff is a motor. One of my neighbors is a bike mechanic, he told me that my Rohloff is the only one he has ever seen.
yup, I know, here too Rohloff's are as rare as hen's teeth.
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Old 05-11-20, 01:56 PM
  #61  
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I like to play the "least amount of bikes I need" game when the thought of downsizing raises it's head. I have half a garage full of various bikes because I like to rebuild them but don't ride most regularly. Sometimes the number is 5, other times it gets down to 4... but no less!

1. Fixed Gear. An old 27" Apollo converted to 700c that I picked up for $40. Of all my bikes this one fits the best and I really like the simplicity for weekend jaunts. For want of a better word it brings joy just to ride it.

2. Endurance road bike. Lucked out with a deep discount for this 700c model that has some carbon bits and can fit up to 32mm gravel tires. It fills the needs for Rando, light touring and road/gravel rides.

3. Utility/Commuter bike. A 90's era rigid mtb platform that I like to tinker with and use for day to day stuff so I don't wear out my road bike. Probably will end up with a Riv inspired look when done.

4. Fat bike, Off road tourer. In retrospect the 4.5"x26" tires are a bit too much for my needs but the price was too good to pass up at the time and it got me into fat bikes with a decent model I could afford. This is my off road touring and trail bike and, like the FG, just brings joy when riding. One day I will replace it with a 3"x29r model instead. Something like the Surly ECR.

5.Technical MTB. Soon to be my next purchase. Currently I own an old 26" hardtail but time spent on some modern FS bikes has shown me how limiting it is and convinced me a 29r FS trail bike is the way to go. As it is I mostly mtb with the fat bike now.

The big debate in my mind is whether to keep 4 and 5 separate or to combine them into one bike, like a FS 29r capable of 3" tires. For mtb I want FS and not a hardtail but... then debate whether FS would be overkill for an off road touring bike. Also, do I want to trash my off road touring bike by going hard mtbing with it - which is what I am doing now with my fat bike.

None of that is really about marketing hype as much as learning the niches I like to bike in most of the time and finding the bikes that facilitate that the best. Years ago I just owned one bike at a time and tried to do it all with them. That was ok at the time but now I can afford more and don't want to be that limited by my equipment.

When it comes time to replace my endurance bike I might get a custom frame built by taking my FG in and telling the builder to copy it but with better material and to add water bottle and fender bosses where I want. I have always wanted a modern version of the Clubman type road bike which is what a road/light tourer is.

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Old 05-11-20, 05:57 PM
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
I like to play the "least amount of bikes I need" game when the thought of downsizing raises it's head. I have half a garage full of various bikes because I like to rebuild them but don't ride most regularly. ...
...
5.Technical MTB. Soon to be my next purchase. Currently I own an old 26" hardtail but time spent on some modern FS bikes has shown me how limiting it is and convinced me a 29r FS trail bike is the way to go. As it is I mostly mtb with the fat bike now.
....
My dissertation on my fleet (a few posts above) made me think about swapping my rando bike and road bike, last night pulled the road bike out of storage, put the rando bike in storage. I was considering doing a 200k this coming Saturday, but the forecast is rain which I prefer to avoid, so unlikely to need the rando bike for a while. Rode the road bike today for an exercise ride. Thus riding that means that I now have ridden six of my fleet since January 1.

My heavy duty touring bike (which I sometimes call an expedition bike) has a frame designed for either the solid fork that came with it or a 100mm suspension fork, it can take up to 57mm wide tires. About six years ago a friend organized a trip for ten of us to ride the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Lacking a good mountain bike, it became a question of what do I take, do I rent a full suspension bike or do I get a suspension fork for my expedition bike and use it as a hard tail. Found a NOS suspension fork on Ebay for a great price, that answered my question for me. Since then, also did a week of day trips while car camping in North Dakota ridding the Maah Daah Hey Trail with that same bike. I will just keep using my expedition bike with a suspension fork as my (drop bar) mountain hard tail bike when I get an urge to go mountain biking.

I could do brevets with my light touring bike (Lynskey Backroad), so my rando bike is probably the most redundant bike I have. But, I really do not need to get rid of a bike at this time, so I will keep what I have.

A few years ago I donated a frame and a complete bike to a local bike charity. For now that will have to suffice as my downsizing. The charity sold the frame for $350 USD several weeks later.
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Old 05-11-20, 06:16 PM
  #63  
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Dissertation... Chuckle

200k ooof. I certainly wouldn't have the legs to do that now, let alone later. Have never ridden that far in a day that's for sure, let alone an imperial century, although have come close to that a bunch of years ago, but that day had some good climbing early on and later I hooked up with some roadies and hammered it too many times.
One day perhaps will try 160k but pace myself properly..... One day one day.
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Old 05-12-20, 08:55 AM
  #64  
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
My dissertation on my fleet (a few posts above) made me think about swapping my rando bike and road bike, last night pulled the road bike out of storage, put the rando bike in storage. I was considering doing a 200k this coming Saturday, but the forecast is rain which I prefer to avoid, so unlikely to need the rando bike for a while. Rode the road bike today for an exercise ride. Thus riding that means that I now have ridden six of my fleet since January 1.

My heavy duty touring bike (which I sometimes call an expedition bike) has a frame designed for either the solid fork that came with it or a 100mm suspension fork, it can take up to 57mm wide tires. About six years ago a friend organized a trip for ten of us to ride the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands National Park in Utah. Lacking a good mountain bike, it became a question of what do I take, do I rent a full suspension bike or do I get a suspension fork for my expedition bike and use it as a hard tail. Found a NOS suspension fork on Ebay for a great price, that answered my question for me. Since then, also did a week of day trips while car camping in North Dakota ridding the Maah Daah Hey Trail with that same bike. I will just keep using my expedition bike with a suspension fork as my (drop bar) mountain hard tail bike when I get an urge to go mountain biking.

I could do brevets with my light touring bike (Lynskey Backroad), so my rando bike is probably the most redundant bike I have. But, I really do not need to get rid of a bike at this time, so I will keep what I have.

A few years ago I donated a frame and a complete bike to a local bike charity. For now that will have to suffice as my downsizing. The charity sold the frame for $350 USD several weeks later.
Too funny.
After reading your rundown and posting mine I decided to go down and do some maintenance on my bikes. Got totally frustrated with the commuter that used to shift up into its 40 cog but now won't so I pulled out my old 26 mtb which had been sidelined lately. While I occasionally want to dismiss it because the frames a bit too small that old bike has served well in a few incarnations.

Originally a rigid 92 Marin Pine Mountain from a thrift store I picked it up because of the light double butted Chromo frame and decent components, I converted it to a touring bike and rode it across Western Canada and several 1-2 week tours after that. I wanted lower gears so I swapped out the crankset for a 42/32/22. A while later I got into hill climbing and added an wide range cassette. Then I swapped out the rigid fork for a suspension I had laying around and began using it for bike packing and mtbing. My endurance and fat bikes have taken over the tour/mtb roles and I think of selling it off as redundant but then again, a bike sometimes feels like an old friend that way.

Long and short, that bike could serve as a capable off road tourer no problem. If it could fit 3" tires for sand and was just a bit bigger, I would probably invest in having some more bottle cage barnacles added to it in the places I want. Eventually, if anything, the thing that would limit it's potential is the fact that it doesn't have disc brake caliper mounts. I could add a modern fork but that still leaves the rear. At some point it' just better to start with a new frame.

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Old 05-12-20, 12:21 PM
  #65  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
...
Your jersey reminded me of several times that I forgot to put on sunscreen in a timely manner.
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Old 05-25-20, 12:29 PM
  #66  
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Originally Posted by Steve B.
Shimano mt. bike 12 speed has trickled down to the 3rd tier SLX groups, equal to 105 road and it's a very reasonably priced and functional group, so not a bad upgrade if you pair it with a better designed Sunrace cassette. A 12 spd. 1x SLX upgrade kit is a very reasonable $220.

Bikepackers as well are often times mt. bikers and they tend to be susceptible to "upgrade-itis", IME. When I want something new for my mt. bike my local FB and website pages for my mt. bike club are the first place I look.
While the simplicity of a 1x ring appeals to me it seems you need a comically large cassette to have touring-adequate gearing. It seems a 2x ring, 10-spd cassette and bar-end shifters provide the best blend of range, simplicity, repairability and relatively low weight.

Last edited by AlanK; 05-25-20 at 12:32 PM.
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Old 05-25-20, 05:32 PM
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Originally Posted by Tourist in MSN
There is some value there, but no carbon and no high end racing groups. Most of the value is to me since I built more than half of them up with the specific components that I wanted. So, I am not too worried.

The Rohloff hub is probably the most expensive single item, but Rohloffs are so rare in USA that almost nobody knows what it is. I have had a few people ask me why I have a single speed electric bike, they think the Rohloff is a motor. One of my neighbors is a bike mechanic, he told me that my Rohloff is the only one he has ever seen.
i was on a brief tour in northern il. On the i and m canal i ran into a british guy going the other direction riding a thorn with a rholoff. Pretty cool.
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Old 05-25-20, 06:11 PM
  #68  
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Originally Posted by 52telecaster
i was on a brief tour in northern il. On the i and m canal i ran into a british guy going the other direction riding a thorn with a rholoff. Pretty cool.
That would have been one of the versions of the Raven or the Nomad, I have the Nomad Mk II, also have a Sherpa which is a Thorn derailleur bike. I like the Rohloff for some kinds of trips, derailleur bikes for some others. I bought the Sherpa frame and fork used from someone in Canada that had bought a size that did not work well for him. Bought the Nomad frame and fork new off of their website. Most of my touring has been on one of those two bikes.
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Old 05-26-20, 04:31 AM
  #69  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
I like to play the "least amount of bikes I need" game when the thought of downsizing raises it's head.
That is a scary thought. Not so much the paring down, but the notion of the least amount needed. I guess it would depend on how strictly you define need, but these days that could certainly mean getting rid 8 or 9 or however many bikes and only having one. Or if you defined need in the strictest of terms I guess I'd have none because, seriously, riding isn't a necessity, I can get around other ways and do other forms of outdoor activities like running, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, etc. all of which I also love to do. There are a couple bikes I am very attached to that I would find it very hard to part with in any case, but I could really see myself riding only one bike and being reasonably happy these days. Back in my younger days when I was racing on and off road and wanted a bike to keep on the sailboat I couldn't imagine getting by with less than three.
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Old 05-26-20, 06:33 AM
  #70  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Too funny.
After reading your rundown and posting mine I decided to go down and do some maintenance on my bikes. Got totally frustrated with the commuter that used to shift up into its 40 cog but now won't so I pulled out my old 26 mtb which had been sidelined lately. While I occasionally want to dismiss it because the frames a bit too small that old bike has served well in a few incarnations.

Originally a rigid 92 Marin Pine Mountain from a thrift store I picked it up because of the light double butted Chromo frame and decent components, I converted it to a touring bike and rode it across Western Canada and several 1-2 week tours after that. I wanted lower gears so I swapped out the crankset for a 42/32/22. A while later I got into hill climbing and added an wide range cassette. Then I swapped out the rigid fork for a suspension I had laying around and began using it for bike packing and mtbing. My endurance and fat bikes have taken over the tour/mtb roles and I think of selling it off as redundant but then again, a bike sometimes feels like an old friend that way.

Long and short, that bike could serve as a capable off road tourer no problem. If it could fit 3" tires for sand and was just a bit bigger, I would probably invest in having some more bottle cage barnacles added to it in the places I want. Eventually, if anything, the thing that would limit it's potential is the fact that it doesn't have disc brake caliper mounts. I could add a modern fork but that still leaves the rear. At some point it' just better to start with a new frame.

You'll be wanting a Surly Troll frame then... in has warts on the multitude of barnacles.
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Old 05-26-20, 08:54 AM
  #71  
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Originally Posted by staehpj1
That is a scary thought. Not so much the paring down, but the notion of the least amount needed. I guess it would depend on how strictly you define need, but these days that could certainly mean getting rid 8 or 9 or however many bikes and only having one. Or if you defined need in the strictest of terms I guess I'd have none because, seriously, riding isn't a necessity, I can get around other ways and do other forms of outdoor activities like running, hiking, kayaking, canoeing, etc. all of which I also love to do. There are a couple bikes I am very attached to that I would find it very hard to part with in any case, but I could really see myself riding only one bike and being reasonably happy these days. Back in my younger days when I was racing on and off road and wanted a bike to keep on the sailboat I couldn't imagine getting by with less than three.
Hah hah! the scary game
How I see it is the least amount of bikes needed but still able to do the majority of riding that I enjoy. I tend to collect projects and have overlaps of several genres. So, for me it would be:

Road (touring and long rambly rando type rides).
Gravel (same as road)
Off road (bike packing / touring, rail riding)
Fixed gear (road / gravel)

Road and gravel could be one bike. I could add technical MTBing but would be ok with a trail bike as I get older and less willing to crash. I include the FG - it's redundant to the geared bikes but I just like the experience too much to not have one. Probably should add a commuter / beater but could use one of the others for that if I wanted to get drastic.

So, normal worse case 4 bikes. Zombie apocalypse 3.


Originally Posted by Trevtassie
You'll be wanting a Surly Troll frame then... in has warts on the multitude of barnacles.
I've thought about it! I win the lottery or find some disposable income, buying a Straggler and ECR would fit the bill for most of my needs, with multiple wheelsets for the straggler to swap out (road, gravel, FG).

Last edited by Happy Feet; 05-26-20 at 08:58 AM.
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Old 05-26-20, 09:18 AM
  #72  
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Originally Posted by Happy Feet
Hah hah! the scary game
How I see it is the least amount of bikes needed but still able to do the majority of riding that I enjoy.
I could see a gravel bike with two wheel sets doing everything for me. I don't mind drop bars or a pretty aggressive riding posture even on technical single track and for touring so the same bike for on/off road only with different wheel sets would be fine with me.
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Old 05-26-20, 11:58 PM
  #73  
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Originally Posted by Chrisp72
Is there a large group of people who tour who believe in all the marketing hype? Part of the reason for me that touring is an interest is that there isn't a crazy demand for it, at least in my eyes.
Well 95% of the marketing hype is non-touring stuff that can possibly work OK for touring. Shimano components website doesn't even have a touring category, touring components are awkwardly spread between "road" & "trekking".
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