Returning to cycling - have too many bikes. Should I sell/buy/adapt?

[StaffCycler]

Hello everyone, I hope you can help me out of this little dilemma. Let me give you some quick back story:

A couple of years ago I bought an entry-level Sirrus hybrid and found it to be perfectly adequate on the roads, but terrible off them. I then had some illness and stopped cycling. In the meantime, I've since moved to Stafford from Essex and wanting to get back into cycling. I'm 19.5 stone, generally unfit. I do go to CrossFit 2/3 times a week, but want to supplement that with some lower intensity cardio -- hence cycling.

When I first moved here, I got excited about the prospect of mountain biking as everyone recommended that I got to Cannock Chase. With this enthusiasm, I splashed out on an MTB (A Bird Zero AM), but I've only ridden it once, and realised that at this stage, I'm not actually into mountain biking after all and it's not that suitable for cycling around town.

After analysing where I'd be riding (roads, towpaths, bridleways and dirt tracks), I bought a Giant Anyroad. This will be perfect for my general fitness needs, but I don't want to risk riding it and locking it up in town to do some work (I work from home and will cycle into town to work in the library/cafes a couple times a week). Same with the Bird. No way I want to leave it locked up anywhere.

So, in conclusion, I want a bike that can go almost anywhere within reason (the Giant covers that), and also a cheap bike that I can commute into town and perhaps something that I can take over the chase and across rockier singletracks with some friends. (I'm not sure the Giant would handle the harder off-road tracks, and I'd like a flatbar for that kind of riding).

Should I sell the Bird and Sirrus and replace with a cheap rigid/hardtail MTB? If so what would be a good tyre choice to cover a little off-road and general commuting (up to 3mile each way)?

Or should I keep the Bird and Sirrus, even if the Bird won't likely see much use, and the Sirrus doesn't feel good on anything but smooth road -- could I adapt the Sirrus with better tyres for example?

A part of me feels that three bikes currently is way overkill for me. But if I do sell them, I'll lose money. If I don't sell them, I won't be using them much and I hate to be wasteful. I realise I've been impulsive and now want to make a sensible choice going forward. Two bikes seems far more sensible, but I wonder if I'm asking too much for a cheap bike (to be able to commute and go off-road occasionally).

Any insight/advice would be gratefully received.

 

[StaffCycler]

I think that I'd leave it a year and see which bikes you use and which ones you'd feel happy selling. There's no doubt you'd lose money on a secondhand sale. It would be worth perhaps trying some slightly wider tyres on the road bikes - can you get 28c tyres to fit? Have you got a bike shop nearby that could help advise you?

Hi Rockymountain. I have an LBS, but would rather not use them (Didn't feel welcome last time I was there). The Giant Anyroad comes with 32mm tyres , so I have no doubt it'll be capable of some off-road, but because of my weight, I worry that it won't be able to handle the odd jaunt on the harder mtb tracks like the Bird.

I suppose it wouldn't hurt keeping hold of them for a year. I certainly don't intend to part with the Giant as that's really quite perfect for my general needs. It's just what I do with the Sirrus/Bird. As for the Sirrus and tyres -- with a quick google search it seems like 37s will go on, but I wonder if that'd be enough to effectively use it as a part-time MTB? That'd be an ideal situation if that's the case. I could use it as a short commuter/PT MTB while not being too worried about it being nicked compared to my other, more expensive steeds.

 

[vickster]

Insure your current bikes and get two solid d locks to lock them up it doesn't sound like they are being left in a high risk area over night?

 

[StaffCycler]

Insure your current bikes and get two solid d locks to lock them up it doesn't sound like they are being left in a high risk area over night?

Hi Vickster. They'll be left for maybe 2-6hrs during the day within Stafford town centre. I've not yet researched if bike crime is higher than average here, but I suspect not. I guess I'm just a bit nervous about an expensive-to-me bike being stolen. Being somewhat of a newbie to all this I'm not familiar with insurance, but I shall look into it. If it's not too crazy, then I suppose using the Giant as the commuter too would negate the need to keep the Sirrus.

 

[vickster]

Ask your home insurance provider about bike cover. Should be insured regardless of whether and where you leave them.

 

[StaffCycler]

Thanks for the tip, Vickster; I'll check out my policy and see if I'm covered.

 

[vickster]

Thanks for the tip, Vickster; I'll check out my policy and see if I'm covered.

Phone them and confirm you have cover home and away

 

[StaffCycler]

So it turns out that theft from outside the home isn't covered. I'm going to look at specific bike insurance. I'm sure for just a single bike it can't be that expensive.

 

[vickster]

So it turns out that theft from outside the home isn't covered. I'm going to look at specific bike insurance. I'm sure for just a single bike it can't be that expensive.

Ask your insurers to add it to your policy. Bike specific policies can be expensive and have tricksy Ts&Cs

 

[StaffCycler]

Ask your insurers to add it to your policy. Bike specific policies can be expensive and have tricksy Ts&Cs

I would warn you about Cycleguard insurance, its way expensive and you have more chance of going to the moon than getting them to pay out. Just Google all the reviews. Specific bike insurance can cost more than the house insurance I found. Can you not ask the home insurer to insure it for being at home and outside? If I was in your position I would get a secondhand bike cheap like for £80.00 and use that for leaving for long periods. Remember if you have a decent bike stolen you still have to pay the excess and your premiums will go up.

I'll give the home insurance people a call and see what they can offer me, although I am erring to your suggestion, Liz, having a cheap beater bike for the odd occasion I need to leave it in town. It'll only be a couple of times a week and it's barely 2.5 miles so it seems a bit of a luxury using my good bike to do that on. We have a Cash Converts here that sells a ton of bikes (probably the ones that get nicked) so it would probably make sense to pick up one from there—would probably work out cheaper than the excess on a good bike, and it would give me something to practice bike maintenance on.

 

[Smithbat]

I'll give the home insurance people a call and see what they can offer me, although I am erring to your suggestion, Liz, having a cheap beater bike for the odd occasion I need to leave it in town. It'll only be a couple of times a week and it's barely 2.5 miles so it seems a bit of a luxury using my good bike to do that on. We have a Cash Converts here that sells a ton of bikes (probably the ones that get nicked) so it would probably make sense to pick up one from there—would probably work out cheaper than the excess on a good bike, and it would give me something to practice bike maintenance on.

Just for reference, I added my bike to my home insurance to cover it both at home and if stolen while away from home, and it cost me £48 for the year, so not a huge expense.

 

[StaffCycler]

Thanks, Smithbat; that's good to know. I suppose the question is, though, will they be a hassle to deal with when they need to pay out?

 

[vickster]

Can you not use the Sirrus for town trips. An Abus Granit and another d lock or cable would secure it in a place with footfall. No likely angle grinder use

 

[StaffCycler]

Can you not use the Sirrus for town trips. An Abus Granit and another d lock or cable would secure it in a place with footfall. No likely angle grinder use

I definitely could, but it would be no good for the odd jaunt over some MTB terrain, so I'm thinking that a cheap MTB would be a better bet for the short commute and the occasional off-road jolly.

 

[vickster]

I thought you were going to the library not off roading??

Look at decathlon if wanting a cheap mtb