How many bicycles should a cycling enthusiast have? The answer may surprise you. Currently, I counted 11 bikes at my house. Five of those are mine, two belong to my kids and the other 4 are loaners for the juniors cycling team that I coach. But why do I have five bikes? And just what is the proper number of bicycles that a person should have?
For most of us roadies, our mainstay is our road bike. That will likely be a 10-speed racing bike, hopefully carbon fiber. Its the bike we will put the most miles on throughout the spring, summer and fall riding seasons. However, many of us keep a backup road bike, "just in case..." That might have been our bike from the previous season and we kept it around after we got our new one. Its good for rainy days, or maybe you don't want to risk wrecking your $7000 Colnago in the local crit.
If you race in time trials, you may have a TT bike. This is a tough one. Most people who race them seldom ever ride them. They look cool, but they're not all that comfortable to ride and they're heavier than a standard road bike. In my case, I could use one, because I live near Rt 29, where I could practice my time trialing. I haven't gotten myself to the point to buy one though, as I prefer mass start racing to solo time trials.
A fixed gear bike is great for riding in the late fall and through the winter. Many people build one out of an older road frame, that has horizontal dropouts, but nowadays almost all the bike manufacturers sell a decent fixie that is set up for the road for just over $500. While riding a fixie may be hip and there is a certain coolness achieved when you pull up on your fixie at the local coffee shop, there are other reasons to ride one. A fixed gear bike will force you to pedal in circles and get rid of the bad habit of coasting. In the winter, you will get a better workout with fewer miles and less time in the saddle. There is no shifting to an easier gear when the road points up. In my case I have two fixed gear bikes... one set up for road, and another set up for dirt and trails. The "Country road Bob" has an identity crisis. Is it a fixed gear road bike, or a single speed cross bike? The answer is either! In the quest for fewer bikes you could say it's two bikes in one.
Next on the list is a Cyclocross bike. This is basically a road bike, with drop handlebars that has a beefier fork and more clearance for wider, knobby tires. Most have cantilever brakes, but don't be surprised to start seeing disc brakes on cross bikes soon. Believe it or not, people who are serious about their 'cross often have two of these bikes. That's because one is used as a "pit bike" to grab when the one you're racing clogs up with mud. Its kind of like getting a fresh towel at the pool every time your towel gets wet.
If you race the track, you will want a track bike. Not to be confused with the fixie, a track bike is not really built for the road, and it has no brakes. While its possible to ride these on the road, it borders on suicidal in hilly areas.
Finally there is the mountain bike. When the terrain gets too tough for a 'cross bike, the mountain bike comes into play. Take your pick, full suspension or hardtail? And the newer ones have 29" wheels. I still have a full suspension 26" wheeled MTB, which seldom makes it out of the basement.
Ask any cycling enthusiast to justify all their bikes and they can easily think of a purpose for each steed.
