How many bikes does one person need?

Yeah, I know that I have too many bikes right now. In addition to the eight bikes shown here, I have 4 complete framesets and several wheelsets and other large items that are just taking up space at my house. I have been going through my bike room the last week or so and organizing what I want to sell. Some of the items in the sell and donate piles are pretty easy to part with, like the old Trek frame that I have on eBay right now. Others won’t be so easy to let go, like the 1984 Pinarello track bike that I have owned for 20 years. Still, I don’t need 3 fixed gear bikes and that frame is a little small for me, so it has to go. I don’t live near a velodrome, so I would rather have a practical fixed gear/ singlespeed for the road with water bottle mounts and a rear brake bridge than a true track bike.

I am going to pare down to 6 bikes that I want to keep based on the different types of riding I do. That is still a lot, but this is my list of bikes to keep. Your list may vary, but these are my must have bikes (for now at least).

1. A good road bike, currently my Specialized S-Works E5
2. A commuter road bike, I ride my yellow Cannondale CAAD 4 to work most days
3. A full suspension mountain bike, currently my K2 Razorback
4. A cyclocross bike, I love to ride my Trek cross bike on easy trails and dirt roads
5. A fixed gear road bike, for fun rides and short trips plus occasional rides to work. I have to keep one fixed gear.
6. A rigid singlespeed mountain bike, this one barely makes the list, but I enjoy riding the singlespeed Cannondale with my kids. To me it is like an overgrown BMX bike. (Note from the picture that you don’t always need a chain tensioner to run a single gear on a frame with vertical dropouts. Sometimes you can play with the chainwheel/ cog combination to make it work).

Ok, that is about it. I am sure someone will point out that owning 6 to 8 bikes is excessive and that I am a typical materialistic consumer (I am basing that assumption on similar comments I have received in the past). While it is true that I don’t NEED 6 bikes, those are the ones I want to keep. I love bikes, so I won’t apologize for wanting several of them. Besides riding a bike beats driving everywhere, right?

So, what about you? I’m just curious how many different types of bike all of you have or want. Let me know the number and types of bikes that you own (or want to own).


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40 responses to “How many bikes does one person need?”

  1. tobeistobex Avatar
    tobeistobex

    I have two bikes but want three.
    1. good road bike (lemond)
    2. SS 29er MTB

    want a cross bike that is SS but could be converted to gears for spring commuting. (this could be 2 bikes a SS and geared cross bikes)

    It is funny though, i understand your reasoning for the 6 you want to keep.

  2. suganick Avatar
    suganick

    I’m currently running 3 bikes working on a 4th and 5th. I’m slightly more competitive in nature and require my bikes for both commuting and racing.
    1)Race Road bike, good for crits and road races (Gunnar roadie steel)
    2)solid hard tail mountain bike for racing/recreational riding. (Specialized M2 Pro)
    3)commuting bike, right now it’s a steel 8 speed Gilmour, love it!
    4)time trial bike just to have something to go insanely fast on for long durations (Giant TCR 0 Once edition)
    5)fixie, to appreciate the fun you had when you were a kid and having this type of bike grows on you like an extension of your body.

  3. pierrequiroule Avatar
    pierrequiroule

    I currently have 5 bikes, dreaming of a sixth one that would replace one of the five.
    1. Full suspension bike, Specialized Enduro 2005. Incredibly fast downhill
    2. Commuter, MTB Cycletech Tool. A swiss brand that makes beautifull bikes and the best touring/expedition bike, the Papalagi. You’ll find them at http://www.velo.com
    3. Road bike, BMC Streetfire SSX (an other swiss brand you surely have heard about – nanocarbon stuff). I love it!
    4. An old semi-rigid Mountainbike, Specialized Stumpjumper. Thanks to a few modifications it became my touring bike, but it is now too old. The one I want to replace.
    5. I still have my dear BMX. Hoffmann Bikes Deebo. Love it but must admit that, being 36, I do no longer ride it.
    Interesting to see what kind of bike you have. Had seen the yellow commuter in that short video interview.
    A good occasion to tell you how much I love your blog. I read it regularly, thanks to my RSS reader, and I really like most of your posts.

  4. simon.clayson Avatar
    simon.clayson

    How about one for each day of the week?

  5. Brad Pearson Avatar
    Brad Pearson

    No mention of your Litespeed. Did you already sell it?

  6. Habi Avatar
    Habi

    used to be a messenger, so the thought of parting with a bike makes my heart cringe:
    my setup includes:
    – a fixed romet
    – a flipflop fixed/singlespeed street rocket made from an old frame
    – two BMC, an alpen-challenge and a streetfire road bike (both used for work)
    – a yellow (and very fast) aeroproject recumbent bike
    – an old yellow cresta
    – a partially broken bike from the swiss army
    – a nearly unridable fort, used for work

  7. James Avatar
    James

    Tobieistobex, A singlespeed cross bike is nice, I had a bike set up like that for a while.

    Suganick, I haven’t raced in a few years, but I still would like a time trial bike. Sounds like you have a nice one

    Pierre, Nice bike on the Velo site. As you indicated, BMC is the best known Swiss brand here in the states. I am glad that you mentioned your old BMX bike. That reminds me that I still have my old Torker in the attic (so I guess I have 9 complete bikes now). I was hoping that my kids would want that bike, but they can’t see past the few rust spots on the frame

    Simon, good though, but I am running out of room.

    Brad, do you remember that bike from an earlier post? It is no longer built so it is one of the 4 framesets that I mentioned. Haven’t sold it yet, but I will soon.

    Habi, I know what you mean. I tend to get attached to some of my bikes. The Pinarello is one in particular that I know I don’t need, but I will have a hard time letting it go

  8. tobeistobex Avatar
    tobeistobex

    the BMX comment took me back. when i was 12 i think, I pre ordered a Haro before they had any bikes yet. It was the split top tube bike that was on the DG or GT bikes of the time. I loved that thing. It was Number 000014 (not sure how many leading zeros.) About 18 years ago I gave it to a neighbor kid and met him again at a show about 1 year ago… I guess a kid 2 house down from him is still riding it, Z-Rims and all!

  9. Sean Roche Avatar
    Sean Roche

    1. Have — Fixie for all commuting (year-round). I have fenders and a rack on a KHS 100. I really want a longer wheelbase bike with a little more clearance for the fenders. I rode it for a year commuting 25 miles over some good rolling hills in Eastern Mass..

    2. Have — Beat-up mountain bike to pull the kids’ tag-a-long. A 15-year-old Marin, which served me well for several 100-mile-a-day charity rides, including training.

    3. Want — Good road bike for long, fast weekend rides. Don’t need it yet because I don’t have the time. (See #2.)

    4. Want — Good mountain bike. Haven’t ridden off-road much, but want to.

  10. rigtenzin Avatar
    rigtenzin

    The only thing obvious to me is that you don’t have enough off-road bikes.

  11. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    I say you have it just about right. I commute on my fixed gear so no separate commuter bike for me, but 5 bikes seems like the magic number to me ever time I think about it (but only because I’m not into crazy downhill or bmx)

  12. p. squiddy Avatar
    p. squiddy

    In order of frequency of use:

    1) Randonneur-styled steel road bike, for most road riding and commuting
    2) 1969 Schwinn Paramount fixed conversion
    3) 1992 Specialized Stumpjumper
    4) 1950s Phillips 3 speed

    The only other thing I’d like is an SS cross bike for the fall, which could then be used for rainy winter commuting.

  13. Fritz Avatar
    Fritz

    You are a sick sick man, James. I love it!

    I currently have five; thinking of selling two, and my mountain bike seriously needs to be replaced. For the most part, though, I’m happy with what I have.

  14. Biking Bis Avatar
    Biking Bis

    As long as someone is riding them, you should have as many bikes as your want.
    We have five bikes, and one trike, in the garage. The Fuji that’s basically mounted on the wall behind some boxes and a Peugeot full of spider webs definitely need to go. I should get ride of the mountain bike that nobody rides, but I think I can get my wife to use it, so I’ll hang onto it.
    I also have a 20-year-old Cannondale that’s hanging in a barn in western Maryland, just in case I ever head back East.

  15. Tarun Avatar
    Tarun

    I don’t do anything too mountainy, but I think my ideal stable would be:

    1. Road bike
    2. Fixed gear/city commuter
    3. Randonneur/Light tourer

  16. Julian Avatar
    Julian

    Hey just started reading you’re blog… really love it. Design and cycling being two of my biggest interests.

    For me four is the magic number…

    1.fast, light, expensive roadbike. Currently Giant TCR composite.

    2.A single speed commuter. I have an older jamis crosser set up with a rack and 25mm tires couldn’t make a better commuter for Toronto.

    3.A light tourer which has non boat like geometry so can easily serve duty as an everyday road bike.
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/juliansimpson/57524719/in/set-1245550/

    4.Last but not least. An eye candy fixie for sunny summer days. http://www.fixedgeargallery.com/2007/june/2/JulianSimpson.htm

    I recently moved from Canada to the UK. I was only able to bring one bike with me. The Marinoni tourer eventually got the nod and has been stripped of her rack and is serving duty as everyday roadbike. It has a triple chainring which is just as well because the hills in South West England are absolutely brutal.

    I wouldn’t mind adding a mountain bike to the stable but 4 bikes was a mental block for me. I needed to justify each one and I just wouldn’t get enough use out of mountain bike so for now I get my kicks on pavement.

  17. James Avatar
    James

    Thanks to all of you for the great comments. It is very interesting to read what you all ride.

    Rigtenzin, I count the cross bike as an off-roader, so that’s 3. The number is 4 if I can count the Torker, but I never ride that one. I wouldn’t mind having a 29er though for the heavily rooted trails around here.

    Gene/Biking Bis, You opened up a whole new can of worms. The total number of bikes in my household is a whole different story. If I count my wife’s bikes and the kid’s bikes, the number is 15. Well, 15 ½ if you count the Trail-a-bike.

    Julian, one of the framesets I mentioned is a lugged steel Marinoni. If you look closely, that is the bike I am on in my profile picture. I haven’t decided whether or not I will sell that frameset because I still have a bit of an attachment to it.

  18. Tim Jackson- Masi Guy Avatar
    Tim Jackson- Masi Guy

    I don’t know if I should be allowed to answer this question.

    I think I only have 12 bikes/ frames at the moment, but I’ll have to go to the office to confirm that. But I have more on the way… but hey, that’s my job!

  19. Cjamzdad Avatar
    Cjamzdad

    There is a math formula for computing how many bicycles you need. It is [ N+1 ], N= the current number of bicycles you have, +1= the number you need. So you will never have enough bicycles!!

  20. Zoot Katz Avatar
    Zoot Katz

    Four is the absolute minimum workable number of bikes. After all, there are four winds and four seasons and four elements.

    Road: This can be a racing, touring or randonneuring bike.

    Mine are steel, one each.

    Street: An urban bike for utility trips or commuting. It should be a dependable all weather bike running hub gears, hub dynamo and hub brakes. It also needs fenders and racks and wheels approved for bomb-squad service.

    These are steel too and one one does duty as the Xtracycle mule

    Dirt: Sure, if you like bashing around on rocks and thorns or riding through mud. Maybe a cyclo-cross, BMX or trials bike is better suited for your requirements. If none of the above applies then this bike can be a beach/bike-path/vacation cruiser.

    Mine’s a knobby equipped single-speed rigid steel MTB set-up for playing cycle-polo.

    Track: If you don’t live near a velodrome, you don’t need a track bike for anything except hanging on the wall and looking gorgeous. Instead, this be can the wild-card bike. A freak bike like a tall bike qualifies. Swing bikes are fun and frankenchops are cool too. I guess the more conservative might opt for an ordinary or recumbent.
    Luckily, if I want to ride the boards, I can join the club and rent a track bike at the velodrome.

    I’m ultimately aiming for five bikes. One always needs a project bike or unique folder in addition to the basic four.

    By dismantling a few bikes, I only have 7 of eleven ready to ride today.

    There are some extra frames, plenty of wheels and enough parts to build up a few more bikes, but what’s the point? Admitting to fewer than a dozen bikes means I’m not yet ready for a twelve-step program.
    . . . and I really, really need a Pedersen bad.

  21. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    here’s my quiver:
    1) Seven Axiom (ti) w/Sram Force
    2) Independent Fab Crown Jewel SS
    3) Bridgestone MB-0
    4) Haro Master (circa ’84, I’m the original owner)

    If I was going to expand the collection, I’d love to have a Pegoretti w/Campy or some other Italian road frame, but the most obvious omission is some kind of suspension bike. I always keep my eye out for Wicked Fat or Rhygin to keep my ‘Made-In-MA’ theme going…

  22. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    I have 2 but if my wife would let me it would be 3. I have a hand built ‘Pete Matthews’ Columbus SL framed road bike, it is very stylish with a curved seat tube, fantastic deep rimmed wheels and the second is a stock Giant hard tail aluminium framed mountain bike. I have wanted to get a fixed for years, had one almost 20 years ago and can’t even remember why I either sold it or got rid of it

  23. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    1: old commuter, fixie, all seasons, with fenders/baggage.
    It had gears before, but the gears gave me too much trouble/work, especially after Christmas. Works surprisely well, I thought it was impossible due to the hills here.
    2: Salsa Casseroll, recently fixie, and is just a SWEET ride. Every time. I’ll putting Campagnolo on it soon, to experience gears. 25mm tires.
    Sometimes it has fenders/baggage.
    3: french trackbike. Really fun to ride, but I need to add a brake and better wheels. Recently accuired.
    4: Bontrager, with Rohloff.
    Is also an off-road fixie sometimes.
    5: I want a custom steelframe – MTB!

  24. Singletrack Mind Avatar
    Singletrack Mind

    1) Gary Fisher Sugar
    2) Trek 1200 commuter
    3) Fisher Big Sur Single Speed
    4) Lemond Buenos Aires
    5) Original 80’s Stumpjumer, cuz it’s supercool
    6) Trek Cruiser
    7) My Diamond Back BMX bike, who wouldn’t want to still ride the bike they had as a kid?
    7.5) an old road frame that will someday be a town fixie
    7.75) various spare parts and collected bike detritus

    and I wouldn’t give up any of them!!!

  25. Sprocketboy Avatar
    Sprocketboy

    People who are not very much into cycling seem surprised that someone “needs” more than one bike but we all know that good lovin’ comes in many forms. At the moment, I have:

    a) a custom-built Marinoni Ciclo, full Campy, for touring (James, how could you even think of parting with a Marinoni?);
    b) a Leader aluminum time trial bike that is slightly too big and will be replaced by a Cervelo frame someday;
    c) a Bianchi Limited racing bike, circa 1991, kept at the office for training rides at lunchtime;
    d) Blackadder, a NYC Bikes cross frame built up as a city bike, to be used to ride the length of the C&O Canal;
    e) a 1974 Gitane Gran Sport, now mainly with SunTour parts and used for the commute to work;
    f) a black Chinese Yongjiu, in mint condition since it is so awful to ride;
    g) my pride and joy: a Specialized Tarmac E5, full Dura-Ace and with lots of carbon bits. Fast and sure-footed.

    I am both enthralled and horrified by the idea of a fixed gear bike but since I am having trouble moving around in my apartment it is probably not an option anyway. And a Fuji cross bike could be fun…

  26. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    From oldest to youngest:

    1967 Raleigh Superbe – dyno front that run lights, 5 speed Sturmey-Archer rear hub. Probably 45lbs, but will outlast me.

    Surley Crosscheck – DuraAce 16 speed. Toured SE Asia on this bike, it’s now become my commuter. Cyclocross bikes are so much fun.

    2007 Lightspeed Mt. Diablo – 20 speed DuraAce. Light, fast and super fun.

    I wouldn’t mind adding a mountain bike and a single speed. Probably pick up a pedicab for taking friends around first. Always wanted to try out a super fast recumbant. Man this could get out of hand quick…

  27. Jim G Avatar
    Jim G

    I had seven but now I’m down to five and I’d really like to get down to three or four. I have a couple of road bikes set up for riding centuries and brevets, a 26er MTB for the occasional singletrack, a cyclocross bike for mixed-terrain/adventure riding, and a beater fixie for commuting. I’d like to replace one (maybe both) of the road bikes and the cyclocrosser with a single frameset good for both brevets and light off-road riding…

  28. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I have 5 bikes. Am looking at a good dual suspension one…hopefully next year. I agree with you…one does require a few good bikes.
    My stable:
    1. LeMond Versaille. Female specific carbon fibre/steel spine road bike. Sweet!
    2. Specialized Allez. Back up road bike for rainy days.
    3. Specialized Rock Hopper Comp. Also female specific. Very nice ride. Hard tail.
    4. Specialized Sirrus for commuting. The work horse.
    5. An old dual suspension Raleigh for roughing it!
    All of them are fun and each serves their purpose well. Cycle on!

  29. jorgensen Avatar
    jorgensen

    26 I think.

    Of note:

    A vintage Ritchey mtb, no suspension.
    An AMP B-2, I liked the design solutions, I know dead tech at this point.

    A 28″ wheeled English roadster.

    A mid 50’s Italian race bike
    10 Masis Italian and Californian.
    5 French, all road racing
    Handful of various road and track bikes, including one NJS.
    One small local builder bike from the 70’s
    My first self made frame.

    Things are piling up.
    But I still have my two favorite bikes from 32 years ago.

  30. Daniel Avatar
    Daniel

    There are 12 bikes in our garage. I currently ride 2 of them.

    –My brother has an ’80’s steel Trek.
    –My Dad has a 2005 Trek 5000, his 25-year-old Mondia he built up, a commuter bike (which I also ride to work), and a Burley Rumba tandem with a Softride beam.
    –I have a 2004 Trek 1500, which I’ve ridden more than 15,000 miles on, and I recently bought a 2006 Trek Madone SL 5.2 (for less than dealer cost).
    –We have 2 bikes which my brother and I outgrew (a 43cm Schwinn Sprint, and a 47cm Quintana Roo Kilo Private Reserve).
    –Another one of our bikes is a late ’80’s/early ’90’s Serotta built for Performance, which my mom is supposed to ride.
    –The other two bikes have served their purpose, and are on their way to the alley.

  31. George Avatar
    George

    Bikes, too many bikes? No such thing. I might around 25 or so (yes, 25 or so). Let me get started:

    Road
    1. Merlin Extralight w/ Campy Record 10, Nucleons
    2. Seven Axiom w/ Campy Record 10, Nucleons
    3. Sampson Silverton (Ti) w/ Campy Record 10×3, Protons
    4. Litespeed Siena w/ Campy Record 9
    5. Giordana TiXL (Litespeed Ultimate/Classic) w/ Campy Record 9 and Shamals
    6. Gios Compact w/ Campy Record 8
    7. SID (Custom racer from the mid 70’s) Campy Record and mixed stuff

    Cross bikes
    8. Merlin custom CX bike, Raceface, XTR, White Industries
    9. Bilenky Metax w/ S&S couplers, Campy Chorus
    10. Redline Conquest Pro w/ Campy Chorus

    Mtn Bikes
    11. Seven Sola Ti w S&S couplers XTR
    12. Ibis Szazbo XTR
    13. Ibis Mojo XTR
    14. Ibis Alibi XTR
    15. Basso (Litespeed Ti FS) XT
    16. Trek 8300 Carbon Suntour Pro

    City bikes
    17. Van Dessel Superfly
    18. 70’s Schwinn Collegiate 5sp (purple)

    19. A BMX bike (don’t remember the brand)

    Tandems (do these count as two each??)
    20. Ibis Cousin It
    21. Ibis Touche
    22. Ibis Cousin It (yes, another)

    (it’s time for dinner, but I have many more, even when I don’t count the high end bikes that I built for my wife and kids that they don’t always ride, including a Seven Odanata w/ Record10 for the wife)

    George

  32. Cooperman Avatar
    Cooperman

    I reckon 8 is fine

    I have the following so far….

    1. Dekerf Generation – steel hardtail for twisty wood routes
    2. Ellsworth Truth – for when my b… is sore and the road is bumpy
    3. Merlin Cielo – stunning road bike..
    4. Ron Cooper steel road bike …because my surname is cooper – sad but true.

    And a Rocky Mountain Vertex TO frameset for posterity as RM got me hooked…

    What is wrong with 8!

    I would love a SS and a Colnago one day
    Cheers

  33. Mike Goodman Avatar
    Mike Goodman

    I own a
    bike shop in Atlanta called Intown Bicycles, and I only have two bikes. Well actually, I guess I own about 150. You want to buy one? 🙂

    I log most of my miles commuting back and forth to work five days a week. (I ride a Litespeed Blue Ridge touring bike. Very sweet, comfortable ride. It loves being loaded.)

    Not riding much at other times, I just never could justify having another bike. I’ve seen the light! (And me being in the business for 25 years!)

    I recently bought a Quest, which is a steel 105 bike by Jamis. We sell them at the bike store. I’m really enjoying the performance, especially given that I’ve always ridden touring bikes.

    I take the Jamis on the coffee shop rides with my buddies. It’s opened a whole ‘nother world. Of course, I should have gotten it years ago. I guess it’s a case of the cobbler’s children has no shoes. (And let’s not talk about my maintenance.)

    So, put me down for 2 bikes, and growing.

    Happy Trail,

    Mike Goodman

  34. Mad Dog Avatar
    Mad Dog

    First, let’s differentiate between want and NEED. A luxury, once aquired, becomes a neccessity. So after you get a bike, you henceforth NEED it.
    1. Solid reliable road bike:
    Seven Alaris
    2. Cool Looking bike for getting attention and looking cool:
    1984 Raleigh USA Racing Prestige. Black with Chrome forks and stays.
    3. Mountain Bike:
    Trek 7300
    4. Fixed Gear:
    All Chrome Mid-Seventies Raleigh
    with gatorskin seat and Bullhorns and a handle bar mounted coffee cage.
    5. Time trial Bike:
    Cervelo p2k
    6. I also bought an additional time trial frame that I’m turning into a purposeful and fast commuter.
    7. I also “need” a back-up bike. When I get a new Cervelo Soloist Carbon, the Seven gets to be the back up bike.
    So I NEED seven bikes!
    I’d also like to build a super-vintage like a Mondia or Masi with a modern groupset.

  35. Jina Avatar
    Jina

    Hi, does anyone on here happen to own a DG BMX Bike from the early 80’s that they want to sell? someone posted here that they gave one away to their neighbor years ago who’s still riding it… if they want to sell it I will pay good money for one… even if it’s only the frame please let me know by replying to: ginageez@gmail.com thanks!

  36. udolp Avatar
    udolp

    bikes never ending…

    it became an everyday thing…

    Roadbikes
    1. Tommasini steel slx w/air fork
    2. Tange frame w/da components
    3. Vitus steel (ongoing projekt)
    4. Trek steel frame w shimano compact
    5. Specialized allez aluminum
    6. Specialized sirrus steel
    7. Bertoletti steel
    8. Pearl white Tange 2 frame

    Track/fixed
    9. steel with pista comps
    10. steel with DA comps

    Tri
    11. specialized alum 650c

    Single speed road
    12. tange champion frame
    13. custom steel w all jap parts
    14. custom steel primed and cleared
    15. Fiorelli w suntour parts
    16. steel 27×1 1/4
    17. steel 27×1 1/4 centurion
    18. Bottechia (ongoing project)

    Hybrid
    19 steel frame w mtn gearing

    Mountainbikes
    20. Schwinn disc xt parts
    21. Schwinn v w/ xtr parts 8 spd
    22. Yeti w lx parts 8 spd
    23. Ritchey w/ xt parts
    24. Barracuda w/ xt parts
    26. GT ricochet w xt parts
    27. GT Zaskar w/ xtr parts
    28. old steel w/stx rx comps
    29. 29’er steel w susp fork
    30. Dean w/xt comps

    Single speed MTB’s
    31. steel w/shimano DX parts
    32. Steel w rigid fork, suntour

    Cruisers
    33. Yellow Schwinn w bladed fork
    34. Huffy
    35. Madwagon w/26 tires white sides
    36. old steel 28 rims
    37. old cruiser w/24 rims
    38. old cruiser 2 w/24 rims
    39. mtb w/24 rims
    40. old lady’s chrome w shim comps
    41. Falcon w/ old Campy parts

    Bmx
    42. Haro frame fork w/ haro parts
    43. Redline
    44. Generic Frame size 21

    Other project bikes:
    80’s bmx
    26 cruisers w spring fork
    mini roadbikes w 26 rims
    single speed roadbikes

    keep on building bikes……
    Happy Hunting

  37. Timmi Avatar
    Timmi

    Track bikes and singlespeeds…
    I drilled my semi-sloping columbus fork crown on my handmade italian cambio rino track bike. I find it more practical to have a front brake, for emergencies, than a rear brake. Besides, you can slow down with the pedals, even lock the rear wheel with your pedals… but in an emergency situation, there’s nothing like a front brake.

  38. Harold Solomon Avatar
    Harold Solomon

    Where to start?
    I, like Mike Goodman above (he sold me a great Raliegh Technium 20+ yrs ago!) live in Atlanta. I too commute 5 days a week to work on:

    1 – ’72 Raleigh Grand Prix complete with Brooks saddle. Acquired from a neighbor’s trash pile. It pays to be the humble guy in a fancy neighborhood.

    2 – Bike Friday Tikit – folds in 1 second and pops into a zipcar trunk in 2. We only have one car and I need to zip occasionally.

    3 – ’70’s Zeus I just restored. My first experience with tubular tires. Flats are pretty easy with sewups!

    4 – ’75 Zeus Criterium in restoration now – can’t wait for that first ride.

    6 – ’56 Schwinn with 2-speed kick-back. I rebuilt that hub and built the rear wheel. My first wheel build. Dishing isn’t quite right yet but that springy seat is cush.

    7 – A 1 yr old Raliegh hybrid with fenders for rainy commutes, like tomorrow.

    8 – Trek 850 aka ‘Daddy Bike’. Has the Burley 3rd wheel attached.

    9 – Cervello R2 carbon road rocket

    10 – Gary Fisher Sugar-2

    11 – Co-motion tandem with couplers

    12 – 1930’s Raleigh en route as I write.

    13 – ’77 like new Schwinn World Traveller – too large for me and getting ready to sell.

    14 – ’77 World Traveller that fits

    How many bikes do I need? Just one more.

  39. Mike Avatar
    Mike

    SOmething like 6 right now, but only because i just sold two

    1. 1960's Panasonic tourist 10 (it save my life once, true story)

    2. Rampar 1970's singlespeed conversion, orange and beautiful and fast as hell

    3. Old crappy Mountain bike, in need of love

    4. old crappy mtn bike to become a fixie

    5. 2009 Giant FCR 4

    6. Trek Mtn bike that is starting to click and is just a bit too small for me

  40. Anonymous Avatar
    Anonymous

    I have 14. So you could say I am a little excessive:
    1. 1975 Woodrup star trophy
    2. 1986 woodrup star trophy
    3. 1986 all campy woodrup star trophy
    4. 1993 Bridgestone XO-2
    5. 2002 Bianchi pista
    6. Mercian Touring
    7. Specialized Rock Hopper
    8. Ochsner
    9. Richard Sachs time trial
    10. Bob Jackson Funny Bike
    11. Haral
    12. 1995 Basso Gap
    13. Robert Stowe
    14. Push Mistral Leader.

    I've thought about culling the herd some but I have some really nice stuff so it's hard to pick and choose.

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