10 Overlooked Benefits of Owning Only ONE Bike
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 27 ก.ค. 2024
- Lots of cyclists genuinely live by the tongue in cheek saying, "the ideal number of bikes is n+1 where n equals the number of bikes currently owned." While there's benefits to having a stable of bikes best suited for different situations, there's a lot of practical benefits to owning only ONE bike that are overlooked. Here's why I wholeheartedly live the n=1 life.
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0:00 - n=1
0:22 - 10. More Space in Your Home & Head
1:39 - 9. Your Bike Is Perfectly Maintained
2:06 - 8. Easier to Get Out and Ride
4:12 - 7. You Get to REALLY Know Your Bike
4:43 - 6. You Become a More Adaptable Rider
4:51 - 5. Limitation is Good
5:32 - 4. You Escape the n+1 Rat Race
6:37 - 3. Satisfying Being DONE With Bike
6:55 - 2. More Money for Bike Trips
7:26 - 1. Encourages an Intentional Lifestyle
9:25 - Sponsor: Wabi Cycles
10:13 - Patreon Fixie Famous Shoutouts
#fixedgear #bikelife
"If you're not stoked about your bike, you won't ride it." --Words I heard from another salesman while working at a bike shop
N=1 so long as you back it up with several frames, wheelsets and assorted components to swap out for different rides.
It's good to have spare parts in case anything breaks. that way you can just replaced them at home then to waste time going online or to the bike shop to try to get them.
@@juliancorona234 I think you missed the joke
@@psychoaiko666 Yeah I did. I can sometimes be clueless. 😅
Thanks Zach! I thought I was pretty weird for having one bike for the last 14 years. Very comforting to know someone else chooses to have one bike
I think this is one of your best and most informative videos. The concept of being satisfied with what you currently have, rather than constantly searching for the next best replacement or upgrade, extends far beyond cycling and is desperately needed in American society. Thank you Zach, I hope to run into you the next time you're in the midwest!!!
I recently went from 4 to 3, but the issue is they are all vintage steel bikes and I struggle with the thought of, “once you get rid of them you can’t get them back” meaning they are in really good condition and any similar frames either never appear or are in junk condition. But then again I’m still saving tons of money buying vintage/new old stock VS new, carbon fiber, rediculously high price components, etc
I have the same issue! WIth vintage stuff, finding the model, color, the right size, ok condition and a decent price is so hard. It makes me afraid to let go of any of my 3 vintage steel bikes even though none of them really suit what I want right now.
I completely agree!
I own a single speed Elops 500 (I think the cheapest bike on earth), it's not already fixed (tracklocross) bike but I'm working on...
With this bike, 44x18, a 700x35 cyclocross tyres and an MTB riser handlebar I've a lot of fun and zero maintenance !!!
The heart of the matter is the joy you have during the ride !
Cheers from Italy !
People who only have 1 bike are limited to the capabilities of the bike. I think 3 is the magic number. 1 road bike, 1 off-road bike and a hybrid...Plus I haven't owned a car in 2 years so that's also a factor.
That's a bold statement you're making on a *FIXED GEAR ONLY* channel
@@psychoaiko666 Oh cool, you sound like a fun person. I bet you wear full body bibs and clip ins!
You'd be immature to not think about it logically. I personally own two bikes. One fixed gear and one MTB. It's unreasonable to own many of the same kind unless you're a reviewer.
@@risue08 True, it's just my opinion.
@@risue08 ooooooor you just really like a certain type of bike. I have 3 fixed gear bikes, that's where my passion is. I couldn't care less about mountain bikes. Or y'know actually I fuckin hate mountain bikers with a passion. Mfs come racing thru the woods while I'm walking my dog. And they're not even real cyclists anymore anyways, it's all fuckin ebikes nowadays
...
Yea imma grumpy old man
Yes But I prefer having 2.
I want to have the benefit of leaving the main bike to shop for maintenance and use your back up back while waiting for maintenance
I agree, 2 is better, you have to have another bike ready to use when your bike have an issue. I have that issue now that I am thinkering with main bike, but I bought a wrong size component so rather than stressing about it, I just use my other bike.
Great vid. Currently selling off most of the fleet to get to 2 bikes:)
I own three fixies. Bike one: standard bike, 17/46 and zippy for every situation in dry conditions (aluminium frameset). Bike two: 17/48, ultastrong and with eyelets for complete fenders to use in rain and winter conditions (medium light steel frame). Bike three: 15/48, lighter, stiffer and more aggressive for sprinting on weekends and in the late evenings in summer (Soma Rush dream build). Once the bikes were thought out and assembled, they were done. No fussing around unimportant details just for the hell of it. All three bikes work excellent.
I mostly agree with you but if you rely on your bike for everyday Transportation, it's good to have a backup beater bike so something happens to your Menor favorite bike and it's down for repairs until you can get parts you aren't stranded without a bike.
Thanks for the awesome content and sweet jacket 🙌🏼
Great video Zach!
thanks for this video, i'm an old fixed rider and still riding my first one built and very happy with it!
This discussion has no end. Things you said work when someone rides a bike exactly the way you do it. Some of arguments are on point, like space in flat/house or easier and cheaper maintaining. Some of them like being more adaptable rider are not. I'm riding single speed bike for commuting purpose but when I'm riding with friends, I need gravel bike. So I have two bikes in the same fashion - both single speeds, both with similar position, but the differences allow me to enjoy riding both being fast and effective in the city and doing loger trips with some bags on unpaved roads, etc. Of course I could do everything on gravel bike, but it won't be that satisfying.
I think the combination of gravel and single speed is the most useful and it’s exactly what I have, but even then I think the points in the video are just as valid. Even in the context of mininalism is okay to not have the bare minimum, but just enough to make you happy, 2 bikes might just that for some people
great points made in this video
I recently sold all my track bikes and only kept my 1 pearl white All-City Thunderdome
shes all I need
Hey Zack - watched your vids for ages, and just wanna say your vids are awesome! And this is from someone that doesn't ride fixed! - however I do have to say that I totally 100% agree about just having one bike, my only bike is a omnium cargo wifi v2 (none electric) and I use it for everything and couldn't be happier! - someone once said to me that there is no 'perfect' bike, but there is a 'perfect' bike for each person - I've found mine and it looks like you've found yours! - keep up the great work!
Sorry just realised I spelt your name wrong - sorry about that!
The Omnium cargo bikes look so cool. I’m riding my dads bike now but eventually I want to find something perfect for me. Do you feel like you go slower on it, or can you keep up with others fairly well?
@@Ferrichrome hi - when I first started riding it I found myself a bit slower as it's a pretty heavy bike but after a while I managed to keep up with most people (even overtake quite a few now!) - but tbh it's more of a mentality thing, at the end of the day I'm not riding a race bike or anything like that so I'm not going to go as fast as some others and honestly I'm fine with that - some advice is to ride a few different models (and sizes if you can) to see what suits you best - you'll find one you that just feels right 👍
During my studies I had a small room and a PS2 and no other distraction. I really enjoyed video games at the time.
Then after my studies I started collecting all consoles. Hunting for specific stuff and finally founding one at a thrift store or a flea market feels great. But the clutter and unplayed games that pile up takes mental space for no good reason.
It's not necessarily bad to try a few styles of bikes to find the one that you enjoy the most. It's the keeping part that's bad. Knowing how and when to let go of things is necessary to keep a healthy mind.
Randomly picked up goodbe things in a free book birdhouse on the sidewalk in flatbush near my old school. havent had a chance to read it but I am definetly more eager to begin now after hearing your ecommend it.
I've had at most 8 or 9 but there's one I never get rid of (daily rider/beater) that's my favorite. The rest are constantly in rotation buying, restoring, and selling.
I agree. I’m on a all road gravel bike now having just spent 3-4yrs on a SS track frame. I’m gonna fully experience this bike like I have the former.
I find point 4 to be particularly relevant to SS/FG. One of the reasons I’m not really looking at buying a road bike is because you can always get a better road bike. I feel like the range in spec/price is much wider for road bikes than SS/FG-you feel pressured to move up through the ranks of road bikes. Also if I get a road bike I feel pressured to get clipless pedals, otherwise I feel like I’m making all sorts of compromises. However if I do go for clipless pedals, this increases the friction to actually just going most places by bike.
Totally agree Zach, love the minimalism and Fight Club part. You can apply the same to anything. Shoes for example. I'm down to one bike now too. The same way it is stupid to have more than one car, I mean I don't have one 4wd for dirt roads and one convertible for the beach, a minivan for family etc.I'm not Jay Leno and I have one multipurpose car, as you say, good enough.
I have 2 bikes, a fold-able commuter for my Mon-Fri commute and my Engine 11 Crit-D candy blue crit ready build which sits in my spare room/work space and I have the bike positioned near the door which when I wake up and walk from my bedroom passage towards the lounge, my dream build if the first thing I see and the last thing I glance at before ending my day. Everytime I walk past the room, I find myself letting out a subtle "hmm" of satisfaction.
Zach good job! I like the videos and you make me laugh
I own 7 bikes mostly fixer uppers new and old but, there all 4 sale most the time lol I usually have 1 that I say I'm keeping. Anyway I'm from citrus heights keep up the good work
Totally agree Zach. 1 gear and 1 bike that's how it's done!
Then there's me with seven.. I only really ride four of them actively but it brings me so much joy to work on all of them.
You need more than one bike because when your main bike needs repair you have a backup. In 2 yrs of riding i put 26,000 miles on it. I wear things out and sometimes its cheaper buying a new bike. Infact ive put 14,000 a year on a bike for 14 yrs of riding. I need a new bike. I can justify it.
140,000 miles. One bike would not last that long for me
Sadly if i could just have one bike, i dont think i would be riding fixed gear. I think the sweet spot if you have the space for it is 3. You need a minimalist fixed/ss for a reliable commuting back up as well as fun, then you need your primary all weather, all road commuting steel beast with more gears than you need, fenders, racks, etc, and then an ebike to get you to mandatory trips to the burbs, trips on hot days where you have to arrive without being all sweaty, or to take onto roads where that 28 mph boost comes in handy. Ditch the car entirely of course.
I am rewatching this video and I just realized, your bike costs about 2-3 of my 2015 Giant TCR Advanced Pro! And it weighs about the same as well lol only difference I have 22 gears and have brakes. One day I'll have a constantine bike with mavic ellipse wheels and cool outboard cranks and the like. But that's when I have a job I just retired from pro cycling so I am now jobless and you can probably guess but you can't have a sizeable savings account if your job is to literally ride your bike so fast people think you're on EPO because they can't fathom how much time and effort you took to get to that level and they get insecure that they don't have the commitment or motivation to ride their bikes that much.
Only own a tandem track bike, of course
A fixed MTB cargo tandem
A tandem tricycle cargo bike…fixed of course
Link to that Panasonic? Might buy it!
Hi been watching your channel for years and man Wabi bike is something I want to own! Please help me, I’m 177cm tall can you please recommend which size frame I should go for and which frame is the best in your opinion? I live in Australia bro, really appreciated you. Thanks
Hey Zach, would you say you’ve achieved “bike nirvana” in that you feel like your current bike meets all your needs/ideals?
I recently picked up cycling and it’s been trial and error with various cheap bikes off of FB marketplace. I’m enjoying the process of learning maintenance/tinkering and getting hands-on with geometry and stuff, and it’s helped me narrow down my “wantlist” for what my perfect bike would be.
I’ve been a drummer for about 15 years now, and can pretty confidently say that I’ve reached a point of nirvana with my gear acquisition. My setup is an exact match to the ideal drum sound that’s in my brain, after 15 years of searching. Of course, over this time my wants and needs have changed (and they still might), but I guess that’s just a part of the journey!
Long story short, bikes are fun and I love the idea of having just one bike for everything. But I wanna try everything first 😂
I have fixie and an XC. I think thats more than enough.
I love your jacket 😊
Best quote of the video at 8:17
Love my track bike I just switched between cinelli pista drops to some cut carbon risers but I think there can b something said for bikes that are specialized for a purpose ex: If you want to ride with a group of roadies having a bike with 2 by 8+ gears or if you want to mountain bike with a buddy having a bike with larger tires that has slack geometry
I have one racing bicycle on the road, one in pieces and one waiting for paint. The idea for me is to have two that are road worthy at any given time so that if one suddenly needs work, I’m not without a ride.
I feel like this changes If you have different bikes. I’ve got a MTB, Fixie, and a vintage bike
i've sold my dirt jumper 2 years ago since i'm getting older and i'm not fearless anymore, i only have two bikes now one being my beloved bridgestone njs and the other being a trashed noname 90's mtb i converted to fixed and i use as a beater since i wont leave my bridgestone locked outside in a million years. in an ideal world i would be happy to only have one bike but "we live in a society" and its not possible to have good things unattended.
I agree owning one bike makes it easy when you are going for a ride. No guesswork is needed. And keeping the bike simple also makes it an enjoyable ride.
Bikes are tools you have one for each purpose....i have fixies, a mountain bike and a road multi-speed touring bike and i use them all!!!
Hear, hear brother! Zach did a really good video here, but an all around cycling enthusiast needs a quiver. I have two fixies at the moment. Neither work well on snow or single track. Geared road bikes can over complicate the ride experience, but definitely have their purpose.
minimalism is my lifestyle! But I still have 2 coffee cups, 2 bikes, etc (I believe in back-ups) That is the prepper in me. A geared bike for my workhorse and a one speed as my work out bike. If I could affords a Thunder, then I would entertain a n=1.
Damn it zach, You’re making me have more pros on making sure to sell my bikes, Or lessen my fleet, But then, It is high time to lessen two cause I’m not riding em. 😟
One bike? I kind of like the idea of minimalism and all that but in the case of a track bike I can't just have one. I have 3 with another build in the pipeline. I have a beater...a daily if you will. I have one for the track only and I have one that is more for show with an occasional ride to special cycling events. For the frame that is in the pipeline I'm not sure as yet how it will be used but I enjoy building out a track bike.
For me two bikes doesn't complicate things much, relative to only one. And the price of my two bikes are together worth 60% the price of a Wabi or other top one
I'd love to be at N=1, but I need a crappy commuter that I can leave locked outside without having it be stolen in 5 minutes. Steel fixies are great for the true n=1 lifestyle because they don't look anything special to the uninitiated.
Have 2 bikes. Mtb and a road ebike. I think I get a emtb fully too. ☮️
Cool math on the bike storage spreadsheet part
Ride bikes, have fun, don't need alot. Bodhisattva. Ty! PS, Vera Bradley jacket😁?
i always want to have 2 fixed gear one for city riding and one for track cycling
Blanche from the golden girls would like her coat back bro
in 1:30, what's the site called
If I had to keep only ONE bike, it'd be my BROMPTON.
I used to think this way then I went mtbing with a friend and immediately ordered a hardtail, now I’m a 2 biker broski
I couldn't take my FG bike to parents home every time I go there to ride abandoned railway tracks on 25c tires. Thus I permanently have there vintage MTB on cushy tires and that bike cost me 1/5th of fancy Kashimax frame protector.
I have one bike, a fixed that I built piece by piece on Amazon, just the way I want, no apologies.
Ride everyday.
Zach and my aunt have the same hairstyle
i like the clothing style, and the philosophy
Nice revised fight club quote 🤣
minimalimism i think they call it
I have two bikes, one bmx and one Fixed gear
What Zach is saying is plain heresy! If you have Wabi Thunder does it means you don't have to splurge out for Wabi Lightning?!?
Unfortunately I can't ride my fixie on a downhill trail. An off-road and on-road bike is the way imo.
I owned a fixed for commutes and short errands...rigid mtb for weekend long rides. I love my fixed but i cant take it that far..😂😂😂
Ok, N=1+ that bike in the background I guess ?
what is the other bike in the background?
His old frame, not really a “bike” since it’s not built up, in its state it’s just a frame set and as you can clearly see he is using it as wall decor. The fact multiple people asking this question as a sorta “gotcha” is funny. When he means having only one bike it’s clearly referring to having one bike built up and in use.
I have 13 bikes: 11 Track Bikes and 2 Road Bikes (I never Ride the Rodies) 🥴
I have same bike in two adjacent sizes and I can't sell locally unused one for decent amount of money. So shorter one is set for FG and longer will be a freewheeling bike for longer rides. I know this is perfectly dumb excuse. I already agonize on tire purchase for another bike as it will be used not as often as daily FG bike so don't want to go for too nice tires as they will age in storage and don't want to cheap out and ride crappy tires. That's the agony Zach talked about!
Should’ve gotten the Panasonic.
There is another elephant in the room, though, it could have a good explanation, there is 2 bikes in the background.
First person to watch your new video
meanwhile me with 4 bikes and 7 frames........ crying rn
Sounds like you're an actual bike enthusiast, welcome to the club..👍
Maximizers tap in
⬇️
Depending on where you live, and what kind of cycling you do, it may be practical to have as many as 3 bikes. (I think 2 is the sweetspot for me).
The first most crucial bike is the commuter / cargo / everyday bike, a bike that is capable of practicality, is easier to ride, and slightly more offroadable.
The second is the road bike, a fixie or not, a good road bike, where the intention is recreational and not to carry anything, so speed is found with reduced weight.
The third depends on where you live, but a MTB or BMX could be useful for those who have regular access, or regularly travel to places where they can use that kind of bike.
The same mentality can also be applied to large cargo bikes, touring bikes and tandem bikes, they are special bikes that primarily serve a single purpose.
For the average joe, two bikes is good. One bike for cargo and utility, another for recreation. Whether recreation is road cycling, or mountain biking, it is good to separate that from the utility bike.
Not everyone lives in an apartment or have limited space… so some people can own as many as they want speak for yourself
Our current ecomonic system floods us with too many anxiety inducing choices. Half of which are cheap quality
6:38 la mayor mentira!!!
one bike works if your limited with how you ride- some of us like to go off road and also ride 150 miles rides and those are done best on a off road or road bike not a fixie- yes you can ride what you want on a fixie but sometimes other options are better then being limited to a fixed gear. Don't get me wrong I love my fixed gear but I also love the several other bikes I own...........Cheers- keep the wind at your back
What if you like to collect bikes?
then collect bikes.....
So basically you tell me not to buy a fixie because I already have an eBike? 😭
It depends… today might be easy to say only 1 is needed but check this out :
1 - Folding bike for short commuting (less than 5 km) as sometimes, the space (to leave the bike) is limited (in fact, I have a 16" and a 20" and I should sell the 16")
2 - Electric bike for long commuting but it’s huge, I would be stressed to leave it on streets
3 - Mountain bike for more casual/longer ride and it can tow the chariot (kids)
4 - Fixie for speedy/light/training rides (this thing is a F1) but less comfortable, one speed only, no luggage capacity
5 - My dream, getting an electric cargo bike !!!
Overall, they have all one specific purpose (and I have the space, although, I would like to reduce).
Three bikes is the magic number. Gravel bike = most practical for commuting, off-road, and road. E-bike = recreation and versatility. Mountain bike = offroad. I slowly upgraded each and every one, learning how to work on different types.
Less Is More? Wait, didn't you do a video about $ 500.00 handlebar just a few weeks ago? What about that second bike you have in the background? You'll lose all your Fixie Points if you keep this up!
bro starting to become a kpop idol
I know you're talking about bike, but for some reasons my take-away from this video is more life philosophy / spirituality than the original topic
4:02
Not true.
When you have only one bike, you will think about all the experiences you could have with different bikes especially more BECAUSE you only have one bike.
For every type of bike you can imagine, there is a plethora of specific models with a unique mix of qualities.
If you don't have these bikes the thinking is endless.
I have a commuter fixed gear, a track bike and a road bike. None of them are interchangeable. I never ask myself if I picked the right one because they all serve a specific purpose.
At first I only had a steel fixed gear but it was much too limiting. Track bike being too aggressive for street riding and not fit to do the endurance work needed to push my sprint even higher.
Wise kid, way beyond his years.
Fumio Sasaki is a woman who finally gave up on controlling stuff in her home - after giving birth to couple of children?
Counter point you shred tires, chains, chainrings, cogs, grips, and seats at an alarming rate.
alarming rate lol no