I used to have a road bike, an everyday commuter type bike (fixed) and a singlespeed On One Inbred. I sat down and thought about it recently and tried to work out what I liked and what I didn’t, as its the commuter that gets the majority of the work. Being 6ft5″ means I can’t commute on an MTB even with the post right up, I just find them too small. I came to the conclusion that I liked singlespeed but liked having the option of gears at a future date. I also wasn’t too bothered about suspension and enjoy riding rigid, so I consolidated to an On One Pompetamine (the availability of future gears as its got guides for a hub gear) and built it up using most of the parts from my Inbred and building some new wheels, though still based around singlespeed Pro2’s from the Inbred.

It’s a really great crossover bike, perfect for the sort of riding I do (primarily rubbish London roads due to commuting) but also capable off road with clearance for about 42c tyres at the weekend. Also, the feeling of Mono Mini’s in central London is second to none to be reassured.

not really tbh I suppose you could have a road bike that you can take off road if required ..like the poster above…but you are compromising massively IMHO unless you love rigid off road riding or dragging suspension forks everywhere on road.

The Pompetameanie’s a nice bike but it’s only a do everything bike if your idea of everything is not very everythingy.

CF Roadie/cotic soul/glory.

jobs a good un.

many moons ago I had a sh#t job and not much money, so economics dictated that I could only have one bike. Orange Clockwork – couldn’t drive so no car, worked shifts so no bus/train. Used to run worn out nobby tyres as semi slicks during the commute and then remove the mudguards and rack and fit decent tyres for the weekend rides/races.
So it’svery doable , but to be honest its a proper pain in the ar#e – getting back from an epic ride on a sunday evening knowing that before you go to bed you’ve got to clean the bike,change the tyres, fit the mudguards/racks etc. ‘cos you’re back out on it at 5am, can be a bit dreary, especially mid winter when its raining.

I’ve now got a better job, 5 bikes (can drive but choose not to).
TBH – two bikes is probably the best option, one to fuel your passion (either very nice road bike, or very nice mtb etc.) and one for the daily grind ( in my case a Kona Sutra, for the commute, shopping, and some camping trips and a Sanderson Life for real off road riding etc. Theother 3 are more sentimental value , Clockwork that I’ve had for ever is now SS, Scott racing hardtail,son uses it and cheap road bike on turbo trainer – probably gets more use as a clothes prop TBH)

The Pompetameanie’s a nice bike but it’s only a do everything bike if your idea of everything is not very everythingy.

I completely agree. Living in London at the moment made me try to be realistic, however, and it fits basically everything within 80 miles of my house. Anything beyond it’s means and I’d just put everything back in the Inbred for the weekend (convenient spare wheelset).

Gone from 4 to 1.
The bike I have now suits 95% of the riding I like to do.
Started to feel a bit silly having thousands of pounds worth of bikes, sitting in my studio, not being ridden much.