Is it wrong to just own one bike

[Cudzoziemiec]

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

[Nothereforafasttime]

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

That's so funny!  I hope you're not being serious lol.  I don't live in Amsterdam by the way and just travel to the local market to buy cheese

[quixoticgeek]

If you had a Brompton, you could fold it up and put it under your desk or in the staff locker room.

If you had a bakfiets, you could take the family shopping...

Too far for a Brompton.  I had to google bakfiets lol.  I can just see my wife sitting in one of those! 
[/quote]

How far is too far? My longest single day on a Brompton (with touring load), was 80km... How about the electric Brompton?

She could ride one herself, and you could ride one, then you can get more shopping in the front with the kids. You could even add a trailer on the back if you need more space...

Over here large bakfiets with big boxes on the front, and a rain cover over the top, are used instead of school buses, with 8 or so kids taken to nursery/school.

Make it a pedal assist, and it's a lot easier to ride too.

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

Bakfiets is a generic term over here, just like hoover, or google. Covers any type of bike/trike with a big box on the front.

You can get large enough boxes on the front to take several people.

That's so funny!  I hope you're not being serious lol.  I don't live in Amsterdam by the way and just travel to the local market to buy cheese

When I lived in Canterbury I did my weekly shopping on a Brompton...

J

[Nothereforafasttime]

If you had a Brompton, you could fold it up and put it under your desk or in the staff locker room.

If you had a bakfiets, you could take the family shopping...

Too far for a Brompton.  I had to google bakfiets lol.  I can just see my wife sitting in one of those! 

How far is too far? My longest single day on a Brompton (with touring load), was 80km... How about the electric Brompton?

She could ride one herself, and you could ride one, then you can get more shopping in the front with the kids. You could even add a trailer on the back if you need more space...

Over here large bakfiets with big boxes on the front, and a rain cover over the top, are used instead of school buses, with 8 or so kids taken to nursery/school.

Make it a pedal assist, and it's a lot easier to ride too.

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

Bakfiets is a generic term over here, just like hoover, or google. Covers any type of bike/trike with a big box on the front.

You can get large enough boxes on the front to take several people.

That's so funny!  I hope you're not being serious lol.  I don't live in Amsterdam by the way and just travel to the local market to buy cheese

When I lived in Canterbury I did my weekly shopping on a Brompton...

J
[/quote]

Wow - it's a whole new world this 'second bike' thing isn't it.  I think I'll just stick to the one ride on a Sunday.  It's more simpler.

[Cudzoziemiec]

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

Bakfiets is a generic term over here, just like hoover, or google. Covers any type of bike/trike with a big box on the front.

You can get large enough boxes on the front to take several people.

Yeah you might get a box big enough for an adult to sit in, maybe even an adult and a couple of kids, but would you really want to pedal it? Surely you'd want at least the adult to contribute a bit of power too? Even if you had electric assistance. And then there's the problem of storing it (yes I know people leave them on the street, but it's going to depend where). Anyway, Nothere doesn't want one. Though if he's going to the market to buy cheese, surely he can carry that on any bike!

[Nothereforafasttime]

I was thinking a Helios rather than a Bakfiets. It depends how many in the family and how big kids are. I don't see how you could get a second adult on a Bakfiets but presumably they could ride their own bike. Whoops, you're now a three-bike household!

Bakfiets is a generic term over here, just like hoover, or google. Covers any type of bike/trike with a big box on the front.

You can get large enough boxes on the front to take several people.

Yeah you might get a box big enough for an adult to sit in, maybe even an adult and a couple of kids, but would you really want to pedal it? Surely you'd want at least the adult to contribute a bit of power too? Even if you had electric assistance. And then there's the problem of storing it (yes I know people leave them on the street, but it's going to depend where). Anyway, Nothere doesn't want one. Though if he's going to the market to buy cheese, surely he can carry that on any bike!

Keep going - I'm finding this conversation amusing.  I'm trying to imagine this scene where my wife (who incidentally hates cycling) and my two teenage children come out of the house on a Saturday morning, pop into one of these trailer things you talk about and tootle off to Tesco's five miles away to do the weekly shop.  I'd probably make the local news   

[grams]

There is nowhere safe to lock my bike up at work

If you had a bike that was unattractive to thieves you could lock it anywhere.

I couldn't fit my family on the back of it on Saturdays.

This lady manages, with the right bike.

[Nothereforafasttime]

There is nowhere safe to lock my bike up at work

If you had a bike that was unattractive to thieves you could lock it anywhere.

I couldn't fit my family on the back of it on Saturdays.

This lady manages, with the right bike.

Yeah but I'm reluctant to buy another bike just so that it looked unattractive to thieves just so that I am able to cycle to work if I have a car that can take me there instead.

[fimm]

It's fine only to own one bike. But please tell us how you manage to do it?

By not using it (or thinking of it) as his main mode of transport, I think.

Correct - I drive to work during the week, use the car on Saturday for various chores and use my bike on a group ride on Sunday so the amount of time spent on said bike is probably very low compared to some - which might go some way to explaining why I only have one bike maybe?

Right, now I'm going to be really controversial / rude and say, yes, it is wrong to only have one bike if that means you are dependant on your car for transport... (which is what all the suggestions of bakfiets/helios tandems etc etc are driving at, only much more politely).

Runs, fast.

No, I don't own a car. No, I don't have children. Yes, I do live in a city with decent public transport. Yes, I do use hire cars and Car Club cars a fair bit. No, I couldn't indulge my Munro-bagging or triathlon/running hobbies without access to a car. So I'm not claiming to be perfect.

[fimm]

Keep going - I'm finding this conversation amusing.  I'm trying to imagine this scene where my wife (who incidentally hates cycling) and my two teenage children come out of the house on a Saturday morning, pop into one of these trailer things you talk about and tootle off to Tesco's five miles away to do the weekly shop.  I'd probably make the local news   

Why do you need to take your wife and children to Tesco?
(somebody take this wooden spoon off me, quicky...)

[Nothereforafasttime]

Keep going - I'm finding this conversation amusing.  I'm trying to imagine this scene where my wife (who incidentally hates cycling) and my two teenage children come out of the house on a Saturday morning, pop into one of these trailer things you talk about and tootle off to Tesco's five miles away to do the weekly shop.  I'd probably make the local news   

Why do you need to take your wife and children to Tesco?
(somebody take this wooden spoon off me, quicky...)

I think Quixoticgeek was promoting this idea to avoid the use of a car and to get the family out on a fun day on the open roads of Buckinghamshire .  Hey, maybe this could become a new thing for the families of Britain - I'll need some stickers though for the back and some go faster stripes...

[Butterfly]

Up until my son was 2, we had no car for 4 years. We had a household of 4 adults (well, 3 and a 17 year old, then that plus a newborn). We did all the shopping by bike, it was easier and more convenient than driving on the whole. Having one bike then would have been precarious as I relied on it to get me to work and everywhere. I needed a back up in case of overnight puncture or mechanical.

If you are only doing one sort of riding and missing it isn't critical, then more than one bike isn't necessary.

Do what suits you.

We have a car, which clarion has during the week at the moment, so my electric tandem is the second vehicle for me and the 5 year old.

[bobb]

When I was a kid I only ever had one bike at a time and I suspect most people did. There was a period in my thirties when I had no car and only one bike because I was skint. Now of course I have *counts* six bikes in working order, plus at least three more I could build up from old frames, wheelsets and parts. And a car.

There is nothing wrong with only having one bike. If it gets you mobile, all is good...

[Wowbagger]

When Thatcher (spit) was PM and put the mortgage rate up to 15%, we could no longer afford to run a car. Jan and I had a bike each and a child each on a child seat. We were without a car from (IIRC) late 1979/early 1980 to the summer of 1987 when I was promoted at work and this made a massive difference in the amount of money I earned.

[The Family Cyclist]

This thread got me thinking... assuming most people aren't odd like us and drive everywhere not many people have a spare car. Now I know when I've had breakdowns or services on the car I have always been able to cycle to work if needed but the great masses don't. My mum would get a lift or public transport. I wonder if bikes are really any different if only viewed as transport. I know that when I used to solely commute via bike I only had one and on the odd occasions something went wrong I fixed it or got the bus. The extent of my fleet was knobblies for the weekend as I commuted on a slick shod mountain bike.

[bobb]

We were without a car from (IIRC) late 1979/early 1980 to the summer of 1987....

Nice. In 1979/early 1980 my mum was taking me to school on the back of her mother's 1920s gas pipe single speed (durable) peice of shit. By 1987 I was riding to school on my Falcon Rapier. Fucking 10 speed I'll have you know! Cottered cranks though, which wasn't the best. Especially given the abuse I gave it 

[giropaul]

A bike can be a mode of transport, and may be for many, but it can also be an object of joy, a collectible, a reminder of times past and many more things.

You might do more than use it for transport, or transport might be something you never use a bike for.

Therefore,it’s entirely fine to just have one bike - many people just have one car, but for me it’s also entirely fine to have multiple bikes, and have many different reasons for owning each one.

[ElyDave]

We were without a car from (IIRC) late 1979/early 1980 to the summer of 1987....

Nice. In 1979/early 1980 my mum was taking me to school on the back of her mother's 1920s gas pipe single speed (durable) peice of shit. By 1987 I was riding to school on my Falcon Rapier. Fucking 10 speed I'll have you know! Cottered cranks though, which wasn't the best. Especially given the abuse I gave it 

I think it was perhaps very late 80's maybe early 90's when my mum got a second car for her to use to get to work.  Before that it was jobs close enough to walk/cycle to, with me and my sister on our bikes to school.

[mzjo]

The most important aspect of multiple bicycle ownership is CONTINGENCY.

If I only had one, I'd lay awake at night fearing what I'd do if it had a mechanical issue I wasn't able to fix quickly.

But you get round this by having enough bits to repair any bit of it at a minutes notice (and possibly by having access to those bike hire schemes, possibly having chained one to the lamp post outside so it doesn't count as a n+1). Of course if you have all the bits to repair one bike you probably have a second bike already, only difference is it's all in bits 

This thread got me thinking... assuming most people aren't odd like us and drive everywhere not many people have a spare car. Now I know when I've had breakdowns or services on the car I have always been able to cycle to work if needed but the great masses don't. My mum would get a lift or public transport. I wonder if bikes are really any different if only viewed as transport. I know that when I used to solely commute via bike I only had one and on the odd occasions something went wrong I fixed it or got the bus. The extent of my fleet was knobblies for the weekend as I commuted on a slick shod mountain bike.

We have two cars 'cos she most certainly wouldn't ride a bike and the buses are a bit absent at 5.30am. I have a car because hauling lawnmowers, hedgetrimmers, brushcutters, assorted other gardening tools and 500l of garden refuse is (in my opinion) a bit complicated on a pushbike (it's difficult enough with a 30+yr old 205). I look forward to retirement which will undoubtedly come when the 205 is hounded off the road and I can spend more time riding my bike.
I often wonder what my unique bike would be if I was reduced to an n=1 situation. The only bike that really appeals is a Joey Sport (a unique bike would have to be a folder because if I was in that situation I would undoubtedly need a public transport friendly bike and the Airnimal is the only folder that appeals).
I don't think I could accept an e-bike (cargohauler or not) as an n=1. One of those is only a compliment to a real bike ( that you pedal with your legs). I also think a bakfiets would be a bit inconvenient to keep in a 9th storey flat with a small lift!

[drossall]

You might need it get to a place. Work or somewhere.

At one point, I was riding daily to work on a fixed, and had a spare fixed just in case. On at least one occasion, I broke a chain a mile after leaving home, happened to be spotted by the parent of one of my Scouts, got a lift home in his Transit, and rode to work on the spare bike

[Kim]

Many times I've been in a relative hurry when I've got somewhere between the front door and the end of the road, discovered some mechanical problem, and swapped to a different bike as the quickest and easiest solution.  Usually it's something boring like an unexplained soft tyre that's easily resolved when I have time to investigate properly, but on one occasion a freak Tesco bag accident meant that I had to obtain a new derailleur and rebuild the rear wheel before I could ride the bike again.

[Pedaldog.]

I like bikes and trikes. I own a fair few and sometimes don't ride more than 3 or 4 of them in  year. I take pleasure in having a bike for the simple fact that I like the look of it. There have been times in the, moderately recent, past where my only transport was a Pashley Piccador.
It's Only wrong to just own one bike if you want others.

[frankly frankie]

If you own several bikes there's going to be one you enjoy riding the most.  Hard to see what the rest are for really.

[Nothereforafasttime]

If you own several bikes there's going to be one you enjoy riding the most.  Hard to see what the rest are for really.

Yeah that's my point exactly.  I bought a road bike several years ago and its seen me on numerous fantastic journeys including two UK end to ends to which I am grateful for it (I didn't need to carry much on it as there were organised camps every 100 miles), but I knew I wanted other challenges to which my carbon bike wouldn't be up to, e.g. carrying the type of loads that long audaxes bring so I plumped for one with a Ti frame.  Now its all I use and perhaps more importantly need, therefore the carbon bike is now obsolete so its being stripped down and sold as parts.

[De Sisti]

Is it wrong to own just one bike watch?
There, I've said it - phew!