Reducing the fleet help needed

Not having a job at the moment plus future plans on converting the garage into inside space means my collection must reduce so it can fit into a shed.

I'm not decisive at all when it comes to bikes so need some help with deciding which bikes should leave the stable from people with better decision making powers than I possess.

Bikes I don't really want to part with are:

GT team RTS
Dbr axis tt
Pipedream scion
Cannondale caad x
Airnimal Joey

Bikes built/on the cusp of wanting to keep:

GT STS 2
GT STS 1000 DS
Raleigh dynatech RSP TORUS
Saracen tuff trax elite

Projects yet to start:

Litespeed obed fs
Amp b5
Nuke proof reactor
Saracen e-stay

The saracen project will happen as I want to get the kids to adorn the frame with their own artwork, so that is fine. One of the built bikes that goes would make an adequate donor for build parts.

Should I just cull all that haven't made the list aside from perhaps one sts? My wife can't understand why I want to keep 7 (in reality it is more), but life requires the space and some funds would not be sniffed at.

Is the Tuff Trax a special bike?
If not I can see a couple in the projects list that I would happily have over a Tuff Trax, and I like Saracens!

Which do you ride? That's the question I ask myself and when I tell myself all of them I sit down, have a drink, then start again.

Re:

It's never easy trying to decide which to get rid and which to keep, in an ideal world you'd keep them all and probably buy some more too .

I'm struggling with the same dilemma ATM, mainly because of the lack of space for them all. The first to go was one which was the wrong size so was a fairly easy to let go (Raleigh Technium). The next one to go is going to be my Orange C16R, which I built up and haven't ridden and don't see me riding in the future since I acquired an early Orange Prestige which will satisfy my desire for an Orange in the fleet. From here it gets a little trickier though and I'm still making my mind up :?

I think a few key questions to ask are:

1. Which ones are going to get ridden? (I always think it's easier to justify keeping the riders, even if they only get ridden once or twice a year).

2. Do you need 2 or 3 of the same brand, of each brand which is the most special?

3. How easy/difficult will it be to find another?

4. Are you going to lose/make money selling them on?

firedfromthecircus":2jt5xmi6 said:

Is the Tuff Trax a special bike?
If not I can see a couple in the projects list that I would happily have over a Tuff Trax, and I like Saracens!

Click to expand...

Not particularly. It was built as a bike to take a kids seat/rack but that need has passed and when the estay is done it will be able to take on the duty of pulling a tag along until the youngest rides his own bike, which can't be too far away now. It is in awesome condition though...

The question about riding is a tricky one, as I don't ride as much as I'd like and want to change that.

My go to retro bike was always the dynatech as it was easier to reach than the others. Since sorting my garage out I can get to all of them now and as I'm not working have had the time to fettle and rebuild a few. The dbr feels more comfortable than the dynatech and they are both similar builds now, so if push came to shove, the dyna-tech would go.

The rts is a keeper.

The road bike hasn't been used in anger yet but I plan to.

The airnimal was used for commuting and may be again, plus it's useful to have a bike you can fold, put in the car and take anywhere, plus it's been pimped/customised to my liking.

The sts pair I've not ridden properly since building either, I'd happily keep one as I don't need two, but do I even need one?

The scion has had the most use.

The nuke proof I bought as it's a mad design but needs some bits made to complete it.

The amp and litespeed were bikes I had plans for but have remained in their boxes.

All unbuilt bikes I have the parts for to build up as well.

Dont make the mistake of selling what ends up the most expensive to replace at a later date.

Re:

Dbr, Raleigh and litespeed is what I would keep.

Re:

Pick one to keep, the one you would ride the most, or has a special meaning to you.
The rest can go, they can always be found again at a later date, or you'll probably fancy something different in the future anyway.

Can't say I'm familiar with any of them except the GT but some criteria to keep are:
- has it special meaning
- how rare is it
- how often ridden
- how much money lost on sale

not necessary in that order. I need to do a cull as have far too many and it ain't easy