We’re going to be moving house in the near future and the new house won’t have a garage and only has a small shed. Now, We will probably get a bigger shed at some point but it might take a while before that happens. I currently have three bikes, a 120mm full sus that i don’t like all that much, a gravel bike that i like a lot and a rigid MTB that i like a lot as well, my girlfriend also has two bikes, My local trails are not all that demanding and are fine on a hardtail or even rigid bike but we do like to go to Wales, Scotland, the Peaks,etc from time to time, we also tend to take our bikes with us on holiday. So with that information to hand, what type of bike would you have if you only had room for one? E.g hardtail, short travel full sus, long travel full sus? You don’t have to recommend a specific bike ( you can if you like ). I want to get it from one of my local shops if possible, they sell, Trek, Giant, Specialized, Cannondale, Scott, Santacruz, Yeti, Whyte. So what would you have in my position?

I’d personally go with something like my Whyte T130. I used it on the Ridgeway last weekend, did 60km or so and averaged 12mph, it was fast, comfy and superb. Sure, my HT is a smidgen quicker, but really it’s minimal. ‘Trail’ bikes these days have come so so far.

Store the other bikes at a mates house till you get your new shed sorted?

Save up and move to a house with a garage 🙂

Keep the bikes in the house.
Plus sell the rigid & gravel, no-one needs nonsense like that in their life.
A jeffsy 29 would probably be my choice of I could only have 1 bike.

You realise that girlfriends take up a lot of room that could be used for bikes?

Or join tjagain and get a tandem. 🙂

On a serious note, if I had to have only one bike I’d get a rigid bike that could take 650B+ and 29er wheels. The 650B+ for knobby tyres, and the 29er with 2.35″ Big Apples for all purpose road and gravel.

From what you’ve said I would look at two bikes:

Whyte T-130 or Bird Zero AM

Neither is especially light, but they ride beautifully and will cope with any kind of trail.

Hardtail

Another vote for some kind of 29er/b+ hardtail. Like that new sonder one. (Frontier – I had to google it)

Have both sets of wheels, up to you whether you want a suspension fork for it or not. I would. Plus it should be niche enough that it’d be safer in a shed than a known brand.

I’ve all but given up on mountain bikes and pretty much only ride my cross bike these days. However, if I absolutely had to only have one bike, then it would be a hardtail, as it would be the most versatile option no matter what you want to do with it.

Given what you’ve said and the different types of riding you like to cover, I reckon some kind of hardtail would be a good option. Not all trail bikes are the same but it might be that the bikes in general just aren’t for you.

Just to keep in mind, you could look at perhaps one with a fork with 2 levels of travel. The shorter setting would be great for all your local trails etc but when you do go onto tougher terrain in Wales and the like a longer travel setting could work well.

Before I got a full suss I did everything from road riding to alps uplifts on a carrera xc hardtail, my first bike, and loved every ride. A few upgrades were required however…

What is this heresy that you speak? The correct answer is you need a new bike, one that is even more inappropriate. That way lies more fun.

Fewer bikes – No. Bigger shed – Yes.

I would try a short travel (XC) FS for size. It should be quick enough where you like to ride the gravel bike, with the ability to cope well with big weekends away. Alternatively an XC hardtail would do the job too. Just keep the travel low if you don’t appreciate the trail FS you already own.
Or spend a load on another rigid MTB. You’ll be a bit limited for weekends away though.

I’d try not to compromise. Rather than think if the bike, think of the riding you do most / enjoy the most and keep the bike that you do that on..,,,and then obviously bigger shed / garage / house when funds allow.

Havent you got a jones? I would get a fat front or 29+ on it and run it geared which would cover 99% of trails – possibly with a suspension seat post or a ti/carbon one

I’ve whittled mine down to one again (26″ Soul and a few pairs of wheels). A hardtail will do most of the stuff that most people actually do.

If I needed to cut down to just one bike, it would have to be a good hardtail. Ideally a good trail 29er with clearance for 27.5+, but as I’ve ended up with a Solaris and a Soul275 and didn’t really plan for two HT’s I can understand that this isn’t totally straightforward or I would have no qualms ditching the Soul…

For your situation a Trek Stache would be ideal. It can do everything from nichecore bikepacking bimblery all the way through to actual serious mountain biking. I use mine in the Peak District all the time but it’s also been down Helvellyn and I use it for commuting.

My one bike choice is a little leftfield but I reckon something like a trek stache plus. Can run 29+,650b,29,b+….even 26+ if you want. Plenty of frame clearance for anything. Great geometry.

Or a short travel trail bike like the bird 120. Again perfect for trail centres, quick enough on anything else. I just wish Bird would bring out a 29er of the 120, that would be a perfect bike for me.

Ha.. As above… Great minds munro

2017 P7 or Five will do anything and everything anywhere. Just pick hardtail or full-sus.

If I rode the trails you say you ride I’d probably go for a decent hardtail. No idea which one, and the choice between 27.5 and 29 is very personal. I’ve not enjoyed the 29ers I’ve had a go on (both Scott hardtails), found them a bit ponderous in the twisties.

I’d always go for full sus as my only bike, but that’s me. Something like the suggested t130 would be great – but not sure if you can get one for £1500.

What don’t you like about your 120mm fs bike you already have?

just mothball one to the loft until the bigger shed arrives.

then make the shed number 1 priority.

Sell the bike you don’t like to pay for a larger shed to house the two you do like.

Another vote for a hardtail of some sorts, but then again my main bike is a hardtail so I’m biased!

If you’ve got the budget, my recommendation would be a decent XC-race full sus. That’ll do you from DH tracks to the local chaingang with a change of wheels and dropper.

+1 for the 29er/B+ HT movement.

Edit:

That’ll do you from DH tracks to the local chaingang with a change of wheels and dropper.

Maybe you can keep up with the local chaingang on a FS MTB, but that’s not particularly likely for the rest of us mere mortals!

Maybe you can keep up with the local chaingang on a FS MTB, but that’s not particularly likely for the rest of us mere mortals!

To be fair, we haven’t seen his local chaingang.

Another vote for one frame with choice of fork/wheels.

29er rigid or B+ suspension front. Same wheel at the back.

APF

I have only one bike. It is a 29er hardtail in a garish colour.

His and hers Trek Staches as above!

Or keep whichever is your favourite of your current bikes, sell the rest and wait til your settled in to buy anything else.

That’ll do you from DH tracks to the local chaingang with a change of wheels and dropper.

Maybe you can keep up with the local chaingang on a FS MTB, but that’s not particularly likely for the rest of us mere mortals!

To clarify, I meant a change of wheels to ones with road tyres!

Thanks for the replies everyone, i haven’t been able to rely to questions until i finished work.

[quoteStore the other bikes at a mates house till you get your new shed sorted?[/quote]
Not an option i’m afraid.

[quoteKeep the bikes in the house.[/quote]
Nope.

[quoteHavent you got a jones?[/quote]
Yes i do and it’s the one that makes the most sense to keep out of the three, however it can leave me feeling a bit battered at some places which is why i had a full sus bike too, my fave bike of the three though is my gravel bike.

What don’t you like about your 120mm fs bike you already have?

I’m not sure to be honest, it rides fine, it just lacks something, x factor? I can’t be more specific than that i’m afraid, it’s a Norco Fluid btw.

I’d thought about keeping the Jones and having a second set of wheels for it e.g. B+ & B fat combo and a set of 29er wheels. Or keeping the gravel bike and fitting a Lauf grit fork and bigger tyres ( it’s a Salsa Vaya Ti btw ). Its a hard decision to be honest.

35 posts in and no one has suggested the obvious fix.

The op to sleep in the shed leaving a whole bedroom for bikes…

Surely if you can afford a Jones and a Vaya Ti you can afford a new shed?

Surely if you can afford a Jones and a Vaya Ti you can afford a new shed?

Well, and a house too remember. The Jones is just a steel one and i’ve had it since 2013 and the Vaya Ti…..ok you got me there.

The answer is always to choose the bike for the riding you are doing now, not the riding you think you might want to do (hint, you’d be doing it already)

If you are riding gentle off road, I’d keep the gravel bike and add some fast light road wheels. The Lauf fork would be a good addition too. Two bikes in one. Otherwise a HT with decent travel fork.