How few bikes?

I started cycling 25 years ago and in that time I’ve had 14 Mtb’s, 6 road bikes and 3 BMX’s.

I think you’ve done pretty well!

Since getting serious again back in 2000:

’00 Carrera Kraken – upgraded most of the parts as I broke them in the first year, then moved it to commuting duties before selling it to a neighbour. Now doing duty with a student.
’09 Specialized FSR XC Expert – great when I bought it but my riding got more serious and quickly found the bike unsuitable. Sold the parts, frame still kicking around.
’12 Carrera Vengeance – for commuting duties. Picked up as shop soiled for £200, slowly upgraded with bits off ebay etc. Now on it’s way to Africa apparently!!
’11 Orange 5 Pro – best bike I’ve ever ridden. Suits me perfectly and is as happy bimbling along the canal with family as it is getting thrashed in the Alps.
’12 Boardman Hybrid Comp – commuter with a bit of road usage in the evenings to keep my fitness up.

So 5 in 13 years, not bad!! The only two I love are the Kraken and the 5. Both have given me amazing memories of places I rode them and friends I rode with. Made a mistake selling the Kraken, will never sell the 5. It’ll be hung with pride of place in my man-cave when it retires/dies.

Started around 1997,

Schwin “something” hardtail
Marin rift zone
Spesh rockhopper
Spesh epic
Spesh stumpjumper
Spesh allez roadbike
Santa cruz blur
Giant anthem
Scott scale
Giant tcr roadbike
Giant defy winterbike

So 11 in 16 years. Probably only cycled properly in around 10 of those 16 years.

Since 1988 –

’88 Explosif
’93 RM Blizzard
’95 Kilauea
’95 Explosif

Then some newer stuff –

Two Singular Hummingbirds (one SS, one with Alfine).
Carver 96er
Trek Top Fuel 69er.

I sold the Carver frame, the ’95 Explosif frame is languishing in my workshop, the RM Blizzard and Kilauea are in Greece.
I still use the ’88 Explosif from time to time, the two Hummingbirds are probably my most used bikes, esp. the singlespeed.
The Trek 69er I can’t get on with, for some reason, and I think it’ll be going soon.

Frankly I’ve no idea but then I’m not going to go to my grave miserly. I build them all myself and sell them for what I paid for them, often passing on the love. All the parts get ridden to death and I’ve got MK1 Saint cranks at home that lasted 6yrs, a XTR rear mech thats been on every bike (2001 vintage) and still in service on my only bike, a King headset that I’ve owned since 2003…etc etc etc.

I think its criminal to own a few bikes and not actually ride them all equally/alot/often. I once bought a frame from someone – it was 4years old/he’d had it that long and never built it. Not even taken the tags off.

My MTB history is:

Mid 90s: Raleigh Outland
Late 90s: Cannondale CAAD3
Early 2000s: Replacement Cannondale CAAD3 (snapped the last one on the wishbone seatstay)
Late 2000s: Trek Top Fuel
2011: Cotic Soul (current)
2012: Saracen Kili Flyer Ti (current)

6 bikes in 17 years.

I’ve had 1 MTB for the last 7 years…
..in that time, I’ve had 3 road bikes, 1 cross bike, 2 hardtails and 2 singlespeeds!

One no-name silver MTB from the genius at G-Whizz in Hove, which cost 250 quid, but worked great, got me into riding properly, and got me from WInchester to Devils Dyke in 8 hours once. Sold to a friend.

One Cotic Soul.

That’s it.

26 in total since I started riding in 1997 (although I’ve had two breaks of two years each) which doesn’t include projects that never got off the ground.

Some of them didn’t last too long…Norco Big Foot and Patriot 66 being the two low points. I hated both of them. Also I’ve had multiple bikes at the same time too (currently have three in a ridable state with a fourth due to join them soon).

2 or 3 of my brother’s hand-me-down kids’ bikes,
road/town bike type thing when I was 9,
1st MTB 5 years later in ’94 – Peugeot Team,
S/H ’94 Cannondale Beast of the East in ’97
S/H ’99 Dekerf Generation in 2000 – now rigid snglepeededdedded
Singular peregrine in 2011
Dialled PA in 2012

So 9 in 30 years, still riding 33% of them. I could get that ratio up to 50% if I bought another 3 bikes!

Bianchi (can’t remember model)
Marin Bear Valley
Raleigh Tech Chill
Raleigh Dyna tech team x2
Saracen Killi Flyer
Marin Pine Mountain
Saracen Killi Flyer Mk 2
Trek (can’t remember model)
Kona Mokomoko
Specialized M1 Matrix
Cannondale Rize 140
Specialized Stumpy Carbon 29er
Specialized S-works Stumpy 29er
Ritchey P29er
Don’t get me started on road bikes….

Forgot to add that out of my list only four were complete bikes. My 97 Rockhopper, 97 Koa, Fly BMX and my 13 Allez Sport the rest were built from bits, either to suit or hand me downs as I changed bikes. The majority of my frames were second hand too…I’ve bought five of the twenty one frames that I’ve bought new. One frame was inherited.

A fair amount of my components were second hand too and a bit like Hora there were certain things recycled on loads of bikes like a trusty Chris King headset that went on five bikes before I sold it.

Most of my newer stuff has been bought in the last year; Allez Sport, BFe frame and Banshee Rune were all bought this year.

since late 80’s:

had a kids bike that i learned to ride one, then donated to my brother to learn to ride and my first ‘proper’ bike was
a BMX – cannot remember which one, then i wanted a MTB
so had a couple of Ralieghs, the first one was stolen
then a Baracudda that was my first ‘new bike’ it had suspension, 27 gears and V-Brakes and it was amazing, bikes couldn’t get any better…
A Trek 3400 – my first bike with disks, replaced under warrenty by
A Trek 4900 – replaced with
Cannondale RZ120 (currently for sale)
my current bike is a Nicolai Helius AM
oh and my pub bike is an Allstars – circa 1997
so currently own 2 and a half bikes

1988 Raleigh Styler (sold in the 90s for £25)
1989 Raleigh Grifter (I have no idea what happened to this bike)
1991 Universal ATB (dismantled in 1996 and never re-assembled)
1996 Boss MTB (the bike I started MTBing on, destroyed within a year)
1997 Specialized Rockhopper A1 FS (went MIA for 9 months in 2000, frame died in 2007)
2009 Specialized Rockhopper Expert (nicked within a year of purchase 🙁 )
2009 Merlin Frankenbike/commuter (Donated to a mate in 2012)
2011 Voodoo Wanga (cannibalised for FS build in 2013, donated frame to a mate)
2012 Specialized Crosstrails Disc
2013 Santa Cruz Heckler

What this list doesn’t tell you is that I contracted severe upgradeitis in 1998 and with the exception of complete bicycle abstinence I’ve not found an effective treatment

Quite a few:

Road Bikes
Battaglin
’02 Trek OCLV
’03 Trek OCLV Superlight
Principia TT2
Look Track Bike
’04 Trek madone
Giant TCR Composite
Kinesis Racelight T x2
Cervelo Soloist
Felt F4
Racelight RC2
Cannondale Caad 9
’10 Felt AR4
’11 Felt F3
’12 Felt F5
’12 Felt F1
’13 Felt F1

MTB’s
Marin Muirwoods
Giant MCM Composite
Scott Scale
Maxlight Pro3
Trek 8500
Gary Fisher Super Calibre
Commencal Super 4
Sunn Shaman
On One Whippet
Singular Swift
Lynskey Ridgeline
’12 Felt Nine
’13 Felt Nine 3
’13 Felt Nine FRD

Cross Bikes
Kinesis Crosslights x3
Fuji CX
’12 Felt F75X
’12 Felt F4X
’13 Felt F3X
’13 Felt F65X
’13 felt FXA D
’14 Felt F5x

Still own 4 of them

5 in 24 years
Raleigh Memphis – 1989-91 (made of lead tubing with plasticine components – but got me started – including some epic Lake District rides. Got rebuilt as a hack/commuting bike a few years later and finally got taken to the tip a couple of years ago when I rediscovered it lurking at the back of the shed).
Offroad Proflex 750 – 1991-94 (full suspension while most people were still riding fully rigid! It died when I snapped the bottom bracket shell clean off!)
Proflex 855 – 1995-99 (Bought as a frame with all the bits from the previous bike built onto it. Eventually lost an argument with a tree! I’ve still got the frame in the shed).
Santa Cruz Heckler – 1999 – today (in theory this is a continuation of the original Proflex – components being transferred again onto the new frame – although anything from the original bike has long since disappeared into the broken parts bin).
Santa Cruz Blur LT – 2009 – today

I think i’ve had about 10 – in getting on for 24 years of mountain biking.

1 x Carerra
3 x Konas
1 x Orange
1 x Santa Cruz
1 x Ragley
1 x Giant
1 x On One

I still have 3 of them.

What actually counts as a new bike? If it means a whole new bike, then only 2 since i got my first proper mtb (a merlin (UK) rigid) in 1999.

But the hardtail’s been through 4 frames,6 sets of forks, about 8 sets of cranks, 4 cockpits, more wheels than I can remember and everything from LX 24spd with v brakes to current SLX and hydraulic discs in that time.

The other one (Spesh pitch 2007) was made out of stuff from friend’s sheds last year. So it wasn’t new but it was new to me.

7 in 23 years:

Saracen Tufftrax Comp ’90
Specialized Rockhopper Comp ’98
Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Expert ’06
Orange Five Pro ’07
Brodie Ti Holeshot ’11
Yeti ASR5c ’12
Cotic Solaris ’12

Really got the bug (again) in ’05/’06 and made a big purchase and my first full sus. Replaced it for a Five a year later. Stripped and sold the Five and built the Holeshot in ’11. Bought the Yeti last year, sold the Holeshot and then for the first time owned two bikes for the first time when I built up a Solaris.

May rationalise both bikes into one 650b FS Carbon bike and get a road bike in the next year or so.

Raleigh Mag Burner

Raleigh Mustang

GT Tequesta ’98 with Manitou SX Forks

Ragley Mmmbop with Sektors

Oh and an extra pair of wheels which may or may not turn into something.

More a case of how many rather than how few.

A Raleigh Maverick in 1985, a Nic Helius AC 29er now, and 12 bikes in-between.

oh god, here comes my embarrassingly long list

current bikes, all running and ready to go at anytime:-

Demon Frameworks mtb xtr
2007 orange clockwork xtr
2008 orange st4 xt
2006 orange patriot 66 xt
92 dynatech xtr
92 kona explosif
93 orange aluminium elite xt
95 orange vitamin t2 xtr
95 orange p7 xt
96 proflex
90 muddy fox courier comp xc pro
97 fat chance buckshaver xt
92 alpinestars cromega dx

93 cougar TT bike record/mavic
95 cougar veloce (modern10speed)
96 orange dynamo 2 record
08 condor italia record
06 fort cyclocross record

projects,
92 proflex
96 bontrager
99 fausto coppi galaxy

on order:-
demon frameworks

past, gone but not forgotten, only the good

2 x muddy fox
93 orange clockwork
92 kona explosif
92 proflex
orbit road bike
felt f55
fort road bike
dmr trailstar
95 p7
96 zaskar
97 zaskar
98 zaskar
98 lts2000
gt psyclone
2 x giant atx team
giant nrs team
giant ac team
giant dh team
giant tcr team
giant tcr carbon team
giant mcr
giant vt
santa cruz heckler
2 x kinesis maxlight
felt rxc pro

😳

Bike CV goes like this:
87-88 Raleigh Mustang
88-89 ltd edition Muddy Fox Courier (the red one)
90-91 another Courier (red one broke)
91-98 Orange Clockwork (other Courier broke)
98-05 Orange X2 (after Clockwork broke)
05 to present Orange P7 (after X2 broke)

And with Mrs Tandemwarriors-
98-08 cannondale MT1000 (retired)
08 to present Ventana ECdM

In the ’90s I had something that looked like a mountain bike (it wasn’t)and fell apart very quickly once I started riding it round my local woods. That prompted me to save up and buy a fully rigid GT Tequesta. First time I rode it, I went straight over the bars. I fell in love with it. Used to give me massive arm pump and make my eyeballs rattle around in my head, but was a lot of fun.

From fully rigid, I saved and saved for a couple of years, sold the GT and went to the other extreme – a new fangled bright yellow Cannondale Super V 900 with Headshock and a carbon swingarm. I loved it, and it looked amazing (for the ’90s). It left everyone I rode with for dust on the descents, and they would then all come sailing past me as I wrestled it up every climb. I got very fit riding it and eventually sold it to buy a Kona Kilauea with a Pace RC45 (I think) fork. Loved that bike, really should have hung onto it, it really flattered my decidedly average riding ability and reasonable fitness. Instead, I got into clubbing for a few years, stopped cycling and loaned it to a friend who slowly destroyed it through neglect.

After about 10 years off, I got back into biking and bought a Specialized FSR comp in about 2007. It was the most basic model, with really basic suspension that would dive straight through it’s travel, and always felt nervous (or was that me?). I just never clicked with it, never felt confident on it, it wasn’t the right bike for me and ended up on eBay.

I persisted, deciding I wanted a more modern version of a steel hardtail, and bought a Cotic Soul nearly 3 years ago. I’ve been very, very happy with it, it is just so capable and confidence inspiring. It’s more than enough bike for the riding I do. It has really got me back into biking in a big way (despite currently recovering from the second broken arm I’ve had since owning it – not the bike’s fault!). It’s been great for riding my local trails, and going to Whinlatter, Swinley, Woburn, or riding along the South Downs. The Soul is a keeper. Though I’m not ruling out getting a full suss to go with it at some point though. n+1

Er, that’s 5 then. And a road bike, but that doesn’t count does it?

I’ve had 5 in 25 years….

1988 Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo
1991 Specialized Stumpjumper
1997 Fisher Joshua X0
2002 Cannondale F400
2011 Trek (Fisher really) Paragon

Not including BSOs when I were a nipper:

MTB
94ish British Eagle ZFX Two, traded it in for-
96 Univega Alpina 5.3. The frame and forks are hanging up in the garage.
99ish DMR Trailstar. Sold the frame last year.
2008 Pitch Pro, still my main bike.
2012 built up a Kona Kula as a SS, frames cracked so a replacement is on the cards.

Road
2013, picked up a Langster.

So 6 going on 7 bikes in 19 years. Not too bad.

Don’t know not few.

Current stock is above ten already spread over three continets and four country though. Probably low twenties, if you include normal bikes to go to school and kids i’ll probably be at 40 that’s more then one a year 🙂

9 bikes over the last 18 years. Saying that I barely turned a pedal between 2000 and 2005. The bike I miss most was the Scott Yecora loved that bike and it got nicked from my shed while we were on holiday.

I think I’m gonna miss the Karate Monkey too…..

1995 Specialized Hardrock
1997 Scott Yecora
1999 GT Tempest
2005 Mongoose Teocali
2008 Specialized Enduro SL
2009 Marin Rocky Ridge
2011 Nicolai Helius CC
2012 Surly Karate Monkey
2013 Cotic Solaris

Still got the Nicolai for now but the Solaris is all I currently need with the type of riding I am actually doing these days

I think its 5 since 1986

Unknown Raleigh, second hand. Eye watering flouro coloured frame. No suspension…
New Marin Nail Trail, alloy, elastomer 2″ of forked goodness. Loved it.
Second hand Marin Wolf Ridge frame … With Discs ! Broke rear triangle. Marin warranty fixed it.
Second hand Attack Trail frame, loved it. Spain, Alps, Morocco, it just worked. Cable rub killed the frame
Second hand Ibis Mojo frame. Loving that too. Some parts from the Wolf Ridge (Hope M4) are on this frame

Some very long bike lists / financial investments on this thread… !

Since about 1990(-ish, can’t quite remember to be honest) I’ve had 16 mtbs (17 if you count the orange Solaris I rode three times before rebuilding it for my mate) and 4 road bikes.

Currently got my 3 cotic’s and a giant TCR (Soul & TCR now both for 5/6 years each, must be some kind of record I guess).