N-8 reshuffle

Not entirely sure why, but recently something clicked in my head and I felt the need to simplify my collection of bikes. I'd managed to convince myself that each of my 14 bikes had it's own niche and each and every one got used to a greater or lesser extent but in reality there was massive overlap, in the road bike side of things in particular.

My desire to race has passed so the more race orientated bikes were largely surplus and whilst in the Alps on a road bike I found myself wishing for something with discs (even though they're dead). I also did a day of DHing with my son and knew that I wanted to do more of that. Lots more of that.

Earlier in the year things looked like this:

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2x CX
2x Fixed gear
3x BMX
3x Hardtail MTB
4x Road

All lovely, but too much biek and not enough room to swing a cat in the garage.

The new plan is downsize to 6. Still a lot of bieks, but a sensible number for one human being, all be it a biek obsessed one.

1x DH
1x Trail hardtail
1x BMX
1x CX
1x Fixed
1x Road (disc)

The top right BMX is a keeper, the winter fixed is a keeper and the Victoire CX is a keeper (well sort of).

The rest have gone, just the Serotta and Cinelli framesets to shift.

That is/was an impressive array. How did you decide what was to stay, and what to go?

So on to the current projects....

1) Road disc. After some great debate and much hesitation, I've finally decided on a Cinelli Nemo Tig Disc. Flicks all my switches in that it's nice quality steel, the geo is perfect for me, has flat mounts and thru axles. Won't get the frameset for 10 weeks, but very excited about it. Means a winter of fixed gear, but that's probably what I'd ride in the filth anyway.

2) Trail hardtail. Going for a Stanton Sherpa as it'll take 29er XC wheels and 650b+ wheels for 2 different bikes in one. 29er XC wheels for long days in the saddle (thinking about the SDW double, there I've said it so now I've got to do it). And 27.5 x 3.0 for more trail action. Most of the running gear/kit will be coming from my superfly as I sold that as a frame/fork/wheels.

3) The Victoire CX will be getting a frameset swap in around Feb. Ordered a Spooky Gas Mask. Absolutely love the Victoire, it's a stunning bike and rides beautifully, but the toe over lap is a little more than I'd like so going to try something new.

So plenty going on, so thought I'd document things here as I go. Lots of decisions to make on kit etc.

Good question. I kept the Stay Strong BMX that fit me best of the 2 (only 1/2" different in the top tubes, but I felt the 20.5" just jumped and manualled better than the slightly bigger one). The park BMX went as my son has stopped wanting to go to the skate parks on his scooter so I couldn't see that it was going to get used enough to keep.

Would have loved to have kept the Cinelli over the crude Gary Fisher fixed, but the GF has bottle mounts so for longer rides and winter training it's better suited. Shame as the Cinelli is genuinely amazing to ride.

The rest just had to go so I could start again. If I'd paused too long I'd have been able to convince myself to keep each and every one of the outgoing bikes as they're all amazing. In fact I did start to waver on all of them at one point or another, but I just decided that I'd made a plan and had to stick to it. The Demon tourer would have been easy to convince myself to keep as it was the only one with rack mounts (and it's a bloody work of art), but this year I toured with Apiduras on Sven, so decided it wasn't immune from the cull.

each of my 14 bikes

Spits coffee all over keyboard

3x Hardtail MTB

Spits coffee all over keyboard again

1x DH

Guess what

Spits coffee all over keyboard again

Trail hardtail. Going for a Stanton Sherpa

This is the correct answer, I'm kinda regretting not getting a set of those RS-1s that were dirt cheap on CRC and building some weird Trail / Marathon hybrid thing out of a Sherpa Ti. frame.

Ha. My DH bike...

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Makes sense if you live close to somewhere like PORC and have a car?

Yeah. Was going every weekend with my son. Until the weather meant it was no fun/dangerous. Well even more dangerous than when you have grip. Hung up the DH until spring really. But it’s going to get lots of use next year. And beyond hopefully.

Subbed

What is the DH bike? Pics?

Giant Glory. It’s amazing. It’s given me balls I didn’t realise I had.

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Noice. Surely a trip to BPW over the winter months beckons with the lad?

2nd picture makes my shins itch

So how many are gone and how many left to go? Plus how's it feel? I've been in a similar mood to downsize recently but finding it tough to let go.

Definitely. Would like to go a weekend a month. There or revolution or similar.

Well I’m down to 4 from 14. Got 2 framesets and a handful of components left but most has gone. The cupboard is bare. I do miss the outgoing bikes but it’s time for other people to enjoy them now.

How do I feel? Liberated.

Cinelli are being dicks. I’ve asked for the fork decals not to be stuck on. Meant to be a custom paint job so thought this was a reasonable request (one less job for them) but they’ve given a flat no with no explanation. Was paying extra for a different colour on what is already a massively overpriced frame really so thought a little flexibility on decals to get it exactly how I wanted it fair. But their inflexibility has left a bad taste so they can stuff it.

Decided a Genesis Volare Disc is a cool OTP alternative. Now just the dilemma between 853 and 931....

The Genesis is such a cool bike..you could order it with a cool custom paintjob too (as you probably already knew..)

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/328689/#comment14540357

Thanks Seb. Emailing Rob now ;0)

I wasn’t aware!

impressive collection, but even more impressed with the ability to change things up!
looking forward to seeing the new things as and when they arrive!

Thanks big guy :)

Stan arrived today. Smiles for miles.

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Sherpas are great!
Wish mine was a later model, rear tyre clearance is my only bugbear

I've gone for a set of 27.5x3.0 tyres, so we'll see what the clearance is like! Says it'll be ok on the Stanton blurb, so fingers crossed.