***It’s the week between Christmas and New 12 months’s Day. I’m not formally running a blog and this isn’t a put up. That is simply us hanging round and speaking.***
The Nice Lob On Excessive has richly blessed me. Along with being lucky in all the standard methods (loving household, free nation, streaming TV, all that stuff) I’ve bought a whole lot of bikes–greater than I ever may have dreamed of proudly owning within the days earlier than I grew to become a semi-professional bike blogger. I trip all of them, too, although in fact some get extra use than others.
However worldly possessions generally is a burden, too; simply ask your native Buddhist monk. Extra bikes means extra decisions, nevertheless it additionally means extra over which to fuss. Then there’s the matter of area. I’ve bought extra of that than plenty of metropolis dwellers, however housing all these bikes generally is a problem, and typically I really feel like an alcoholic hiding booze in the bathroom tank. A big everlasting assortment additionally means when Basic Cycle sends me a brand new (or not-so-new) bike to play with I’ve bought to determine a strategy to get a thirteenth egg into the carton.
So with the 12 months winding down I discover myself considering the concept of proudly owning fewer bicycles. To make certain, I may by no means get it right down to only one; that’s one thing I discovered the exhausting manner. There’s a distinction between operating lean and depriving your self, and I’m within the former, not the latter. At first I requested myself, “Which bikes would I be keen eliminate?,” however I noticed this was the flawed strategy to ask the query, since if there was a compelling motive to eliminate any of them I might have completed it by now.
So then I requested myself, “Which bikes would I completely must preserve?,” which is nearly the identical factor, however completely different sufficient that I may truly start to reply it. So listed here are absolutely the keepers:
Milwaukee
I may by no means do with out at the least one correct street bike. For all of the gravel bikes and “alt” bikes and no matter else the children are into lately, I say essentially the most versatile bike continues to be a street bike. Unpaved trails may be distant, or in the event that they’re shut they are often too muddy or snowy to trip relying on the climate and the time of 12 months. However there’s all the time a street, and normally it’s proper out your entrance door, which suggests whether or not you’re trying to trip for an hour or 10 hours all it’s important to do is step outdoors and go. And naturally a street bike with clearance for fattish tires will even take you onto trails and do most of what at present’s “gravel” bikes do. I’ll all the time have a standard street bike, and it stands to motive that if I’m going to have one conventional street bike it needs to be one with medium- or long-reach brakes.
The Milwaukee rides like a race bike however is flexible sufficient to deal with assorted terrain, it’s traditional but trendy, and it seems nice since its makeover–although I favored the best way it seemed earlier than too:
It’s bought type of a “classic” really feel in the meanwhile with the downtube shifters, but when I wished it to really feel extra trendy once more that’s only a easy matter of placing on some built-in shifters. I don’t assume any trendy street or gravel bike has something on it. It’s a keeper, no query.
Homer
As of late I in all probability cut up my biking time 50/50 between clipless pedals and flat pedals, and the Homer might be essentially the most versatile and satisfying of all my flat pedal bikes. With the drop bars it’s mainly a street bike, however with the fenders and racks and different accoutrements it’s all the time prepared for commuting obligation and errand-running, and naturally it’s bought the clearance and tire quantity to deal with mild off-roading. Additionally, its extraordinarily comfy, it may be configured in innumerable methods, it’s appropriate with many of the contents of my spare elements bin, and whereas these items are clearly subjective I feel it’s a phenomenal body. It’s not going anyplace ever.
Platypus
The Platypus is the best counterpart to the Homer. In a manner the Homer doesn’t want a counterpart because it’s so versatile, although the Platypus is equally versatile. No, it’s not as suited to the sporty street finish of the spectrum, nevertheless it’ll do dust trails extra readily than the Homer, and with the basket and luggage and swept bars it’s prepared for 50-mile rides or household journeys to the park or each with no modifications. Arguably everybody ought to have at the least one bike with a basket and a step-through body, and if you happen to’re going to have one it would as properly even be a high-performance mannequin that’s up for all however essentially the most “aggressive” using on any floor. No matter else occurs, the Platypus stays.
Jones
Rivendell versatility however far more succesful on the off-road finish of the spectrum, it’s up for any type of mountain biking I’m liable to do at this level in my life, but it’s additionally pleasing to trip on clean trails and even pavement. Additionally, whereas I could also be a fan of traditional elements and requirements, I additionally get pleasure from my forays into the world of disc brakes and tubeless tires and clutch derailleurs infrequently, and it’s comforting to know I’ve bought at the least one bike whose limitations I’ll by no means discover. I’ve a whole lot of respect for Jeff Jones, and it’s an honor to have one in every of his bikes.
