[rynoman03]

Found this on the Mountain Bike Section of Reddit

http://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/comments/12xow6/a_message_to_all_new_riders/

Don't worry so much about your equipment, all you need for your first ride is a friend, a helmet, a bike, and a trail. Build your skill and passion for the sport before investing on an expensive bike for yourself. It will not only make you a better rider to learn on a bike that doesn't soak up every mistake, but it will make you appreciate the bike you worked long and hard to get so much more. Having fun is the reason we mountain bike so don't worry so much, have fun!

Although this was in a Mountain Bike section it kinda applies to any bike noob. I just started riding a week ago or so and have been looking at equipment like crazy, so for me this hit home.

[Industry_Hack]

Pffft! You need at least six bikes to have fun. Maybe ten. That's just crazy talk.

[rynoman03]

10 eh? You must have a large garage or a good place to store your bikes.

[Industry_Hack]

I was just kidding. You only need one to have fun, but it's nice to have a few for specific purposes. I have a 24" BMX that I used to race, a couple 29er XC bikes, a fully rigid 26" disc-equipped MTB for the snow, a nice SS/FG, a Nexus 8 road bike, and I've even got a partially assembled flat bar road bike that I am working on right now. There are plenty of other projects strewn about the house and yard.

In a perfect world, we would all have winter bikes and warm weather bikes, as well as bikes for commuting, racing, or the sheer fun of just riding.

[Jahwarrior]

Sound advice!
Some of the smartest people in the world ride Mountain bikes
it's true too... if you fall in love with the sport and have fun on a tank of a bike, you'll love it even more on a quality ride.

[rynoman03]

OH my bike's definitely a tank. But I just found this article \ thread on reddit to be fairly true. Some of the comments on there are quite funny \ truthful too. Esp the one about entering some races. I plan to ride this bike for at least a year or so to "get into" the sport. After then maybe I can upgrade to a nicer ride. I've got alot of learning to do and don't want to screw up \ injure a more expensive bike.

[borderstates]

I have always heard that the proper number of bicycles was N+1. No matter what N is, you always need 1 more.

BTW - Very good advice on riding. When I got back into it several years back (after 20 years away), I pulled an old WallyWorld bike out of the garage and started. I rode that till I happened to take a trip on the Blue Ridge Parkway in early May. Wow - just thousands of bikes on the road. Every rest stop was covered with bikes. I felt like I was so over-dressed, in my car, even with the top down. As soon as I got back home, I bought my first real bike in 30 years (I had a really nice Bottichia with Campy gear in the early - mid 70s -- 22 pounds back then was really light - hand sewn tires - the works -- stolen sadly). Now -- well I need more garage room. Bikes and kayaks have taken all of available wall space and the store room has three parked in it, too. Yes - cars are still parked in the garage and will always be parked there.

[Industry_Hack]

Originally Posted by borderstates

I have always heard that the proper number of bicycles was N+1. No matter what N is, you always need 1 more.

I used to just have eight. One for each day of the week.

[StormStrikes]

Originally Posted by rynoman03

After then maybe I can upgrade to a nicer ride. I've got alot of learning to do and don't want to screw up \ injure a more expensive bike.

This was my concern when I was shopping. When I went to the LBS and all they had for entry level was a $1000.00 bike, me and wife talked about it on our trip back home. She was okay with me getting it. However my concern was spending that kind of money on a bike, not having rode before and laying that sucker down, crashing it or any number of other events and wasting that money.

That all said, I am EXTREMELY happy with what I have. I would buy another in an instant. Its a nice looking bike, has been great to ride. Other than a couple hiccups that are more than likely from my inexperience, its been great.

Its not a full carbon bike. Its not a $1000+ bike. Its not a Shimano Ultegra bike. But it is my bike and I love it.

[Gandalfe]

Originally Posted by Industry_Hack

I used to just have eight. One for each day of the week.

I used to collect thangs, now I just try to use what I have.