Should I get a 3rd bike?

guinea
guinea Posts: 1,177
edited March 2008 in Road beginners
I am trying to decide whether to get a bike on the cycle to work scheme.

I have a chorus equipped Willer Mortirolo road bike and a Canondale hardtail MTB. I use the Wilier at the weekend for training and touring and the MTB through the week for communting.

The WIlier is a £2k+ bike and the 'dale was £1500. So even if I took out the maximum allowed to me (£1k), I'd be buying a 3rd string bike.

Should I bother? I guess I could get a winter road bike, or a more commuting friendly road bike, however I really like the MTB for getting to work.

I guess I could get a very cheap bike and spend the excess on a pair of wheels for the Wilier. Does anyone know if Halfords can source some nice wheels?

Comments

  • redddraggon
    redddraggon Posts: 10,862
    guinea wrote:
    The WIlier is a £2k+ bike and the 'dale was £1500. So even if I took out the maximum allowed to me (£1k), I'd be buying a 3rd string bike.

    Why would it be a 3rd string bike? a £1K road bike is better than a £1.5K MTB.
    I like bikes...

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  • eskimo Joe
    eskimo Joe Posts: 764
    of ourse you should , you cant think about buying your 4th bike until youve bought your 3rd one
    Suburban studs yodel better than anyone else
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    To me it sounds like you'd be buying a bike you don't want, just for the sake of buying it.

    If you're happy with what you've got, stick with it. It's not a bargain if it just sits at the back of the garage! Or, as a wise man said...

    "He who buys what he does not need steals from himself."
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    redddraggon wrote:
    guinea wrote:
    The WIlier is a £2k+ bike and the 'dale was £1500. So even if I took out the maximum allowed to me (£1k), I'd be buying a 3rd string bike.

    Why would it be a 3rd string bike? a £1K road bike is better than a £1.5K MTB.

    Heh. We definitely don't need to start opening that can of worms. However, the two occasions I took the WIlier to work showed that a road bike is the wrong tool for the roads I commute on.
  • Haynes
    Haynes Posts: 670
    Get yourself a fixie, if you dont like it you can always sell it for more than itll cost you on the BtoW scheme, but you WILL like it. Itll be a very different ride than your other bikes and really low maintenance. Should be able to get a Kona Paddy through Halfords. Steel frame, 28C tyres, clearance for guards, 32spoke wheels so great for crashing around in the winter. RRP £500.
    <hr><font>The trick is not MINDING that it hurts.</font>
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    You could get something like a Condor Heritage, a tourer, resonable weight, should cope admirably with commuting, should be good for winter rides in foul weather, and of course, excellent for touring. It is what I am looking towards to replace my commuterised mtb, so I can return it to dedicated mtb duties.
  • PostieJohn
    PostieJohn Posts: 1,105
    This does seem odd:-

    Should I get a 3rd bike?
    - Yes

    End of, job done, move on, NEXT
    http://www.bikeradar.com/road/forums/vi ... t=12792776
  • cyclingfury
    cyclingfury Posts: 676
    Keep your Willier as your best/summer bike, use your MTB only for off road riding (that's what it was designed for) and buy another road bike. Use this as your general workhorse and winter bike. Stick on 25mm tyres with good puncture protection for commuting and nipping down to the shops. Fit SPD pedals so that you can walk around when doing your errands. Use it for training during the winter months when the roads are wet, gritty and generally nasty. Come March/April you'll be eagerly looking forward to breaking out your Willier as it will herald a return to riding in warmer weather and your excitement will be little short of orgasmic. You'll very soon wonder how you ever managed with only two bikes. :lol:
    ___________________________________________
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  • benvickery
    benvickery Posts: 124
    Currently riding a carbon planet-x bought through the cycle2work scheme which is great but I'm a bit nervous about taking it out in the wet. I'm thinking about getting something a bit more wet weather friendly at the end of the year. I'd also be interested in hearing some suggestions. I was thinking about an audax/touring bike.

    Thanks
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  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    Stop....






    FIXIE TIME
  • guinea
    guinea Posts: 1,177
    I like the fixed idea. I don't know it I'd get on well with it, but as yousay I can easily sell it if need be.

    Does anyone know if halfords sell wheels to spend the rest of my allowance on? I quite fancy the thought of a new pair...
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    Get one of the fast urban hybrids - disc brakes, etc.... Scott Sub, Cannondale Fat boy.

    Won't look quite as good with guards on though.

    I'd save the decent bikes for weekends and proper off road for off road - get a kitted out commuter for............commuting....

    :D
  • niblue
    niblue Posts: 1,387
    If it's road quality which makes the MTB better for commuting then how about a CX bike instead?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    You should have as many bikes as you can afford, both in money and time, and grasp every opportunity to ride and enjoy them, thats my philosophy in life, or at least one of them.

    You only live once.
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    giant mancp wrote:
    You should have as many bikes as you can afford, both in money and time, and grasp every opportunity to ride and enjoy them, thats my philosophy in life, or at least one of them.

    You only live once.
    I believe this is known in psychological circles as the "hedonic treadmill" - the belief that additional possesions contribute to happiness. Unfortunately, once you get past a certain point* the more you have, the more you want and the less pleasure you get from any of it.

    There's a lot to be said for enjoying what you've got. Of course, the majority point of view on here is that you can't ever have too many bikes, so I assume I'm going to get strongly disagreed with. Ultimately it's whatever works for the individual.

    Disclosure: I have three bikes; one which I use, one as a backup in case of an early morning mechanical, one I wish I hadn't bought (hybrid) which I use as a loaner. All three together cost about £1200.

    *Such as having a £2K road bike and a £1.5K MTB, maybe.
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • John C.
    John C. Posts: 2,113
    How do you live with only 2 bikes ? :lol::lol:
    http://www.ripon-loiterers.org.uk/

    Fail to prepare, prepare to fail
    Hills are just a matter of pace
  • Shadowduck
    Shadowduck Posts: 845
    John C. wrote:
    How do you live with only 2 bikes ? :lol::lol:
    In a state of zen tranquility. :P :wink:
    Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.
  • srodgers2000
    srodgers2000 Posts: 2
    I managed to get a 3rd bike (Cannondale Synapse)......by promising my wife to sell one of the others..not got round to it yet. Like I ever will.

    3 bike covers all situations...winter road/summer road & mountain. Unless you then add fixed/tourer etc
  • danseur
    danseur Posts: 70
    If you're not sure about the fixie ignore the purists and consider something with a flip-flop hub.

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