General: Average amount of bike(s) to have

Posted By: LyKqiDgridplan, really 10 bikes? Shit, they must not live in an apartment. I would have to hang some off my porch to fit that many. I struggle fitting 4 complete bikes and 2 frames, which is besides the constant bickering I receive from my fiance that bikes (as pretty as they are to me) are not wall art to her. She says it makes the apartment look 'college'.

Posted By: The Bicycling GuitaristI have only had one bicycle since the early 1980s: a 1977 Schwinn Sportabout (a Chicago-built Schwinn "Varsinental" with Japanese derailleurs).

• 1993 Marin Bobcat Trail (AKA The Pack Mule; not yet posted to vs) - this is the beater I've been riding around since early '06. Until the beginning of '09, it was my only bike and I used it for everything from hauling groceries to long (25 mile) rides. I've put about 3000 miles on it since I got it. But since February, it's been retired to grocery-hauling duties (and not always then), as it's been almost completely replaced by these:


• 1999 VooDoo Hoodoo (AKA The Alleycat) - my first completed build is a CX-ish Frankenbike, made from a mountain frame witha rigid 700c fork and cyclocross wheels. I don't go offroad much (although I'd like to try more); right now, it's used for scrambling around through traffic. I've put about 750 miles on it this year.


• 1988 unidentified Bianchi, probably a Superleggera (AKA Celeste the Greyhound) - the "period" build, it was an exercise for my historical research imstincts. It's basically used as a townie bike, but I've done 30 miles on it at a stretch - pretty much the longest route I do at the moment. I've put over 1000 miles on it since I built it up in February; it's a 'greater comfort' alternative to the much faster:


• 2006 Fuji Roubaix SL (AKA Instrument of Punishment) - my first aluminum bike, and my first indexed road bike. I got the frameset as a freebie when I bought the crankset off CL, and I reassembled the bike with a Centaur gruppo replacing the stock Ultegra. Crit geometry; rough, and a little twitchy. I've been using it for the longer routes (20-30 miles), but only for exercise, as I haven't been putting temporary racks on it for lock-carrying, and Kryptonites in a messenger bag really discourages exercise. About 500 miles since I built it up at the end of July.

• 1971 Raleigh International - this is a bike I've been looking for since I started riding again four years ago; it replaces a much-beloved '73 International I rode around in high school and college, until it was stolen in 1983. I didn't ride for over 20 years afterward, I was so heartbroken. I originally imagined this as a period bike, all Nuovo Record; but the Bianchi fills that role. I'm building it up as a loaded tourer, with mostly French parts. It's very nearly finished; I'll try to get some placeholder photos up this week.


• late '70s Bertin (AKA A potentially serious error in judgement) - I got this to strip the TA crankset off for the International, but the frame seems to be sounder than I thought. I got another English-threaded TA crankset for the International, so now I'm thinking I'm going to convert this to a 650b.


• 2001 Marin Treviso - another Craigslist freebie, it's an elegant, lightweight Italian frame with oversized Columbus tubes. Unfortunately, there's a crack in the downtube. Nova Cycles is trying to get me an equivalent oversized tube, then I'll get Bernie Mikkelsen to TIG-weld it in and powerdercoat. I still have to haul the frame up to Novato, to see if Marin will either give/sell me decals or give me the Illustrator files; their tech support doesn't seem to answer their email).


• 1999 Novara Alance - an aluminum cross/hybrid frame I won in a raffle at a swap last year. It's unused/unbuilt, a very nice dark green, but I have no need for it. I've been dragging it to swaps all summer trying to sell the thing. If all the other projects get completed, I may break down and build it up to see if anyone wants it as a full bike. Eccch...