[Closed] A slightly different first world problem - what bike to ride?

Same problem, different bikes. I bought my first gravel bike a couple of months back thinking that I'd use it for those occasional easy off-road rides where the full-suss is overkill. The problem is that the damn thing is so fun to ride that my thought process is now "could I possibly get the gravel bike down that tricky descent, 'cos if I can, the rest of the ride will be fine" and as a result, the MTB has been feeling a little bit neglected recently...

Personally, it's always been about the newest bike, but this time it has been more extreme than ever before.

Whichever I fancy most, tempered by which is handier and if one is broken...

I understand, a few years ago when I got my Soul275 it was all I rode until I made myself get back on the FS because there was an event coming up that I wanted to be in the bouncy bike for and thought I should be ‘in practice’.  Currently I have two hardtails (Soul275 and Solaris) which probably says much... 😉

How do you decide what bike to ride when you have 2 bikes?

Either there's an obvious choice or I stare at them for a few minutes and then realise that if there isn't an obvious choice then clearly it doesn't bloody matter and I'd be better off just getting on and riding one of them.

If still in difficulty, flip a coin.

If still in difficulty after that, sell a bike, it's clearly redundant.

Interesting.. I've got similar bikes and thoughts.

T-130 and PArkwood

90% of times outdoors, i'm on the Whyte.

turbo, i'm on the Parkwood.

I have a Jeffsy and a Capra.  Since they suit different terrains I favour the one that suits the terrain best.  Its that simple.

My favourite is the one that suites the trails I'm riding.  So for FoD duties its the Capra, for XC stuff its the Jeffsy.

Take the right tool for the job.  If you find your happy riding the Soul at BPW then perhaps your riding style means you don't actually need a FS.

I could ride my Jeffsy at BPW, its a capable bike, but the Capra is more suited and I ride it to the point I actually need it to be suited.

same first world problem for me, got a chameleon, love it, ridden it solid for 6 or 7 weeks,

then i had my 5010 built up, now 3-4 weeks in, its all i'm riding, love it.

doesnt help my chameleon had its sram 11 speed derailleur slightly knocked on cutgate and is now only running 10 speed, so i'm missing a top gear..

today i heard a loud shattering of glass, my rockguardz has broke, reordered one

but think i'll be riding the chameleon this weekend :0)

If still in difficulty after that, sell a bike, it’s clearly redundant.

Which one? 🙂

I usually go FS when trails are dry and HT when they are wet.  The last 6 weeks of so in West Of Scotland the trails have been dry and I have been on FS every ride.  The Bird Zero is sitting shiny, ready to go, and unused.  The Anthem is looking dusty and will be coming out again this weekend !

HT and FS, both 150mm, both LLS, so suit the same terrain, but ride very differently. The HT is new but still favouring the FS for big days (comfort) and the HT for shorter local rides. The intention is the HT will be used for the wet weekend rides in the winter as they will be shorter and slower than the summer rides were I want the FS. Time will tell...

Which one?

Whichever one's worth more money 🙂

How do you decide what bike to ride when you have 2 bikes? Surely there’s always a favoured one?

If you buy multiple  bikes, make sure they're really different - then you choose the bike to suit the ride you fancy doing.

I've got a rigid 29er for long treks up in the Valleys, a FS XC Racer for chasing PRs in the woods, and a long travel bike for when I want to relax on the climbs and have fun on the descents.  Never an issue choosing because I'm clearly in one of these moods.

If you buy multiple  bikes, make sure they’re really different

This

Apart from the linkages theory why ride the HT in the winter and FS in the summer?

 Apart from the linkages theory why ride the HT in the winter and FS in the summer?

Yes bearings are a slight consideration, but for me it's partly down to different conditions. In the winter when trails are sloppier, speeds are slower, the ground is softer and less harsh on my aging body so it can stand the hardtail for longer. Also the rides in the winter tend to be shorter anyway than the long summer days spent hitting harsh dried out trails as fast as possible for as long as the legs hold out. On those rides I really appreciate the comfort of my FS. There's also something to be said for a evening ragging a HT round the woods whatever the weather. So season/weather can have a bearing directly or indirectly on bike choice, but it's not the only consideration.

I ride the one that’s least broken.

How do you decide what bike to ride when you have 2 bikes?

Ride them more often and you'll know which you want.

Is there an app?

I got a nice, new ht this time last year and used it pretty much exclusively for the rest of the year for various reasons. Got to the point where I was questioning the need to have a expensive fs gathering dust. For the last few months though I have been back on the fs and loving it to the point where i’m having thoughts about cashing both in for a new fs.

Basically there’s no right answer other than n+1.

If you buy multiple  bikes, make sure they’re really different – then you choose the bike to suit the ride you fancy doing.

yep, this... my mood tends to ebb and flow, so my preferred bike goes through cycles

Basically there’s no right answer other than n+1.

Amen, brother!

I've always had two off-road bikes as I hate the idea of missing a ride if one breaks. There is always one that gets the bulk of the action though. Usually the newest one. The advice to make them usefully different is good, but I still want them both to be able to cover any ride (in case one breaks). My current solution is a full suss (which is getting all the action at the moment) and a fully rigid fatbaike. The fatbike can actually go anywhere the full suss can go just slower and (with proper tyres) makes a great winter bike.

I've always had a HT, when I have owned an FS bike(s) it's always been in addition to the HT and the bouncy bikes were mostly for DH and "Big days out" at trail-centres or the like.

I've been without an FS bike for the last couple of years and TBH I've not really missed it at all, if I'm going for a mountain bike ride there is only one choice and strangely enough it always seems to be the right one...

Of course the bigger problem I have now is choosing between the Road bike or the Gravel bike for local loops...

There is always one that gets the bulk of the action though. Usually the newest one

This, plus I currently have quite different tyres on the HT and FS, and lower gears on the FS, so the FS gets chosen for any big steep days out, the HT in the current conditions is great for most local stuff!

Is there an app?

Maybe there should be a Strava segment for pre-ride faff?