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How many bikes in your arsenal?
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So I'm new to the sport, and I haven't gotten my first TT/tri bike yet...but I'm considering a Specialized Shiv (actually, I'm hoping my wife gets it for me for my 40th birthday in August :). Currently I have a Trek road bike I've been racing du/tri on, and a Specialized Rockhopper for MTBing and XTERRA racing. Anyway, I have a couple questions for the community at large:
1. How many bikes do you have in your stable?
2. Do you train primarily on a road bike, or your TT bike?
3. Did you ditch your roadie in favor of the TT?
4. Do you see the need for three bikes?

I'm the type of person that likes to have one tool for each purpose, but it seems to be a funny line between what to use the road and TT bikes for.

Anyway, input is appreciated!

- John
"Have courage, and be kind."
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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As much as you can afford.


.... in your case, as much as your wife allows you to have.



.

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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. 3 (2 tri bikes, 1 road bike)
2. I train on all 3 of them. Had a tri-bike on my trainer for 7 months, but just put my road bike on the trainer a couple of weeks ago.
3. Nope, love my roadie and it's a nice change up.
4. Absolutely. Especially when one is in the shop, packed, or shipped (TBT) to a race.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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I have a road, tt and mountain. I race all three (Or at least will be racing mtb when the races roll around again in the fall).

Most of my training is done on the road bike. I've been riding the tt a bit more lately as it's a new bike and position for me.

And the proper number of bikes is n+1, or alternatively written as s-1 (Source: Velominati, The Rules, Rule #12)

John



Top notch coaching: Francois and Accelerate3 | Follow on Twitter: LifetimeAthlete |
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. Six. Road, MTB, TT, CX, SSCX and a trainer dedicated bike.
2. Road bike mostly.
3. No
4. Obviously. Thinking seriously about a fat tire bike for next winter.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. Seven (TT, CX, Track, MTB-26", MTB-29", road (2))
2. My tri bike is on the trainer full-time, save for race day. Outdoor rides are either road or MTB.
3. See above. All of my outdoor (road) riding is on my road bike.
4. I think #1 really answers that question. (FWIW, I'd have more than I do now, except DH convinced me to sell my old TT and road bikes. NEVER AGAIN.)


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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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If you are any good w/ a wrench there are enough deals to be had on the classifieds and eBay you can't really even use affordability as much of an excuse anymore, so ultimately the question boils down to storage space...

I've personally got 9, plus another 6 total for the kids & wife. There's some redundancy in there, but once you get personally invested in a bike it's like trying to sell one of your kids and the re-sale value diminishes to the point it's not worth enough to a potential buyer, so a few of them I keep hanging around which only get ridden occasionally on nice days just for kicks or when I have someone visiting that needs to borrow one so we can both ride somewhere.

Among them are a dedicated commuter and a foul-weather Frankenroadie, in addition to the nicer road bike and TT-Tri bike, plus an MTB and a loaded touring bike (which hasn't seen any action in a few years, but is definitely the right tool for that job if I can ever scam an extra week off from work & honey-dos); there's also one that mostly just lives on the basement trainer so I don't have to swap it on & off & clean up each time from outside to inside.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. 5 (Roadie, TT, MTB + 1 retired roadie and 1 retired MTB)
2. Roadie, except when doing race-type interval work with power
3. That would be a sin!
4. As far as I'm concerned, I need all 3 of them even though I rarely ride the MTB.

Good luck!
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [jw76] [ In reply to ]
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I have a nice tri bike and I use that bike 90% of the time, I have an older road bike with compact rings for mountain riding, a titanium road bike for rain and knocking around in and a mountain bike for inclement weather and fun.
I figure if my main sport is tri, I ought to train mostly on tri bike.
But I really really just want more and more bike....:-)

Primum Non Nocere, except to Kempy!
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Currently 6 (TT, fancy road bike, entry level road bike, fancy mountain bike, commuter, cruiser).

I train on my fancy road bike most of the time because I love long rides with lots of climbing in them and the TT bike would not be my preferred descending option on steep, twisting, mountain roads. The only time I would choose to train on my TT bike would be if I was going to simulate race distance or course topography or do repeatable laps of a circular ride. Or on my trainer.

I always see the need for more than three bikes. The correct number of bikes to own is n+1, where n is the number of bikes you currently own. This equation can also be changed to equal p-1, where p is the number of bikes owned that would mean separation from your partner.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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4: Titanflex Transition setup with drop bars and aero extensions, LeMond Poprad cross bike, GF Caliber 29 Mtn bike and an old Trek 5500 road bike on permanent trainer duty.

Fall and spring I'm on the cross bike a lot. Summer is mostly the Titanflex. I'm on my trainer at least twice weekly year round. Mt. Bike when I can- not as much anymore.

I think cross bikes are great. Throw on some road tires and its a road bike. Unless you are road racing its doubtful you'll need anything else.

Formerly DrD
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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fitknight wrote:
So I'm new to the sport, and I haven't gotten my first TT/tri bike yet...but I'm considering a Specialized Shiv (actually, I'm hoping my wife gets it for me for my 40th birthday in August :). Currently I have a Trek road bike I've been racing du/tri on, and a Specialized Rockhopper for MTBing and XTERRA racing. Anyway, I have a couple questions for the community at large:
1. How many bikes do you have in your stable?
2. Do you train primarily on a road bike, or your TT bike?
3. Did you ditch your roadie in favor of the TT?
4. Do you see the need for three bikes?

I'm the type of person that likes to have one tool for each purpose, but it seems to be a funny line between what to use the road and TT bikes for.

Anyway, input is appreciated!

1. I have a Tri bike and Road bike, and I just bought my fiance a road bike, which I can fit on as well... so I plan to use that occasionally.
2. I would say 50/50. In beginning of season and during group rides, I used the roadie a lot. TT bike sits on trainer for most part, or solo workouts.
3. I bought a Tri bike first, then got a roadie to supplement the TT bike. Much better for group rides- which I try to do at least once every 2 weeks.
4. Not only do I see the need for 3 bikes, but I could easily be persuaded to see the need for 4,5,6,....

Thoughts on being an Urban Triathlete
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [GrisGris] [ In reply to ]
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You know the tri-bike is so fast, I can effectively ditch the car and I'm converting to a biking lifestyle, so:

Race/Country "GT": Argon E118 SRAM Red, tubulars
Urban speed bike Vancouver commute : Argon E80, no carbon 'cept the fork, clinchers

Work site bike: Felt Bixby cruiser w/carrier (almost forgot this one, I no longer use the site trucks)

Winter Bike : Pinarello FP, aero bars, lights and a fender
Devinci T2 : last year's ride, not sure what to do with this hmm...

Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
FM Sports: http://fluidmotionsports.com
Last edited by: SharkFM: May 20, 13 15:15
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1) Four. Road, TT, MTB, and old road bike on trainer full time
2) About half and half...
3) Sometimes, sometimes the other way around
4) No, I see the need for 17 bikes :)
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. 3 - My new (to me) Tri bike I got this season. My Road bike I rode for 2 years of racing, except my first race, My Walmart MTB I rode for my first tri (Got the road bike that same day) I haven't ridden it in 2 years though.
2. Since I got the tri bike most of my training is on it. I might move my road bike to the trainer and use the tri bike for outdoor rides for the summer.
3. I haven't ditched it, but I haven't put any miles on it lately. I've come close to taking it out a few times, and I'm sure I will soon.
4. Yes, especially if you do a lot of tight group rides or want to ever do any road racing. 3rd bike would be for commuting, MTB, or Cyclocross.

Basically road bikes are better for tight groups (and tri bikes are sometimes not allowed in group rides). Road bikes are required for road races / crits. Road bikes are said to be better on hills (but I live in Houston and we don't do hills here).

Tri bikes are great for going fast in a straight line with no one around you.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Currently 4 bikes Lemond Victiore Klein Q-Pro Gary Fisher Hi-Fi Pinarello Prologo (C-Record ;o) ). Always vast majotity on Road. If I got a new TT would still would not ditch road....Yes need of multiple bikes if able. Like to have a seoerate cross
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. Three... TT, road, and mtb (recently sold two and bought one, so had 4)
2. Just got the TT bike and mainly training on that, group rides on the road bike, mtn bike will be utilized soon.
3. Yes, see #2.
4. Minimum, I'd like to go back to 4+, "needing" a FS mtb.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [Kenney] [ In reply to ]
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The formula for how many bikes you need is N+1(SA) where N= your current number of bikes governed by your spousal approval (SA) coefficient. 1 on the SA scale means you have no SO and cash in your savings acct ;-)

For me, the number is 5 (a classic steel road bike, a newer carbon road bike that gets most of my ride time, 1 mtn dual suspension, 1 CX racing, and city bike).

I mostly do cross events now so road and cross bike are the keys. I do have some TT extensions that go on the road bike w. HED Jets that get me partially "slowtwitch compliant" for a short tri or time trial.

I am actually content w/ N bikes right now. either that or my SA is trending low - I'll have to think about that...

Anyway, there you have it.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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Quote:
as much as your wife allows you to have.

This.

1. 3, road, tri and mtn. But I just got the tri bike last fall after 5 years of using the road bike with clip-ons.
2. Now mainly on the tri bike because I'm trying to get used to it.
3. Don't know if it will be permanent, but for now, yeah.
4. Need is a funny word. I got my tri bike for a steal and bought it as a treat for a good year, but I wouldn't spend thousands on one unless I had a ton of disposable income and a real shot at Kona. I think the actual performance gains are minimal, but they make you feel faster and motivate you to train. Nobody really needs a tri bike, but they are fun.

Funny thing is that we leave in Durango, CO, so our garage has a total of 14 bikes between me, my wife and 2 kids. Wife has 4 (road, mtn and 2 cruisers, one with and one without gears), kids have 3 each (strider, pedal bikes with training wheels and tricycles) and then we have a trail-a-bike that attaches to the back of my mtn. bike. Its kind of ridiculous when you look in the garage, see 6 adult bikes and immediately think "which bike is missing."
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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I've got 2, road and tri. I ride the roadie roughly 3 times per year. The rest of the time is on the tri (I just like it better). I may one day get a mountain bike but I currently have no desire to go off road.






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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1. 5 - Old road (1986), old MTB (1988), touring/commuter (1989), tri/TT (1999), and new road (2002)
2. Most years most of my miles are on the touring/commuter. But time constraints the last couple years haven't allowed me to commute and most of my miles have been on the old roadie.
3. No. Take the tri/TT out only for higher intensity riding
4. No. I'm single. But if I were married and forced to reduce the size of my stable, I would go with a cross bike that I could use for general road riding, commuting, touring, and the light off-roading I do (with wheel swaps), and a tri/TT bike for duathlon and triathlon.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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1) 2 road, 1 TT, 1 CX, 1 Mountain, 1 singlespeed.
2) Primarily train on the road bike (approx. 95% of the time)
3) I actually ditched the TT bike when I got the road bike. My first "real" bike was a roadie that had aerobars/forward seatpost. After 4 or 5 years, I bought a TT bike. I rode it for 4 or 5 years and bought the road bike. Since I got the roadie, it's the one I pull out of the quiver most days. The TT bike gets ridden a couple times before a race to make sure it's tuned/working well.
4) Three? Don't be silly. How can someone survive with only 3 bikes?

Brad

3SIXTY5cycling.com
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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I think it's totally reasonable to have three bikes -

1) road bike for training, winter riding, Gran Fondos, and road racing if you're into that
2) tt / tri bike for triathlon
3) mountain bike for Xterra and mountain biking

you should add
4) commuter so you can ride to work, pool, store, gym, etc when possible. This bike should be cheap, heavy and easily locked up.

of course if you race in the fall you could easily add
5) Cyclocross Bike - perfect for late season and winter training and dirt road riding. Opens up a ton of terrain as well as makes for a perfect cross-over bike if you're going somewhere with dirt and road and only want to take one bike.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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fitknight wrote:
1. How many bikes do you have in your stable?
2. Do you train primarily on a road bike, or your TT bike?
3. Did you ditch your roadie in favor of the TT?
4. Do you see the need for three bikes?

1. 4 of my own, MTB road x2 (historical reasons) and tri. Just got rid of the commuter Schwinn Continental, using MTB for that now. With kids and wife, another seven bikes.
2. mostly road, TT a couple of times a month just to stay comfortable on it
3. nope
4. raced the road bike first, added the TT later. It's nice to have the road bike for social rides etc, but not wholly necessary I think. It cost me a whole $150.
MTB was bought only after we moved to an area with excellent trails, so I can ride from the house - don't like driving to ride.
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Re: How many bikes in your arsenal? [fitknight] [ In reply to ]
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One road: Cervelo Soloist

One tri: Spec Shiv
I train on the road bike about 90% of time. Actually, tri bike is still in the ironcase, disassembled since the last race.
Last edited by: Dilbert: May 20, 13 16:17
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