I finally gave up on the 'all weather' commuter and bought a second bike

For two years I tried to make one bike do everything, a heavy steel gravel bike with fenders and racks. It was a tank, slow and a pain to haul up the three flights to my apartment. The choice was clear: keep struggling with one do-it-all bike or get a second, lighter one for dry days. I picked up a used aluminum road bike for $400 last fall. Now, the gravel bike stays set up for rain and hauling groceries, and the road bike is for when the forecast is clear. My average speed jumped from 12 to 16 mph on my 7-mile route, and I actually look forward to the ride instead of dreading the weight. Has anyone else split their fleet like this, or do you think it's a waste of space and money?

2 comments

2 Comments

stella9045d ago

Absolutely the right call. I did the same thing last year with a similar heavy bike and it changed everything. Having a light bike for good days makes riding fun again instead of a chore. My heavy bike is now just for bad weather or when I need to carry a lot of stuff. The space it takes up is totally worth it for the joy of a fast, easy ride. Trying to make one bike do it all is just a compromise that makes every ride worse.

leobrown5d ago

Can my heavy bike at least pretend to be useful and hold my laundry?