How many touring bicycles?

[Scott C]

I currently own and ride two bicycles. The oldest is a 2010 Gary Fisher Marlin mountain bike set up for touring and the other is a 2017 Marin Larkspur CS2 hybrid bike for day rides. The mountain bike is in need of some repair but is still ridable as is. The hybrid is ridden almost daily. Purchased the bicycle new in September 2017 on sale. At the time I really preferred the components and lower gearing of the next model up the Marin Larkspur CS3. I decided on the CS2 based on colour of the frame. Anyhow I love riding the hybrid and am contemplating getting a CS3, while still keeping the CS2, which has an aluminum fork instead of steel, better crank and derailleurs plus lower gearing about 20 gear inches instead of 25 on the CS2. It is on sale currently and I would set it up for multi day touring. Does that make sense to have three bicycles for touring? Having more than one bike is more to maintain. Although if one bike is out of commission one of the other three can be ridden. Do other adventure cyclist own multiple bicycles? Why or why not?

[RonK]

It's your money, buy as many touring bikes as you wish.

[Pat Lamb]

A touring bike is my primary bike, that I use for commuting, occasional brevets, event rides, and, oh yes, touring. 

Since I've had some problems that make it unusable at times, I have a backup bike.  It's also a touring bike.

Both have racks, fenders, relaxed geometry, and dyno lights (for commuting).

The other bike is the travel bike.  It's sold as a "light touring" bike and has strikingly similar geometry to the first two, but it (so far) doesn't have racks, fenders, or the dyno hub.

Anyhow, that's how I justify three bikes.  If you can rationalize buying another bike, can afford it, and want another one, go for it!

[Old Guy New Hobby]

The difference you will feel every day is the gearing. You can change the gearing on your cs2. But if you want a new bike, go for it.

[hikerjer]

Raleigh Militis Elite for a road bike; Kona Precept for a mountain bike; Kona Sutra for touring and a Cannondale CAD for commuting. I seem to put most miles, on a daily basis, when not touring anyway, on my commuter and road bike.  Guy can't have too many bikes.

 At least that's what I tell my sainted wife.  They are,after all, considerably cheaper than cars.

[canalligators]

The trade-off is, how many types of touring experience do you want to have, vs. how many bikes are you willing to buy and maintain?

I have a road touring bike for self-supported touring, an MTB  that I plan to set up for offroad touring, and an old Raleigh roadster for "retro-touring".  We are setting up a pair of folding bikes for train+bike travel.  I might also get a light road machine for credit card tours.  I'm sure others have variations on cycle touring that could best be done with specialized bikes.

[EncoreJoe]

I have a Surly ECR for gravel riding.  It has racks and I have a second wheelset.  I will ride the Texas hill country this fall with it - my first tour.

Also have a Masi especial Randonneur for just riding.

And a Brompton because I wanted one!

The Surly was my 5th bike of my life and I'm 57.  If not now, when?   

Best wishes and good riding.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[hikerjer]

I currently own five bikes. My touring bike which I use almost exclusively for touring. A mountain bike for off road riding.   A road bike for group rides and when I want to do a fast solo ride and for  fitness and exercise.  And finally, a commuting bike which I purchased really cheap at a pawn shop but which is perfect for around town. I probably put more miles it than any of the others.  I am also  currently restoring a late 1970s Mercian road bike.  As I keep trying to explain to my somewhat skeptical wife, a guy can't have too many bicycles. 

[hondated]

"Cant have too many bikes " totally agree with that. I have a Roberts Tourer, an Audux fitted with Butterfly bars, a Ridgeback mountain bike to ride to the shops again with butterfly bars fitted, a Bianchi Aluminium for faster rides. Again for faster rides I have CF Trek Madone, a CF Orbea Onyx, a CF Dolan and finally a Specialised 26" wheel mountain bike.

But wait for it I would like to get a full suspension mountain bike, maybe electric or a Titanium bike. So as you said you just cannot have enough bikes can you.
Over here in the UK used bikes have very little monetary value  so its best to keep them to use when you fancy to.

Just hope that when I am gone my wife doesn't value each one on the price I told her as she will be losing a lot of money.

[michael b]

I've worked out a formula for how many bikes one should own:
(# of bikes owned to initiate divorce precedings by your spouse) - one.
If you have a big toy barn (garage) you can always hide a few behind the kayaks and stacks of snow tires

[DaveB]

As long as you have the space for them and can afford to buy it, why not?  You certainly don't need our permission. 

I currently have 4 bikes; two nearly identical 2005/2006 Litespeed Titanium road frames set up with nearly identical components and gearing, one older (1996) Litespeed road bike and a 2012 Surly Pacer as my rain/bad weather bike.   Redundant choices? Sure but so what.

[BikePacker]

Do other adventure cyclists own multiple bicycles? Why or why not?

I own only one because one is all that I can afford.

[hikerjer]

That's certainly one of the best reasons but it hasn't stopped a lot of guys I know from buying multiple bicycles or cars, for that matter. 

[DaveB]

I own only one because one is all that I can afford.

And others can, and do, own dozens.  Some buy new and very expensive new bikes because they can afford them.  Others buy and fix up used bikes because they can't afford new or because they enjoy working on bikes.  In any event multiple bikes aren't rare or unusual.  In fact, I expect serious riders almost all own more than one bike if they can possibly squeeze out the funds and may sacrifice many other things to do it.

I've known more than one rider whose bikes are worth far more than their car.

[Old Guy New Hobby]

I expect serious riders almost all own more than one bike if they can possibly squeeze out the funds and may sacrifice many other things to do it.

To each his own, but "almost all" is a little over the top. I've never felt a desire to own more than one bike at a time. I suppose riding 5K miles a year gets me into the serious group. I admit to buying a new bike every 5 years or so. There hasn't been anything wrong with the old one. When I buy a new bike, I donate the old one.