Second Bike?

[pyxichick]

My question for y'all is:

If you have a road bike plus one or more OTHER bike(s), what type of other bike do you find yourself using the most frequently?

(I'm trying to decide whether to buy a cyclocross or a single-speed)

Thanks,
Kate :)

[KnottedYet]

I have a Waterford cyclocross double, which I use as a road bike. (lugged steel)

My other bike is an aluminum flat-bar triple with cyclocross geometry. I use it as my rainy-day/commuter/utility bike.

Cyclocross geometry seems to suit me well. Having my utility bike be made of aluminum keeps me from worrying about rust. (it does get... moist... around here). I feel ok leaving my utility bike locked up in front of the library or store or whatever, which I would NEVER want to do with my Waterford.

[emily_in_nc]

Full suspension mountain bike for trail riding

Bike Friday touring bike for errand runs (w/panniers, rack, etc.)

Both are fun and satisfying in their own way! I could never do a single-speed with the hills around here. I know some do, but not this gal.... :eek:

~Emily

[Bad JuJu]

I have one "tortoise" and one "hare": a 9-year-old Waterford touring bike (gorgeous deep forest green with gold accents) and a gently-used-before-I-got-it Bianchi Veloce. The Waterford is lazy-boy comfortable, but relatively heavy since, well, 9 years ago, steel frames were relatively heavy. The Veloce is also steel, but only about 1 1/2 years old, nice and light, but I've had her for a few months now and can't seem to do enough to make her really comfy. Our days together may be numbered :( .

Oh yeah, I also have a cheap cruiser for tootling around the neighborhood.

[7rider]

My question for y'all is:

If you have a road bike plus one or more OTHER bike(s), what type of other bike do you find yourself using the most frequently?

(I'm trying to decide whether to buy a cyclocross or a single-speed)

Thanks,
Kate :)

I have a road bike - a stock Seven Axiom ti - for group rides, fitness rides, and generally anything longer than 40 miles. I have a flat bar road bike (Felt SR-81) for commuting, the occasional utilitarian trip, and fitness rides. Both see pretty much equal use but I prefer the Seven. I've been thinking of selling the Felt and getting a cyclocross bike myself, but I think it may be cheaper/easier to convert the Felt to a compact crank with drop bars and cyclocross-type brake levers on top. The frame is just too sweet to give up.
The dual suspension mountainbike is sitting pitifully in the utility room - probably on flat tires - and hasn't seen the woods in far too long.

I think in finding out what type of other bike you should get, I think you need to identify what you want to do with it.

p.s. Oh yeah...I have an old Schwinn cruiser too - yard sale special - that comes out once or twice a season for toodling around the 'hood.

[KSH]

Well, I think it's very common for an avid cyclist to have different machines (bikes) for different jobs.

For my group rides, I have a road bike. For my tri training and races, I have a tri bike.

Each one serves it's purpose when needed.

I also try to split my time equally between the two... so I can get tri training in and keep up with my road cycling and group rides.

[LBTC]

Primary favourite: Santa Cruz Juliana Superlight (dual suspension mtb)

Old standard: Norco Torrent, extremely lightened from original condition (front suspension mtb). Used for early spring rides - it's heavier so makes me train harder, and I don't mind her getting muddy. She's also got better geometry for downhilling, so she sometimes comes out if the ride will be intense.

Both of these are in my favourite bike colour: black. :p

Road bike for cross training: Giant OCR1 triple ring. In the small size it's still too big, and so far I'm still scared of road riding, but I'll keep trying. This is currently on the trainer.

All of the bikes are in hibernation due to the snow that's still on the ground. ah, eventually....

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Velobambina]

My vote for a second ride is a 'cross bike. I have a custom Luna Orbit w/disc brakes and a campy chorus compact crankset (LOL, what a mouthful) that I love riding. Got 'cross tires on her, so she can go offroad, too.

I have (ahem) several road bikes, each w/its own purpose. Right now, my beater bikes are getting the most use since the road and trail conditions haven't been great.

[DirtDiva]

I've got an entry level road bike that, at the moment, is just getting used for the ride to work. Given that it's a short, flat run, I can totally see the point of having a singlespeed here - things are always getting gunged up with big-city, winter-road crap. Perhaps if I ever buy a new road bike I might convert the OCR3 rather than selling it...

I also have a more mid-range hardtail. I'm currently debating whether to make quite a few upgrades or to just buy something lighter and faster and, well, "blingier" and having the Tass as a winter bike. :confused: No point making the decision until I know what's happening with my job after July, but I can certainly put in some quality daydreaming between now and then! :D (Not to mention time to put in some quality money saving! :eek: )

[Crankin]

I have a carbon road bike that i use for most of my rides, well, on the road. I also have a full susp. mid range Norco mtb. It doesn't see the trail too often, but that's a goal for this year. I have tried riding it on the road for short hops into town, but I hate the way that feels. So, right now I am in the beginning stages of modifying my old hard tail mtb for commuting/errands. It was really my husband's bike a long time ago. I rode it for about a year and a half when i first got into cycling, so I guess it sort of fits me, even though it's a bigger size than my other bikes. I am going to put a rack and small panniers on it. Right now it has semi slicks, which I probably will keep. Oh, and i am getting a light. I am only going to be working until June, but I will probably try and use this to commute to work a few times before I quit. It probably will take me a much longer time to do the 15 or so miles on this steel bike, but that's why I'm getting the light; so I can leave when it's still dark. Realistically, I probably would be happier with a cross bike for this purpose, but I can't spend the $ for that. I also am thinking about getting a Bike Friday touring model that I can use when we travel. My husband has a BF road bike that he takes on business trips. He would like to trade it in for more of a touring type bike, too.
The list is endless...

[Triskeliongirl]

I also like to have a travel bike as my second bike, but I like my latest travel bike so much it has become my first bike (i.e. bike that I choose to ride most). I used to have a bike friday that was stolen. I quickly replaced it with a terry titanium isis as my 'go fast bike' and used an older terry classic touring bike for commuting. Then a terry steel isis frame on ebay caught my eye (2003 reynolds 853 never been built) which I picked up for a song. The catch, it had no fork and no commercial forks were available, so I sent it to a framebuilder, who not only built me a fork, but installed s/s couplers to make it a travel bike, and canti bosses so I could use a wider range of tires (23-32c). I absolutely LOVE this bike. Since she has sport geometry and is made of light steel she is funner to ride with than my touring bike, but the reynolds 853 steel is so stiff she feels faster than my titanium isis despite being heavier (I also think she fits me better, she just really agrees with me). So, now I have the titanium isis set up as a commuter and my steel travel isis is set up for fast club riding, and of course packs in a suitcase for travel. For the story of my travel bike visit: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=12234&highlight=feronia

[xeney]

I have an embarrassing number of bikes but the ones that I ride the most often are older steel road bikes converted to single speeds and outfitted for around-town comfort. I live in a place without hills so I don't really need gears most of the time, but I do need a way to carry stuff.

[MomOnBike]

The three bikes I have use of couldn't be more different.

Chronologically, then:

Walter, my 1978 Raleigh. DH bought him for me on our first anniversary. The bike doesn't fit me very well, but I take him down every now and again for a short spin. I may do a commute or two on him this summer to keep life interesting. I really do like that bike, but not for long rides.

William, the 'bent. A long wheel-base Cadallic of a bike, and surprisingly fast, considering the engine. My main ride for everything from nights on the town with DH to quick shopping runs, to cross-state tours.

...and my daughter's el-cheepo Schwinn mountain-style bike. We don't get along very well, but it handles snow and icky roads better than the other two, so I've been commuting on it this winter. Yes, Daughter did give me permission.

[Trekhawk]

Two road - one for winter and hill rides, the other for good weather and moderate climbing.

One mountain - for all the beautiful single track that is around here.

I am also thinking about getting an Amsterdam from Electra for cruising around town.:)

[SadieKate]

There's still one at B&L in Davis - at least as of last Thursday.

[Starfish]

I am also thinking about getting an Amsterdam from Electra for cruising around town.:)

Let us know if you do. I LOVE the look of them, from the ads. We have a lot of hills here and I am not very strong (need all of my triple), so I have a hard time imagining I could use one for running around to the latte shop, but I would like to hear how it goes for you if you get one.

[Trekhawk]

Let us know if you do. I LOVE the look of them, from the ads. We have a lot of hills here and I am not very strong (need all of my triple), so I have a hard time imagining I could use one for running around to the latte shop, but I would like to hear how it goes for you if you get one.

I sure will. I have the same thoughts about hills and this bike. I want to look at the Breezer Uptown that is in Bicycling 2007 Buyer's guide as well. Lucky for me it seems that a bike shop near SadieKate sells both so I will probably make a trip down there and try to compare the two with SK's help.

[xeney]

Mike's Bikes in Sacramento (a chain store so I try to support the locals, but so far I've really liked the service at Mike's Bikes) had the Amsterdams as of a few weeks ago. I picked one up and it was nowhere near as heavy as I'd expected it to be. I mean, it's not light, but considering how fully outfitted it was, it wasn't particularly heavy, either.

But I heard one on the street the other day, and man, was that thing NOISY. It creaked and groaned in a very alarming way. It sounded like my husband's pre-war Schwinn, but it couldn't possibly have been more than a few months old!