The Dilemma of a Midlife Shed Clearout!

I currently have a few bikes, Full Suss MTB, Gravel bike, Winter road touring bike and a summer road bike. They are all getting on a little and have some compromises in all aspects but i’m finding myself considering getting rid of all of them and starting again. I know the 2nd hand value of these bikes will be relatively low compared to the amount of money i have invested over the years but i find them compromised and am constantly thinking of other options.

I’ve already got a new gravel bike frame and am selling the old one, but this then led me to my MTB which is feeling a bit outdated now, the road bikes too as the winter road covers similar territory to the gravel bike, the summer road bike I tend to use on the turbo as i prefer my gravel bike and MTB in the summer! I find myself not loving any of them really anymore.

Has anyone done this and not regretted it… I’ve sold bikes in the past then come to regret it but then realised they were outdated and I wouldn’t enjoy them if I’d kept them. Effectively going from 4 bikes to 2 bikes or similar.

For info (def not a stealth add but for context) i currently have:

2017 Transition smuggler. Alloy FS. Good spec but limited tyre clearance at the back and find myself yearning for more progressive geometry’s  simplicity. So now looking at Starling Murmers … a lot! Thought about a hardtail but would also be a compromise.

2011 Singular Kite. Steel gravel bike.  Currently being replaced with a Fairlight Secan. Very happy with this choice and would use this for gravel duties and winter road stuff.

2011 De Rosa Corum, Steel road bike. Campag Athena build. Limited tyre clearance and has always been slightly too long for me.

2010 Condor Fratello, Steel winter/tourer. Campag Veloce build. No issues with this bike but what i do with it is covered by the gravel bike as well. this is the one I have a more emotional attachment too!

So do I sell the lot and buy a Starling Murmer. Would be frame only as I like building them myself then limit myself to the FS and gravel bike. This should cover all my riding desires although wouldn’t mind a modern disc endurance road bike too but could spec the Fairlight with a second set of road wheels instead. I plan to keep these for a while as I’m cracking on a bit now!

I’m not a serial bike swapper and consider purchases carefully, I’ve had a few and I love steel bikes but I’m also trying to be realistic about use and space in the shed!

Would appreciate any insights or similar experiences that went well or were full of regret! Have any of you ever done this, regretted it?

cheers

I’ve had a 2017 Smuggler and a Murmur, so happy to answer any Qs on how they compare.

Do you live in the Fens?

Excellent chakaping. I’d be very interested to hear your thoughts on those, I’ve watched a load of videos now on starlings and think they would suit me, the only thing I hesitate about is I’m a large unit, 6’2″ 95kgs and heard the flex might be more pronounced for bigger fellas’

I’m from the fens but currently reside in Fife! if i was still there I’d be a roadie! 🙂

I went from 6 down to 2 – a road bike and a mountain bike, with a couple of wheelsets for each.

No regrets. I now have 2 bikes which I am able to keep in perfect running condition with exactly the components I want, instead of spreading my resources thinly over 6 bikes which were in various states of dishevelment.

I have a 2011 road bike, normal qr wheels, caliper brakes, mechanical 105, 2×10, old school road.
I also have a carbon gravel bike, bolt through wheels, disc brakes, DI2 ultegra, 2×12.
the gravel bike is certainly more capable, due to far greater tyre clearance, but in road mode I wouldn’t say I enjoyed 1 more than the other, they’re slightly different to each other, rather than better.
every bike ever made is a compromise, you wouldn’t take a dh bike to the tdf, or a road bike to do a red run.

me personally, I’d get rid of anything that wasn’t getting used.

I’ve loads of space, my ‘shed’ is a barn 🙂

But, I had a clear out a year ago, basically took anything that wasn’t trash but that I’d no real use for to our local ReCycle Workshop.  They were really pleased with everything from 26″/triple chainsets thru to more up to date 700/29 gravel tyres etc.

I do still have hung up; alloy gravel, Ti HT, jump and a rim-brake road bike – on top of my eEnduro, FS, HT, Gravel/Road…

Modern mountain bikes are so much better than those from just a few years ago that I can’t imagine regretting getting rid of an old one.

Road stuff probably less so unless you’re going from rim brakes to disc, in which case crack on.

Ok I was gonna say you won’t want a murmur in the Fens 😄

I had a -2deg headset in my smuggler and it was pretty good, but always pedaled a bit soft.

So the murmur probably won’t give up much on that score, or on weight tbh.

I’m just under 80kg so can’t talk to the frame flex thing, but the steel feel is very real when you lean it over.

It does have a relatively narrow window of use though IMO. Not light, doesn’t pedal great but also not that slack and it stiffens under braking so can be a bit of a handful on steep trails.

New murmur may be slightly slacker though?

If it’s an itch you have to scratch, go for it. But maybe you could get a go on someone else’s? People in the owners group on FB are usually keen to help.

I think your apparent path is about right.

I’d be dumping the lot and getting a Murmer (which I have an attraction to also) and the Secan. Road and grav wheels for the Secan, maybe summer+winter tyres too. Only real issue will be mounting and unmounting guards – minor ballache ideally only done at the start and end of winter, which means winter wheels+tyres on too. The trick is deciding when winter starts and ends.

Same as Jamz, two well specced bikes in good condition.

Light, short travel full suss and a road bike.

I nick the oldest lads hardtail to get to and from the pub.

All good feedback thanks.

on the secan I’m already there with 2 wheelsets etc. my dilemma is the other 3 bikes, I’m def tired of the smuggler and want a change I had been looking at the pace rc529 as an interim measure too!? Which is different I know. But then keep going back to the murmur!

https://singletrackworld.com/user/chakaping/ When you say narrow window what do you mean? My riding is of the ride to local stuff in the woods then either techs ups and downs type or trips to woods for up fire roads or tech single track and down stuff, I like contouring trails and flow stuff too, then the odd trip to a trail centre! All round stuff really so would be looking at the trail set up on the murmur?

Can’t comment on your specific bikes but I’ve handed bikes down to my boys (12 & 15) so my effective collection is basically an FS and a gravel bike now.

I’m often busy with work and sailing so I don’t ride loads but I’ve yet to find a scenario that one of those doesn’t work for except loaded up for touring.  The gravel bike is really too noodly for that.

The FS does everything that’s rougher than a gravel track, and the gravel bike you can probably guess and I’ve done 100km on that on the road in comfort.

Can’t help on your main question but I’ve got a Murmur and think it’s ace. I’ve had it just over 3 years and have no plans to change it. I live on the edge of the Peak District, so ride all the classic rocky bridleway but also plenty of the steep off piste trails in the woods. Next week I’m going to the Cairngorms for 4 nights followed by 3 in Innerleithen, so plenty of variation and it won’t be the bike holding me back. Obviously biased but I also think they look great!

No idea about a murmur or not, but keep the secan with road wheels for when required. Keep the condor for the turbo, buy new FS mtb

I’m from the fens but currently reside in Fife! if i was still there I’d be a roadie! 🙂

Heh! I can remember the same answer years ago when I bought something from you (Was it a Soma Double Cross?)!  You wont be disappointed by the Secan. I had one, one of the first ordered, because had been chatting with Dom about the Faran for a while before.  You can pretty much replace everything with it running two pairs of wheels! Defo the Fratello and the Kite.

Ohh @fathomer that is a lovely bike and build nice work!!! Did you modify the bottle to fit there?

When you say narrow window what do you mean?

It’s a touch heavy for a trail bike and doesn’t have a particularly lively pedal response, but it’s not as capable as an enduro bike.

That’s not to slag it off, in some situations it was the best mountain bike in the world. I might have kept mine if it weren’t too long for me, but I’ve swapped to an Orange Switch 6 – which just seems a better all-rounder for my needs.

I’ve been through this before, and I think your definitely better off with fewer, nicer bikes. A change in wheelset can really changes a bikes character too so its a good option to have for one or two of them (and a lot easier to store!)

I have two more bikes than I really need and are both pretty much behind the curve of anything I’d want to ride regularly

One being the 90’s Kona that will simply never be sold and is kept for nostalgia/pub duties.

The other being my 26″ PP Shan – worth virtually nothing to sell or strip, so re-purposed with Stooge Moto bars, pannier rack and used for shopping/gym/bikepacking. Was previously my hardcore HT

Can you repurpose any of yours?

@fathomer that is a very nice looking bike! thanks for the feedback.

@chakaping I think I’m ok with that, i’ve had a single pivot bike before and  the 4 bar transition so aware of the different feel, don’t mind the weight.

@Andy yes that is me! I remember that double cross fondly! hope it worked out for you. I’ve actually already got the Secan frame in my office just now and have 2 wheelsets to go with it. It’s use characteristics covers off the Fratello and Kite definitely but the Fratello is the bike I’m more emotionally attached too than the De Rosa so still have a slight dilemma there.

Everyone else thanks for the feedback.

I do think the Murmer is the bike i want long term. So will work  towards that.

cheers everyone

@goby thanks and yep, filled with boiling water, pressed in where I wanted reshaped and cooled with cold water. Stays like it fine. Though I’m looking for other solutions as the Fidlock rattles to much for my liking!

@fenboy thanks and no worries. The only time the weight bothers me is carrying it.

 I remember that double cross fondly! hope it worked out for you.

Super nice ride. Replaced it with a CDF after 3 years because wanted discs.  Sold to someone on here. Think I went Double Cross > CDF > Tripster ATR > Camino Ti > Secan.  Secan the best of all by far.

@chakaping I think I’m ok with that, i’ve had a single pivot bike before and  the 4 bar transition so aware of the different feel, don’t mind the weight.

The bike you’re coming from is always a factor, and I don’t think you’ll find any downsides coming from the Smuggler.

Good to see Starling now have a “medium+” frame size as standard BTW. The 465mm reach would have been my sweet spot.