Selling up and leaving the hobby - Your failure experiences?

[Titiritero]

I'm following the enlightened steps of @Tootyred and slowly but surely getting rid of the excess. Otherwise I am becoming a tinkerer instead of a cyclist that tinkers... Stuff gives us pleasure, but also takes away time to do other things (like a country move, a new apartment, a trip,...).

Right now I'm going through my list, getting all the bikes in perfect working order one by one (instead of just fixing small issues here and there), and once ready, putting the less desired on sale. Market is over-flooded though with all the unwanted bikes of those upgrading to ebikes, so it will be slow. To my advantage, I don't have any "unicorns", just lugged Treks, a Prestige Stumpy, DB Overdrive, etc. Nice bikes, but not rare.

I should be riding in the current beautiful weather though, so another proof I need less bikes I need to take care of.

 

[Tootyred]

I love the fact the guy on screen shot of the video is about 30....the answer "hopefully lots".

If it give any of you hope, ive just been on a 68 mile ride with our local touring club. One of the regulars on the ride still rides a carbon road bike on 25c tyres and is only 84 years young.....

 

[widowmaker]

Hats of to him. I'm 30 years younger and I would struggle with that.

 

[vtwinvince]

There's an 85 year old lady out here who puts in more miles than I do. And she used to have her own bike company. Talking about inspirational.

 

[The History Man]

Still stuck at ten.

 

[Takingabreak]

Still stuck at ten.

try selling a different bike?

 

[The History Man]

try selling a different bike?

Wash your mouth out!

 

[Takingabreak]

Wash your mouth out!

Please noooooooooooooooo, not the Fosters mouth rinse again

 

[Tad]

Change in my health meant I sold up and moved on some years ago. I miss it as I’m literally half the man I used to be, I don’t regret it though. Likewise I have a kid, took her for her first proper mtb ride today. I still dip in occasionally, recently to clear out a box of bits I found.

Importantly I made great memories, met lovely people and found some amazing friends that I keep in touch with regardless.

 

[Romanrinos]

I’ve wrestled with this subject myself over the years—falling in and out of the retro scene (I’m currently back in). Having just come across this thread, I’ll add my two cents on what I’ve concluded.

For me, health is the number one priority, especially as we get older. And that’s as much about mental wellbeing as it is about physical fitness. From that perspective, spending money on a bike is far healthier than on alcohol, gambling, or other vices.

When it comes to exercise alone, I’d much rather ride a beautifully crafted retro MTB than a clunky, modern, welded-up “metal girder.” As long as they’re ridden, retro bikes more than justify their place. That said, if funds are needed for other priorities—like a new car or home renovations—it makes sense to whittle the collection down to just a few special pieces. Let someone else enjoy that rare frame or NOS component, and build their own pride and joy from it.

Over the years I’ve seen countless posts from people lamenting the loss of a bike they once owned—often from their youth, but sometimes later in life. Once you sell, it’s gone, and it almost certainly won’t come back.

Personally, I’ve never sold a bike I later regretted, but I have felt that way about other items special to me that I sold on—like a vintage guitar, a BMX, or an original skateboard deck. And on that sense, it's been a bit like parting with an old friend, or offspring!