All of them.

But seriously:

Road
TT
Track

Best case scenario:

Road Race Bike
Crit Bike
TT Bike
UCI Illegal TT Superbike
Pursuit Bike
Mass Start Track Bike
Winter Road Fixie
Full Suspension Mountain Bike
Single Speed 29er
Beach Cruiser

As long as you don't do track stuff, you probably can get by with a TT/tri bike (I'm assuming you do tri's) and a road bike.

Five:

TT Bike
Road Bike
Cross Bike
MTN Bike
Track Bike

n + 1

Where n is the number of current bikes.

I'm currently doing tri on a modified road bike, mostly because I find the handling is a little more comfortable (for me, at least) on the hills around here. Actually, that's a lie.

But I think I used the word "need" where I should have said "neeeeeeeeeeeeeed".

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darrylh, vancouver, bc.
it's not about being really good at one sport, it's about being just a little better than average in three. oh, and it's about gadgets. buying lots and lots of expensive gadgets.

Ick. Every time I get on my hardtail I want to toss it off a cliff, or something. Actually, I am somewhat considering putting clip-on bars on the thing. I think that might be a little odd with the front suspension.

Maybe I'll toss it off a cliff instead.

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darrylh, vancouver, bc.
it's not about being really good at one sport, it's about being just a little better than average in three. oh, and it's about gadgets. buying lots and lots of expensive gadgets.

2, or 3 if you live in a rainy region I think. I have a tt/race bike, a nice road bike, and a aluminum frame with 105's as a rain bike. I ride almost everyday though.

does no one on the forum commute?
I have seven bikes now (but it helps that my fiancee is the same size and can ride them all too)
Road bike
Rain bike (old road bike)
Cross bike
SS cross bike
FS Mtn bike
SS 29er (the most fun you can buy for $280!)
Fixed gear commuter

I am thinking of a track bike. and should look at combining the SS cross and fixie into on bike.
I don't really have much room in my new apartment.

I've done triathlon for 16 years, and notice there is not a TT bike in that list. (that's the beauty of draft legal racing, don't have to mess with all that TT stuff).

I have eight, sometimes I wish I had a full suspension mountain bike, and also a road bike with panniers set up for rainy conditions, as it is, I put those on my cross bike in the off season
1 main road bike used for most rides
1 road bike used for racing/backup to main road bike
1 mass start track bike
1 pursuit track bike
1 cyclocross bike
1 hard tail mountain bike without a suspension fork
1 time trial bike
1 bmx bike

If you're planning on riding for the rest of your life. you only need two bikes...

-Road bike set up for touring and/or commuting. This bike will be a commute bike, touring bike, or crappy weather road training bike.

-Sweet road bike for everything serious, whatever that means to you.

I've scaled down from five bikes to two because the two I have do everything for me, and I personally think they both do them well.

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"That night I had a dream. I dreamt I was as light as the ether."

can some explain the differnce between a mass start track bike and pursuit bike? As most people use the same frame for both but change bars and front wheel....

 
It is always one more....

I could use one bike for both mass start and pursuit but my pursuit bike is a very aero frame that I can't afford to replace and no one would make a replacement and that I don't want to risk getting in a crash in a mass start race, though I have never been in a crash in a race on the track.

3

My tt bike
Road bike
Single speed 29er mtb

Also a touring bike w/ full racks etc.
Tandem (so child or wife can keep up with you)
Shwinn Varsity = bombproof (beat up so that you can throw in back of truck and not care)

Damn. steve! You just jinxed yourself. Don't race Friday night.

To whomever asked, lots of people, including me, use the same bike for track mass start and pursuit racing. Especially important to consider when traveling to race. It's $$$$ enough just trying to figure out how to get extra wheels there when you fly. For a multiple-day track event it should be nice to have the track bike, warm up and race wheels, aerobars (if you pursuit), the road bike, and rollers. Thankfully the track crowd is uber helpful, loaning equipment and home stays a lot of the time.

Or, you use your tri connections. (thanks again Todd!)

For the OP:

Track (2 bikes is ideal)
TT/Tri
Road (again, 2 would be good--crit bike + carbon climbing bike)
Ccx. (geared + ss)
Mt (geared + ss)

5-bikes here. Well, 4 since the ccx bike got stolen.

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clm
Nashville, TN
https://twitter.com/ironclm | http://ironclm.typepad.com

In order of their age:

Kestrel Talon Tri bike

Trek 5200 road bike

GT Zaskar mt bike

Niner EMD 29er mt bike

Kona rigid singlespeed 29er mt bike

and now a Colnago Dream HP road frame to build up

you can never have too many

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

One more than you have. Whether that's 2 or 20, you cannot be truly happy without just one more bike in the stable.

If you are a triathlete this is what you "need" IMO...

Super trick tri bike
Budget road bike (for training, crits, etc.)
Budget MTB (gotta mix it up at times)
Cruiser/fixie (commuter)


Here is what I "need" IMO...

Look 596
Look 695
Scott Spark RC
Trek District Carbon
Niner Air 9 Carbon

6 in the stable at the moment, but it rotates fairly frequently.

TT
Litespeed Arenberg - Classic build, more for show
CX
Roadie (genaric carbon)
29'er
Fuji Ace (converted to single speed)

On the dream list:
Single speed belt drive
FS MTB
pennyfarthing

Honestly 3 or 4...maybe 5. Here's the rundown:

1. Road bike. The more bling the better.
2. Cyclocross bike used for crit and cyclocross racing. This is also your rain bike.
3. Time trial bike
4. Mountain bike of some sort
5. Track bike or fixie to ride around town

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Well I believe in God, and the only thing that scares me is Keyser Soze

I started riding a year ago, and just picked up my 2nd bike, a CX bike. Next I want a TT/Tri bike, then an MTB, then a tandem for my GF and I to ride. Goal is by the end of 2011 to have them all!

   
3 commuters Mtb bikes with lights/fenders
2 mtb Fisher/Specialized
3 road Clark-Kent/Smythe/Cannandale
2 funny bikes Smythe/GT Yamaguchi
3 TT bikes Two Tiemeyers/GT Superbike 3
Soon to have another skinney tired commuter
Soon to be rebuilt Rossin Funny bike

I'm going the other way at the moment. I currently have 3, a tri bike, road bike and mountain bike but am in the throes selling the mountain bike and road bike. I was planning on buying an upgraded road bike but after reading this thread I now need to go out and buy another three at least! Damn ST