I sold a bike today, and it felt great

[Titiritero]

I see many posts here about someone getting another bike, a barn find, a great deal on ebay, etc. Which is all fine. But just for the sake of change, I want to tell my recent story about a bike I sold

Same as most of us here, I've also fallen into the vicious circle of lurking into second hand sites, buying "deals" and then spending a fun time restoring, swapping components, and getting many retrobikes trail-ready along the years.

However, I've reached the tipping point where, although I still enjoy the process, it currently gives me more trouble than joy. My shed is full of bikes in different levels of mechanical readiness, loose components of diverse value and condition, duplicate tools, etc. Nothing unfamiliar to most of you. But now that I have a kid (and another one coming), I want to spend more time with them or riding and less time in the shed. So I've started to cut back, ruthlessly.

I've never reached the levels of some guys around here, but I still had 6 bikes at home, 2 by my parents and another 2 by my in-laws. It got so bad, I had a bike parked in the garage in the office and I got a note last week from security, attached to the handlebar, saying if I don't remove the bike, now covered in dust, in 2 weeks, it'll be taken away.

So I'm pleased to say I sold a bike today. And it feels great!. It was a '91 Trek 950 in great condition. I love those lugged Treks, but it was clearly redundant. And there will be more sales to come, currently working on getting the old commuter from my wife ready to go for sale, a '93 ugly hybrid.

I hope with this sale I'll have more time for me, be it to be with family, or to ride more the remaining bike/s, or even just to have all the bikes in ready-to-use condition. I have more space in the shed, and less mental clutter thinking what I need to do/fix next. So, to me, a win-win.

I'm not saying this is for everyone, but if you're spending more time fixing bikes, or not even that, just looking at second-hand bike sites, instead of riding, I totally recommend you to pare down the herd, fix what's left, and ride it!

And now, a gratuitous pic of the bike I just sold:

 

[tintin40]

nice MTB

 

[mynchiboy]

Re:

Yep, that Trek looks tidy! The '91-2 Treks were good years, very underrated bikes in my opinion.

I too am at tipping point with bikes/frames/projects and will need to move on something sooner or later, the problem is I am also riding a different bike each day at the moment, making the 'cull' difficult :facepalm:

The biggest danger - don't spend the cash you have made on another bike

 

[Once A Hero]

Re:

Good for you, and the lucky new owner of the Trek!

I'm almost at a point where I have everything I need for every bike I have, and therefore will look to off-load what is not required.
Just this morning I had a thought about laying all the spare stuff out - just to see how much there is and how much space it is taking up.
My spare stuff isn't particularly high-end so I feel some of it will simply get given away, recycled or binned...

 

[k-rod]

awesome thread/story

 

[Henne]

Re:

Oh yes, I was where you are now around 6 or 7 years ago - sold a nice frame and some bits and bobs to appease the Mrs. Then around 3 or 4 years later (and I suppose coinciding with a milestone birthday that was on the horizon, upon reflection), I went crazy and bought four retro bikes in the space of two months! Haven't thinned the herd since despite the Mrs (and her ignorant brother and mother) making comments about how many bikes I have, which I don't think is that many - 9 complete but in various state of mechanical readiness and two frames needing gears and wheels.

 

[jimo746]

Re:

Good for you. No one actually “needs” that many bikes, and time with your family, riding bikes will be much more beneficial for all concerned

The temptation is to have a relapse a few months later, see the empty space where the bikes used to be, and buy another one, or two :facepalm: If you can break that cycle (pun intended ) then you’re set for the future.

 

[BentRims]

Re:

2 by my parents and another 2 by my in-laws.

That's the first problem right there! Sometimes you've got put a foot down :x

4 Bikes right there, Sheeeeshhh...

3 Bikes are my limit, and one Parts bike.

My 96' Kona is my Hybird do it all Recreational bike, the 2012 Gt Zaskar 9r is my Gravel muncher, and then there's the wifes bike.

I never Diss the collectors, without them 95% of the vintage bikes would be trashed. :shock:

 

[The History Man]

how?

 

[shedobits]

Re:

+1 re these Treks, I have a 970 built up 3 X 9 & tubeless with UST rims and modern tyres. I can ride almost anything that I dare try with my modern bikes, (the exception being downhill drop offs).

I recently gifted a bike to my son as a commuter and it felt really good. This still leaves 4 in Spain and 3 in England with the family and yes, I still look on this site every evening for more. :roll: