True Love/How Many Bikes?

[kfergos]

Excellent! More ammo in my ongoing quest to convince my husband that I do need to get another bike*, since we "only" have three:

Me:
2007 Lemond Poprad (summer commuting/road bike)
2000 Specialized Hardrock (winter beater bike)

Him:
2008 Gary Fisher Nirvana

* I've been drooling over the Jamis Aurora Elite online for a while now; I'm imagining it as a new commuter. Has anybody ridden/owned one of these? I'm looking for reviews, as well as suggestions for other comparable bikes I should try out.

[Blueberry]

* I've been drooling over the Jamis Aurora Elite online for a while now; I'm imagining it as a new commuter. Has anybody ridden/owned one of these? I'm looking for reviews, as well as suggestions for other comparable bikes I should try out.

I don't have one - but the LBS manager has a regular Aurora. He commutes 20+ miles each way on it, and absolutely loves us. True to LBS employment, he has replaced lots of the components, but he wouldn't have another bike.

I think Sandra (on here) has one too?? Haven't seen her around lately, but I think she posted a review.

Doesn't seem they are as widely distributed as some other brands, so I think they are reviewed less. However, they have a very loyal following.

Hmmm...other bikes. How 'bout the Surly LHT, Cross Check, Trek 520, Novara Randonee, etc. They all fit differently - I think the Jamis has a shorter top tube acc to the lbs guy.

CA

[dex]

Four bikes. All mine.

1973(2?) Schwinn Breeze 3-speed
198? Novara Strada (commuting)
2006 Giant Bowery singlespeed
2007 LeMond Reno road bike

At least they're not cars!

Um, I have three of those, too. One is loaned out to an ex, to help with a ridiculous commute. One is in storage awaiting body work. And one is for fun and occasional errands. None have more than two seats. And two are convertibles of the same make and model. (I was a Miata addict before I became a bike addict.)

[Crankin]

HA! At least now I know there are other Miata addicts. My husband just bought one as our 3d car (to join the 8 bikes). He is mental over this car. I can't stand the way it feels when I ride in it; it's noisy and it appears that other drivers can't see you very well, because every time I am in that car people just pull out in front of us... I feel safer on my bike. Plus, I don't really love the convertible thing. It gets pretty good gas mileage, though and we use it so we don't have to use that evil SUV that everyone on this list makes fun of (but, we need that to fit 4 bikes and our canoe in, plus to get up our driveway in the winter).

[withm]

1 car

2 kayaks

3 bikes
2005 Trek Pilot 5.2 - carbon road
2008 Trek Portland - commuter
2008 Trek 7300 - hybrid

Now I want a touring bike.

And a garage.

[PinkBike]

another proud miata owner!!
and 5 road bikes (3 Trek, a Bianchi, a Litespeed)
and a recumbent (Burley)

[elk]

I have an Aurora ...so does Sandra.

It is a fabulous ride...smooth and quiet and it fits me like a dream. I think part of that is that the top tube is the right length. The Trek 520 had a way too long top tube...


I THINK the Elite is new....and I have n't heard much about it....but the plebeian version is pleasing enough. I'm going to go look up the difference.

The other bike I really liked was a Surly LHT...but couldn't find it in my size at the time....

I also have a Specialized Globe and my DH has a Trek hybrid...but he really should have a vintage steel bike....

[elk]

also...I don't want to have a lot of bikes...but I can see how you could end up with a bunch...here's my question:

Is the stable growing because you're looking for your one true love?
Aside from having like a road AND a mtb.

I can imagine.... I keep looking to re-create my 1976 Grand Prix 10 speed..(Raleigh)...

[singletrackmind]

My stable grew because I started with a 35# mtb and wanted something a little quicker and lighter and from that something even quicker and lighter. Each bike still serves a purpose and each is still ridden for various reasons/terrain. The road bike I got to get faster on the mtb. The mtb tandem came about because my son was too big for the trailer but not big enough to ride his own for more than 7 miles and certainly not on the road (he's 5).
Occasionally I get a comment about how it's too dangerous to have a child stoker but nobody says what age is acceptable to ride the back of the tandem. He's gone 2000 miles on both road and dirt and loves to ride.

[SheFly]

Wow! Glad to know that I'm not the only household with "too many" bikes (although from what I've seen, I am so far the household with the most bikes )

We do have hooks in the basement ceiling to hang all of them, and have to do it in a couple different places. Fortunately, when we built our addition a couple of years ago, it gave us the perfect bike storage area, and we can hang 11 of them there. The tandems are in another location, with one hanging and the other against the wall underneath. Two more hang next to the bike service area, two more have permanent homes in the trainers, the chopper lives behind the water heater, and the other 3 bikes are currently hanging out agains t the walls. It's a good thing we have a big basement .

And our stable continues to grow. Why? Most of our bikes have a specific purpose, and are ridden for their purpose. In some cases, we build up bikes to see if we like them (my new SS road bike, for example). I find that we go through ebbs and flows, but we have started to implement the one in one out rule .

I liked PsyclePath's comment in another thread that the optimum number of bikes is one more than we already have....

SheFly