Forum menu
I have three bikes and do not think it would be possible to pick one bike to do it all. I could maybe do without the road bike, just using the commuter bike with maybe a different chainset on, but with 26" wheels, that's always going to limit my tyre choice. I might get down to a 35mm, but that is still a lot bigger than the 25s I have on the Malt-R.
The stumpy FSR is a different beast to look at changing. Big tubeless grippy tyres make it hilarious to commute on, but slow, even if it means that I can jump on and off curbs more easily. It's also a lot of bike to be leaving in a bike shed or on the curb. That's why god invested the commuter bike.
it’s ridiculous to expect any bike that can descend a rocky mountain at high-speeds to also place respectably in a TDF stage
I did use the caveat that I was referring to one bike for offroad, and in that scenario, a MTB is the most versatile. I've no plans to ride, never mind place, in the TDF, same as everyone else on here.
Good lord no.
I could make do with two MTBs and a road bike at a minimum, but don't try to make me.
I've done some road rides on my Geometron recently, 3C tyres, the lot. Does that count?
(I do have a hardtail, that would clearly be more appropriate, but it decided to lock down in a different location to me.)
Current stable is:
Cannondale FSi carbon 29er hardtail
Santa Cruz Highball 29er hardtail
Bombtrack Audax 650 “adventure” road
1956 George Whitlow 531 tourer
1990 653 Cougar roadbike with d/t shiftersIf someone said “you can only keep one” it would have to be the George Whitlow for sentimental reasons (it was my Dads), but then I’d be stuffed for most of my riding!
If someone had said I could only keep my Dad’s bike (3spd Raleigh Wayfarer gas-pipe,and two sizes too small) then I’d really be stuffed for riding!
As it is (inversely to the above) a 531 tourer does most of my riding, as most of my riding is where most people would be driving and walking (roads, tracks and paths). It would be an uninspiring slog to use a hardtail as my everyday transport. So I always keep an MTB for fun, bikepacking, escape from roads and to maintain access to social-rides with other MTBers. So I wouldn’t be ‘stuffed’ without the 531 tourer, but everyday riding on an MTB would be slower and more of a faff to carry stuff. Hence my proposal that a modern ‘ATB’ (rigid 29er) covers the widest spectrum of general ‘do it all’ bike? I guess some short-travel lockout-capable forks could be a cherry on top? I actually enjoy rigid steel forks with some built-in boingery. Possible luddite. Did once have a Cannondale MTB with lockout Headshocks. It was my only bike at the time and pretty much ‘did it all’ with two sets of tyres.
Which is a million times easier than the descent I suggested.
Having ridden both (should I say walked most of the way down), Wharnscale is longer and rockier.
Golden Owl, Danny's Dirty Dozen etc are way, way steeper.
One horse for courses....? 😆
Let a face it (having rode all of those) yer average Joe on here ain't riding a gravel bike down any of them! 😂