Wors yeah, yeah I know 😂 and I’ve actually got 2 more. In my defence I don’t count the pub bike and I have my 11 year old Moda set up for Zwifting so I’m not counting that either, then I’ve got a Giant road bike which was my Zwift bike before the free hub went on the moda which then replaced said Giant , which is now up for sale, so I’m not counting that either!
The lad I ride with has 11 bikes so I’m actually a lightweight compared to him.
It would be nice to get down to just a road bike, an off-road bike and my Zwift bike.
just a road bike, an off-road bike and my Zwift bike.
theres another factor at play here. For example depending on where you live and if you truly only had one bike, you may dream of a weekend in the Lakes, but you spend your weeknights lapping the local flat bridleways and lanes to get fit for it... and then you find you have the "one bike" to do both of those things which is a compromise.
If the road and/or zwift bikes can accomplish one aim, your target for the "one MTB" gets easier.
I agree with those who say a modern 120 mm XC FS. With a dropper of course. Unless you do jumps and uplift.
+1
Although it comes down to £££ IMO.
A £1k hardtail and £1k gravel bike probably cover most riding better than a £2k FS XC bike. You could take the HT to BPW, and the gravel bike on an XC ride or even roadie clubrun.
But a £4k XC bike weighs as little as a £1k gravel bike and then things get a bit more blurred.
I built a lightweight ti hardtail, specifically as a "one bike to do it all". With a choice of Sus or rigid for and two wheel sets (xc and fat) It gave great options for every occasion. Even featured in the reader's rides bit of stw. But over the last year and with a bit of post covid traveling, I soon found out it was massively out biked at many a UK bike parks and ended up building a full sus as well.
Sooo 2 years on from building my 'one of kind all round bike, I'm now lucky enough to have three bikes all high end, a ridgid xc fat bike - great for my local riding. A 140mm trail full sus which is great at most UK trail centres but not as good as the hardtail locally. And a high end gravel which is crap in comparison to both off road near me but much better than the other two at local road and canal path rides.
My experience is that yes you can build one bike to do it all but it won't master it all.
theres another factor at play here. For example depending on where you live
This is a massive factor.
25 years ago, the answer was "Orange P7".
Suspect it's all moved on a bit now.
