What do you think is the truly appropriate number of bikes to own?

[RobinGB]

One.

Owning a single bike is infinitely better than owning none. Any number of bikes beyond the first, though rewarding and favorable, is relatively insignificant.

you sir just won this thread.

/applaud

[PixieChik]

I'm thinking 5:

HT 29er , wouldn't sell for nostalgic reasons
Old HT 26", now commuter/lender
Road bike..not sure I'll ever ride it, but I bought it cheap
( gave away another 26" HT to a deserving fellow sothe bike storage area looks less over-the-top)

(near future purchases...)
FS 26" all-purpose
Fat Tire bike cuz I live in the frozen tundra and I don't want to wait until June to ride again

Wonder when the Hubs is going to stop turning a blind eye to my bike habit...

[giantbikeboy]

3. Commuter hardtail and a dually. I have 4 too many.

[scrublover]

commuter/grocery getter/waling the dog around the neighborhood bike

crap weather/trails are too wet roadie/commuter/around town/gotta feed the jones bike

hardtailtrialsinsoloridepedalingfromhomeridebike

trail/AM/riding with an undetermined group ride 5" bike

local burly trails/once in a blue moon shuttle/DH and park bike/still want to pedal it local on xc trails for shits and grins bike.

parts bin, leftover bits and studded tires in winter SS bike with way too big a fork but who cars it's stupid fun to ride bike

[trodaq]

Several theories can be applied.
1) You can only ride 1 bike at a time so 1 is sufficient
2) 1 bike for every discipline I ride
3) 7 days in a week, so a different bike for each day
4) 1 bike for every discipline I ride with a backup bike for each
5) I ride a bike everyday and I never ride the same bike within a month
6) I'm a collector
7) I'm an obsessive wack job who likes to build bikes as much as I do riding them

The list goes on. Im sure I missed some. Its all good.

[StiHacka]

I have currently three bikes - a 160mm FS 650b AM bike, a 650b trail-rated hardtail for bad weather and easy rides with wifey, and a 20" unicycle in the office. The unicycle is a loaner from a colleague and it is by far the most difficult one to ride.

[Digoxin]

One is enough for me.. My bike does all of the above (Road, offroad, commuter etc..)

[RobinGB]

I have currently three bikes - a 160mm FS 650b AM bike, a 650b trail-rated hardtail for bad weather and easy rides with wifey, and a 20" unicycle in the office. The unicycle is a loaner from a colleague and it is by far the most difficult one to ride.

Self-Balancing Unicycle | Focus Designs, Inc.


unicycle.... fixed

[StiHacka]

Looking good but I am sure I would be crashing on that one, too.

[RaptorTC]

In an ideal world I'd have:

29" hardtail for xc racing
Fatbike for the winter
Cross bike for dirt road rides, cross races, and rides where I want to combine some road and singletrack
Race road bike
Fixie commuter

So I guess five bikes would completely suit just about all of my needs. A DH bike would be fun and all, but I don't exactly live near anywhere with the elevation required for that.

[Sizzler]

Threeve

[FX4]

Currently three about to buy my fourth. What's enough? How many can I store?

1. 29HT for XC
2. 26" FS for all mountain
3. 26" FS long travel suspension for all mountain because one just isn't enough.
4. Road bike
5. Downhill bike
6. Touring bike
7. Give me a bit, I'll come up with a reason for seven
8. ...

[Crunch406]

As many as you want, as long as you can pay cash for them and not go into dept.

^^This^^

[brianW.]

Three bikes.
1. Cyclocross for road/gravel and commuting
2. SS rigid 29er
3. HT 29er or FS 29er

[leoferus]

This is based on my riding style, my terrain, my preferences:

1. Race HT 29er.
2. Training HT 29er.
3. Goof off HT 26er.
4. All Mountain FS 29er.
5. Beater road bike.
6. Race road bike.
7. Single speed rigid 29er.
8. All Mountain FS 650b (just because).

[lidarman]

The correct answer is n+1; there is no such thing as a practical limit to the number of bikes you should have,

Marketing is effective.

[lidarman]

One.

Owning a single bike is infinitely better than owning none. Any number of bikes beyond the first, though rewarding and favorable, is relatively insignificant.

I'm completely down with your philosophy, but I still maintain two bikes are nice for a dedicated biker. Cuz when one is broken, you want something to go get bike parts or carry you over. Those days without that broken bike puts you at zero point instead of the infinite point.

[Grinderz]

I woulds say 3, because I have 3 and I dont think the missus would let me have another.

1 - for riding to/from work
1 - for weekend rides/competing
1 - for when I want to go out for a thrash and dont want to worry about possibly breaking something expensive (which is my ex XC bike)

IF I did get to own another bike, it would most likely be a SS which I could use during the week for 'training'. Now I just need to convince the minister of finance/war that this would be a good thing.

[mk.ultra]

I'm in college and very happy to be able to have 1 cheap roadie and 1 nice (for my budget) hardtail MTB

in the far future I wouldn't mind having a full suspension, but any more than that I feel would just be pure hedonism

[dwt]

I woulds say 3, because I have 3 and I dont think the missus would let me have another.

Speaking of the missus- and mine rides road passionately - the number of bikes cannot exceed what fits in basement and garage neatly, among other sports equipment and clutter, without pissing her off.

[FX4]

Speaking of the missus- and mine rides road passionately - the number of bikes cannot exceed what fits in basement and garage neatly, among other sports equipment and clutter, without pissing her off.

Yeah a friend of mine has the same issue. Mine on the other hand just says can you please get the bikes organized neatly. I don't care how you do it. She suggested I buy a commercial bike rack and put it on one side of the garage.

[jmmorath]

Absolutely everyone, meaning people that aren't that into biking, should have at least 2.

People like us should have at least 3.

I've come down to 3 and am happy. I'm not allowing myself to have anymore at this point because I'm too busy and too mobile in life right now.

[trodaq]

Like I said then theres the wackjob obssesive I like to build em as much as I like to ride em types



Chinese full carbon rigid 26er
10' trek 2.1
09 GF Superfly HT 29er
08 Jamis XCR Team FS 26er
08 Origin 8 Rigid SS 29er
05 Ellsworth Joker FS 26er
05 Trek 4500 Rigid 26er
98 Kona Hei Hei ti HT 26er
96 Klein Attitude Team HT 26er
93 Paramount series R80 rigid 26er
93 Diamondback Axis Rigid SS 26er
93 Fat Buck Shaver HT SS 26er
93 Yo Eddy HT 26er
91 Diamondback Axis Rigid 26er
90 Ritchey P-23 Rigid 26er
89 Klien Pinnacle Rigid 26er
89 Fisher CR-7 Rigid 26er
87 Fat Chance Rigid 26er
85 Ritchey Team Comp Rigid 26er

[bigpedaler]

3.

1. FS MTB.
2. Utility bike (Kona Ute, for example).
3. WTF bike (Electra Rat Rod....).

Screw skinny tires.

[heyyall]

Where do you live? What seasons do you have? Who lives with you? Do you need a spare for buddies or people you want to introduce to the sport? Do you collect bikes? Do you own a bike shop? Are you growing? Are you a sponsored racer? ....

As for me, I am at n+3 or 4.

The misses is wanting a squishy. I'm wanting a fat bike for winter. My oldest may need a real mtb next year. As for my n, this is it save one bike in the basement on the trainer.