Friday Follies ~~ How many bikes..?

From time to time, I’m asked the question,  “How many bikes do you have?”

Oddly, the answer is not a simple one.  More oddly, I am seldom asked,  “Why do you have that many?”

I can answer the second question with a bit more precision.  Different bikes do different things.  Let’s face it.  Almost any bicycle can be ridden almost anywhere.  It’s possible to use just about any bike for almost any given purpose. 

Examples abound:

• I know a man who commutes regularly on a very high end, all carbon Time Trial bike.
• I’ve seen messengers ply their trade on BMX rigs.
• I’ve seen road bikes ridden on singletrack.
• Occasionally someone will show up for one of the Audax Tune Ups on a mountainbike.  (Once we even had a young guy do one of the 65 mile editions on a full suspension rig, complete with aggressive knobbies!  He made it too!)
• Go to this year’s Tri-Peachtree City Sprint Triathlon, in August.  You’ll see almost everything.
• There used to be a wonderful character who did B.R.A.G. on a restored high wheeler, complete with Gay ‘90s period costume, handlebar mustaches and all.
• There’s the young guy on the old, steel, Raleigh, complete with cargo rack, doing the Cat V race.  (And not doing too badly at that!)

We could go on.

The point is, it’s possible to use a given bicycle for almost any purpose.  But possible doesn’t make it a good fit.  Likely, in most of these cases we are seeing the “one tool effect.”  You know how it goes.  “If all you have is a hammer, then all the world starts to look like a nail.”

Does anyone ask a golfer, “How many clubs do you have?”  I know they carry a lot of them, and I suppose each one has a specific purpose.  (I wouldn’t know.  I’m not a golfer.)  How about fishermen?  What’s the point of all that stuff in the tackle box?  At work I have a very full toolbox, a tool wall, and a specialty tool room.  Some of those tools are only used a couple of times a year.  Each has a specific purpose.

And there is the practical reason for owning more than one bike.  It’s possible, for a relatively low investment, to buy a purpose built bicycle.  One that does a specific job, and does it excellently.  There’s a second practical reason for having more than one rig available.  That’s increased reliability.  With a stable of well maintained bikes, I always have something to ride.

But the real reason, the one that is most honest is simply this.  I like bicycles.  I like bikes with character.  But mostly, I like bikes.