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One for all.. Would be like going back to the late 80s and early 90s when I did everything on one rigid bike with options for tyres and bar ends or Scott AT3s for more grip positions. No problem then, no problem now. Looking at my current do-most-things ATB not much has changed. Trails are similar, bike is similar, just better wheels, brakes and geometry plus a dropper.
Or for 'proper MTB' it'd be a Starling Mini-Murmur - simple steel 120mm SP FS. Which is a bit of a cheat choice bc it could change into a 140mm bike easily enough, but unlikely I'd bother unless I moved somewhere else.
Ignoring the ebike I posted above (if it was truly one bike, then I don't think I'd be without an ebike tbh).
As for normal bikes, I was going to refrain from posting wot you got, but I honestly don't know what I'd replace this with. 160f/140r, mullet - even though it's not supposed to be, but it's better this way, reasonably light for a modern mid travel FS, climbs well, zips along singletrack (I'm still to tackle any spicy descents on it though). I don't commute, I don't do big miles, so for local/Peak riding and the odd bike park trip, it's spot on. Looks good (IMO) in a world of moulded carbon and ti will look good for a long time. Two sets of tyres and it would be good for year round riding.
As much as I love a sorted HT, the 'one bike' would have to be a FS
Yup, any 140-150mm travel 29er trail bike would probably do me. I like my Vitus Escarpe enough that I've no plans to get rid of it and it feels like it could climb and descend faster than my legs or skills could manage.
Although I'd want a road bike as well. And maybe something dedicated to commuting. And a track bike.
The bigger problem is where you ride, when I lived in Sheffield the idea of N+1 barely registered (except for a jump bike for Bolehills) because you could always go for a decent ride, and a decent ride generally always meant the same kind of thing. In Reading I'd want a different bike for the Chilterns and Ridgeway (gravel / XC) Vs Swinley, Aldershot and the Surrey Hills. Either is a bit boring/difficult on the wrong bike.
A £15,000 road bike of some sort.
Then sell it for as much as possible and redistribute the money between the road bike, a gravel bike and 120-140mm FS with a sturdy fork.
Given the way that Trump is trying to drive the world's civilization off a cliff, I think it would have to be one of these:
I'm only slightly joking.
A £15,000 road bike of some sort.
Then sell it for as much as possible and redistribute the money between the road bike, a gravel bike and 120-140mm FS with a sturdy fork.
yeah, thats not how this works 🤣 🤣 🤣
yeah, thats not how this works
Where is the limit though?
I proposed 2 wheelsets mainly for speed of switching tyres and as a spare for the thing I'm most likely to break; rather than an actual need for differing wheel constructions.
But there are bikes like Onza's Lasts that can change drastically with a different linkage....and shock.... and either a second fork or a fork travel adjustment.
i could've been more specific with the original ponderings. But ultimately, the idea was you would choose one bike, to cover all your riding needs. you may compromise in certain areas to gain in others. Or you might not ride a certain thing due to the bikes limitations.
I guess it was to see what sort of bikes folks would go for and/or what sort of compromises they would make.
But as its all hypothetical, the rules dont have to be that rigid... but ideally, your choice is one bike to keep and ride, not sell to purchase others. And if a frame is versatile enough to have some changes, then thats all good.
But ultimately, the idea was you would choose one bike, to cover all your riding needs
AND
, not sell to purchase others.
I totally knew that but some rules are just too cruel! 🤣
If I could genuinely only have 1 bike I'd be super torn between a gravel bike (with some road tyres as well) and a lightweight hardtail with a rigid fork and some spare slicks.
I think the gravel bike would just edge it.
A £15,000 road bike of some sort.
Then sell it for as much as possible and redistribute the money between the road bike, a gravel bike and 120-140mm FS with a sturdy fork.
That’s sounds like a great way of turning £15k worth of bike money into about £6k of cash with which to buy 3 bikes…
If just one bike then a steel hardtail with a 150mm fork, 65/66° head able, steep seat tube.
Enough to ride nice, fun and sketchy alpine trails, but still rideable and engaging on mellower terrain.
Having been through and out the other side of road and gravel I decided a couple of years ago to get my riding down to what I actually enjoy which is woodland trails and rocky hills. I got a mullet trance e and a whyte e160 and they cover my riding perfectly. Either would be a good 'one bike' choice for what I do but if forced to choose I would go with the Whyte because I just love the geometry and feel of the ride. This is more important to me than versatility, I want my bike to feel brilliant on the stuff I most like riding, not a jack of all trades that always feels compromised