Second Bike?

[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.

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. 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! (Not to mention time to put in some quality money saving! )

[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/showt...hlight=feronia