What is the essence of a bike?

My BF is a bike addict. I'm not complaining... I am too. It's just a little background. He has a rule that he can't get more than one new bike a year. So he built himself an amazing Cinelli earlier this year. Now he's stripping another bike he has, using all the stripped parts and having a new frame built that will incorporate dropouts that he designed and had machined for the other frame. When I mentioned that I thought this would be categorized as a new bike, thus breaking the rule, he said no, because he was using all the old parts.

Somehow, to me the essence or soul of a bike is in the frame. So I still feel like this is a new bike.

I'm just curious about how other people define their bikes. Opinions?

And yes, this is completely random and frivolous. But hey, I think it's a fun thing to contemplate.

ETA - I completely stripped my road bike down to frame, fork, saddle and seatpost earlier this year and replaced everything else. To me, it's still the same bike, she just went on a serious weight loss program. But really... is she???

Hadn't thought about this, but as I pondered this, I changed my mind.

I think that a new frame = a new bike...just like the chassis on a car.

All the other components would be an "upgrade"

I agree, the frame "is" the bike. But if I'd made radical changes to everything so that it rode very differently, eg. swapping a suspension fork for a rigid one or vice versa, plus upgrading the components massively, plus swapping fat mtb tires to really skinny ones or vice versa... I'd probably say "this is really my old bike X, but is to all effects my new bike Y".

I agree that the essence of a bike is the frame. Everything else may affect the ride and the performance, but without a frame, all you have is a pile of 'stuff' right? Not that you can ride a frame without that 'stuff'...but I think you know what I mean.

We thought it was funny when we met TrekJeni - she had a Trek 1000 frame with full DuraAce (or something like that)....she loved that frame (and her signature "steamers" on the handlebars!)

Not only is it a "new bike"... he just procreated a bike baby!:eek::cool: Part of the frame was designed custome by HIM??? Umm, yea:rolleyes:... You could tell him that if he doesn't claim it, there could be bad bike Karma from making it an illigit.

NOW... if the old orphaned frame (one parts came off of) was adopted elsewhere to a new home... maybe it keeps the family new net to "one" then? Errr, guess that math doesn't work either. Or don't ride it until Jan. 1, 2010?

OK, that's all I got for now. Off to my kitchen to rationalize if eating my kids' ice cream with a small spoon makes it have less calories vs using a big spoon (could take a while--hopefully bedtime will come first:o:p).

Good Luck on the debate;).