Is it dumb to want basically two of the same style of bike?

Discussion

I've been on an S-Works Stumpy Evo (150 fork) for a couple of years. Came from a Jeffsy and the commonality between both of them is they are incredibly stable, want to go fast, even with the HA in the middle position on the Stumpy it absolutely bombs downhills and is so confidence inspiring.

I have wanted to try an Evil Offering because of the short chainstays and maybe something that is more fun (?). I am also a longer torso and a between M / L sizes type and the reach on the Offering looks real good. I would go 150 up front on this as well as I don't need more fork than that.

Now the question is it dumb to basically have two of the same style of bike? I have no issues with jumps on the Stumpy and it really does do everything I want. My second worry is will going between bikes make it harder for muscle memory to develop? I am an average rider so if I'm bombing down a technical descent I am using 99% of my brain power to concentrate on what I'm doing. So I really am relying on my muscle memory knowing the bike so I don't have to expend any more thinking about what the bike is going to do.

I don't do any bike parking so I don't need an enduro bike. I have no interest in an XC bike as I'm using the trail bike's capabilities most places I ride. Gravel does interest me, particularly with wanting to get into racing but the trails here are just not suited to a gravel bike.

Update: huge thanks for all the excellent advice, it really was just wanting to spend money on something as someone put it. Going to stick with what I have, maybe plan a bike trip to WA and do a demo but whatever I decide it will be a one bike solution.

in MTBby Atriod

77%

Peaked6YearsAgo

I reckon it's a waste of money personally. Highly likely you'll end up riding one over the other most of the time.

But if you have the money to spare then do whatever makes you happy. You can always sell one later.

Atriod

OP🍰

Highly likely you'll end up riding one over the other most of the time

I had not actually considered this but I can definitely see that happening. I can afford both but I really dislike spending money unnecessarily/having stuff sitting around not being used. That Bogleheads mindset and all being burned into my brain over decades

SkullsRoad

That's what will happen for sure. I own a Banshee Rune V3 and a Propain Tyee. Both built from the frame up and have 90 percent identical parts. I rarely ever ride the Tyee.

norecoil2012

lawyer please

Get a light xc bike, makes the easy trails a lot more fun. Some days you wanna shred, some days you feel like ripping

Atriod

OP🍰

My issue with XC bikes is not so much the travel, it's feeling stretched out on them. I would like to get into some form of racing and I don't know how popular enduro is at the amateur level, maybe I'll look into XC now that it's starting to get a bit more gnarly and not dull like in the past.

laurentbourrelly

If you race DH, it’s pretty much vital to own two similar bikes. Even for Maxi and Megavalanche, I was bringing two bikes.

Peaked6YearsAgo

Did you read the post? That doesn't apply at all to what he wrote.

bitdamaged

Santa Cruz - MX Evil Insurgent

I’ve ridden an Offering for 6 years. I don’t think it’s dumb to have two different bikes that are of a similar travel with different characteristics but knowing the Offering it sounds like it rides a lot like the Stumpy you have. If you want something more poppy and fun but similar travel I’d consider an MX bike.

illepic

Hey, kind of random, but I'm looking hard to buy an Offering soon. I'm demoing one next weekend and have been looking for deals. Anything I should know? It's either an Evil Offering or an Ibis Ripley, either way I want the climbing efficiency and don't necessarily need the huge travel of a "full enduro".

bitdamaged

Santa Cruz - MX Evil Insurgent

So the only thing I’d recommend is getting an emergency kit they sell with extra linkage bolts. I’ve broken the heads off a few when tightening or removing them to replace the bearings or flip the chip. I always torque them to spec but still had a few heads break off. My understanding is that this is by design to prevent over torquing them. But it’s a great all mountain bike that climbs well. I’ve even done a few park days on it.

Can’t really go wrong with either they’re very similar bikes I rented a Ripley AF on a trip recently and enjoyed it.

Due_Entertainment991

Ripley’s going to smoke the offering on climbs though. Offering will do fine on climbs but descending is where it shines.

illepic

That helps! I'm still trying to dial in what I need. I'm demoing as much as I can.

Due_Entertainment991

Evil Following is the comp to the Ripley as Offering is to the Ripmo. I own an offering but have demo’d ripleys and ripmos. Ripley is a rocket on climbs. It’s a good tech climber as well. Ripley’s makes short work out of long climbs where you would huff and puff on the offering. heard the following is a good climber but haven’t tried it myself.

illepic

Following -> Ripley
Offering -> Ripmo

Got it. This is exactly what I'm looking for. I'm also looking at the Transition Spur, which fits more into the Following/Ripley solidly "trail" bike.

Due_Entertainment991

Good luck! Fun times all around!

Atriod

OP🍰

Ripley’s going to smoke the offering on climbs though

Why is that? Isn't DW Link and DELTA a fairly similar platform?

Due_Entertainment991

Ripley's have shorter travel (120/130 vs 140/150,160) which soak up less pedaling energy. Ripley's usually come spec with 34mm stanchion forks which are lighter than the 36mm stanchions the Offering usually runs. Frame is lighter too. Ripley has a slightly steeper head tube angle which helps in climbing.

Atriod

OP🍰

Ah I didn't realize Ibis had a short travel/less slack bike like that. Thanks

OakleyTheAussie

Ripley is much closer to the Evil Following if that's the style of bike you're looking for.

illepic

Appreciate this! This helps.

OutHereToo

I bought my Stumpy Evo as a MX, just put on a 29r rear. Full 29 has better traction and rolls smoother, but maybe slightly less fun just on smaller jumps. On bigger, mellow jumps it’s no different. If you’re under 5’7”, MX maybe a good idea just for clearance.

CosinQuaNon

You could put heavier tires on one and lighter tires on the other, they would feel pretty different and be suited to different trails. Personally I wouldn’t get two bikes that close to each other because I know I would end up loving them both and have a hard time deciding which one to ride.

DrImpeccable76

You could buy a lot of nice sets of wheels with different tires for the same price as a new bike

cloud93x

Colorado

Lots of people saying if you have the money and it makes you happy, go for it. I disagree. I think it’s a waste of money to have two bikes with the same use case. If you’re unsatisfied with your current bike, sell it and buy something different. If you’re satisfied with your current bike in its intended use case, then practice acceptance and tune out that voice in your head that wants you to buy stuff. We’re SO susceptible to wanting new stuff and social media and the internet makes that so much worse, and we’re all better off trying to talk ourselves out of that kind of needless consumerism. That’s just my $0.02, obviously you do you at the end of the day and no hate either way!

Atriod

OP🍰

Your advice is spot on, really just needed to flick the devil off my shoulder and say no.

cloud93x

Colorado

Cheers. Riding your current bike should help, go do that!! Go get stoked.

anon303mtb

My quiver consists of a 130/140 bike and a 150/160 bike.

I thought about those being too similar to each other but it works great for the trails I ride... I'm not sure I would want 2 bikes with the exact same travel though. I'm pretty sure I would have a favorite and the other bike would never get ridden

Phish_SparksTahoe_

Commencal Meta HT AM

IMO, yes. So much more fun to have bikes suited for different styles. You can always under or over bike or be perfectly suited for what you're about to tackle. Otherwise same is just...same.

DrImpeccable76

Yes, it’s dumb.

I think you are spending too much time reading reviews, which have an incentive to make differences in bikes seem massive and is an industry that exists almost exclusively to convince people to buy new bikes. You aren’t going to have more fun mountain biking because your bike has a shorter chain stay or a 29er instead of a mullet.

If you are itching to spend money on a new bike (which is totally fine…I own a lot do bikes) get something completely different that’ll allow you to ride something you otherwise wouldn’t/couldnt. Get a gravel bike that you could also use on the road, get an ebike, etc.

Or spend your money on bike trips, lessons, etc

Atriod

OP🍰

You and someone else are 100% right on everything you said. It basically was watching Youtube figuring in my head that I am putting in 3-4 days a week biking and that maybe a second bike would be fun. But in hindsight it wasn't like there was this enormous difference going from the Jeffsy to the Stevo.

strange_bike_guy

It's kinda like having two cars. One to drive. The other to drive while the main one is in the shop.

Similar to two computers, you need one to fix the other. Rescue boat.

If you have the funds, go for it.

DrImpeccable76

When’s the last time you needed a second computer to repair the first? Computer repair stores are cheaper than a 2nd computer.

For both bikes and cars, you can just get a rental for way cheaper

strange_bike_guy

Every time. I don't like other people working on my stuff if I can help it. Maybe OP is similar with bikes. I DIY almost everything.

Strong_Baseball_8984

I have a stumpy that’s 160/160 and while it’s been put through its paces on some good trails I do wish it was now 150/150 or even a new stumpy that’s like 130/130. Because I have a Santa Cruz nomad now as well and while they are really different bikes they overlap too much and I’d prefer a trail bike with less. That said, there have been times when my enduro bike or a friends hasn’t been rideable and it was nice having a second one just as capable to use.

Murky-Tomatillo91

Honestly, I think this is a pretty dumb idea. One will sit and become an expensive clothes hanger. If you want a second bike, it should be a completely different category of riding, imho.

Klutzy_Ad_1726

If you have the money and love bikes, why not? You only live once, and you can’t even ride bikes your whole life. Get after it.

-FARTHAMMER-

Can you demo one?

Atriod

OP🍰

I'm going to make a bike vacation to WA at some point to demo at their factory.

OutHereToo

I have a Stumpy Evo too. No way I would get another bike with the same travel. Good bike quiver would be 160/170mm bike for bike park/enduro terrain and a modern 120mm XC bike would get you an extra lap on the flowy trails. Trail bikes in the middle are more for the one bike solution, why would you want 2?

SqueezableDonkey

Personally, I like to not have a lot of overlap between my bikes. I have a big bike for DH parks and enduro, a mid-travel trail bike for most riding, a lightweight XC hardtail for when I want to do lots of miles fast on boring trails, and a fatbike for when there's snow.

If I had two of the same type of bike, I'm pretty sure there'd be one I liked more for whatever reason and it would get ridden most of the time while the other just sat there.

ehl_oh_ehl

Do what makes you happy. That’s the best advice. Even if they’re somewhat the same on paper they’ll feel different on the trails. You might even like the new one so much you stop riding the old one and wind up selling it….or you might ride them both equally. If you have the money, you do you bro.

adyelbady

I somehow doubt you'll keep both. You'll end up liking one more and selling the other

BombrManO5

My two bikes are a V10 and a Kenevo. They are configured to ride mostly identically. Just one has a motor the other doesn't, otherwise they are the same

jnan77

Not that dumb, but I'd go with the Wreckoning, or get an Offering and the Works -1 headset and 160mm fork. I have been on that setup since 2019. My +1 has been a rotating mix of 170mm bikes, but the Offering has stuck because it is so good.

sefulmer1

Cyclocross guys: "no, absolutely not, seems reasonable"

AustinBike

I have matching Vassago Verhauen hardtails. One is a singlespeed and one is geared.

LordFartquadReigns

I would do it and sell one of them once you figure out which you prefer.

remygomac

I had two 150mm all-mountain bikes, one with 27.5 and the other a 29er. It was pretty superfluous.

-paradox-

Which one would you have kept if you could only choose one?

remygomac

The bikes in question are an Ibis Ripmo V2 and a Canyon Spectral 27.5. While I enjoyed both bikes. I sold the Canyon and kept the Ibis.

Familiar_Part1795

If you do it I’d make the stumpy more aggressive to differentiate it. Burlier tires, coil shock, maybe mullet. Some of those changes will also make it a better wet weather rig.

deebo_dasmybikepunk

Yep. Stupid. Why is there a 150mm fork on your EVO? Evo is a great handling bike, but the suspension quality is mid. Hated the suspension quality on my insurgent and sold the bike in a couple months.

Bioenginetic

Get the factory mullet link for your Stumpy Evo and a 27.5 rear wheel for a “new” experience. Or play around with the different geos the Stumpy Evo can adapt to. Having two of basically the same bike is pretty boring imo, especially since you already have one with a lot of adaptability.

TSteelerMAN

I ride hardtails mostly and my two mains right now are both steel hardtails. One is a bit slacker with longer travel and more aggressive tires. The other is set up with lighter tires and wheels and a carbon handlebar. The lighter one is more commuter friendly, and I get wilder on the other. I like having two; if something breaks, you can get it fixed and still ride, and they feel similar enough for trail riding.

84WVBaum

N+1 is the correct answer, style repetition is not addressed

catalytica

'05 Titus Switchblade

It’s your money. The muscle memory thing is real though. I have an XTR shifter on my older trail bike that I used for two decades. XT on the new bike and I fuck up shifting all the time.

ChosenCarelessly

N+1

Doesn’t matter. Get more bikes

Lord_Fraggle

🍰

The only real advantage I see is when your main bike is in maintance. If I would by two similar bikes I would optimize one for dry and one for wet conditions.

NOsquid

I think it'd be fun to have both for a while if you build them different. Say lightweight carbon wheels, EXO Rekon/Forekaster, lighter duty air suspension on one. Beefy wheels, DH tires and/or inserts, coil suspension, bit slacker head angle on the other. Maybe you'll enjoy both on different days/trails and keep a 2 bike quiver, maybe you'll figure out that one ideal bike with a combo of the parts can do it all.

dreamwalkn101

I have 2 full-sus bikes, but they are different: an Enduro (Kona Process 153 29er) and an XC (Scott Spark 900). I ride the XC more, esp when I’m by myself. I ride the enduro when I ride with my son and his buddies. One benefit is when I have a mechanical issue with one, I always have something to ride. Interesting benefit. Of course I also have an old 2010 Stumpy hardtail for around town, a gravel, a road, and a fat bike for winter, plus another road that lives on my indoor Zwift trainer, plus a CX bike that lives on my 17 year old son’s Zwift trainer, then he also has a Kona Process, plus a hardtail for around town, plus a fat bike for winter. Oh and I also have my first full-sus bike, a 2004 Titus Racer-x that visitors use. We love riding!

ItsAGorgeouDayToDie

Consider checking out the Transition Patrol or any mullet bike. I'm really enjoying the new Jeffsy Uncaged 13; its playfulness is fantastic.

If you're considering two different bikes, choosing ones with distinct characteristics is ideal. This way, you can master each bike and switch depending on the terrain. I was initially worried that my mullet wouldn’t climb well or would feel awkward on flat sections, but I haven’t noticed any issues.

The Patrol, like most mullets, is definitely more oriented toward downhill riding.