***It’s the week between Christmas and New Yr’s Day. I’m not formally running a blog and this isn’t a submit. That is simply us hanging round and speaking.***
The Nice Lob On Excessive has richly blessed me. Along with being lucky in all the same old methods (loving household, free nation, streaming TV, all that stuff) I’ve bought quite a lot of bikes–greater than I ever might have dreamed of proudly owning within the days earlier than I turned a semi-professional bike blogger. I trip all of them, too, although after all some get extra use than others.
However worldly possessions could be 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 house. I’ve bought extra of that than a lot of metropolis dwellers, however housing all these bikes could be a problem, and typically I really feel like an alcoholic hiding booze in the bathroom tank. A big everlasting assortment additionally means when Traditional Cycle sends me a new (or not-so-new) bike to play with I’ve bought to determine a approach to get a thirteenth egg into the carton.
So with the 12 months winding down I discover myself considering the thought of proudly owning fewer bicycles. To make sure, I might by no means get it right down to only one; that’s one thing I realized the onerous manner. There’s a distinction between working 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 do away with?,” however I spotted this was the improper approach to ask the query, since if there was a compelling motive to do away with any of them I’d have finished it by now.
So then I requested myself, “Which bikes would I completely need to maintain?,” which is nearly the identical factor, however totally different sufficient that I might really start to reply it. So listed below are absolutely the keepers:
Milwaukee
I might by no means do with out a minimum of one correct highway bike. For all of the gravel bikes and “alt” bikes and no matter else the children are into as of late, I say probably the most versatile bike remains to be a highway bike. Unpaved trails could 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 highway, and normally it’s proper out your entrance door, which implies whether or not you’re seeking to trip for an hour or 10 hours all it’s important to do is step outdoors and go. And naturally a highway bike with clearance for fattish tires may even take you onto trails and do most of what as we speak’s “gravel” bikes do. I’ll all the time have a conventional highway bike, and it stands to motive that if I’m going to have one conventional highway bike it must be one with medium- or long-reach brakes.
The Milwaukee rides like a race bike however is flexible sufficient to deal with different terrain, it’s basic but trendy, and it appears to be like nice since its makeover–although I appreciated the best way it regarded earlier than too:
It’s bought form of a “classic” really feel for the time being with the downtube shifters, but when I needed it to really feel extra trendy once more that’s only a easy matter of placing on some built-in shifters. I don’t suppose any trendy highway or gravel bike has something on it. It’s a keeper, no query.
Homer
Nowadays I in all probability break up my biking time 50/50 between clipless pedals and flat pedals, and the Homer might be probably the most versatile and satisfying of all my flat pedal bikes. With the drop bars it’s mainly a highway 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 suitable with many of the contents of my spare components bin, and whereas this stuff are clearly subjective I feel it’s a lovely body. It’s not going anyplace ever.
Platypus
The Platypus is the perfect 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 highway finish of the spectrum, nevertheless it’ll do filth 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 a minimum of one bike with a basket and a step-through body, and should you’re going to have one it would as effectively even be a high-performance mannequin that’s up for all however probably the most “aggressive” using on any floor. No matter else occurs, the Platypus stays.
Jones
Rivendell versatility however way more succesful on the off-road finish of the spectrum, it’s up for any form of mountain biking I’m liable to do at this level in my life, but it’s additionally pleasing to trip on easy trails and even pavement. Additionally, whereas I could also be a fan of basic components and requirements, I additionally get pleasure from my forays into the world of disc brakes and tubeless tires and clutch derailleurs sometimes, and it’s comforting to know I’ve bought a minimum of one bike whose limitations I’ll by no means discover. I’ve quite a lot of respect for Jeff Jones, and it’s an honor to have certainly one of his bikes.
