[Closed] hypothetical n+1 question

Whatever is needed to comply:

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Sounds like you're better off going down the cheap/multiple route.

Actually I found you can buy a 3k bike for 2k if you get last years stock. I've just bought a 2015 Scott that was a grand less than it should have been.

So, stick that in your equation of justification.

Depends where you are IMO . if I was living in the lakes for instance,I'd want the 5.
Being in the South I'd be happy with a hard tail and a gravel bike...:-)

I'd rather one top notch bike rather than 3 that cause constant upgraditis if the total budget really is fixed (vs "fixed".... for now). Also fewer bits to maintain. That was a 29er HT for me. Meaty tyres and dropper sometimes, rigid and SS sometimes, fast tyres and light sus fork other times... a HT is so low maintenance and does pretty much everything well for the South however the mood takes me.

Live on the edge of the Peak and have three bikes.

1. Full Suss (Orange 5)
2. Hardtail (On-One 456)
3. Cyclocross (Orange RX9)

I have to say I love them all and they get almost identical usage.

Its probably £5k of bikes in total.

More bikes is more fun IMO.

Provided each bike has enough budget not to be a total shed.

For 3k I'd rather have 2 bikes sourced on a good deal than one. In fact that's exactly what I have. Though it's 3 bikes now...

Pick ones that are significantly different. No point in having a 4 inch and 5 inch full suss.

I've now got a Scott XC bike and will probably get a Capra for DH/Enduro duties. The Scott was a 2015 so 1k off and the Capra is very cheap at 3k Euros. On the C2W scheme that will probably cost about 2k Sterling or less.

I would

Buy one bike at say £1.5-2k as my most used some sort of 140-160 mm travel FS in whatever size wheels suits me new or SH.

I would then buy two possibly three second hand bikes at circa £500 each or possibly three at less

I would aim for

!) a road bike
2) a CX bike
3) some form of hardtail - SS , Fat whatever

If you dont do road then a CX bike and two hardtails

YOu will save lots of money iof you get unfashionable 26 rs

It's got to be (b) especially as you can do things like:

Get a bmx from a skip
Build an mtb jump bike from parts
Get into road biking from a 10 year old "iron"
Use a cx bike for commuting and racing
Develop a subtle male-economics to ratify all purchases as cost neutral based on sales...

I've done all of the above, great fun (n+1=6 at the moment, but starting to share with kids now)

I'd rather one top notch bike rather than 3 that cause constant upgraditis... That was a 29er HT for me.

Meaty tyres and dropper sometimes, rigid and SS sometimes, fast tyres and light sus fork other times...

a HT is so low maintenance

I'd go option B, as long as each of the bikes is above the 'acceptable quality' threshold.

Sales time right now will get you a brand new Road bike for £500.
Similar with some HT's too.

£1k CX bike, £2k hardtail

which makes me think, as this is hypothetical, what bikes would you buy if cost had to be dictated by the fibbonacci sequence:

£0 - skip dove shopping bike
£1k - CX bike
£1k - 2nd CX bike because everyone knows you need a bike for in the pits
£2k - trail Hardtail
£3k - mid travel full sus for gneral blasting
£5k - xc race 29er hardtail
£8k - super light 100mm 650b xc race full suss
£13k - top end road bike
£21k ??? probably commencement of divorce proceedings!

More cheaper bikes here. If the mrs is a problem it helps if the bikes are the same colour

Some inexpensive bikes have great character and make you want to ride them all the time. Look beyond the spec sheet.

If £3k was the total budget I would have (new or used) - if budget was say £2k I think iI'd have just the FS

£2,250, FS 140-160m
£750 hardtail

I don't like riding on the road, I like my own bike to take on roadtrips / holidays, I don't "get" CX or Fatbikes. So hence I currently I have the above combination even if I actually ride the cheper harstail 90% of the time and am about to build up another so I can have a bike in each of two locations - so my n+1 will be a copy of n-th

I have a wide range of cheaper bikes, I think this gives me more options.

There is a lower limit, and for my commuter in particular this has increased over the years from £5 to about £800 as my commute has changed!

I've paired down my bikes to 1 - a long travel full suss 29er. Plenty capable and able for any XC duties (as long as you're not racing), can handle trail centres and natural trails and takes a battering on DH days. The advantage of having only 1 bike is you can upgrade it with high end kit rather than having several low spec to mid spec bikes.

I'd go option B, as long as each of the bikes is above the 'acceptable quality' threshold.

Probably this for me.

Fat bike
SS 29er
Road bike
Road SS
Road Toruing (it's like Gnarmac, but with less people asking stupid questions).

BMX and HT have already gone, SS road bike is going in the next re-shuffle, 29er might too as it get's less use since the fat bike turned up. So actually, only one (mountain) bike, and it cost <£800!

hang on - the £3k doesn't account for what you flog or retain... everyone has a bike !!!

so I would keep the cargo, the fixed and road bike, buy a pickenflick and flog the voodoo and build myself a HT 29er...

I do alright on £1k bikes - so for me the answer would be 3.
Currently have -

Hardtail that has evolved over a few years - I'd probably need to spend £1k to replace with something comparable.
Giant Defy 1 - was £1k on C2W but have since upgraded the wheels
Waiting for my Pinnacle Arkose 3 to arrive any day now - again £1k.

I'd love a £3k roadbike or a £3k full-susser but am not a good enough rider to justify either.

Definitely option B for me. More bikes. I think it's about having the right tools for the job. Shovels and spades, and that. I see so many people using expensive bikes in completely unsuitable circumstances, where they are massively detrimental, never mind making use of the marginal performance gains.

They do of course have a very nice bike. Which is nice in itself. I wouldn't criticize them for that. I'd happily drive a Ferrari to and from work. But it would drive me nuts, personally. If I get it in my head that I don't have the right bike for the riding I want to do at any one time.....that's it, I need a new one 🙂 Currently on about 7...

Depends on your riding too though. If you're very much focused on one thing. No reason not to have one (or two), very nice bikes.