I was out for a big ride on my El Mariachi today. Of the (approximately) 8 hours duration, 30 minutes was spent thinking “I’m glad I’m on a 29er”. The rest was spent thinking “I wish I’d brought my 9:zero:7”.

I also have a Carbon Blur XC hanging up in the garage. It’s been ridden maybe 4 times in the past two years. And a carbon Cube road bike. Frankly, I really enjoy the Amazon more. It’s comfier, lesh harsh and, if slightly slower, gets me anywhere I want to go quickly enough.

So, I’m beginning to think a fatbike and a Ti tourer/CX is all I really need 😯

There’s not many things I can’t actually ride with the Thorn/Rohloff. Throwing it around offroad with 30kg of luggage and Massive tyres is kinda, exhilarating.

Really, I think one bike can do it all. It’s just not great at anything. Doesn’t mean you can’t get enjoyment out of riding it, maybe even a perverse one.

Can I have the Blur?

Have you had a few beers…..’lesh harsh’ 😀

there’s no such thing.

like a guitarist having too many guitars, or a drummer having too many cymbals..

the optimum number is, as we all know, N+1, where N is the number of XXXs that you already have…

I’m slowly getting rid of my bikes as i begin to realise how long it’s been since i’ve ridden some of them.
Mind you some of them have been in the “collection” for quite a while.

I’m at at least 1 too many, going to sell the road bike if it doesn’t get some unforced use in the next month… tbh I could lose the dh bike and the xc bike without too much pain but I’ll keep em for now. The more I ride my Ragley and my Hemlock the more everything else seems fairly unneccesary.

I guess you should have researched your purchases better, druid?

Just sayin’ like, HTH, you reap what you sow etc.

Yes, big rationalisation this year and now down to 3. Defy composite, Jake the Snake and a Soul. Loving it 🙂

😆

Hey – requirements change eh?

pffft.

Requirements ought to GROW, particularly for the retired who like to brag about it.

I think N-1 is the new N+1. I take a huge amount of satisfaction in riding the hell out of a bike until the point that it is knackered and having to replace because you’ve ridden the balls off it – all this molly-coddling a bike to maintain its market value is just not right! These things should be used and abused. I can’t do that by sharing my ride time across more than one bike. I’m down to one bike and ride it for everything and its great to be off that “what’s my next bike going to be treadmill” and focus on one bike and what my next ride is going to be. Sometimes the stuff can get in the way of the riding. Though now my focus is moving to “what’s my next upgrade going to be” so in one sense you can’t win.

Yep, I’m pretty much down to just the Inbred 69er and a Surly Troll…