Terrible Luck with Second Hand Bicycles

[Gunk]

It does raise the question of when such "collecting" can be considered a legitimate problem and the lack of proportionality between perceived benefits of another and legitimate drawbacks associated with it.

I tend to be guilty of prioritising gear over the drawbacks its acquisition will bring and there's no getting around the fact that bikes are a bloody pain to store. Currently I have two in the shed, two in the dining room, one at the flat, one round a mate's house.. objectively I'd rather have far fewer but it's certainly true to an extent that one bike can't do everything.

I’ve thinned my collection down from 15 to just 4. of which 3 I ride regularly, my Brompton gets the most use, I ride it most days.

 

[wafter]

I’ve thinned my collection down from 15 to just 4. of which 3 I ride regularly, my Brompton gets the most use, I ride it most days.

Great work - that must feel like a win

There's no way I could ever get up to 15 due to space constraints, but am certainly well aware of how the number can gradually creep up; especailly if you're in the habit of keeping an eye on what comes up used.

 

[Wheelspinner]

Been through about thirty bikes over the last 15 years or so, and only two of those were brand new from a shop, with the rest varying from bargain buys needing rebuild to exotic things I just wanted to try.
Relatively few failures, and those have been more on the components side rather than frame problems. Drives me bonkers when you ask all the questions before buying, to find the thing that turns up is not what was described. I've a collection of cranksets that were wrong lengths, wrong axles, wrong chainrings. Front derailleurs that are not the specific model you asked for. Saddles the wrong width, seat posts the wrong diameter or setback etc etc
Slowly getting rid of as much as I can. Down to 6 bikes for now, with a few more on the possible sale list soon. I really only ride on the trainer and some local gravel trails these days, so will keep the most appropriate ones for that and ditch the rest if I can

 

[DCLane]

There's no way I could ever get up to 15 due to space constraints, but am certainly well aware of how the number can gradually creep up; especailly if you're in the habit of keeping an eye on what comes up used.

I'm currently at 16 for this very reason, with four on sale. They'll probably be followed by a few more (possibly the Woodrup/ a Kingpin? / maybe my Thompson Capella / Fuji Track) although that might be just the framesets with the parts kept.

We also sold about 10 last year, but bought about 12-14.

 

[Gunk]

I'm currently at 16 for this very reason, with four on sale. They'll probably be followed by a few more (possibly the Woodrup/ a Kingpin? / maybe my Thompson Capella / Fuji Track) although that might be just the framesets with the parts kept.

We also sold about 10 last year, but bought about 12-14.

I now focus solely on Bromptons, I’ve bought and sold 7 in the last 18 months

 

[wafter]

I'm currently at 16 for this very reason, with four on sale. They'll probably be followed by a few more (possibly the Woodrup/ a Kingpin? / maybe my Thompson Capella / Fuji Track) although that might be just the framesets with the parts kept.

We also sold about 10 last year, but bought about 12-14.

I imagine it's a nice place to be if you have the space and finances to casually sample what's on offer and hang onto the stuff you really like - I've done this in the past with other interests

Unfortunately I lack the luxury of either space or funds to any great extent and keep up-selling myself new rides as "the last one"; although I suppose three of the last four have been bought in response to changes in circumstances (utility bike for shops via country roads, folder for the commute, utility bike for the city) and there has been some logical thought behind each.

On top of that each of the earlier utility bikes have earned their keep somewhat in terms of fuel / wear saved on the car. I think I'll miss this justfication when I'm eventually tooling round the city on the new one since realistically I'd never use the car for those journeys anyway..

 

[All uphill]

It does raise the question of when such "collecting" can be considered a legitimate problem and the lack of proportionality between perceived benefits of another and legitimate drawbacks associated with it.

I tend to be guilty of prioritising gear over the drawbacks its acquisition will bring and there's no getting around the fact that bikes are a bloody pain to store. Currently I have two in the shed, two in the dining room, one at the flat, one round a mate's house.. objectively I'd rather have far fewer but it's certainly true to an extent that one bike can't do everything.

My heart goes out to you @wafter and as a great sacrifice I'm prepared to accept your Fuji, which I'm sure will make you feel liberated.

Could you deliver it on Wednesday between 10 and 11am?

 

[wafter]

My heart goes out to you @wafter and as a great sacrifice I'm prepared to accept your Fuji, which I'm sure will make you feel liberated.

Could you deliver it on Wednesday between 10 and 11am?

lol - thanks for your selflessness although I couldn't possibly foist the little battered, ghost-shifting bleeder onto you

Truth be told I did briefly consider moving it on as bar end shifters are no fun in city traffic; especially if you're feeling wobbly and subject to repeated close-passes... however it always redeems itself with its lovely easy-going, quiet nature and I've put so much time into it I don't think I could bare to part with it.

Assuming I keep the new Genesis I think the Fuji will probably be pensioned off to the shed at the homestead as I don't like the idea of not having a bike here should I need to escape!

 

[Jameshow]

My heart goes out to you @wafter and as a great sacrifice I'm prepared to accept your Fuji, which I'm sure will make you feel liberated.

Could you deliver it on Wednesday between 10 and 11am?

Ditto the new genesis...

I'll be driving down 12-18/4 so please arrange pick up!🤣🤣🤣

 

[Reynard]

I trust yours continues to serve you well? Have you felt an itch for something else? My Genesis was supposed to be the "last" bike in 2020, however since then I've acquired a further four (albeit with "good reason" for each)

It does. Namely coping with crappy, split, potholed and muddy fen roads, plus letting me venture out onto some of the gravel byways and trackways between the fields and along the Hundred Foot. It's like riding an armchair - won't get you anywhere particularly quickly, but your arse won't be sore when you *do* get there LOL! It's the reason I built it - it's my "Heineken bike"

The one that doesn't get any use at all these days is the road bike. Mainly down to the state of the roads. And it won't take tyres wider than 23mm, which is not great when there are so many cracks in the tarmac. I don't care for another unscheduled dismount as a result.

Wouldn't mind a Brommie for the cool factor and the versatility a folder gives, but currently have no need. Otherwise a cyclocross or gravel bike would be nice for the wider tyres.

 

[wafter]

It does. Namely coping with crappy, split, potholed and muddy fen roads, plus letting me venture out onto some of the gravel byways and trackways between the fields and along the Hundred Foot. It's like riding an armchair - won't get you anywhere particularly quickly, but your arse won't be sore when you *do* get there LOL! It's the reason I built it - it's my "Heineken bike"

The one that doesn't get any use at all these days is the road bike. Mainly down to the state of the roads. And it won't take tyres wider than 23mm, which is not great when there are so many cracks in the tarmac. I don't care for another unscheduled dismount as a result.

Wouldn't mind a Brommie for the cool factor and the versatility a folder gives, but currently have no need. Otherwise a cyclocross or gravel bike would be nice for the wider tyres.

Glad to hear it - always really satisfying when something you've pretty much built yourself does exactly what you'd intended it to.

I've not really had the pleasure of this experience yet - closest is the Fuji although on paper it remains much as it left the factory barring a few fit-related tweaks.

I hear you on the road bike (23mm must be horrible!) - mine went the same way as soon as I got the gravel bike; eventually being sold last year as it'd done about 50 miles in four years. Managed to get not too far off what it owed me, which was a result in the current climate.

While my Brompton has certainly served me well over the past two years I'd only recommend one if you have a sadistic streak towards your inner engineers. That said if you're not piling on the miles in all weathers you might long-avoid some of their nastier traits.

You should definitely do a gravel bike - IMO this should be the default bike for most as they're so versatile.. if you've already got reasonably wide tyres on the Raleigh you might want to look at something more MTB-facing for proper off-road capability..

 

[Reynard]

Glad to hear it - always really satisfying when something you've pretty much built yourself does exactly what you'd intended it to.

I've not really had the pleasure of this experience yet - closest is the Fuji although on paper it remains much as it left the factory barring a few fit-related tweaks.

I hear you on the road bike (23mm must be horrible!) - mine went the same way as soon as I got the gravel bike; eventually being sold last year as it'd done about 50 miles in four years. Managed to get not too far off what it owed me, which was a result in the current climate.

While my Brompton has certainly served me well over the past two years I'd only recommend one if you have a sadistic streak towards your inner engineers. That said if you're not piling on the miles in all weathers you might long-avoid some of their nastier traits.

You should definitely do a gravel bike - IMO this should be the default bike for most as they're so versatile.. if you've already got reasonably wide tyres on the Raleigh you might want to look at something more MTB-facing for proper off-road capability..

Actually, 23mm isn't that bad - when on good roads. Alas, most of the roads out here aren't that good, and have deteriorated markedly in recent years. Which kind of limits where I can go with the road bike. My hybrid is my go-to bike for most things, and I'll be dusting it off soon - once most of the farmers out here have done all the mucky jobs i.e. harrowed, drilled seed and set potatoes. The set-up on that is more road-based, plus I've got luggage capacity, which makes it great for shopping and foraging.

I wouldn't get much use out of a full-blown MTB, given that the Raleigh is good enough for most of the trackways around here, even with 1.75 inch semi-slick tyres. In any case, I have an extra set of 24" wheels with full-on knobblies if needed. That is, unless I can find a decent hardtail frame cheaply, and just simply swap all the bits over. Thing is, even though it's heavy, the steel frame on the Raleigh is pretty forgiving.

 

[Gunk]

Glad to hear it - always really satisfying when something you've pretty much built yourself does exactly what you'd intended it to

I’ve built up a lot of bikes from a bare frame over the years, none of them made sense financially but as you say, unbelievably satisfying, I’ve stopped doing them now, the last one I built was last year and that is my 1979 Carlton MkV Professional with mid 1990’s 2x9 Ultegra/Dura Ace. It turned out even nicer than I imagined, and every time I ride it I still get that lovely warm feeling of satisfaction that I built it myself!

 

[tyred]

Most of mine have been skip rescues!

 

[Reynard]

That Carlton is lovely @Gunk

If you've got a rare vintage bike, then yeah, keep it period correct I think. But sympathetic upgrades makes things just that little bit more, I dunno how to put it, but I think you know the point I'm trying to make. Much the same like classic cars - would rather have something I can use as opposed to a concours queen.