Culling the fleet!

[BlackCat]

@BlackCat actually it's the Ti Lite that I'm struggling with the most. It's a beautiful bike to ride, own and just stare at!
I think part of the problem is that once they are finally as I want them, that's a big part of the whole process done and dusted and boredom sets in. Whilst I ride them all (granted some more than others) and a few for various reasons (Stumpy, Giant, Explosif and Orange) are going nowhere. I just wonder if I sell for example the Ti Lite would I be happy that I have had the chance to own one or pissed off that I had one and foolishly sold it on?

Tough one to call. I’m the same - the fun part is tracking everything down and building. After that, the whole ownership things seems to be.. well.. unfulfilling. If I told my teenage self the spread of bikes he would one day have in his collection, he would probably.. well, he’d be indecently excited.

For me though, once the bike has come together, my interest shifts to the next build. As for which gets sold or kept, I suppose it’s entirely judgemental. For example, I have an absolutely perfect Yo. The ideal colour and the ideal spec.. but for whatever reason, I have little connection with it. It sticks around mainly just in case I regret selling it!

On the other hand, I built my little bro an inferno red splatter Karakoram - which was a faithful representation to the bike he got for Christmas bitd.. then gave it away to him last Christmas. Now, from a retro kudos or value perspective, the Yo objectively wins hands down..

In reality though, boy do I regret my generosity in giving up that Kara..

 

[brocklanders023]

I must have bought and sold hundreds of retro bikes since I found the site but the only one I regret selling was the mint Orange Vitamin T, and that's only because I've never seen another in that size and condition. Think I'd probably regret selling my ace 92 Clockwork but not the rest tbh.

These days my limited retro collection is basically a savings account. If something else comes up that I need/want to spend money on, the fleet gets culled.

 

[Joe*Pro]

Which are the least comfortable to ride? Which are the least special ie you have a pretty good chance of picking them up again one day if you really wanted to.

I've never had any lasting regrets with moving anything on. Minor nostalgic pangs from time to time - but that's it. Nothing is forever. Another way to think about it is if not now, then when will the time be right? 10 years time? 20? 30? 40?!

I’m planning on it being my retirement project to slowly thin them out down to 1 or 2 to then be left in the will for the grandkids!!

Mines also now deemed a hobby savings pot to swap around at neutral amounts give or take the cost equivalent of a few coffees !!

 

[Cheshire1980]

owned around 50 Orange retro bikes, and normally owned 10 at any one time. However, have culled down to 2 Retro bikes now, my best 2, a 91 prestige and Alu O, and can honestly say, it feels great! My interests have merely moved to more modern bikes, so have basically just kept my 2 dream bikes as a teen for nostalgia purposes

 

[benjabbi]

My interest has seemingly gone the other way, I used to buy a new modern bike at least once a year but that stopped a couple of years ago. Sold my 29er full suss but did keep the hardtail 'just in case'. I unfortunately have a taste for high end stuff and it just got ridiculously expensive, some of my retro kit hasn't been particularly 'cheap' but it is compared to high end modern kit. My riding has also changed, I used to go to Wales a lot, visit trailcentres and off to the Alps yearly for mountain biking, lately it's all been local and the same terrain I started out on as a kid. All bridleways interspersed with the odd bit of singletrack, perfect for retro mtb's, although I'd probably be best off with a flat bar gravel bike really. But can't quite bring myself to let go of mtb's yet.

 

[Carge]

As an former owner of the Ti-Lite - you move on.
I don't regret selling it - there's lots of other bikes out there to play with

 

[phill77]

You could always sell a bonty to me knowing you could have it back anytime, then sort out my old Tazmon for something to do. Win Win!

 

[Imlach]

You could always sell a bonty to me knowing you could have it back anytime, then sort out my old Tazmon for something to do. Win Win!

Is that like a bike leasing program for addic..collectors? You'll stable it for a good half year 'til his hands begin to shake?

 

[prezza]

I’m clearing out all my collected retro components to buy a modern road bike… it feels great! Space in the garage, cash in the pocket. I sold all my retro fleet a while ago just leaving one bike, I don’t regret it. The bike I kept rides better than all the ones I sold.

I was up to around 10 retros at one point however I never rode them apart from tootles along the sea front or jaunts to the park with my young children… who are now not so young…

I’ve always preferred the ride of new and the look of old probs for nostalgia reasons..
However I am also a believer in the saying ‘never meet your heroes’ to some extent hence why nowadays I currently own just one good retro bike (my absolutely mint orange aluminium elite that I put so much effort into!) and the rest of my bikes get used and serve a purpose:

1 x modern road bike for long summer rides
1 x modern CX bike for racing (hopefully!)
1 x modern CX bike for training

I’ve also culled my retros previously only if there was a goal in mind… ie to fund the above or another competing hobby or interest.

So my advice would be to cull if you need/want to but only if you have a reason or goal in mind as I’ve found my enthusiasm for my hobbies and leisure time changes over time and I can’t have everything.

I, like ‘splatter paint’, feel happier now that I have a more maneagable fleet and each has a purpose, with the Orange being basically a museum like piece to keep me in touch with this fantastic retro community

 

[MSYT]

I've recently been thinking of sellling off some of my bikes, but am struggling with it. While I realise my collection is modest compared to some, part of me thinks having 10 or so rideable bikes is a bit silly. The other part says it's taken years (and a not insignificant amount of money) to accumulate all the various bits and that if I sell I'll regret it! Anyone else been in this position? Did you sell up and regret it? Sell up and forget it? Or just kept everything and the collection's grown out of control?

Pretty much in the same position now. My garage is full and it's spilling in to my living room so I've been looking at selling. It's the "not insignificant" amount of money that's my biggest struggle. Some of the collection has a huge price tag - more than I should have ever spent but at the time I thought I needed that specific part to keep it original and paid a premium... Now I'm sat here thinking why and yet I'm still stuck in the maybe I can find space headspace.

I've pulled apart 3 or 4 bikes recently too just to try and clear the space (and because of the amount I put in vs how much I could sell the whole bike for) Splitting them hurts my soul though