I Can’t Even Remember
For some reason, today I found myself in a nostalgic mood, thinking back to the bike I raced my tenth Leadville 100 in back in 2006, when this blog was young, which I called The Weapon of Choice.
It was an aluminum Gary Fisher Paragon, heavily-modified—I pretty much replaced everything, making it as light as possible.
Back then, “as light as possible” was 22.5 pounds. I would finish this race in a disappointing 10:06, in spite of the fact that I was the lightest I had been in my adult life (154 pounds). Not that 10:06 is an objectively bad time. I had just thought I was a lock for sub-9.
Eventually, I’d get that sub-9. But not on that bike. Nor the next. Nor the next. Nor the next.
Each time I get a new bike, I am sure that this is going to be the bike that makes the difference. The one that really makes me fast and capable. And so I have justified my new bike addiction with a ridiculous number of bikes.
You know that “N+1” cliche? The one that says something along the lines of “The number of bikes a cyclist needs is N+1, where N is the cyclist’s current number of bikes.”
Well, that gag doesn’t even start to work with me, because it’s rare that I don’t have at least two bikes I’m planning out. And it’s usually closer to three or four: a road bike, a geared mountain bike, a singlespeed mountain bike, and something for The Hammer.
I am not joking. Not even a little bit.
The result is a garage that looks like this:
How many bikes is that? I have no idea. I will say, though, that this doesn’t represent all the bikes I’ve owned in recent memory, because I tend to be pretty free with my bike loans to friends. Dug’s got my old Waltworks. Kenny’s got my Specialized TriCross.
And how many have there been that have come before? Good question.
In truth, I I’m not sure I can even remember how many bikes I’ve had since I’ve started riding seriously. Clearly, I’ve got a problem.
But let me take a swing at it. Order isn’t strictly chronological or anything, because that would be too overwhelming, to be honest.
- The bikes up ‘to 2007: Bridgestone MB5, Specialized Stumpjumpoer M2, Ibis Steel Mojo, Ibis Bow Ti, Ibis Ti Mojo, Fisher Paragon, Bianchi ??? (low-end road bike: Campionissimo?), Ibis road Ti, Gary Fisher Sugar 2, Gary Fisher Sugar 1. I’m cheating here, because I did a post in 2007 listing my bikes up to that point.
- Lemond ???: I owned a Lemond road bike very briefly after my Ibis Road Ti died. Honestly, I recall it only very vaguely.
- Ibis Silk Carbon: This was my road bike ’til I got the Orbea with the Di2. But I still have this, and have converted it into my singlespeed road bike.
- Lemond Fillmore: A steel singlespeed road bike. Incredibly heavy, incredibly inexpensive. I gave it away in a fundraiser when I converted my Ibis Silk Carbon to a singlespeed.
- Bianchi Pista: When I lived in Washington, I rode by the Marymoor velodrome on my way to work every day. I bought the Pista with the hope of starting to race track. But then I moved and gave the Pista away as part of a fundraiser.
- Fisher Paragon: A light-for-its-time aluminum 29er. Finally sold it locally.
- Dahon Flo: The first bike I ever got as a perk for being a blogger. Eventually it became the bike I used to pull trailers and tagalong bikes. Now that my kids are all grown up, I finally sold it.
- Gary Fisher Superfly: My first carbon bike. The frame cracked, so it was also my second carbon bike. I still have this; The Hammer rode it for a couple years and now The Swimmer rides it.
- Matt Chester Dinglespeed: Back before I started this blog, I had a website called “Epic Rides,” where I wrote about my long rides and invited others to do the same. Matt Chester contributed and eventually I built a website for him when he started building bikes for a living. He built me this really cool dinglespeed (double singlespeed) titanium bike, but I got it before I really understood or had the strength for singlespeeding. I still have the bike, though, and think maybe it’s time I get it conditioned and give it another try. I’ve lost touch with Matt and wish I hadn’t. I hope he’s doing great.
- Gary Fisher Superfly Singlespeed: This was a hard bike to get ahold of when it first came out; it was not sold at retail. I sold this when I got the next year’s version. I wish I wouldn’t have.
- Gary Fisher Superfly Singlespeed 2nd Year: This bike was a mix of awesome and tragic. The good folks at Gary Fisher did a custom paint job for me. Unfortunately, the swinging dropout is notoriously slippery and won’t stay put. I still have this bike and will never sell it, but I don’t ride it (in part because of the dropout, but mostly because the frame is too awesome).
- Waltworks SS: A cool singlespeed custom-decaled by Twin Six. the frame cracked and has been repaired, and I let Dug’s son ride it ’til he outgrew it. I think Dug has cannibalized it for parts on other bikes now.
- Some Cheesy Tandem: I bought a super-cheap tandem for a few hundred bucks. It’s a terrible, Walmart-quality bike that was fun for some laughs but now sits rusting in the backyard.
- Orbea Orca: A gorgeous carbon road bike, outfitted with the then-brand-new Shimano Di2. I still own this bike; it lives in Austin and I ride it when I am at the office there.
- Gary Fisher Superfly 100: I wanted to see how I felt riding a full suspension carbon cross country racer. I never really fell in love with it though, and it sat around mostly unused for years. I finally sold it a few months ago.
- Specialized Stumpjumper: Specialized wooed me away from Fisher with this incredibly light, fast, sophisticated carbon hardtail. Riding it, I got my first sub-9 Leadville time. 8:18 in fact. Specialized congratulated me / rewarded me by letting me keep this bike.
- Specialized Stumpjumper Singlespeed: This is the fastest, lightest singlespeed I could ever imagine. I built it up with crazy-nice ENVE wheels and cockpit and I am still in love with it. I did an 8:25 on it at Leadville a couple years ago.
- Ibis Tranny 29: My current favorite go-anywhere, do-anything machine. I originally had it built up with a belt drive, but prefer it with gears and the incredible Ibis 941 wheels. Built with a dropper post, this is not my lightest hardtail ever, but it may be the funnest, most versatile bike I’ve ever owned.
- Specialized Shiv: I’ve never gone so fast as on this bike. And I might start racing more with this this summer…I’m kind of thinking it might be fun to start racing some time trials, and I understand there’s a local time trial series in SLC.
- Specialized Tarmac: My gorgeous, exquisite, rocket-fast, incredibly light, silver road race machine. I cannot imagine a better, faster road bike.
I think that’s it. I didn’t cheat by looking in the garage or checking old posts in my blog, so I don’t know for sure.
And you know what? Now that I’ve written this, out, I’ve changed my mind. I don’t have a problem. Sure, I’ve had a lot of bikes. But I’ve had an extraordinary amount of fun on almost every single one of them. They’ve each reflected something I wanted and was at the time.
I started this post thinking I was going to poke fun at how many bikes I’ve had. But I’m finishing it happy. These bikes are all part of who I am and what I do.
I expected to finish this post with some kind of jokey “I’m going to change, I’m going to repent” tone. Instead, I’m finishing nearly in tears (I’m serious), grateful for the joy these bikes have all bought me.
At some point, all these bicycles—the ones I have and the ones that have moved on—have become members of my family.
Comment by DavidV | 12.4.2014 | 11:58 am
Thanks Fatty, I’ve sent this to my girlfriend so that she can’t complain about my five bikes!
Comment by dbj_cyclist | 12.4.2014 | 12:06 pm
Didn’t you leave out the Shiv?
I did! I’ll fix the post. – FC
Comment by Rohit | 12.4.2014 | 12:11 pm
Steel Mojo. British Racing Green. Bought as a grad school graduation present for myself. Love love love this bike. Will never sell it.
Comment by J | 12.4.2014 | 12:13 pm
Not sure how you did it. I usually can’t keep a bike around for long. Mostly due to frame or other major damages.
Comment by Kristina | 12.4.2014 | 12:31 pm
Ha! I have one….
It’s a Specialized Rock-Hopper, 29er, and it took over a year for me to decide that I wanted it badly enough to spend that kind of money (which, honestly, isn’t even really that much) to get it.
I aspire to someday have a garage full of as many toys as Fatty!
Comment by Tom in Albany | 12.4.2014 | 12:31 pm
Bike #1. (~1973) Schwinn 5-speed shifter on top tube for Christmas. I was about 8. Bike got stolen from my yard that summer.
Bike #2. (1979) white colored Columbia 10-speed when I turned 14. I used my parents’ bikes in the interim. My parents gave it away to a neighbor’s kid when I went to grad school in Missouri.
Bike #3. (1988) Schwinn road bike I bought at a garage sale when I was in grad school. I rode this for nearly 6 months before some kid pulled out in front of me and the wheel base was significantly reduced.
Bike #4. (1989) Schiwnn road bike. I graduated and, with my first paycheck, bought a $400 Schwinn 12-speed because, as the shop guy said, it really ‘clicks’! (Any clue as to what that means?) It collects dust in my cellar.
Bike #5. (1994) Mongoose $400 mountain bike to see if I liked mountain biking. It collects dust in my cellar. I have a single speed conversion kit for it that I’ve yet to install.
Bike #6. (1999) Serotta CTi road bike with ultegra 9-speed gruppo and Mavic Open Pro Classic rimset. This is my current roadbike/commuter.
Bike #7. (2001) Trek Fuel ‘98 full-suspension mtn bike. This is my current mountain bike.
So, it has been 13 years since I’ve purchased a new bicycle. I get the itch and I look around. I can’t bring myself to spend the money on the bike I would want to replace the Serotta. I’ve looked multiple times into replacing the Trek but I don’t mountain bike often enough to justify what I’d want.
I’ve bought my wife a mountain bike and each of my kids their first and second bikes. I’m guessing the kids will get their new ones before i do!
Comment by Kristina | 12.4.2014 | 12:36 pm
Also, according to my count (and assuming that nobody comes up with others you’ve forgotten) that’s a total of 29. Whatcha’ got planned for the big 3-0?
Comment by PNP | 12.4.2014 | 12:50 pm
I’ve had five bikes in my life, so now I feel like a total slacker.
Bike#1: Blue, Christmas present when I was in elementary school in Anchorage. I had the only skinny tire bike of all the kids in the neighborhood. I rode it for years and then it faded away when I got into high school.
Bike #2: White Peugeot, bought in a fit of ambition in 1973. Rode it for a while, but not much. Left behind in a storage room when I decided that being single was a good move.
Bike #3: early 80s Bianchi Randonneur, blue. I rode that bike all over eastern Washington. I got the smallest frame size and it’s still too tall for me. I have it hanging on a rack in the garage. It’s all original, right down to the tubes, and darned if they still don’t hold air! I keep it just because I love it.
Bike #4: Specialized Ruby, white, carbon road bike. I love my Ruby. Just a lovely ride. Currently keeping company with the Bianchi because I can’t ride right now. Hope to get back to it next summer.
Bike #5: Specialized Tricross, polished aluminum. Beautiful bike. Gets me comments every time I take it out. I got it to ride in the Oregon winters, since it has wider tires with a bit more tread. I got silver fenders for it. Also keeping company with the Bianchi and Ruby. All three of them give me sad puppy eyes when I go out into the garage because they want to go out and play.
Bike #6 (prospective): I’ve started considering trying out a mountain bike to see if I’d like it, but I can’t ride right now, so it’s just an idea at the moment.
I really miss riding.
Comment by Robert | 12.4.2014 | 1:10 pm
Dear Mr. Fatty,
Owning bikes… Euh! My friend Jeroen from Arnhem, the Netherlands, is starting a mountainbikemuseum this month. He owns about three seacontainers full of classic bikes. It will blow you away, lots of Specialized as well. You should meet him, you will absolutely love his humor and authenticity. He’s on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mountainbike-Museum/223268221132659
Keep up the good work!
Robert
Comment by Mark in Bremerton | 12.4.2014 | 1:29 pm
It’s evident that you, and lots of people, have very deep feelings about bikes. I, too, have lots of good (and bad) memories of riding, but the bike itself was just the means to those experiences. I buy the best bike I can afford for the purpose at the time, then hang on to it until it breaks, basically. The only bike I really miss is my 1978 Schwinn Super LeTour that I bought new. I crashed it a few years back and bent the frame, so now it’s been stripped and mounted as my spin bike. I keep my (5 + 1 for the wife) bikes in good condition so that I can ride when the time is right. It’s the RIDE, not the bike IMHO.
Comment by Bart the Clydesdale | 12.4.2014 | 1:35 pm
Just the mountain bikes
#1 1987 Diamondback owned for three weeks before it was stolen from a home I was visiting. Stolen one week after I stopped a in-process theft and chased the would be thief down the street on foot till he fell of the bike. This chase went on to include, no exaggeration, several police cars and one police helicopter. The would be crook was never apprehended, but what a tale I had to tell. At the time I thought I had won less than a week later the thieves got the last laugh.
#2 1989 Kuwahara great bike until I bent the frame on a jump
#3 1998 GT Palomar The bike that lead to my wife strongly suggesting that I give up mountain biking after I crashed on a descent at Hartman Rocks in Gunnison Colorado. If you want to ruin a family vacation try severely injuring yourself while your wife is 3 months pregnant.
#4 2011 Cannondale F29 Carbon Lefty so after not riding a mountain bike for over 1/2 a decade I finally bought a nice bike. My current ride and I love it.
You are right Fatty all bring memories and stories.
Comment by Justin L. | 12.4.2014 | 1:35 pm
Craigslist!!! One word, think of the money you can raise for World Bicycle relief, or buy another really nice bike
Comment by Tom | 12.4.2014 | 1:47 pm
This is a little off topic, but I really like the PVC bike rack you’ve built. That’s a slick way to hold a small peloton’s worth of bikes.
I’m assuming you’ve built it. If you didn’t build it, don’t tell me. Just take credit for it’s niceness.
I did build it. Here’s the post from when I did. It’s been a fantastic rack for the ~6 years I’ve been using it now. – FC
Comment by MattC | 12.4.2014 | 2:04 pm
Just emailed you my desired inscription for my Great Fatsby book. Hopefully it doesn’t get lost in the mountain of emails you get daily.
And WOW! That is actually your garage? Pretty wild IMO…my 2 car garage has 2 CARS in it (and 2 bikes hanging at an angle on the wall so I can get them in/out w/ cars in the garage). And also all my other important stuff. I’d almost go so far as to say (in my total amateur psyc analysis) that you should maybe see somebody about this addiction. But on the other hand, you lucky duck! You’re livin’ the dream baby! Yep…livin the dream.
Comment by Noel | 12.4.2014 | 2:17 pm
I love it. I aspire to be this awesome some day. My list:
#1, mid 70s: Huffy Barnstormer. I was like 6 and it was an el-cheapo knock off of the Schwinn Stingray. This was mid 70s. No idea where it went.
#2, early 80s: Black and yellow K-Mart BMX bike. Sold to a friend’s sister
#3, early 80s: First edition Haro Freestyler frame and fork. Loved this bike. Built it up and rode it for years. Stupidly sold it around 2000.
#4, late 80s – Second-hand Schwinn 10 speed. Rode it on my paper route and everywhere else. No idea where it went.
#5, early 2011 – a leftover 2010 Specialized Allez Sport Compact. My first road bike when I was drug kicking and screaming back into cycling. It got me hooked on cycling as an adult, but it was much too large for me. A 58cm frame, I’m 5′9″ tall. Sold on Craig’s list in Sept 2011.
#6, September 2011 – a leftover 2010 Specialized Roubaix SL2. My current road bike, and I love it. It’s been tricked out with carbon Reynolds wheels, power meter, and other odds and ends.
#7, early 2012 – a secondhand 2007 Jamis Durango Mountain bike. This was my “I’m not sure if I’ll like mountain biking” mountain bike. Traded in fall of 2012 for bike #9.
#8, July 2012 – a beautiful new 2013 Specialized Rockhopper Comp. This is my current mountain bike.
#9, Fall 2012 – Traded #7 for a TT bike built around a Scattante XRL frameset. My “I’m not sure if I want a TT bike” TT bike.
#10, Christmas 2012 – A beautiful new Specialized Transition Comp TT/Tri bike. It developed some clearcoat flaking on the frame and Specialized replaced the frameset with a 2-models-up Pro version. It’s my current TT bike, albeit with some mods, and it still holds a special place in my heart for some reason.
#11, Summer 2013 – Fuji Cross 1.3 cyclocross bike. Wanted it for greenways and gravel, some vague thoughts of racing cyclocross somewhere in the future. It quickly became my most-ridden bike behind the Roubaix. Frameset, cranks, and cockpit parts sold to a friend who’s riding them frequently.
#11.5/12, Fall 2014 – I picked up Ridley X-Fire frameset, all new cockpit parts, and cranks, but otherwise cannibalized the Fuji to build up the Ridley. This is my current Cross bike and the bike that is seeing the most outdoor time at the moment.
Man. I didn’t realize I’d acquired that many bikes! And this doesn’t count the 4 bikes my wife currently has…
Comment by Clydesteve | 12.4.2014 | 2:18 pm
I spotted that the Shiv was left out immediately upon reaching the end of the list, but had to do some real work, so dbj_cyclist caught you first.
My reaction? see MattC comment, above!
Comment by MtlDan | 12.4.2014 | 2:45 pm
#1 – Lotus road bike, 1981. A college graduation present. My Dad wanted to buy me a car but I knew I wouldn’t be able to afford gas or insurance.
#2 – Specialized Allez (steel, road), 1993. Replaced the Lotus when the frame broke due to winter indoor training stress.
#3 – Specialized Allez (steel, road), 1998. Free replacement when the frame broke due to indoor training stress. My current bike for riding off road and in spring slush. 25mm tires!
(starts taking spinning classes to prevent future calamities)
#4 – Argon18 Krypton (carbon), 2005. My current road bike.
That’s it. I’m with Mark (above). For me it’s the ride, not the bike. (Although I still enter Fatty’s contests because a new bike wouldn’t be bad.)
Comment by Dave T | 12.4.2014 | 3:05 pm
One of my favorite bikes I’ve own through the years was a Stuntjumper M2. When it came time to part with this bike I wanted it to go to a good home so I gave it to my friend Gary. After Gary made some nice updates it soon became his favorite bike. Over the years Gary continued to update the bike from time to time with a new shock or new components and when his son became old enough to ride the bike it became his.
Comment by haspokember | 12.4.2014 | 3:42 pm
About Matt Chester:
http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/any-word-matt-chester-904775.html
also
http://forums.mtbr.com/29er-bikes/matt-chester-714775-7.html#post9219418
This is sad, really sad.
He is on Twitter though, very much alive:
https://twitter.com/mctifab
Maybe in another life.
Comment by Fellowfattychris | 12.4.2014 | 3:44 pm
Fatty,
I can only dream of having a list of bikes that long. I can remember every bike I have had since childhood and I still don’t come close to you.
I am up to 9, and still have the later 5 in my possession. Maybe by the time I am your age I will be able to compare. I had a much longer gap between new rides than I would have liked between 2001-2013, but the last 2 years have been much better to me.
My current goal is minimum +1 each year, with plans for new road, mountain, fat, and cross bikes.
1- 1983 Huffy BMX
2- Late 80’s Schwinn hybrid
3- Old no-name SS cruiser with a basket that I rode for quite a few years when I had my paper route. No-name because the frame had been cracked, welded, and re-painted multiple times. It was the same bike my father and uncle had used for a paper route back in their day.
4- Early 90’s Schwinn High Sierra, hard to believe, but I actually started mountain biking on this.
4- Mid 90’s Trek full suspension, both the front and rear suspension were not very good and made the bike pretty heavy
5- 1999 Trek 8900 Hard tail XC racer
6- 2001 Lemond Zurich steel road bike
7- 2013 Trek Speed Concept 7.8
8- Took my dad’s old 1960’s Schwinn 3 speed Racer out of my mom’s garage and am currently restoring it to ride around on family rides. Not the fanciest most collectable Schwinn, but the sentimental value is high.
9- 2013 Trek Stache 8 Hard tail
I’d really love for #10 to be an Ibis Ripley built up to the nines with Sram parts! I would ride around proudly with my new Fatty long sleeve jersey, Fatty t-shirt, while reading my autographed and inscribed The Great Fatsby book.
I’ve been thinking about trying the time-trial series in SLC as well. We should go together.
Comment by Raph | 12.4.2014 | 4:04 pm
My list, lots of joy and time spent with these. Years are approximative.
1980 Blue BMX with red protection
1982 Brown Batavus BMX with yellow protection
1983 Second hand chrome Redline BMX
1984 Blue Aluminium SE Racing PK Ripper BMX
1985 Chrome GHP (Greg Hill Production)
1989 Rocky Mountain hardtail, still riding it to work
2004 Trek “1500″ tbc
2005 Giant full suspension MTB, first broken bone
2008 Black Trek Fuel Ex
2014 Scott Solace first carbon bike, rather late than never
Comment by Libby | 12.4.2014 | 4:26 pm
My first: I was 8 when we first met, at the Hudson’s Bay store in the far north of Ontario. A light blue 3 speed. Can’t remember it’s brand but don’t think it was CCM (my sister had a CCM). Dad bought it the next spring (yep, it was still in the store over winter), shaking his head. I was 9 and rode that all over. Rode it until I was 15/16.
Bike #2–was 17 and bought my first 10-speed (so 1975 eh?). A BRC College Sport. LOVED that bike. Unfortunately it met with a few mishaps (apparently hard objects compromise the integrity of spokes & forks). I used it with that horrid child seat contraption (I just about toppled over with the kid in it). Lost it in 1989.
Bike #3–Trek 7.5 FX WD …it is really spiffy with gold lettering and cross stitch pattern. Saddle has embossed cross-stitch. I need a new saddle as this nifty one doesn’t fit me. It is a companion one to my hub’s 7.5 FX. We started getting back into cycling with these. I use it for shopping. This will have panniers next spring. I rode my first charity ride on it. 145km. in the rain.
Bike #4–Specialized Roubaix. Tried the Ruby but she didn’t feel right. My Roubaix felt like going home back to my red BRC. And it is red so it is fast. I rode my first Gran Fondo (excuse to get it) with a broken wrist @100km (didn’t finish). I LOVE riding it.
Lost most of last season (don’t play around with a concussion…cuts into riding time) so hopefully more long rides with it.
Bike #5: a mountain bike??? Maybe a win from Fatty?? Oh, I have to enter first? Geesh, rules, totally over rated.
Not even close to Fatty’s Bike Garage.
Comment by Geoffrey | 12.4.2014 | 4:57 pm
1979 Raleigh Macho. Commuted to elementary school on it.
Big Gap in time.
1990 Trek 950: My dad took up riding and wanted someone to ride with. So he picked me up from the airport when I came home from school for the summer. We stopped at the bike shop on the way home.
1992 Trek OCLV: Broke it. Replaced. Broke it again. Sold it.
1994 Custom Answer Manitou full suspension: 50 mm of travel front AND rear!
1960s Pogliaghi Track bike: raced it for 7 years. Classic and awesome.
199X Cannondale red and yellow bike: Fell off my roof on the freeway WITH my roof rack. Did not survive being run over multiple times
1998: Specialized M4: Raced it in the one Ironman I’ve done. I won that race, in that a woman came to watch me race, and was impressed, and married me.
1998 Custom Curtlo Hardtail: Did some adventure racing. Just rebuilt it and repainted it, and it isn’t pretty, but it’s fun
1998 Custom BREW track bike: currently waiting in my garage for me to ride the track again.
1990s Tandem: My first date with my wife was a tandem ride. I bought a tandem, and we rode it a few times.
1999 Kestrel 500SL (?? the no seat tube one with 26″ wheels): Bought it used, rode it twice, sold it. Not my cup o’ tea.
2000 Paramount Ti: Built by Serotta, I managed to score this off eBay for $350. Rode it today. Still running 9 speed.
2009 Turner 5 Spot: Loved it, but it broke two weeks ago.
2014 Ibis HDR 650b: Beautiful and fun.
Since I got married and had kids, the purchasing rate dramatically slowed. Continue to wonder about getting a new carbon road bike.
Comment by Doug (way upstate NY) | 12.4.2014 | 5:05 pm
While technically not a “bike” you did forget your single speed single wheel steed. :)
Comment by Corrine | 12.4.2014 | 11:04 pm
1960’s – Sears one speed bike with pedal brakes handed down from older sister
1970’s – Sears yellow 10 speed
1975 – Schwinn Sierra 10 speed
1980’s Miyata 215 touring bike
1986 – one of the original Specialized Rockhoppers
Rode the Rockhopper and Miyata for many years
2008 Trek 6700 mountain bike with front suspension made for women!
2010 Felt ZW2 carbon fiber road bike
2013 Felt 29er carbon fiber hardtail – I love my Felt bikes!
2014 907 carbon fiber fat bike – my newest addition!
Pretty amazing I went 20 years without buying a bike although I rode a lot recreationally and now have bought 3 in the past 5 year!
Comment by JD | 12.5.2014 | 6:24 am
I get the bike relationship thing – I even talk to mine. It’s ok, I’ve been tested….
#1 My Dad and I built my first bike when I was about ten years old (about 1978). It was an old Schwinn banana seat bike that we converted to BMX. Got rid of the banana seat, sissy bar, and big swooping bars. Went thru every bearing and even painted it. It was a real hot rod for a young kid. My parents were divorced so spending a week with my Dad and building this bike was a real treat, I remember it like it was yesterday! I love working on bikes and wonder if this is the reason.
#2 I worked my tail off mowing yards all summer and bought a Raleigh BMX bike when I was about thirteen or fourteen (about 1982). I raced it one year and learned what I really needed. Knocked out my front teeth by doing a face plant on the asphalt while practicing wheelies (self taught, lousy instructor…).
#3 The Raleigh above slowly transformed, one part at a time as I could afford it into a full blown chrome GT BMX bike with some really awesome parts (remember the Stu Thompson bar and Pro Neck stem?? No more stripped bars!). I raced this bike two years (about ‘83 to ‘85) and loved every second (even the occasional painful ones). I kept this bike a long time, even let my little sister ride it for a number of years. My own children rode it for a while. After they lost interest, I sold it, mostly because it was in the way – I think that was about 2008.
#4 Schwinn Impact Pro mountain bike. Bought this brand new in about 1991. Was a great bike. Commuted to work on it for a couple years then lost interest, life got in the way. It waited until three years ago (about 2011) when I started riding again. I rode it for nearly a thousand miles that first summer back on the bike.
#5 Specialized Rockhopper purchased from Craigslist in 2012. I think it is about a 2006 model year. Rode this on road and trail until I decided I wanted to try a road bike (largely due to your exploits Elden).
#6 Giant OCR 3 purchased from Craigslist in 2013. Aluminum frame, carbon fork road bike. A really fun ride. I learned that I loved road cycling on this bike.
#7 Chinese carbon road bike. Built this myself earlier this year (spring 2014). Used the new 105 group, carbon wheels, carbon bar, etc… It is a blast to ride and beautiful to look at.
#8 2013 Specialized Stumpjumper FSR Comp purchased from eBay (fall 2014). My first full suspension mountain bike. I purchased this while healing from a broken arm (road bike accident). I’m still healing so have only ridden it a few times but I am like it! Can’t wait to get her on some real trails.
Pingback by Chainlinks from @urbanvelo @inrng @bikeyface @fatcyclist @JohnProlly @RedKitePrayer and More! - Trail & Tarmac | 12.5.2014 | 6:48 am
[...] That … that’s a lot of bikes. [...]
Comment by Will Benton | 12.5.2014 | 9:03 am
Thank you Fatty. I can now point to your blog and say to my wife “SEE”.
The Hammer is a lucky woman.
Poon
Comment by Philip | 12.5.2014 | 9:08 am
That’s a great line up of bikes you got there, Fatty! I think it’s the memories that you’ve had with them that makes you not able to forget them. Right?
Comment by Maggi | 12.5.2014 | 11:47 am
I literally gasped when I saw so many bikes in that photo. I’ve had four bikes as an adult: one that I got off Ebay, then gave away when I moved from AZ to PA; a hybrid that I bought a few months after moving to PA, which I gave away at the end of last summer; my first road bike (which was given to me) and my first-ever brand-spankin’ new road bike, which I bought at the beginning of this summer, a Trek Domane 5.2. That thing is so damn sexy.
If I ever save up the dough to buy another bike, it’ll be a hand-crafted steel baby from 44 Bikes. Kris makes glorious machines.
Comment by Bob Diedrich | 12.5.2014 | 11:53 am
I may have missed a post or two, but I can’t recall any discussion about fat bikes. If this is true, why doesn’t the Fat Cyclist have a fat bike in his quiver? Have you considered riding a fatty? I recently (today) hit 5000 miles for 2014 exclusively on a fat bike. I will never look back to the skinny tires and my need for speed has “shifted” (pun intended) to the need for adventure. I can’t help but wonder what new terrain you could explore in your area with a fatty??? In Minnesota, we have the Great Lakes Fat Bike Race Series to explore our winter wonderland. In addition to that, we have fat bike race classes now in all of our summer and shoulder season races. I am curious if the fat bike movement has grazed your area like it has up here in the north country? Did you see the article in Men’s Health Magazine about how riding the fat bike can yield some epic calorie burn numbers, ~1500 cal/hr?
Comment by Darren | 12.5.2014 | 1:05 pm
I see you have a dropper seat post on your 29er Hardtail. Do you find it is useful? I have a dropper seat post in have been considering putting on my HT, but haven’t decided if the weight penalty is worth any advantage……
Comment by old guy who likes to ride | 12.5.2014 | 1:52 pm
slightly serious – have you put a value to these and talked to your homeowners insurance rep?
Comment by Fred | 12.5.2014 | 3:35 pm
1. 1974 – Red single speed project bike built by my dad from scrap (probably 50’s or 60’s vintage) parts. It replaced my kiddy tricycle. Rode it for years. It had a bad habit of dropping the chain at high speeds, but otherwise a great bike to learn on.
2. 197x – Green Columbia banana-seat, sissy bar, high rise bars, Suntour 5-speed with T-handle shifter on the top tube. Bought by my dad from a coworker for $10 and refurbed in his shop at work before I ever saw it. Still remember my first ride on that one around the parking lot at his office. I logged a lot of miles on that one. Wish I still had it.
3. Early-80’s Spartan 10-speed from Lowe’s (yes the hardware store). Delivered a lot of papers on that one. Bottom bracket failed.
4. 1987 Schwinn Traveler – 12-speed, down tube shifters, rode it a lot to/through college. Crashed it once forcing a wheel upgrade. Also took that opportunity to increase the gear ratio. It was a good idea at the time. The bike rode much better on MA-40’s and close-ratio 6-speed cassette.
5. 2008 – Trek 2.3 Roadie. Age and an injury or two convinced me that the tall gearing on the Schwinn was no longer for me. Parts were scarce and expensive for a refit, so it was time for a complete reboot. The Trek has a 2X10 compact on it, and it climbs much better than the 40X21 low gear on the Schwinn. The Schwinn is hanging from the ceiling of the laundry room.
The Trek now has 25,000+ miles on it and some of the best adventures of my adult life.
6. 2010 Trek Mamba 29-er hardtail. It’s just a cardio training tool when it’s too cold / dark / windy / rainy to ride the roadie. I enjoy riding it, but I’m usually wishing I was on the roadie.
x. Honorable mention for bike that technically wasn’t mine, but I logged a lot of miles on it. An old JC Higgins (blue/white) women’s balloon tire single speed. My mom bought it for herself at a yard sale for $10. She rarely rode it, but it was my cheap BMX trail weapon (because the Columbia high-rise was certainly not a good BMX weapon) This thing was old and heavy, but compared to the BMX’s that all of the other kids were riding, IT WAS FAST. My 24″ tires had top speeds that their 20″ tires couldn’t touch. I could jump it for distance with anybody, but jumping for height was not my strong point.
Comment by oheckler | 12.5.2014 | 4:54 pm
Bikes I’ve had since I became a “Cyclist”:
Road
1) Bianchi Victory w/Campy Victory Grupo circa 1986, Columbus SL tubing. Loved this bike and road it all the way to 2008
2) Giant TCR Carbon (2008). Current road bike
Mountain
3) Trek 980 (1988)
4) Specialized Stumpjumper Comp (1990)
5) Santa Cruz Heckler (1997?). Loved that bike! Kept it and road it for 10 years.
6) Kona Kula (1997ish). Bought as a frame dirt cheap from a local bike shop that went out of business and built up very light.
7) Ibis Mojo (1998, one of the last Sebastopol bikes). Another bike I loved and kept forever. In 2010 I had Sycip grind off the brake studs and weld disc tabs on the frame. Then I powder coated it and built it up with all new components.
http://forums.mtbr.com/ibis/classic-mojo-restoration-586305.html
8) Intense Tracer
9) Titus Motolite. One of my favorite bikes. I think I would still ride it occasionally if I still had it.
10) Ibis Mojo Carbon (1999).
11) Niner A9C (2013). My first foray into 29ers and I couldn’t be happier. Fastest mountain bike I’ve ever ridden and my current favorite bike.
Comment by Bicycle Bill | 12.6.2014 | 8:50 am
Still occasionally riding “The Oldest Living Trek in Captivity”; my old 1976 vintage Trek bike, constructed of Reynolds 531 double-butted tubing (including forks and stays). Built up as what was called in those days a “touring bicycle” it replaced a Japanese-built “Sekine” that had provided me yeoman service for two or three seasons.
“Trusty Rusty” (my affectionate name for her) has carried my carcass through 20-some RAGBRAIs, a couple of other trans-state rides in the upper Midwest, several editions of the TOSRV, a few dozen “something-a-thon” rides to benefit things like the Am Cancer Society, and countless other club rides, organized century/metric century runs, and the occasional day spent just wandering down a country backroad on my own. She has been given a place of honor inside my home (no cold garage for her!), and I do take her out for a ride every now and then.
And if the time ever came where I might have to choose between Rusty and my living, breathing girlfriend …… well, there’s a lot of other women out there to pick from.
-”BB”-
Comment by clydesteve | 12.6.2014 | 11:20 am
I have a very humble collection. My 2003 Trek road bike, a 2009 Specialized Fred dork Special, a 2013 trek 29r hard tail, complete with dick brakes, and a 1978 Peugeot road bike converted into a ‘cross.
I wish I still had my first two “real” bikes:
On my 7th birthday, my Dad took me took me to some guy across Seattle that collected old bike, reconditioned and resold them. I gave my heart to a Raleigh single speed ‘racer’. Bright orange. (drop bars, so it was a racer. It was a junior sized bike, just right for me, with 24″ wheels.
Dad was pushing a 26″ wheels full sized Schwinn cruiser with spring saddle suspension, and a 3-speed bendix hub “transmission”. He felt like I would grow into it and get more use out of it. I was not really charmed by the clunky style – I originally thought I wanted a Stingray (think cheap BMX, but with banana seat and ape hanger handle bars), but Dad nixed that as a stupid fad.
We ended up going home with the Schwinn, and I was still excited about it. But it was so big, that dad had to remove the seat, and I rode around standing up, with a protection rag wrapped round the seatpost top!
Dad was so impressed that I continued to ride the hell out of that thing that he went and got me the Raleigh. I truly loved that bike. But, as he predicted, I outgrew it.
I still wanted a stingray, and I really wanted a cool metal-flake paint scheme, not the dorky red & white 2-tone Schwinn paint job.
Perhaps this was a premonition of my future as a Mechanical Engineer. I completely stripped that frame bare, right down to individual BBs in the bottom bracket, and gave it a Krylon Purple metal flake paint job.
Between apparently unconscious mechanical ability, and inexcusably poor style & taste, I think dad knew I was destined to be an engineer. I got it all back together by myself, though!
I saved up for a white banana seat and a set of ape hangers. I ditched the dorky Schwinn grips and bought something cool.
I had my 3-speed, 26″ Stingray!
Wish it was in my garage, if only to gaze in wonder at how ugly a purple full-sized Stingray with a white banana seat is.
Comment by Spiff | 12.6.2014 | 12:19 pm
I aspire to have a garage like that! In my ten years of cycling, I’ve owned 8 bikes; only three of them are still in the garage.
Given all the high end, latest and greatest bikes you’ve owned, Fatty, I’m surprised you haven’t ever gotten a custom frame built up. There are a lot of great builders out there and your stable is missing a nice Ti bike!
Comment by Jado | 12.6.2014 | 1:09 pm
Fatty, my wife saw the picture of your garage and called that hoarding….
I should probably point out that this rack has my bikes, The Hammer’s bikes, the twins’ bikes, The IT guy’s bike, and The Swimmer’s bikes. In other words, yeah it’s a lot of bikes…but for six riders. – FC
Comment by NancyJBS | 12.7.2014 | 5:05 pm
Dang, Fatty! I’m impressed and happy for you because I know each one represents o love like no other.
Living in the hometown of Salsa Bicycles, maker of the beautiful Beargrease Crabon (sic) fat bike, I feel strongly that you should have TJHIS fat bike (the 2015 Beargrease Carbon XX1):
I think you can agree that the colors are correct, nay, PERFECT. And the best part is that the orange underbelly is largely seen only by those positioned lower than your bicycle, perhaps as they are bowing to it’s beauty and the awesomeness of it’s rider.
Comment by NancyJBS | 12.7.2014 | 5:09 pm
Oh please let this work! David H? Help!
Comment by davidh-marin,ca | 12.8.2014 | 12:55 am
NancyJBS
I’m no savant, and I didn’t stay at a Holiday Inn Express, so this is the best I could do. I do agree Elden needs one! (smaller than your image but still a little large)
Comment by patty | 12.8.2014 | 7:40 am
I have only had 4 bikes in my life. One as a kid which years later my five brothers took over and destroyed, one I bought for $15.00 to get around the Ohio State campus (I left it for my roommates), one junk bike that I bought and rode to work when I was married until I got pregnant, and my 20+ year old bike that I bought for transportation when my car was in the shop for a week. I guess I need to upgrade and buy a new bike instead of buying quilting fabric! My fabric stash looks like your bike stash!
Comment by esteefatty | 12.8.2014 | 10:36 am
My first two-wheeler was a blue Huffy with fat tires, followed by a 3 speed Schwinn. Longest ride was ca. 23 miles from Applegate, OR to Grants Pass and then same back,sharing the road with huge fully loaded log trucks with no real shoulder to speak of. Loggers got a kick out of blowing their horn.
Next up was a Raleigh 10 speed that I took to college, rode to classes and to work at UCSB. Bike clips essential to keep bell bottom pants out of the chain. In 1975 my newly-wed husband and I bought a pair of Araya road bikes in Indiana. They were silver, very light and had cool thumb shifters. We had a grand time touring roads and parks in Wisconsin during 6 mo. stay in Chicago for UCSB‘s time slot at Fermi Lab. Loved seeing fireflies. Humidity,not so much.
Back in CA we put the Aryas to use riding around Isla Vista and UCSB. The series of bike paths that headed off campus through the Goleta Slough and down to Goleta beach always fun. Good bird watching too.
Moved to Oregon and for a long time I didn’t ride. Now I have a Giant Suede which has marked my era of getting back on a bike. The fat tires remind me of the Huffy but the upright position suits me. We have lived at the top of one hill or another for over 30 years. Our current hill has an official 14% grade road marker. You can descend like a maniac heading out but that climb will have to be conquered to get home. I have let that steep hill and the rain talk me out of riding too often. Now I read about riding. Thank you Fatty and FoF for hours of fun and inspiration.
Comment by Jeremy | 12.9.2014 | 12:27 am
#1 – Sears BMX bike, blue: I rode it until I got tired of hitting my knees on the handlebars and having to stand up all the time. It carried me to school and back when my mom would let me skip riding the bus, and that was a huge treat.
#2 – French folder, black (technically not mine, but I rode the crap out of it): This was my grandparents’ bike and it had a tire dynamo to run lights (so cool when you’re 9) and big slicks. I ran it off a 3′ jump and landed it solid flat on the pavement in the next cul de sac over. I had to walk it back up the street home.
#3 Trek 820 Singletrack, black: I rode the parts off that bike even though the frame was really about 2″ too big. I got it from a friend whose riding was cut short when he was hit by a van. I rode that all over the place. I rode to nearby towns on my first bicycle excursions outside of town. I rode to find trails to bomb down. I put a profile bar and slicks on it and rode the Seattle to Portland (2-day). I sold it when I got to college.
#4 Barracuda A2B: The first bike I bought myself. It was squirrelly as all get out and I bought one in a size that leaned me over way too far, but I still have it and take it out to go jump curbs or hit the fire roads. It saw life as a commuter for a time. I gave those tires, fenders, and rack to a student who needed coverage for his bike so he could get around when his dad got sick.
#5 1998 Klein Stage: I found this on consignment at a local shop. It sat there and every time I drove by the shop, I’d go in to look at it. They wouldn’t come down off the price for 3 years (!) until I finally let the idea of getting that bike go. I went bike shopping after a heart-to-heart with my wife and a desire to lose some of the extra 25 pounds I was carrying at the time. I went shop to shop and found my Klein Stage still there when I got to that shop. They cut me a deal and I walked out with a new bike. I learned how to ride clipless pedals on a pair of MTB pedals and went from shorts to bike shorts to bibs and full kit on that bike. I rode centuries and club rides. I put thousands of miles on its gloriously stiff frame. I dismantled it when I got a Klein Aura XV frame, then built it as a single speed I used to commute to work after we moved about 1.5 miles from school.
#6 – 2006 Specialized Tricross – I bought this from a shop in Portland that was the first to get the bike in the state as a commuter to take on the 18 mile round trip from our old house to work. I towed my girls on trail-a-bikes behind it. I bombed fire roads on it. It was a workhouse as a commuter but I was never happy with the front brake, which is not a good thing to be unhappy with. I stripped the rack and fenders off an put on the Specialized fork hanger made specifically for this fork (apparently I was not the only one) so I could ride this summer’s Oregon Coast Gravel Epic (come ride it) somewhat comfortably. I raced it this fall in two cyclocross series and beat the tar out of it.
#7 – Klein Aura XV – I picked up this frame off eBay with the intent to build it up. My wife bought me parts for Christmas so it got built early. This is my go-to road machine. I have upgraded it so much the only things left from the original build are the bars, stem, and shifters. The super tight tolerances in the chain stays make fitting a modern, wide rim really tight. It gets washed and waxed more often than my car. On it, I’ve met good riding buddies, met goals, and rode with Team Fatty 5 times.
Bikes really are awesome.