One Bike Only

[gaijintendo]

I have the same bike twice... so maybe just the one of those...

...but I wouldn't mind a smidge more clearance and some low-rider capable forks. I would take a Shand Stoater if you were offering.

 

[StuAff]

I'm really surprised the mods haven't shut this down yet. You are a bad, bad person for suggesting this idea and you need help.....



That said, the Litespeed. Fast. Comfy. Discs. Mudguards. Excellent load-lugger. Works very well off-road for people who aren't wusses like me.
I'd really want another one as well though.....

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

For me, I regard a versatile bike as one that combines comfortable frame geometry with allowing a good choice of tyre fitments without fork fouling problems. Therefore if I had only one it would be my 1991? vintage Reynolds 501 Raleigh rigid MTB, fitted with full mudguards and rear rack and with at least two sets of quality 26" alloy wheels - allowing me to swap to either knobblys for woods rides or more easy-rolling road-biased p*ncture-resistant tyres for general tarmac duties.
If I lived in a bedsit and only had room for one bike I would have to do this, but it's easier to just own multiple bikes than keep swapping bits for different types of ride.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

From the ones I have my cheapo pinnacle Lithium with 2 spare wheelsets, one setfor the ice tyres, one set for commuting with marathons, one for touring and canal paths with bouncier tyres, mudguards and rack included of course.
If I could build one, an old fashioned steel frame with 26' wheels and all the touring trimmings.
I should say I'd keep my Genesis Tour the Fer, but no, the Pinnacle is my favorite

 

[Jenkins]

By a process of elimination...
The flat bar Giant, 13 & Cube plus the Voodoo MTB are out - fine for commuting, shopping, a bit of off road & slow rides, but not so good on the longer runs.
The Planet X Pro Carbon & Van Nicholas Ventusus are out - fine for commuting, shopping (just), slow & longer faster runs, but of no use off road.
That just leaves the Spa Elan as the complete do it all bike in my stable - especially if allowed a second set of wheels fitted with different gearing & tyres. If not, I'd just find a decent compromise or learn quick set up changes.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

If I could build one, an old fashioned steel frame with 26' wheels and all the touring trimmings.

That's exactly what my old Raleigh MTB gets me; lugged steel frame with 71/73 degree geometry, mounts for mudguards and rack, 26" wheels, 21 gears.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I'd have my Vivente World Randonneur tourer, which I've done a great deal of commuting and other rides on the last 9+ years. Then on other occasions when the mood takes me, I'd have "only" my Specialized road bike for recreational rides.

 

[Jimidh]

Would not want to be in a position to chose but as a roadie who likes a bit of off road it would have to be myTrek CX as I could still indulge in both.

 

[wonderdog]

It would have to be a lugged steel road bike ... custom built frame from maybe Daryl Llewellyn in Australia, Feather Cycles from Yorkshire or Ellis in the US ... maybe even a Columbine. Preferably in a style where 70s era cycle parts didn't look out of place because that's the sort of stuff I hoard. I can't afford Campag ... not that I'm seduced by the name ... but I'm well on the way with a mint Stronglight 49D crankset and headset of a similar era, Elesa concave rims laced to Normandy Luxe hubs, Mafac bars and brakes ... ooohhhh, stop me before my sight fails.

 

[stalagmike]

I don't know but it would definitely be red.

 

[nickyboy]

I've only recently gone from owning one to two bikes. Prior to that I spent several years riding just the one

I wouldn't mind a MTB for a bit of off roading but I've never got this idea of having loads of different ones

So, choose one bike? Either of my two carbon road bikes. Probably the new one cos it's shinier

 

[Heltor Chasca]

By a process of elimination...
The flat bar Giant, 13 & Cube plus the Voodoo MTB are out - fine for commuting, shopping, a bit of off road & slow rides, but not so good on the longer runs.
The Planet X Pro Carbon & Van Nicholas Ventusus are out - fine for commuting, shopping (just), slow & longer faster runs, but of no use off road.
That just leaves the Spa Elan as the complete do it all bike in my stable - especially if allowed a second set of wheels fitted with different gearing & tyres. If not, I'd just find a decent compromise or learn quick set up changes.

Partial agreement on the Elan which is my Audax/light tourer, but without changing the carbon forks I could never imagine having all 4 panniers. I’m also too precious to take it off road (properly). I run my Elan on a triple due to the lumpy topography here in the South West and an old rugby injury. I’m on a set of Schwalbe Durano 32s and it goes just about anywhere in an all seasons, stylishly and in a comfortable fashion.

 

[Aravis]

I've never raced, nor have I cycle-camped or ventured off-road to any extent. There have been many long-distance day rides, some hostel/hotel based touring, quite a bit of commuting over 2 - 25 miles. A mid-range light tourer has always been the only bike I've ever needed.

That said, if all my cycling equipment disappeared in a puff of smoke, I would think seriously about putting together a 26" MTB-derived tourer, as described by @SkipdiverJohn.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

That said, if all my cycling equipment disappeared in a puff of smoke, I would think seriously about putting together a 26" MTB-derived tourer, as described by @SkipdiverJohn.

My favourite bike is actually my 501-framed Pioneer hybrid, but ultimately the 700c wheels are not as strong as 26" MTB ones, and can't be expected to stay true if treated harshly. I would say there are 5 basic grades of riding surface; race track, good tarmac, rough tarmac, light unsurfaced, heavy off road. Most bikes are really optimised for one type of surface/usage, but will perform reasonably well one grade either side of it's optimum. Therefore at each extreme, an outright racer is OK on good tarmac, but not on anything worse. A serious quality full-sus MTB is wasted on tarmac, as the suspension just adds weight and absorbs energy. Any robust rigid bike on suitable tyres, be it a long-wheelbase tourer, flat-bar hybrid, old-fashioned 3-speed, or a rigid MTB, will all deal with the typical UK road surfaces that range from good through to poor tarmac, and slightly bumpy and stony unsurfaced tracks. Bike choice comes down to fine tuning for local road conditions and the gearing range needed for gradients for a given rider and load carried. I don't need to get a heavy touring load up a steep hill without getting off and walking, but I do need something that can cope with punishing bumpy, pothole-infested surfaces. For me it's about stable frame geometry, a long wheelbase, strong frames and wheels, plus low thief appeal.

 

[Bollo]

I'm really surprised the mods haven't shut this down yet. You are a bad, bad person for suggesting this idea and you need help.....



That said, the Litespeed. Fast. Comfy. Discs. Mudguards. Excellent load-lugger. Works very well off-road for people who aren't wusses like me.
I'd really want another one as well though.....

I don’t quite follow what you mean by ‘mudguards’, ‘load lugger’ or for that matter ‘comfy’, but your litespeed is a very handsome bike.