Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

And why? You've gotten more experienced and are now outperforming your old bike/frame? Is it because the frame broke? Getting older and you need one that won't hurt your back anymore? Got extra money to burn and got to keep up with the Jones's? Just wondering...

I have 6 bikes.

1.) 7 year old Lemond Buenos Aires. Trainer bike rebuit, my son is using it as a training bike for tri's
2.) 2003 merkx MX Leader. Replacement for 1992 bike that I sold in a fit of insanity.....always regretted it.
3.) 1992 20th Anniversary Serotta CSI. Bought used on e-bay just becasue I always lusted after it.
4.) 2004 Serotta Ottrott ST. Bought NOS from the factory after someone walked away from a deposit. .......got a deal I couldn't refuse on a bike that coulda been made for me. Had a 2002 Legend at the time that I loved. Rode the Bikes back to back for about 6 weeks and then sold the Legend.
5.) 2006 Kirk terraplane custom Fixie. I had a 2004 Gunnar Street dog that didn't fit me perfectly and was very stiff that I used for my winter ride. Decided to replace it with a custom. Sold the street dog to another RBR poster.
6.) 2007 Richard Sachs signature.

As you can see, I don't tend o get rid of bikes unless they are absolutly redundant or if I get something that is just so much better than it that I don;t want to ride the replaced bike. I also don't buy a lot on spec....I know what I want & when I get the chance I buy them.

The majority of my miles are put on the Sachs, the Ottrott & the fixie. The MXL & the 20th I'll bring out when I'm in the mood.

Len

Before I bought my new Reynolds 953 Waterford this year, my newest bike was a 1987 Paramount.

Both bikes are steel, but there are twenty years' worth of changes in the metallurgy of the Columbus SL/SP tubes used in building the Paramount and the mar-aging stainless 953 tubes used to build the Waterford. There's also a huge difference between the Paramount's 1987 Dura-Ace STI technology and the Waterford's 2007 Campy carbon Record Ergo Ultra 10 technology.

To me, the evolutionary changes were enough to justify the new bike; I haven't been disappointed.

I tend to hang onto my older bikes, though, and still ride them frequently.

I have a Paramount OS that is 15 years old. About 3 years I built up an Abici (al/cf) frame because I wanted something with up to date metallurgy and frame design. I didn't get it to replace the Paramount but to supplement it. There is nothing wrong with the Paramount. It is still a fun bike to ride. I also went from 8 speed to 10 speed; bypassing the whole 9 speed era. Earlier this year I bought a Guerciotti cf frame just to see why everybody is frothing at the mouth about carbon fiber. When I get it built; I'll have 3 bikes each with it's own distinctive ride characteristics. I plan to rebuild the Paramount after I build the Guerciotti. It has about 55-60k miles on it and I don't plan on getting rid of it any time
soon.

I see something I like, I buy it. It's nice to have a mix of frames and materials and paint jobs so that it never gets boring.

I don't get rid of them because I have the space and I don't own anything that I don't want. Even the ones that don't get ridden as much.

Age-wise the oldest is almost 10 and the youngest about 6 months.

Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

My current bike is just finishing its 10th season. Approaching 94K miles. I replace stuff when it wears out, and this Litespeed Vortex is showing no signs of wearing out. The frame weight and other performance measures would make this bike still "competitive" with comparable bikes today.

currently 11 in the stable.

my daily driver is a 1975 andre bertin, my oldest mountain bilke is a 1983 stumpjumper.

no point in getting rid of perfectly good bicycles, just get more as needed. variety is cool.

I race a lot and sponsorship allows me to afford a new bike every year. So out with the old, in with the new. It's pretty easy to climb the bike/frame ladder when you make money on a bike you rode for a season.

My current bike is just finishing its 10th season. Approaching 94K miles. I replace stuff when it wears out, and this Litespeed Vortex is showing no signs of wearing out. The frame weight and other performance measures would make this bike still "competitive" with comparable bikes today.

G*D! My 2nd car doesn't even put that much milage on it!

Only get rid of bikes because they –
1. Break - (Medici-slx) – made me weep like a little boy.
2. Rode like cr*&^ and helped fund new machine - (853 Serotta)
3. Collected too much dust and younger brother put to better use – (Mongoose Tomac)

Remaining bikes are ridden and love them all –
Waterford x-11 rain, commuter, cross bike; (5 years old to me)
Parlee Z-3 still too new and nice to ride in the rain but clearly the favorite. (4 mths old)
Schwinn Prologue – sentimental 1st “real” bike – (25 yrs young)

I personally like new technology, materials, and design. I also like to be attached to the good ones – reminders of places, friends, stories, and lies. All good in my book.

broken or worn out a frame since the early 1970's. I don't put nearly the miles on my bicycles as some of the other posters, either. I just buy a new frame when I get thoroughly sick of the one I'm riding. I've gone an eleven year stretch, and a fifteen year stretch. I've also gone a six year stretch. My current bike is in its second year. I figure I'll ride it for about ten.

Every 5 years I get the urge to buy one whether its a road bike or a mtb. I think next year I'll break my schedule and pick up a single speed.

Ive gotten into a rather nice tradition of buying a new bike/frame every time I switch Jobs. I'm in the silicon valley so Jobs tend to be 2-3 years, then new job, new bike.

I never replace bikes, I just buy more. Actually I usually buy frames and components and build up myself (and usually put older components on the old frames). Our family of 3 must have 11-12 road bikes, with some out on loan. My oldest is a 1975 REW Reynolds (531 db) which I bought new in 1975 which I still use regularly on the trainer and sometimes on the road. A few years ago I replaced the front fork with carbon which improved the handling, and reduced weight (of course I still have the orginal fork). My son and I both have 80's era Vitus 979s and my wife has a Bertin circa 1977, with cantilever brakes. My main ride is a relatively new IBEX aprisa with carbon chain/seat stays, Easton fork, and aluminum main triangle. My 15 year old son has the most bikes with the following:

Velorazzo - race bike (aluminum/carbon seat stays, Easton SLX fork)
Vitus 979 - race bike (all aluminum)
Fondriest X-status (light steel 3.2 lb frame)
1986 Club Fuji (steel quad butted)
Koga Miata prologue (steel triple butted)
Scattante - time trial bike (Aluminum, carbon fork)
Nishiki (cheap aluminum for riding to friends houses without cycling shoes)

I've had my Columbus SL steel frame Pogliaghi since it was new - 1984.

I've had my Colnago Dream since it was new - 2000.

that is all.

I'm actually selling my first bike on Ebay very soon. Otherwise I've pretty much got every bike I've ever owned. Two exceptions. I gave an old Cannondale mountain bike to my son and "sold" a Softride Solo to my bro-in-law (sweet relative deal). I still have the first real road frame I ever bought (a 60's Stella) and many others. Most just get turned into something I think I need. My 70's Panasonic tourer got turned into a fixie. My original fully rigid Miyata mountain bike got turned into a commuter. My 85 Cannondale was turned into a TT bike but will probably be returned to a road bike and given to my son or son-in-law. My Raleigh road bike has been replaced and will now be sold to fund the new Token. My Schwinn Circuit travel bike is such a nice ride and it's so nice to take a bike on a trip and not pay extra I will probably keep it forever. I don't imagine I'll ever get rid of my Santana tandem. When my Giant XTC NRS mountain bike dies it will be replaced but I might get the bug and replace it next year (never did like how it fit). I really like my Fetish SS mountain bike because it fits me so well and it will likely stay in the stable for a long time. You have to have the right tool for the job.

Ride them until they crack.

I am a pack rat. (is there a 10 step program for that?)
I have a piece of junk Fuji that I converted into a CX bike, hanging in my garage that I haven't touched in over 15 years. An 86 C'dale boneshaker that hangs in my basement since 97. A 96 Bianchi TSX that I rode once this year. A 99 Giant TCR that I use as my TT bike. An 04 Gunnar Roadie that is apart now, while changing over from DA 9 to DA 10. Finally a 2000 Stumpjumper, that I don't use too much anymore.

I only keep bikes that I have developed an emotional attachment to. The frames that I have bonded with are:
Mercian KOM
Merckx MX Leader
Pegoretti Big Leg Emma
I am sure that it is pure coincidence that they are steel.

The frames that I never established a bond with and no longer own:
Raleigh Team (753 Technium)
Litespeed Classic
Cannondale Caad 3 Saeco

Frames that I still own with no emotional attachment:
Gunnar Crosshairs
Soma Smoothie ES
Cannondale 2.8 that I use on the computrainer
Pegoretti Fina Estampa ( I know the cult like following of Pegoretti frames, but it is a stiff aluminum frame that has given me many years of service, but never a bond) I will use it for racing from now on, so it may meet it's end in a pileup or curb.

26 years and counting

Lately it's been every year for my light bike. The frame and parts that get replaced get sold off to make it look like I don't spend so much money on bikes and because collecting things and being a pack rat is a form of OCD. I prefer to binge and purge.

28 years and boy am I glad I did! In 1985 I has a custom SLX frame built for me, kitted with full C-Record. It morphed into a tri bike and then was retired to a succession of basements. Now looking at it, it will make a wonderful restoration project. I kept it long enough to go from "old" to "vintage".

My first serious bike, JC Higgins 1966 10 speed with Huret and Weinman components, I sold in 1972. I bought a Fuji S10 and sold it to my college roomate 6 months later when I bought a Fuji Finest. That was sold to a biking friend about 6 months later when I bought a Sekai 4000 which I still have. In early 1975 I bought a Gio Torino which I still have. There have been many since, mostly still retained. Exceptions were Litespeed Vortex, bought new in 1999 and sold in 2005. A great bike but I had put over 30,000 miles on it and wanted something different. Pinarello Gavia, Columbus TSX, bought in 2000 and sold in 2005. It was just a little too big for me. I bought it because the finish was black chrome.

Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

And why? You've gotten more experienced and are now outperforming your old bike/frame? Is it because the frame broke? Getting older and you need one that won't hurt your back anymore? Got extra money to burn and got to keep up with the Jones's? Just wondering...

Like another poster I don't replace them, I just build more, usually with a new or used frame.

I don't really replace, I add. I have the carbon road bike, a single speed city road bike, a mountain bike, and I'm thinking of buying a CX bike. But, that's likely not going to happen as I just can't imagine me really using it.

And why?

Lets use an instrument (guitar) as an analogy. When you get a new guitar you play it almost every time you see it, which ends up being quite often. After a while you no longer have the elated feeling that you had when it was brand new and play it less and less. Then you buy another new guitar and you do the same thing only this time you also need to play it in order to justify buying it when the old one still makes noise.

Then you find that you haven't even touched the old guitar in a long time and decide to sell it. You ask a few people what its worth and find that it has depreciated so much that it has way more sentimental value to you than it "actual" value. And so you keep it and your collection grows until you can finally start to justify selling the old ones.

So people continue to buy new bikes. I will never not be in the market (although the next one (burley fox hallow) might replace an old one (reynolds 531 Holdsworth))

I'm getting a new frame after two years because in the intervening time I've learned more about frame fit, and I believe I now know what I need to feel comfortable (I hope I'm right). If the new frame fits (custom steel) I don't anticipate getting rid of it. Ever.

.....

my main ride is a 1991 kestrel 200ems, currently configured
for triathlons. if i could afford it, i'd have a lot more...

hmmm....

road bike(kestrel, check)
tri bike
cross bike
commuter
fixie
MTB(check, yeti kokopelli)

maybe more. phooey on budgets.

every 12-15 years or so I pull my head out from the sand, look around at what's supposed to be the latest & greatest and then proceed to buy a rapid-fire sequence of new bikes ,frames, components and gizmos at a wallet-numbing rate for a couple of years.
I'll keep the ones that I deem a worthy upgrade, better suits me or just strikes my fancy.
Then I'll schlepp off the chaff , keep the best of the new and the old
and go riding for another decade or so before feeling the need to sniff around the shops again.
What an absolutely perfect description of my life.

I have - still

Derek Bailey - custom built in 1984, Reynolds 753; C-Record; recently re-painted and S&S'd
Claud Butler - mid-'60's and all Campy
Geoffrey Butler - early '70's - fully restored - my neighbourhood tourer.
De Rosa Professional SLX - Molteni Team bike; all Super Record.
Merckx Corsa SL - early '80's ; Record and Modolo
Merckx Corsa Extra - 7-11 bike; Super Record
Merckx MX Leader - 1994 - Campy Centaur 10 speed
Merckx Titanium AX - 1998 - Titanium and SRAM Rival
Merckx Team SC - 2003 - CAmpy Centaur 10 speed.
Cunningham - 2005 - Custom Scandium alloy ; Campy Chorus
Guerciotti - around 1990 - ELOS road bike - SMOOTH - Campy 10 speed

Rocky Mountain Rail - Al CX bike - around 1998
Curtlo CX bike - custom steel - 2004
Guerciotti ATOS CX bike - frame and fork hanging up, never built.

I also have a Dancelli frame and fork ( around 1990) hanging up - Columbus MAX and lovely.

The Dancelli is hanging beside the early '80's Colnago Mexico frameset that I haven't figured out what to do with,
and the Cramerotti Rosso ( 1998) frameset - Dedacciai Zero.

I have too many, and there are two more on the way; a Pegoretti Luigino and one that is still under wraps.

Twenty five years ago I got an '82 Colnago frame as a 30th birthday present from my wife, provided I got a job, and built it up from parts that I had lying around, and others I acquired. I still have that bike.

However, with my knees increasingly warning me that my running days may be numbered, and parts availability (like gum brake hoods, for goodness sake) becoming more of an issue, I'm lobbying for a new bike. Told her if she let me go get a new CAAD9 or whatever I wouldn't ask for another bike until I'm 80!

Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

And why? You've gotten more experienced and are now outperforming your old bike/frame? Is it because the frame broke? Getting older and you need one that won't hurt your back anymore? Got extra money to burn and got to keep up with the Jones's? Just wondering...


I read some responses and thought about adding a similar "why"..... but judging by the tone of your question, no answer will provide an "justifiable" explanation. We all have our reasons.

I never sold my first adult bike, a Cinelli Supercorsa bought new in '88.

Colnago Arabesque - Saw it being consigned in "like new" condition bought in '95. Didn't really need but wanted it. Ridden it about 70 miles or less todate.

Lynkey Level 3 '07 - to experience modern technology.

3 roadbikes in almost 20 years.

Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

And why? You've gotten more experienced and are now outperforming your old bike/frame? Is it because the frame broke? Getting older and you need one that won't hurt your back anymore? Got extra money to burn and got to keep up with the Jones's? Just wondering...

Interesting variety of histories here. If I had the money, I'd have a stable of bikes, but since I've always had modest income, I've stayed lean over the years.

From the day I got started, I worked my way up to a DeRosa SL-SLX with full Campy Super Record in 4 years. That was it. Well, except for a custom SLX-SP frame built up a few years later as a commuter, which I still use for that purpose.

Never got into mountain biking, so these two bikes have kept me going for almost 25 years. Sure, they're a few pounds heavier than the current crop, but so what? I've alway liked to ride hard, but raced only several years at the beginning. They've lasted well, because I've never left them outside and done all the work on them myself. They've each taken their hits, but have miraculously survived, and look almost as good as they did the first day I rode them.

Nothing has come along that I could afford which would out-class these bikes, so I've not been tempted to add another. I have a great fitness ride, with the pedigree of the last bikes Eddy Merckx rode to victory, and a similar bike that equals the quality and ride of the finest touring bikes, and that's all I've ever been after. If either bike were destroyed in a crash, I would then try to replace it with a new one of equal quality and performance. So far, with about 60,000 miles on each, that has not happened.

If you take care of it, the good stuff will last very long!

Lets use an instrument (guitar) as an analogy. When you get a new guitar you play it almost every time you see it, which ends up being quite often. After a while you no longer have the elated feeling that you had when it was brand new and play it less and less. Then you buy another new guitar and you do the same thing only this time you also need to play it in order to justify buying it when the old one still makes noise.

Then you find that you haven't even touched the old guitar in a long time and decide to sell it. You ask a few people what its worth and find that it has depreciated so much that it has way more sentimental value to you than it "actual" value. And so you keep it and your collection grows until you can finally start to justify selling the old ones.



That's why you either bash it against the amp stack or do the Jimi Hendrix fire trick, neither of which work well with bikes. Hmmm.... come to think of it, when I was a teenager a friend did ask me to help him destroy his bike. He was tired of it and wanted his Dad to buy him a new one (teen boy logic- gee, Dad, can you work a little harder and buy me more stuff?). It was an old Schwinn Varsity. We took it off road and subjected it to things I wouldn't think of doing on a free ride bike- things I'm surprised we walked away from, and things we did by 'ghost riding' it into ravines we wouldn't have walked away from. All we managed were a few scratches and a bowed front fork we were able to 'fix.' My friend was actually pretty bummed when it got stolen a few days later- more teen logic.

The answers all here seem to be from those keeping their bikes. I don't think you're going to get the people who buy a new bike every year or two to answer very much. I'd say most people fall for the marketing or just have that "gotta have the newest" mentality.
I've been racing/riding seriously for 18 years now in that time I have gone through a fair amount of bikes.
1) 1987-1993 Cannondale Crit Frame. First race bike ever - gave to brother
2) 1993-1995 Paramount Steel - nice, but a little too big - sold
3) 1996-1999-Aegis Aero Svelte - nice, but still a little too long in the top tube (had 2 at one point) Sponsorship deal - sold both
4) 2000-2002 Giant TCR - Best race bike I have owned to date - sold
5) 2000 - Litespeed Arenberg - Crap frame, wicked whippy, used as foul weather bike
6) 2001 - GT aluminum road frame (not sure of model) Foul weather bike, road like wood
7) 2002-2006 Look KG 361 - great bike - sold to buy new bike
8) 2007-?? Look 555 - great bike, lighter than 361, rides very similar.

Not to mention mtn bikes:
1992-1996 - GT Borrego - 1st mtn bike - sold to buy Aegis
1996-2001 - Aegis Mtn Bike - Sponsorship deal, got killed by car
2001-2004 - Aegis Mtn Bike - Replaced killed model - sold to buy next bike
2004-2007 - Specialized Stumpjumper - Fun, stiff, hardtail - sold to buy Rush
2007-?? - Cannondale Rush 800 - Ahhhh full suspension rocks!

And of course cross bikes:
1999 - Redline Conquest Cross bike - training bike - rode like crap
2001 - Lemond Poprad - okay, but heavy and not really a great bike
2003-2007 - Redline Conquest - Forgot how crappy the 1st one rode
2007-?? Soma Doublecross - decent, snappy, cheap- commuter/race bike.

I'll probably ride the Look 555 until I retire from racing (already decided to do that at age 40). Then who knows what I will get, probably custom Ti.
The Rush I will ride until I break it and then who knows. once again probably stick with full suspension. I don't think I can ever ride a hardtail again.
Lastly I plan on riding the Soma until 2009 then getting a custom cross bike for the 2009 season. The soma will then strictly stay as a commuter and early season bike.

I've grew out of the light is better mentality about 5 years ago. Always went with what I could afford (I'm not pulling in huge dollars) and what performed the best for the buck. That is why I think my TCR was the best race bike I ever had. $600 for frame/fork/seatpost at the time. Built it up into a 16lb killer ride. It was however a limited lifespan bike. I had 2 teammates crack theirs and I missed the ride of carbon compared to aluminum, so I got the Look 361.

I'd liked to have kept some of the past bikes, but everyone was sold to help pay for the new bike it replaced. However I do have some wheels that are well over 10 years old now. I actually have an ultegra front hub that is probably 15 years old and on it's second build for the last 8 years. I hardly ever touch that thing for maintenance and it still runs great.

There, that is my story.

Seems like a lot of people here are replacing their frames or even complete bikes or getting an additional bike. Just wondering how often you guys do this.

And why? You've gotten more experienced and are now outperforming your old bike/frame? Is it because the frame broke? Getting older and you need one that won't hurt your back anymore? Got extra money to burn and got to keep up with the Jones's? Just wondering...

My average age bike is about 4 years old.

1979- Schwinn Stingray, traded-in.
1984- Schwinn Predator BMX, still have it.
1986- Schwinn Traveller- First non-BMX bike, traded-in.
1988- Fuji Club/Suntour Olé- My first foray into road decent bikes. Gave to my dad.
1989- Cannondale MTB/Deore LX, broke.
1991- Pinarello Montello SLX/DA8, saved up a long time for this major upgrade. Stolen.
1991- Tommasini Diamante, MS/DA8 STI, still have and ride often to this day.
1993- Cannondale 3.0 MTB, warranty replacement for a cracked frame. Still have.
1997- upgraded to XT/Manitou fork on Cannondale
2001- Trek 5500 USPS/DA9 STI. A bit too long on the TT. Too cloud-like in road feel. Sold.
2003- Bought Campy Chorus 10 group for the Tommasini.
2004- De Rosa Merak, moved over Chorus 10 to it, original DA8 back to the Tommasini
2006- 1985 Skyway Streetbeat BMX. NOS raw frame for vintage BMX build. still sitting.
2006- 1991 Haro BMX. Dumpster-dive find, restored. Use to cruise the hood with my son.
2007- 1990 Rossin Prestige. Haven't built it up yet.

brewster