One bike only.

[kingbling]

To be fair since that photo was taken I've sold the dark green one at the back the one with the orange handle bar tape and the sintesi DH bike plus 1 frame …. but thats only so i could make room for a new build and 2 new frames :facepalm:

 

[shogun]

Anyone pared down their stable to just one bike, even if only for a while?

I have several but am thinking that I could quite easily make do with my Karakoram (beshod with full guards, land cruisers and V8s). Very light, comfortable and does pretty much everything I require from a bike these days. Never got on with discs (too heavy and fiddly) so loving the Vs, got no toe overlap and the gear range is great for meandering up steep hills without busting my guts..

Translated:
I've got an old bike that fits and all my riding is well inside it's performance envelope.

Sadly it doesn't work that well if your riding progressed along with the tech and trails over the years, so I have more than one bike. I have a road bike for, oddly enough, the road; mountain bikes really do suck at being road bikes, yes you'll get shunted by some supercommuter on a 25 year old BSO from time to time but that doesn't prove much.
I have a modern all-mountain hardtail which I use for the bulk of my riding, off-road riding at modern day speed, modern day style. I have two retro mountain bikes with fairly faithful period correct builds which I have to remind me of what bikes used to be like; I don't go in for any grandpa's axe retro-mod bulldust, they are what they are. My old bikes are still fun for a gentle ride around the local common's trails but that's about it. You've got to understand the progression in bike capability completely changes the way you ride if you stick with it.

But the comment about the discs...wow, how can you be serious? I fitted a set of M785s to my modern hardtail some weeks ago, I think it took about 10 minutes all up including shortening the hoses to suit, with basic hand tools, I don't even have a stand currently. I didn't even have to remove the grips or shifter. I doubt I will have to touch them again. Fiddly? Get real!
Also 266g an end for ever so 'umble old XT M785 discs vs about 278g for M970 XTR V brakes so weight? pfffffft.

I could have just one mountain bike, but if I planned to actually ride it off-road it would be modern. If I had to have one bike full stop, it would probably be a roadie.

 

[catf]

Re:

not sure i do any riding that is exclusively on road, i always take the cross country route. but yeah i think for most ppl a decent mid 90s xc machine is enough for pretty much anything. what youre saying is modern tech lets you ride over the rough stuff faster. whats your rush mate?

im in the category of one bike built at a time, with a shed full of parts. and garage full of parts. and a spare bedroom full of parts. etc etc.

some day im planning to have one bike and no house.

 

[Kell]

Unfortunately, if I HAD to have just one bike it would be my Brompton as it's my commuter.

I currently do about 70 miles a week on it compared to about 15 on my road bike and 0 on either of my MTBs.

 

[shogun]

Re: Re:

not sure i do any riding that is exclusively on road, i always take the cross country route. but yeah i think for most ppl a decent mid 90s xc machine is enough for pretty much anything. what youre saying is modern tech lets you ride over the rough stuff faster. whats your rush mate?

What's my rush? I like to go faster, bigger, ride gnarlier and wilder stuff and push my riding to some degree. The gravity side of the sport was always the attraction for me, I came from MX and BMX to mountain biking.
Green lanes and towpaths won't cut it. Yeah I tootle around and smell the wildflowers a bit but that's not where I draw my fun from.
You can't seriously say you don't like to open the taps now and then.

A mid 90s XC bike was easy to out-ride in the mid 90s.
Bike and rider can do so much more now, more reliably and cop less of a beating in the process. The bikes do make it easier, so you can open your mind to more riding possibilities.

I leave the past in the past except for reminiscing about it.