Multiple Bikes

Equipment
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I recently bought a Cervelo Aspero with a Rival XPLR groupset and have been very pleased with its performance. It was my first carbon bike and now I find myself bitten by new bike fever. I never knew what I was missing

I’m sure there are many of you who own multiple high end bikes. I was wondering how many find they settle in on a favorite bike to the exclusion of the others. I am considering some version of a road bike most likely an endurance style. The Aspero is certainly no slouch on the road, but thinking a bike designed specifically for the surface might be even better.

Most of my riding will be on the road, but initially elected to go with a gravel due to surface conditions in the area.

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We don’t. And is why I have 7 high end bikes. Probably not helpful. They’re all wildly different and are each the “best bike” in their own right depending what I am riding.

Actually no, the singlocross isn’t high end, but it’s high on the sentimental value scale and beats all the others hands down in the mud.

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As someone who admires expensive, quality bikes from a distance and rides a Claris equipped 2015 Raleigh aluminum road bike…
Let me say how much I appreciate comments like this. It helps me be content with what I have since I read this like a cautionary tale! :eyes::joy: For now :sunglasses:
Thanks!

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My comments on another thread probably are as much or more appropriate here! The Flexibility in Sizing thread.
@Isa Absolutely be content with what you have! (Until you’re NOT!) I rode my '98 Klein Mantra into the ground! And loved it the whole time! For 15 years or more! Upgraded step by step from 80mm fork until the last one was up to 150mm, and it rode better with every increase! I rode its “twin” '99 frame that I bought for another 2-3 years, till it also died. I still have both, even though frames have failed.
The Blastberry Chameleon color on the '98 was WAY ahead of its time, Gary Klein was one of a kind, and built only amazing creations. My current Trek Domane in “Purple Phaze/Anthracite” is basically a revival of that original changeling color scheme. I couldn’t possibly part with that Klein Mantra frame. I might even tell my wife to bury it with me because no one else will EVER appreciate it like I do! :grin:

@dmgadry61 My having just barely entered the “gravel rides” arena might be useful for things you might consider. I bought an identical wheelset for my Domane, the Bontrager Aeolus Prov 3V wheels, which have an internal width of 25mm, so they are ideal for gravel wheels, allowing a larger profile for tires that typical road wheels. I run Continental GP5000 tubeless on the originals that came on the bike, and I chose the Tufo Speedero 700x40 tubeless for the gravel set, and am extremely happy with those thus far. They roll almost as fast as road tires, but are much better than road slicks when I get on gravel or dirt. I’ve done some pretty wild stuff on them and have been amazed a how well they’ve held the surface and also held up without any flats and show very little wear after almost 300 miles. All that could change on the next ride, but I hope they will last a LOT more miles and not leave me stranded and walking. :wink:

I think you need to consider most how much you will use the OTHER bike, if indeed you get another. If you really WILL use it a lot, and if the resources are available to invest, I wouldn’t even think twice about switching wheelsets out, like I am doing. I did it because I knew I wanted to make some connecting routes that my road tires weren’t fit for, but I did not feel sure how OFTEN I would do these gravel or gravel/pavement rides, and I don’t feel ready to put enough money into another quality bike purchase right now. I may never.

But I have quickly learned that gravel is MUCH harder on your drivetrain than road riding is! Far more dirt and grit gets tossed up onto the chain, cogs, crankset, not to mention the rest of the bike AND you. You and most of the bike frame will handle it okay, (though rocks can certainly take a toll on either.) But the chain and cogs are going to need a LOT more attention and maintenance.
That alone has me already thinking about just how little money could I put into a dedicated gravel bike and still be happy? That would mean no switching out wheelsets, chain (it takes another few links for a larger cassette), and making adjustments to the B-screw on the derailleur each time (and POSSIBLY to the disc calipers if they decide to whine a bit about perfect alignment.)
I can manage these things now by choosing to go gravel for a spell and then return to road, but I wouldn’t put up with it if I were going to change every couple rides or so.

As a result, I’m probably going to end up going to another dedicated bike for gravel SOMEDAY. I’m retired already, and it will be a well-considered decision that hopefully gives me MANY years of use from whatever bike I may choose. Just as I hope my Domane is my road bike for a LOT of years to come!

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I have 2 dedicated gravel bikes. Absolutely can recommend getting one. While I love my road bikes, I don’t think I’ll ever buy another one. Because I love gravel, bikepacking and single track so much more.

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Ooh just looked up those paint schemes. Drop dead gorgeous-I can see why you love it!
I expect to keep my current bike likely forever… It is sturdy, does what I need it to and looks pretty in the living room on the trainer.
I have an old trek alpha mtb that handles the car swallowing potholes around town just fine and is my trail and commuter bike. The Raleigh leaves the house for good pavement days only.
That being said, one day, I will add a carbon frame. Likely a gravel bike but possibly endurance road depending on how designs have gone by the time I get one. The Domanes and Roubaix really catch my eye.

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You can get Domanes and Roubaix in aluminium. Very durable and ready to roll.

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While racing I loved a bike for off road riding (pre-gravel bikes), a lightweight bike that felt like a dream to throw around the hills, an aero bike for super fast gunning it along the flats, and a TT bike for full on speed machine. Admittedly now that I don’t get bikes for free, I would ideally go for a 1 bike to rule them all style for the road. Specialized Tarmac, Factor Ostro VAM and Cannondale SuperSix to name a few of that style. If you like the Cervelo bikes though, the S5 would be the super fast aero bike for flatter terrain while the R5 would be your hill dancing bike. Weight of bikes normally doesn’t make a huge difference, but when swinging the bike around on steeper climbs, a light bike gives you such a sense of fun. However, beware of race geometry on those bikes I mentioned, they are traditionally long and low. For you, Trek might be a good option as thy have ditched their raciest geometry and many of their race bikes include some form of additional comfort and compliance

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Yep, that’s the biggest reason I ended up on the Domane. I’m very happy with it, but it’s no lightweight. However, the aero claims for that bike certainly hold true from what I can non-empirically assess. While there are many factors at play besides just the bike frame aero factor, I notice that I almost always roll with but usually ahead of other riders when we are rolling same speeds to begin with on downhills and get off the gas entirely. I’m more upright than they as far as bike geometry, but usually roll a little faster, and then even more notably if I get low and tight. That’s always a fun observation factor.

But there’s no getting around the fact that I’m often pedaling a bike that is 3 to 5 pounds heavier than peers who have more race oriented geometry frames. Mine is stiff, notably more so than my older Madone, but had I been younger, I’d possibly want the lightweight frame option.

That said, I’d be hoping the lighter frame options would hurry up and widen the builds to allow a least a 32mm width tire. I’m almost hopelessly converted in that regard.

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I got a gravel bike a few months ago and have hung up my road bike. The things that distinguish a gravel bike from a road bike are much wider tires (45mm in my case) run at much lower pressures (28 psi in my case), AND frame geometry with more trail and longer chainstays. The tires absorb surface imperfections and float over soft surfaces. The geometry helps increase stability, particularly on soft or loose surfaces. On pavement, this translates into a much more pleasant and mentally relaxing ride as it’s much smoother with greater immunity to road imperfections like cracks, lips and holes, and road debris. On dirt and gravel, you can confidently ride on stuff that would be absolutely hair raising if not impossible on a road bike. This gives you much more flexibility on routes. My rides with the gravel bike now usually avg ~50% gravel and dirt, including single track where I mostly encounter mtbs and where I would previously ride my mtb. The tradeoff is slightly slower speed on pavement. A challenging group road ride would be easier on the dedicated road bike.

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