[Closed] Saying goodbye (to a bike) is the hardest thing

U OK HUN!

2016? Oh gods, that’s triggered me.

50th birthday present to self. 2016. I later sold it for something else. Regretted it tbh. Even had a chance to buy it back yet instead chose to sit firm with the ‘replacement’. A case of delayed/deferred ‘sitting firm’. Now too late. It was just a bike after all 5 years on I’m still struggling to iron out new, new bike woes.

U OK HUN!

No, no I'm not

The only bike I regret letting go was my Turner 5 Spot.

Pretty much every other bike had a flaw or a niggle that meant I had no problem getting rid of them.

But the 5 Spot was perfect, it was utterly bullet proof and dependable. But the world moved on and 26" wheel bikes with straight steerers were out.

I still wish i had kept it though, even just to hang it on the wall.

EDIT: Pictured here at Glen Affric, I did keep the wife though!

Felt the same with my Mojo HD, I adored that bike but it was too small and 26" and wanted to move it while it still had value. By no means perfect, but lots of good, good memories on that bike. Not felt anywhere near as sad when I've moved subsequent others on weirdly, but the HD always sticks out as one I miss.

Just sold my Nomad 4 a couple of days ago. Was really quite sad to see it go.

Yeah, was a Trigger's Broom since 2009, until I ebayed it in 2019, cos my son had been riding it and he grew too much. Wish I coulda kept it, but had to fund his new Remedy

I kind of regret selling my Trek Fuel ex8, it felt like it had the perfect mix of agility and ability to get a bit rowdy. But in reality bikes have come on a long way since I had it so I'm sure if I could ride it now I wouldn't be quite so fond, some things are best left as good memories.

Had a 1995 Marin Bobcat Trail, its replacement was a 97 Kona Caldera. Sold the Marin to another postie I worked with. Later that same morning I was so conflicted I broke off from my round cycled to his found him and said I've changed my mind I want it back!!!! He was bemused but agreed to and never let me live it down

I’ve had my a Transition Bandit since 2013 and I think of it as a mate. He’s been with me on many fun adventures.

I’m cycling a lot more regularly now so can actually justify a new bike now.

Not sure I want to say goodbye to my old mate. But then also don’t want to keep him locked to gathering dust when someone else could be going on adventures and making new memories with him.

Well, as much as I enjoy cycling and bicycles, I have to say that some of you need to get a ****ing grip.

Sold my covert recently and took the view that the bloke who bought it was over the moon and was going to ride it loads. So while a bit sad it was good too

Yeah it's just rose-tinted nonsense. I bet if you rode that Turner or Yeti now you'd realise why you sold it.

It's not the bike that you miss, it's the fun times.

I'm contemplating selling my 1993/4 Lava Dome. It was my first proper mountain bike, I adored it. It saw me through so many adventures before being relegated to single speed commuter.

The reality is that I haven't ridden it for years and am unlikely to do so in the future. I don't expect a fortune for it but I do need to free up some space for a new bike, Moreover, I suspect someone else might get some pleasure from restoring it and riding it. I know I will regret letting it go though*

Stealth ad is obvious. PM me if interested. Medium size, green frame, project two forks, still got original thumbshifters!

I've only ever managed to sell one bicycle and that was nearly 20 years old, although I've passed bikes on to my son and my daughters' boyfriends.
I do regret selling my GSX1100 Katana though, that was stupid.

I would offer my condolences for your loss, but an e-bike? You are clearly evil and deserve no sympathy.

Well, as much as I enjoy cycling and bicycles, I have to say that some of you need to get a ****ing grip.

You may not be detecting a degree of tongue-in-cheek to some of these posts. Or maybe I didn’t detect in in yours!

Oh bereft me! Tiz true...woe. Ok half-true

My metallic pink 1988 Roberts White spider. 6 speed 126mm rear end, 1" headset, Columbus slx tubing... beautiful brazing.....beautiful to ride.... why did I sell it? technology moves on I suppose.

I regret selling my 26" Soul and Simple. In hindsight both were too small (mediums). I may one day look a for an old 29er Simple for a winter mud plugger.

I've regretted selling every bike i've sold as an adult.

First was a Freeagent BMX i brought back from Australia in 2000 - sold it in 2011 for silly money - my now 14 year old daughter would have loved it right now.

Second was a bog-standard Boardman hybrid - lovely ride - sold it for £220 a few years back - and realised it was the perfect campsite/shopping bike.

I'm currently in the market to replace my 2014 Giant Defy - I know i should sell it (even more so looking at current second-hand bike prices) but it was the bike a bought to do a charity ride in memory of my brother and i've done many memorable rides on it..
What is the point in keeping it - just to gather dust?

Have to say, every bike I've bought has been better and more fun than the one it's replaced (apart maybe from a 2014 Specialized Epic comp which I'm convinced was trying to kill me , It was a crock of s*it)

I used to be sentimental but as a couple have mentioned above. It wasn't the bike, it was the ride and/or the company. I'm using my WFH to shift stuff thats just clogging up the garage.

I don't look at old bikes in quite the same way as classic cars. I don't think I miss any bike more than whatever replaced it.

Phew OP,when I saw the thread title I thought you had got rid of the Production Privee

Franksinatra,the Retro crowd love the old Lava Domes ,it will get used.

No No No just buy a new one which I find is always better maybe its just me about to sell my eighth bike in 12 months.

Yeah I think it’s the rose tinted glasses. Loved my old Orange Clockwork. In the small group I ride with it pretty much kept up on every climb and descent, my fuel Ex and remedy are left in the dust on the climbs....but the remedy especially is so much more fun on the descents....it’s just the slog up every hill that makes me miss the hard tail....think the answer is an ebike.

I've never experienced regret selling a bike but often relief. Usually because although it might have been a good bike (a Nicolai, a Shande etc) it wasn't quite right for me. Currently selling an Enigma Evoke, which is much closer to being ideal so I might regret that one. Life is constant change though and I fancy an aero bike because I've never had one.

Have to say, every bike I’ve bought has been better and more fun than the one it’s replaced

This. I have four bikes at the moment which are all exactly what I need for the riding I do. (Except the CAADX which needs an upgrade. Those handful of cross races a year obviously need hydraulic discs..)

I haven't got rid of my late 90s Klein though. It went over the Atlas Mountains with me, and loads of rides and races in this country and elsewhere. It is worth so little second hand that I can't justify giving somebody such a good bike for peanuts. I know, though, that if I build it up again it will be terrible compared to my modern bikes.

Agree with the above, its not the bike you miss but the experiences it gave you. Sold my On One Scandal 29 frame a few years ago as I had replaced it with a SC Chameleon (which fitted me way better). The Scandal had done numerous singlespeed euro and world champs events and taken me to some amazing places and on some amazing trails.

I get sentimental about the bikes I liked and I always try to give them a good Last Ride. Best example being my Hemlock which I retired after many years hard service straight after my last EWS round, it was just obviously right to let that be it's last. My Ragley Ti which I loved just as much, I thought it was more appropriate just to do another standard glentress+offpiste lap, because that was basically it's most classic ride and the thing I liked to do most on it.

Just realised that I won't be able to do that for the bike I'm just retiring, it's going to get a completely inappopriate pentlands XC loop for its last. Of all the things covid's done that's a weird thing to be sad about but still.

No regrets, as it tried to kill me a couple of times (well maybe that was me) but Canyon Nerve I just sold was my first FS, and I had some great times (bikepacking the Badger Divide is a standout memory).

It was getting a bit tired, and I realised that my nice LLS hardtail needed to be replicated in the FS world too.

If only YT could get some couriers to work, I'd have it's replacement by now!

On-One Fatty - It was battle scared from many adventures, and I haven't gelled with its replacement.

Singular Swift - Seems they've become rarer than rocking horse poop. If anyone has a later model in Large (with the bottle mounts on the forks preferably, or TBH without I'd not be too fussy) then I'll buy it!

Agree with the above, its not the bike you miss but the experiences it gave you.

In typical contrarian-sounding fashion going to agree and disagree and say yesno ie for me it’s both.

It was the first and only monstercross I’ve ever owned, it was my half a century landmark - fashioned from real steel and Deore, and what’s more it was the same colour as my first proper grownup bike what I had built from bits and resprayed using my entire schoolboy summer earnings as a garage-monkey/teaboy.

It didn’t have many rides/memories attached to it. The replacement bike has a better ride-memory. But I miss that sparkling blue celebrant monstercross for all of it’s peculiarities and odd looks, and worse still on account of my now broken vows. Yes, upon purchasing it vowed that it was ‘the keeper’, that it would stop me upgrading and buying different bikes. Enough was enough. Clearly not. Clearly I have/a problem/s

i had a 2002 cannondale f800 in matt black with lefty fork that i sold in a moment of stupidity.

it was my dream bike and i did my longest ever ride on it too (205 miles in a day).

due to my depression i hadn't ridden it for a while so decided to sell it.

i regretted it instantly once it was sold.

i am very fortunate to have my dream bikes now,but i still miss the cznnondale

Phew OP,when I saw the thread title I thought you had got rid of the Production Privee

Never!

*sniffs*
The one that just didn't last - but left the most lasting impression.
*miss U*

^

That’s triggering. My (white) 08 P7 was a dream come true. Died months ago.

When my username is as sad as the thread.

Whoever said ‘get a grip’ was correct. I need to fix it or shut it. You all do. Shut uppppp!

I had a 2009 Gary Fisher Big Sur that got stolen from my back garden. It was probably never the best bike for me in terms of size and geometry, but I loved it. Then it was gone. I still miss it and its tiny little 26" wheels.

I miss my cracked 2010 Foxy. After months of fighting with Silverfish I ended up with a 2017 one but I've never gelled with it. It feels a right weird shape and I just can't throw it around the same.

Then it was gone. I still miss it and its tiny little 26″ wheels.

So true

Don't think I've ever regretted selling my modern bike but that's probably because the replacement has usually been a newer version of the same with improved shock/fork. I have not been riding my full suss much recently due to gravel and have toyed with selling as it's a big chunk of money sitting in the garage but fear of regret has always stopped me.

I'm still gutted I sold my original 1989 Orange Clockwork around 2006 though, that was a huge mistake. The regret led me to retrobike though and I've had loads of fun on there over the years. Had dozens of old bikes since, possibly hundreds but the only one of those I miss is the mint Orange Vitamin T.

I've sold three bikes this week and I'm donating a 4th when I'm in the right part of town to drop it off.
None of them were really being used that much so I needed to do it, but I was still sad to part with each of them. Good quality bikes in their day with good quality upgrades (that you never see your money back on). You clean them up really nicely for the prospective sale and then the bikes all clean and gleaming and looking great and your having second thoughts about getting rid of it, Trying desperately to convince yourself that it's better that it gets used by someone, Arrgh!!

So yes Saying goodbye to a bike or bikes is (has been) pretty hard