When does a hobby become hording?

Hi, my name is Will and i think i have a problem with bikes.
I have been collecting bikes for almost 2 decades but some how since the pandemic and lockdowns (we had extremely strict lockdowns here) things have gotten completely out of hand. I presently have a 40sqm workshop just for my bikes. Im pretty sure this is a mix of pandemic boredom plus getting close to middle age. Without going into too much detail this presently includes 4 cargobikes and 2 cycle trucks, why? And im still looking to buy and build more... some how i have flipped to something around n-10 being the right number of bikes.

So I guess the question is, anyone else slipping into bike hording?

http://www.LFGSS.com

I feel your pain... I'll see something in the classifieds, then plan an entire build around a random component... I had 9 complete bikes at the start of the year, I'm down to 4 now and at least once a week I'll have to tell myself "nope... no more bikes"!

And the worst, most wallet lightening, thing about it is; I'm a snob 😔

105? Deore? Rival..... no, has to be top end stuff... totally unnecessary

https://www.lfgss.com/conversations/291730/?offset=325#comment14871191

maybe list them then we can judge if you do actually have a problem or just a collection

If you cant remember them all i think its hit the problem stage…

@Gaston how many bikes do you have?

If it brings happiness then it isn't a problem.

N@20 here plus parts bins
Make me veryyyy happy :)

Well, I know why I never posted in there again since I started the thread…
As for the dynamics of collecting/hoarding, I think a lot of it has to do with it being an enjoyable routine that distracts you from other unpleasant tasks and or feelings. After a while it becomes a routine and some sort of escapism. For me, the addictive part is probably the bargain hunting on various european classifieds pages, you keep on swiping until a bargain comes up - which provides a hit of serotonin - similar to mindless social media scrolling, tinder swiping or the good old fashioned slot machine. If the bargain is cheap enough, it’s very easy to convince yourself that you might just buy it and if worse comes to worst, you can still sell it on. Once it arrives, you already have a built planned and eventually get attached to the bike. From there on it‘s pretty much rinse and repeat.

You still have the yellow Mercian, right? :)

Oh yes :)

Well, I know why I never posted in there again since I started the thread…
As for the dynamics of collecting/hoarding, I think a lot of it has to do with it being an enjoyable routine that distracts you from other unpleasant tasks and or feelings. After a while it becomes a routine and some sort of escapism. For me, the addictive part is probably the bargain hunting on various european classifieds pages, you keep on swiping until a bargain comes up - which provides a hit of serotonin - similar to mindless social media scrolling, tinder swiping or the good old fashioned slot machine. If the bargain is cheap enough, it’s very easy to convince yourself that you might just buy it and if worse comes to worst, you can still sell it on. Once it arrives, you already have a built planned and eventually get attached to the bike. From there on it‘s pretty much rinse and repeat

Finding wierd parts is basically crack

Exactly. That‘s why it‘s only fair to demand publicly funded supervised bike consumption facilities to promote safer use.

12 Shtaps of biek anonymous

Do you like riding bikes, owning bikes building bikes or all 3?

Yes, as well as hunting for hrough classifieds for for rare, odd or interesting things

every once in a while I will sell/give away my bikes and parts bins to avoid this. I've always had a very minimalistic lifestyle so having too many things really bothers me but it does happen sometimes with hobbies. The hardest part for me was coming to terms with the fact I'm bleeding money with every new bike or bike component I get, which in the beginning would make me hesitant about getting rid of it since I could only recoup a small percentage of the cost. However, I find that with age you tend to care less and less about money. Now I'm happy spending whatever I have on things I enjoy, even if momentarily, not caring much about the future

Yeah I think I know what you mean

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It all starts with One for the road, which quickly escalates to a Sunday best for the road....one for going to shops, nice to ride, but fugly enough not to be stolen (you know the drill)...one for the off-road....one for the proper off-road....one for the fast off-road (basically gravel)....a vintage one...a vintage one with Caradice permanently attached....a single speed one....a fixed one....90's best steel ....80's best steel....70's best steel....60's best steel....a pre-war one....a this is something I always wanted one (see also all before and after this one)....a what's all about electronic groupset one...a God forbid electric one....list goes on

Soon you are at 30+ and with boxes of parts stashed everywhere and if 'lucky' enough like me are in possession of another property (clue Foreign) abroad that means not doubling up, but I only have half of the number of bikes to look at at any one time, so not really a problem is it?

Mind you, whichever wardrobe I open, I'm confronted with N150+ shoe boxes belonging to Miss non-foreign. But that's apparently called fashion, not hoarding!

There's 8 around me now but that's just the practical ones. God help me if I collected bikes just for their looks or quirkiness or whatever. I'm currently annoyed with their clutter so plan to get rid of the pure road bikes and have a gravel bike with 2 wheelsets (road/gravel). Also want to ditch my SS MTBs and probably my pub bike(s). Thin the heard...

It's all an easy math equation when considering a new bike purchase:

N+1 = Nx - 2

For every new bike purchase, you sell two bikes. Fraction-based acquisition algorithms running in the background increase Nx by an integer of 1 at regular intervals so Nx + 1 = L where L is constant

This keeps my stock in check.

sell […] bikes

You lost me there.

The correct equation is D-1
Where D is the exact number of bikes that will make your wife divorce you.

A lot of this resonates with me but whilst i hate clutter i also sometimes i feel i have an unhealthy obsession with minimising stuff. Almost at a point where it's just complete bikes, a couple frames hanging on the wall and a few stem/chainring/tyre options but still think that's too much.

Issue I have is that (I believe, anyway) that quite a lot of the bikes I am hoarding are fairly rare- what if I sold them then wanted to ride it again?