[Closed] n+1: what bike do I need?

E-bike...

If you don't know, sounds like you don't need anything.

@cynic-al - that's a very fair point!

The question was a bit tongue in cheek really - I've been (un)lucky enough to inherit some cash in the past year. Not a lot, but enough to treat myself to a(nother) new bike, which I think is better than beer, fags, women or fast cars (all of which I got bored of many years ago and my wife wouldn't be overly impressed if I started re-indulging in any of them now)

The fact I don't actually "need" a new bike is indeed a part of the problem!

Sell the Bombtrack, buy an aero road bike and then decide you don't like road racing.

Then buy a 140mm full susser and realise you find it boring and overbiked, sell that and buy a short travel full sus bike.

But seriously, perhaps consider a MTB that can share or swap wheels with the Santa Cruz.

@twisty - there's reasons for every decision in life isn't there!

I have raced road and track (a lot, to national standard and sadly a long time ago) so a bit like the fast cars and women comment, I'm well and truly over that one!

I've had a few 140mm bikes and enjoyed some of them (26ers) but have a feeling the more modern geometry and better suspension of a new one would make it more of a "toy" for messing about on - the Santa Cruz is great for long distances but a bit of a harsh ride

And the harsh ride bit is a problem - I broke my back 18 weeks ago (4 vertebra - from my Orange 5, which I sold in a rage afterwards, maybe a bit hastily!) - and the injury (which I'm recovering well from) means drop bars (and therefore the Bombtrack) may never really be great for me again.....

I think you may have just helped me talk myself into (a) Bombtrack sale and (b) Thunderbolt!

rigid singlespeed.

I've got a carbon Highball and a LLS hardtail 29er which complements it surprisingly well for rougher stuff.

@reeksy - that's a good suggestion - a Chameleon might go nicely alongside the Highball?

Maybe, would give a ss option too. It's not that slack though. Would love to demo one.

I've got a carbon chameleon in 27.5+ mode. With 130mm forks it rides very well and is hugely capable. Tried it a couple of times on 29 x 2.4" and both times I go back to the plus tyres as they are so much fun and offer a little bit more give.

Not light but that's what your highball is for.

Also have a Mkl Ripmo and the newest N+!, a Carbon whippet from on-one in rigid SS mode (when they let the frame a fork go for £500) That rides great and reminds me of the feel of bikes from yesterday. Very point and squirt.

Out of all 3, the Chameleon gets ridden the most, and I have a buggered back.

chopper.

A cheap basic hardtail that you can abuse and not care too much about it. I've had a bike like this since I got into mountain biking and I find it very freeing. I can lock it up outside shops and pubs and not be too worried about it. Plus after a muddy midweek evening ride you're not too anxious about putting away into the garage when covered in mud. They're great for rides with mates who don't have flash bikes as it's then a fair playing field. They're great for rides with wife and kids, you can put a rack and guards on them and use them for commuting or as a general back bike.

Cheap basic hardtails are just good honest fun which are very adaptable and might surprise you how much fun they are. How much you spend on your bike isn't directly proportional to how much fun you have. You could just buy frame and build it up yourself using a selection of old and new parts. Even try some crazy stuff like putting rigid forks and a fat tyre on the front.

Happy bike shopping! I've very envious as I love bike shopping 👌

Sell the SC and get an RM Pipeline, 27.5+ and 29 compatible. That's 2 bikes for one.

If I had the money I'd have a Chameleon setup hooligan style.

Fatbike

Have look at Paul's cycles for heavily discounted rocky mountain bikes.might help you make up your mind.

I really wouldn't be without a full suspension bike. But that is partly because my knee can't really deal with impacts any more

Loads of capable short travel fs bikes to make all day rides comfy. I have short travel slightly xc 29er. I'd have a longer travel bike if I lived further North

I just received my n+1 last week

Drawn in to Merlin 35% off RRP clearance of a Ridley Noah road bike: aero, full carbon, Ultegra Di2. Didn’t need it but definitely wanted it and couldn’t be happier. Stunning to ride.

The fact I don’t actually “need” a new bike is indeed a part of the problem!

Nah, it's where we all want to be whether we know it or not. The only reason to buy or try new stuff is to figure out what works. Once you have something that works, stick with it unless where you ride most or your riding preferences change significantly. It's just so good to be into fine-tuning a bike that works and thinking about riding itself rather than reading reviews and thinking there's something better round the corner. There may be but the feeling of 'better' is fairly short-lived and then you're used to it. But that's a good place to be and often we're already there with a current bike.

The MTB you have will do everything unless you develop big-drop and jump skills. Spend the money on a great trip somewhere or go on a ride across Scotland on your Dad's bike? Experiences are worth so much more than consumption. N+1 is a load of bollocks imho.
(I do have more than 1 bike o/c but really don't change them often - average age of them is ~6 years)

Nice idea jameso, definitely agree with prioritizing the ride and not what you're riding.

The last few years I've ridden around lake Como in Italy, the French Alps and the around the top of Scotland. All were excellent and didn't cost the price of a nice new bike but I will remember the experiences for life.

You've got a few gaps, depending on the riding you like doing:
A proper fast road bike.
A cargo bike.
A full-sus 29er with a good bit of travel for bigger days.
A fixie.
A hooligan hardtail.

Simple question, do you want to progress at anything in mountain biking, if so, what?

A new bike for me is something that gives me the confidence to try new things, or if i broke the old one, as you've not broken anything or changed your riding style, is there anything pushing you to a new bike, such as knees/back/etc?

Spend the money on a great trip somewhere or go on a ride across Scotland on your Dad’s bike? Experiences are worth so much more than consumption. N+1 is a load of bollocks imho.

This

29er, short travel full suss

This, or perhaps a mid-travel one.

Otherwise the 29er hardtail will always taunt you with how much better big wheels would be on your FS.

Not too much overlap between a trail bike and pure XC bike at all. A trail bike is the obvious gap in your line-up there.

spend the money on a great trip somewhere or go on a ride across Scotland on your Dad’s bike? Experiences are worth so much more than consumption.

Thanks @jameso - that is a great idea!

@velocipede- really? Great! tbh I didn't post it thinking you wouldn't have ideas like that, it was more backing my consumerism grumpiness... but fwiw I've had one of the best week's riding of my life recently just on a solo tour through Wales. To do something like that on a bike that has sentimental value would be fun. And, distilleries.

@jameso - I'm on the same track as you - I'm a bit fed up with the whole consumerism/globalisation issue (says the man looking to spend 000's on a bike!) so I def know where you're coming from.

I hadn't thought about the idea of a trip on Dads bike but I really like that idea - here's a couple of pics - one of my Dad, Tom, riding it in 1977 (it was over 20 years old then!), and one of the same bike after I brought it back to life last year.....its a slightly different spec now with a double chainset and a better pair of wheels.....

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^ your Dad's looking cool and fast there :thumbsup: