Drys Bicycle Consolidation

Posted on
Page
of 10
/ 10
Last Next
  • First things first, don’t expect great things from this thread, It’s more a place for me to think out loud and if I’m lucky have some of you lot steer me in the right direction.

    I currently have 4 bikes, but the combination of a lack of space and a need to save for a mortgage have made me realise that even though the appropriate amount of bikes is always n+1, I perhaps need to consolidate them all into one (or maybe 2)

    The current fleet, in order of use;

    MASH – I guess this is currently my main bike, used every weekend and also commuting 1-3 times a week during the summer, ok ok more like 0-3, it’s a long old commute and I lack motivation for it a lot of the time.

    Cougar – riser and strap equipped pub bike/beater used when I’m working from home to head into town at lunch for shopping or whatever, I love riding a steel frame but i feel its abit too big for me (saddle is now lower than this picture)

    BMX – Previously my most used bike but I’ve used it less than 10 times over the past year, the last time being a good few months ago, guess I’ve grown out of it after 10 or so years.

    CAADX – impulse purchase via the ride to work scheme over a year ago. It’s been used maybe 3 times, I like riding round the woods etc but really didn’t get on with gears or brakes on drop bars, just taking up space.

    Initial thought is to sell everything and start a fresh, hopefully I can build something awesome for a lot less than what I can sell all 4 bikes for! one bike to rule them all, a cross between the MASH and the Cougar I guess. I’d like something steel, but not custom, mainly from a money saving point of view, although saying that I really like the Tokyo Fixed Ono and that can’t be too far off the price of a custom frame?

    What are the OTP options for a quality steel track frame?

    This will be slow progress as parts will only be purchased as and when other things sell. I’d like to have a bike fitting aswell, I'm pretty sure none of my current bikes fit me particularly well. Also might help resolve the knee pain I currently have but I’m not sure how a bike fit would work with me buying parts as and when funds allowed.

    So the BMX and CAADX will be going up for sale in the next week or 2 (just before xmas is the perfect time to sell stuff right?) and then i'll be looking to get a fitting and a frame.

  • if you really want to have 1 bike to rule them all custom is the way to go and also cheaper than the ono

  • The Ono would really be the top of my budget at £775. I can't find anyone making custom frames for that sort of price, I guess I'm looking in the wrong places?

  • i always would recommend orlowski

  • If I only had one bike, it wouldn't be one with one gear. But that's just me :-) also, if you're going to only have one bike, wouldn't something with more traditional/comfortable geometry be better? Something like a TFG Dream Machine? Far more versatile than the ONO. And it has rack/guard mounts. The ONO is basically just a steel mash anyway...

  • if i was to go custom I'd want to be able to speak to the frame builder face to face, so that kind of rules out any "cheap" European builders.

    I can see what you're saying JB, I really don't get on with gears at all, maybe because i've never had a geared bike. And I know this sounds ridiculous but i'd much rather carry a bag and get wet than have a sensible bike with racks and guards.

    The fact the ONO is basically a steel mash is whats drawing me to it! you're probably right though, maybe stay away from the lo-pro geo. I like the look of the Brother 725 track

  • I used to be like you. Then I saw the light and embraced having a rack and haven't looked back since. Rack life is the best life. I realise it's a bit anti, but if you didn't have a rucksack and had guards, maybe you'd feel more inclined to do your long commute? Therefore saving money and becoming a stronger rider? :-)

    I don't think there's anything wrong at all with having one bike, I'd just want something more versatile than a bro-pro. With that said I'm sure there are lots of people with just one bike with that bike being a brakeless fixie skidder.

  • All in one bike/bike4lyf is a myth ..

    Then again I am not a role model

  • the dale was supposed to be sensible geared/racked/guarded commute bike...never used. I guess it comes down to the fact i'm more likely to ride something that i want to ride than the most sensible bike for the task. I've been doing longer and longer rides on the cougar because its the one i like the most, even with the riser set up.

  • Keep mash, sell everything else to buy a cheap 70's tourer to load up should the desire arise. Simples

  • ^This pretty much.

    Keep the mash and build sell the rest, then build a sensible fixed/SS.

  • I've recently dropped my bike collection from 10 to 2.

    Sunday best carbon do-it-all bike and a classic steel with modern components.

    Sell them all, buy a 'used' steel frame (something with a few scratches, bit of rust etc, so you're not bothered about locking it up) and put a fairly high spec modern campag groupset on it, you'll never look back.

    For 2014 I may sell my gazelle and carbon bike and just get a tatty but beautiful colnago frame and build it up with brand new campag parts. I have a mad obsession with anything I don't use has to be out of my house straight away. I've got tons and tons and tons of beater and porn parts throughout my house and my ultimate dream is just to have 1 bike. No spare wheels, no extra handle-bars or random parts knocking around.

    Dem confeshnz

  • One bike life is shit.

  • Sell everything but the mash and then build a gangsta!

  • One bike life is shit.

    I have one bike, but I can't find said shit you mentioned.

  • ^ This. I have one bike, well building one bike and having one bike isn't too bad. Not everyone can afford 3 or 4 bikes at a time.

  • Having lots of bikes is a massive timesuck and money pit. Even if you never really maintain them and never buy nice components.

  • just a thought.. why not get some nice comfortable dropbars on the cougar and then try again..? like spotter bars with sram singlespeed levers or something?(i know, boring, but tried and tested)
    itll be still quite a relaxed bike with not so much saddle to bar drop but will feel smaller.

    if i had the cougar i would justify by any means it to fit.. its such a bad in a good way frame.

    ild think silver cranks would suit better though..

  • ^^ I dont think JB is being smug about it. He owns one bike atm if I am not wrong. We've all had one-bike-as-I-cant-afford-more days then we graduate to bikes for specific purposes.

  • ^ This. I have one bike, well building one bike and having one bike isn't too bad. Not everyone can afford 3 or 4 bikes at a time.

    Wrong answer. Clearly dry can. But he is choosing to get rid of them. I have a road bike that is also a long distance commuter and a brompton. And it sucks. N+1 after all. I don't want to ride my commuter at weekends, because it isn't as fun as having a dedicated road bike for weekends.

  • Wrong answer. Clearly dry can. But he is choosing to get rid of them. I have a road bike that is also a long distance commuter and a brompton. And it sucks. N+1 after all. I don't want to ride my commuter at weekends, because it isn't as fun as having a dedicated road bike for weekends.

    I don't think there is a right or wrong answer. He wasn't talking about dry per se; he was discussing the positives negatives of owning one bike, which while you seem to disagree with, is ultimately a personal choice. You think it sucks because the "fun" factor is lost. Fun is subjective no? I can have fun on a bike with no pedals so again...I don't see where "wrong" comes into it.
    If you take Drys' conundrum, wouldn't it be better to ask, what's the minimum amount of bikes he can still have the most amount of fun/usability from? Also, I think at this point we can disregard affordability. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should etc....

  • On a different note, dibs bmx if you do sell dry

  • As I said, I don't want to ride my commuter etc etc. I know there's no right or wrong answer, I just don't believe it's possible to have a one bike to do it all, certainly not well anyway.

    I appreciate you can have one primary bike that gets ridden far more than any others, like scoble, but he has other bikes too, just that the oak is his main one.

  • Maybe I missread you OP but to me the short version says;

    "I have 4 bikes. The only one I use regularly is the MASH.

    I want to save money so I'm going to sell all of my bikes, but then spend probably a third of that saving on a new bike. I'm thinking of spending the money I'm trying to save on a custom frame rather than an OTP."

  • I know it's really boring, but one of the best ways to save money is by only buying things you need. The smart thing to do is to sell all but the MASH and just ride it till it dies and service it as necessary. If you get to a point where you need an extra £200 or so sell the MASH and buy a Dolan.

  • Post a reply
    • Bold
    • Italics
    • Link
    • Image
    • List
    • Quote
    • code
    • Preview
About

Drys Bicycle Consolidation

Posted by Avatar for Dry @Dry

Actions