I’ve got two off-road bikes: an FF29 (HT 29er) and a Five (26″ full suss). In theory that’s perfect. Both can just about cover anything I’d want to ride, but they are different enough to (in theory) justify having both. The FF29 climbs like a mountain goat and there are a number of steep (but not too technical) sections that I can get up on the FF29 but have never managed on the Five. Coming back down I can actually get down anything I have the nerve to ride on the FF29, but on the Five I actually enjoy those bits.

So where’s the problem. Well the problem is that, because I have the two bikes, I find that I’m always wondering whether I should be on the other one. While 99% of the time I can winch the Five to the top of the hill just fine, because I’ve got the FF29, it feels like a slog and I long for that sprightly climbing feel. Similarly, if I’m riding down on the FF29 I just know that I’d be having more fun on the Five.

If somebody forced me to only ride one of them I reckon I’d be perfectly happy with either, but I’d struggle to decide which one I’d prefer to keep.

First world problem I know and I’m not expecting a solution. Just fancied a Monday morning rant 🙂

So where’s the problem

In your head.

Flog then both and get a 100-120mm travel 29’er FS with a dropper and you’ll have a bike that will be very nearly as good as the FF on the ups and very nearly as good as the 5 on the downs. Then you can stop worrying about what to ride.

That’s what I did and my Anthem is as fast up as my old FF but miles faster down and it’s a whole lot better than the Nicolai Helius CC it replaced.

Try having a few more!?

The grass is always greener.

Buy a bike that either accentuates parts of rides that you enjoy, or one that makes the parts you don’t enjoy, easier.

My problem with multiple skill compensators bikes is that I sometimes forget which one I’m riding

In your head.

You’re not wrong there mate 🙂 Of course, this isn’t a real problem. How can you complain about having two bikes, both of which you enjoy, just because you enjoy each of them on different parts of the trail? The fact is that I’ve had fun rides (and miserable rides) on both. But having choices does make things more complicated and I do wonder (in an absent minded sort of way) whether I’d actually be happier with just one option.

I do occasionally toy with the 29er FS option. However, the problem with a compromise solution (and I have the same objection to the whole 650b compromise) is that, far from being the best of both worlds, it’s just compromised everywhere. At least now I really enjoy half of each ride 🙂

Yeah the more bikes you have the more you think “x bike would be much better on this bit, wish I’d brought that instead” but aslong as one the whole you were riding the best bike for that ride you’re ok.

Depends on your setup too, unless 2 bikes are radically different the “climber/xc/fast” bike will probably go down 95% as well as the “descender/dh/fun” bike and vice versa – If we’re using cleaning a section as a measure. The ups will be slightly less breathless on a climber and the downs slightly less scary on a slack fun bike but IME there won’t be much you can’t do on either.

Unless we’re talking specialist DH/trials bikes which the OP wasn’t.

Dunno whether to be happy that it is actually all about the rider or depressed that I’ve been sucked in by the marketing machine.
Or just get on with it and ride my bikes.

Its so much eaiser to have one bike.

Pick one that suits most of your riding, then spend time getting better at the bits it dosent suit.

Its not like your trying to take a XC bike on a DH track.

having said that I absolutely love my lakes bike but it is a bit cumbersome dragging it around the tame-er local tracks, something lighter and more pedally is nice to have aswell
and a hardtail
and a singlespeed
and a….
😉

This is how 650b got started

Send your FF29 over to me for baby sitting, 2 birds, 1 stone. I have a hankering for a FF29 ( I own a five also!) 😆

Either improve your fitness riding the Five all the time or improve your skill by riding the FF29 all the time

Dont forget, with one bike you have no choice. So that removes a lot of the feeling of compromise.

You just get on with it and ride.

Removing choice in life often improves things.

(most first world problems revolve around having a hard time making a choice)

I relate to this as have pretty much always had a short travel HT and a FS. from 08 till early 13 it was a Rock Lobester 853 and a 5. I sold them both and got a Soul, with 120mm forks and a reverb. Suits perfectly for 95% of what I do. I never miss the old HT and it’s only occasional trail centres where I think about the 5

Sell both, get a carbon 26er which is light enough up the climbs and then great fun on the downs. You dont *need* 29ers for anything, it just makes things easier but makes the downs less fun. So light 26er with decent amount of travel and jobs a good un 😀

The problem i find with multiple bikes is that once you have “redundancy” in your fleet, when one breaks, you are too lazy to fix it, thinking “it’s ok, there’s no rush, i have another bike to ride”. But then the second one breaks too, and you haven’t fixed the first yet, so you end up with a fleet of broken bikes rather than one single working one!

(just me?? 😉

I love my hardtail. Carbon, 26″, 90mm Fox 32mm’s, X2/203mm floating discs, 80mm stem and crazy-wide bars.

It’s a slight is-match of parts but I wouldn’t want 2 bikes.

I’m not saying that it’s my dream bike*, but I love the fact that I can tell if the tires are 5psi softer than last ride. I know exactly when the tires will break away, just how fast / far the bike can lean in to a corner. Of course I’m not saying that the bike’s the speed-limiter on rides, I’m saying that I’m at my max potential on that particular bike.

2 bikes = spreading your skilz!

*16″ Inbred with -1″ top tube, 853 tubes and stupidly bling/weight-weenie build. In Ford GT50 orange & blue colours.

Remember there’s an important difference between ‘better’ and ‘more fun’.

I have pretty much the same, 29er HT and 26 full suss. If I had to choose one I’d keep the 26 full suss… hmmm seriously considering getting rid of the 29er now! I currently ride it most but that’s only because the 26 FS is still boxed up after moving house. Plus I’ve been looking at road bikes recently….I’ve been thinking of the 29er as my ‘fitness’ bike recently, a road bike would make it redundant in that sense.

I have multiple bikes for different rides and groups

160mm FS for big days out – but i never wish i was on the hardtail
140mm hardtail – general do it all bike, which i also use for the odd endurance race
Fully rigid singlespeed HT – great for training and shite weather – absolutely love it and never wish i had gears
Tandem MTB – only for special occasions
Fatbike ordered – will update when i know better 🙂

The biggest problem i have is trying to keep at least 3 of them going at once….

I’ve got two off-road bikes

amateur.

Yesterday I swapped bikes and rode a pals FS rather than my HT on one of the Inners descents; took 20 seconds off my PB…

I’m happy with my one AM bike. Sure its slower up hill, but that is actualy a benefit as it makes me fitter and stronger, also i’m not fussed about time, i’m out there for fun and frolicks so am quite happy to saunter up the hill and save my legs for the downhill. I keep trying to justify a second bike – a HT, but I’d rather spend the money upgrading and maintaining my AM bike. If you like to cover ground quickly and shave 30 seconds off your last time on that route, then that’s a different kind of riding. I just want to keep fit and have some fun.

For me, keeping setup similar is the key. Now all 3 have reverbs, they can all handle 99% of my riding, but will all have strengths weaknesses.

Bikepark Wales uplift day – Heckler with Bombers.
South Downs – Fireline 29er
Trail Centre – Titus FTMc 140 FS.

I have a rigid SS, 140mm 29 HT and Tallboy Ltc, fatty on the way.
Most of the time it’s the SS during winter, as the trails dry somewhat the hardtail comes out, when summer is here or long days in big hills then the Tallboy comes out.
Maintain them so any can be used at any time, just got to work out where the fatty’s going to fit in?
Most of bike mates can fit my bikes so if someone needs a ride they can borrow too.

Only problem I see is only having 2 bikes !!!! FFS man get buying 😉

The problem with having three MTB’s, is also having two road bikes.

Now the MTB’s aren’t getting used much. 🙁

My problem with multiple bikes (and I do have a few) is that I break one but don’f fix it straight away because I’m busy and “I can ride another for now”. Then I break that and repeat the process until I have a garage full of bikes that “only need” a mech or shifter or wheel etc etc and it becomes a big spend/repair week, when all parts are purchased in one go. First world problems and all that.

Go one bike.
Over the last 2 years iv chopped and changed. Always having two.
Now iv cracked it.
Short travel 29er with a dropper post.
For today I’m happy. But who knows what tomorrow will bring?

You need a short travel 27.5 wheel fs with lockout.

As well as what you already have, obvs.

Cant see me ever ditching my Soul which replaced an ex8. The Soul was just as comfy and did everything the ex8 did and also lbs lighter.

Added a Bandit to the stable for a bit more serious descending and hopefully a trip to Czech this summer for some crazy mountain trails.

I reckon they are differing enough to warrant both…whatever the wife thinks!

Just built up my first FS to complement my Soul, built it big on purpose (160mm coils front and rear, ~15Kg) to avoid aforementioned overlap.

Now i REALLY want a 130-140mm lightweight FS… >.>

I ride what I feel like. Occasionally this involves matching the bike to the expected ride but really, having to make choices is so much of a non issue that my ghast is well and truly flabbered my some of the navel gazing on this thread!

I think if you own one bike you can ride it hard and fast and know its limits.Its all about feeling One with your bike.
If you own more your going to be minicing about and not really pushing it.
Some people like mincing and some like pushing.

3 road bikes, 2 mountain bikes. There is always ‘another’ bike!

For the MTB side I enjoy my 29er ht when mile munching and doing family rides plus I wouldn’t mind trying some bikepacking on it too.

My 26er fs is all about chucking it around and having fun. The changes I’ve made have just raised that side of its game.

So I like the fast bike / fun bike combo.

ummmmm….just don’t get a Fat bike ….you’ll be even more annoyed as the others collect dust…

N+1

Thanks for all the replies and thanks for the offer wors, but I think I’ll pass thanks 🙂

wobbliscott sums up the way I ought to think about this. I don’t race and virtually all of my riding is done on my own. Basically, I ride for fun and to maintain fitness. The Five is more fun to ride and if it’s a bit harder on the climbs then that should just make me fitter. Simple really.

Well that’s the way it ought to be. For some reason it’s not though, but I’m not entirely sure why not.

You dont *need* 29ers for anything, it just makes things easier but makes the downs less fun

This is tongue in cheek right? Or are people still spouting the same old guff from 5 years ago?