Dealing With The N+1 Dilemma of Every Avid Cyclist

Wait…

You thought one bike was enough.
Then you got two.
Then three.
Then you sat there, staring at the wall, heart racing, mind spinning, thinking:

“I need a road bike. I need a cyclocross bike. I need a trials bike. I need a bikepacking bike. I need a cargo bike.”

Your wallet cries. Your garage is full. Your spouse sighs.

But that itch, that beautiful, unrelenting, soul-crushing itch for N+1—it never stops.

So, how do you deal with it?

Here are ten ways to navigate the madness.

1. Accept That N+1 Is a Lie

You tell yourself, this is the last one.
You tell yourself, after this, I’ll be satisfied.
You are lying to yourself.

N+1 isn’t a cute little inside joke. It’s physics. It’s human nature. You will always want another.

There will always be a new kind of riding, a different geometry, a better frame material, a lighter setup, a more aggressive head tube angle, a more relaxed one, a more practical one, a more fun one.

The moment you believe you are “done,” you will see someone riding a bike that makes you pause.

And then, just like that, you are back on the hunt.

2. Buy Used, Sell Used, Flip Forever

New bikes are for suckers. You don’t pay full price. You buy low, ride hard, sell high.

Hunt the classifieds like a detective solving a cold case. Know what to look for: steel frames with character, carbon that’s been babied, aluminum that’s got scars but still runs true.

Get them cheap, ride them, sell them, repeat.

You’re not a collector. You’re a curator of temporary obsessions.

This way, you can justify every new purchase. I’m not hoarding, I’m cycling through experiences.

And if you get good at it? You might even turn a profit.

3. Define Your “S-1” Limit

Every cyclist has an invisible limit: the number of bikes at which their significant other starts questioning life choices.

S-1.

The breaking point. The moment your spouse or partner walks into the garage, sees another bike leaning against the others, and simply exhales—a long, slow, patient exhale.

You can’t let it happen.

You need to operate just beneath this threshold. You need strategy. A road bike is just a skinny-tired commuter. The gravel bike? A backup in case the main one is in the shop. The full-suspension rig? That’s for safety.

Stay just below the danger zone. Ride the line like a tightrope walker over an active volcano.

4. Convince Yourself That Three Is Enough

You can only ride one at a time. Two, if you’re reckless.

So logically, three should be enough. One for trails, one for roads, one for everything else.

It’s a clean number. A reasonable number. It’s the number you’ll tell people when they ask, “How many bikes do you really need?”

And you’ll believe it.

For about a week.

Then you’ll see a trials bike and think about what you could do with just one more.

5. Find the One Bike to Rule Them All

It doesn’t exist, but you’ll keep looking.

A gravel bike that rides like a road bike, but can take a beating like a mountain bike. A hardtail that climbs like a goat but descends like a demon. A cargo bike that somehow doesn’t feel like you’re lugging around a kitchen table.

You will convince yourself that if you find this one bike, you can sell the others.

You won’t. But you will tell yourself that you will.

6. The “No New Bike” Rule (That You’ll Definitely Break)

Try it. Go six months without buying another bike.

Make a contract. Write it down. Sign it.

Then wait.

One week in, you’ll start browsing forums. Two weeks, you’ll be watching YouTube reviews. A month in, you’ll be rationalizing why the deal you just found is too good to pass up.

Eventually, you’ll cave.

But hey, you tried.

7. Make More Money

The simplest solution to N+1? Increase the budget.

Sell things you don’t need. Pick up a side hustle. Become the kind of person who “accidentally” makes enough to justify another bike.

Some become dentists. Some get into flipping bikes. Some just accept that groceries and retirement funds are optional.

Priorities.

8. Learn to Be Happy With What You Have

This one is a mystery. It’s been attempted. Never achieved.

The idea is simple: ride the bikes you have, love them, maintain them, bond with them. Stop looking at the next best thing.

But let’s be honest. If you had this kind of discipline, you wouldn’t be reading this.

9. Focus on Riding, Not Buying

Remember why you got into this in the first place?

The wind in your face. The crunch of gravel under tires. The long, glorious stretch of an open road, no cars in sight. The singletrack that twists and turns like it was made just for you.

The bike itself? Just a tool. It was always just a tool.

Ride more. Browse less. The bike you already own will feel better than any new one sitting in a box.

10. Admit That It’s a Hobby, Not a Problem

Some people spend their weekends fishing. Some rebuild motorcycles. Some play golf.

You collect bikes.

And that’s fine.

You could be gambling. You could be buying watches you never wear. You could be deep into some expensive, meaningless pursuit that brings you no joy.

But you ride.

You explore. You push yourself. You escape.

It’s not a problem. It’s who you are.

Summary Table: Surviving N+1

Tip	Strategy
N+1 is a lie	Accept that you’ll always want more bikes.
Buy, sell, flip	Keep the collection rotating.
Know your S-1	Don’t lose your spouse over a bike. Or do.
Three is enough	But probably not.
One bike to rule them all	A gravel bike might save your soul.
No new bikes (for now)	Try to resist. You will fail.
Make more money	Hustle for your addiction.
Be happy with what you have	Good luck with that.
Ride more, buy less	More miles, fewer invoices.
It’s just a hobby	Not an illness. Maybe.

The Hard Truth About N+1

Here’s the truth.

You will never stop wanting another bike.

You’ll see a frame that haunts your dreams. A geometry that just makes sense. A build kit that calls to you like an old friend.

And you will sit there, fingers hovering over the “Buy Now” button, heart pounding, knowing full well you don’t need it.

And then, with a deep breath…

You will close the tab.

You will walk outside.

And you will ride.

And just like that—just for a moment—you’ll forget about N+1.