I use my bike(s) for everything, but especially to replace car trips.

Since that means they need to be utilitarian, both have front and rear bike racks and a place to hang a basket, if needed. They also both have fenders.

My MTB does all the heavy-lifting, bad-weather, off-road capable riding, so I can attach a trailer to that one, use studded tires during the winter, etc.

It’s also steel, so even though it’s 30 years old, I expect it to last another 30 years at least.

My other bike is more of my good-weather fun bike, but since it’s also capable of hauling stuff, I use it for quick pick-ups, long recreational rides, and to drop stuff off around town.

That one is a folding bike, so it stores and can be moved around more easily.

Everything… almost. Commuting, shopping, getting about, going on holiday. I like the right balance of fun and practicality for the situation. I have a single speed with pista wheels and a pizza rack, and a fendered up tourer with racks and bottle cages.

I use my bike mainly as a very utilitarian means of transportation within my city and its surroundings. The most important features for me are:

• Swept-back handlebars (I prefer an upright riding position to better see my surroundings)

• Racks, panniers, and bungie cords to carry things

• Two locks, a u-lock and a chain lock

• Lights and a hi-viz vest for riding after dark

I mostly ride road for Recreation and fitness, so I have a CAAD12 for that purpose.

Right now I’m on a road trip, and I’m seriously wishing I had a gravel bike. My area is all paved roads, but some areas we’ve visited have a plethora of gravel roads. My narrow tires are not liking that.

We’re at an event at a fair grounds, and I’m seriously wishing I had my hybrid with me for getting around. I’m pretty sure it’s over a mile to the buildings. Next time I’m going to look into renting e-bikes for my wife and I for getting around. This would be the only time we’d use them, once a year at most, so renting makes a lot of sense, if that is something that is even offered.

I have a hardtail mtb for occasionally going on trails, but I rarely ride it.

I have three bikes.

My main bike (sorry this is the only photo i have on my phone):

It is an old step through frame steel bike. What i need from it is to be really reliable and maintenance free. And to not be a desirable bike for thieves as i live in a big city and need it to be able to park in the streets all year.

It’s perfect. It was dirt cheap (used), runs real smooth, single speed, fenders, a chain guard, a fixed basket with a beer bottle holder, a rack, reelight induction lights (enough for the city), kickstand and a frame lock. I use this daily when i’m home to go shopping, to the bar etc.

My second bike is my old steel frame road bike which is the oldest bike i still have, have had it for 25 years (sorry no photo). I may ride it around town when the weather is nice, maybe if the distance is further. It lacks all the useful features of my main bike but it’s fun to ride and zippy. I put a flatbar on it after the original handlebar got stolen. I cannot leave it in the streets over night but have to park it in the basement or my appartment.

My third bike is the bike i use for touring and longer day trips, to the lake or whatever:

I need it to have a whole range of gears, especially in the low section for touring, a bit more sportier geometry than my main bike, but not as sporty as a road bike. It has a hub dynamo and really good lights, a rack and fenders. And a kickstand. If i were to buy new i would want the frame to take wider wheels, i am not maxed out yet but that would be a nice thing to have. And also probably i’d go for disc brakes. But these v brakes have been working flawlessly for me. I like the simplicity. People have told me in the rain they don’t work and on long descends they don’t work, but i can say for sure, that for me, they totally work. In the rain, on long descends, rainy long descends and steep gravel descends. I think the most important thing is to know your brakes behaviour. I don’t let this bike in the street over night, so i have to also bring it to the basement or appartment.

I’ve got a 2019 Specialized Elite Rockhopper, a hard tail cross country mountain bike.

Personally, I use mine for adventure races like the Wilderness Traverse, so lots of riding on old snowmobile trails, ATV trails, logging roads, and poorly maintained single tracks. Durability is the biggest and most important factor for me - if the bike breaks part way through, you’ve gotta pull out. I’d rather be a bit slower and always finish than try to be faster. This one I’ve had for one season and its been good so far.

It only has a rear derailleur (1x11 drivetrain), which took some getting used to. I definitely miss the top speed of my last set (3x9 drivetrain), but its one less part to break, and it’s been an easy adjustment.

I’m primarily a commute/light errand rider, and do a bit of recreational riding on the side.

• Upright riding position, flat bars and flat pedals for comfort and compatibility with dressing for the destination.
• Bosses for Fenders, Fenders, for more weather independence. (I love my SKS B53s, even if I had to do some creative modification to fit them.)
• Bosses for a Rack, Rack for carrying stuff. (I’m satisfied with my Ibera, the finish isn’t holding up great). Paired with a stack of bungees and velcro straps.
• Aluminum frame a little for easier lifting, and a lot so it doesn’t rust when it inevitably gets scraped up locking to badly designed racks and sits wet while I’m out.
• Mid-Width, semi-treaded “All-Road” type tires. I’m not racing, I want comfortable, puncture resistant, and grip in the debris filled bike gutter lane.
• Inexpensive enough that it isn’t a huge disaster if something happens to it.
• (Accessory) Good front and back lights. I’m pretty happy with my Metrolights.
• (Accessory) Some reflective Velcro ankle cuffs for visibility and because again, I dress for the destination and I haaaate the feeling of cuffs rubbing/snagging on the bike.
• (Accessory) A U-Lock good enough that I’m not the low-hanging fruit on the rack. In my area a KryptoLok is sufficient because there are plenty of optimistic folks with cables around.

I have a few year old Giant Escape Disc 3 to meet that criteria. In retrospect, a “2”, one trim up with the 2x8 Altus instead of the 3x7 Tourney would probably have been more suitable. The tourney is clunky, constantly drifts out of alignment enough to rub, and has kind of stupid stupid range and spacing.

TLDR; Old schooler on fancy dad bike

I currently use my bike for recreational riding. My previous living arrangement was at the top of a steep hill, then up three flights of narrow stairs is thankfully a thing of the past. I can now go for a ride without much fuss.

Generally I ride the cycle paths with my kids, but am looking to do some light gravel tours with or without them in the future. Currently, I ride a newer Surly Bridge Club that has front and rear racks which helps carry snacks, jackets, tools, and 4 different sized replacement tubes! It’s the ultimate ‘dad’ bike that can outpace the kids while also carrying a ton of needless stuff.

I’m also looking to build up/repair a used hardtail mountain bike for my wife and fix up my old mountain bike for an around town grocery getter I don’t need to worry about being stolen.

Previously, I rode a 1985 Schwinn High Sierra Mountain bike. (Back when power-sliding turns on fire roads while wearing jeans was the norm!) Broke the frame on that in the early 90’s. Rode a discarded random 3 speed with a bent frame for a few years, a 1962 Schwinn American for a few more, then a Novara Hartail, and a few prototype (Haro, Elsworth, & Cannondale mountain bikes) somewhere around Y2K working/touring/promoting BIKE magazine.

I’ve had a few other random bikes and generally missed riding as part of my daily life the last ten years due to an injury/recovery/stairs from hell. I’m working to reintegrate cycling into my life - while encouraging the kids - without breaking myself. Lol. A bad back, kids, and heavy traffic full of people driving their phones - not their cars - keeps me from getting out on the road like I did when I was younger. My back keeps my off the gnarly trails, so gravel and bike paths are where it’s at for me. The freedom of the wind and the wheels leads wherever you roll!

Glad to find this community here. I am normally a lurker, but I’m glad to participate and help build something better for the cycling community as a whole.