Goodbye old friend

specialized stumpjumper bought just before my son was born, foolishly I thought I'd still get to ride it, ha! got into the road as it was much easier for a quick fix and the stumpy spent the best part of 5 years on a hook in the man cave. complete strip and rebuild a few months back and for a 6 year old bike a she is like new again so treated her to a blast around cannock last friday. safe to say we both loved it and the thousands of miles of road only helped me ace those switch back climbs

the only real sollution is to not sell them, the n+1 rule is strong in this house hold.

I was faced with this recently when my trusty 'do it all commuter' 2000 Cannondale H700 Hybrid (frame built in the USA - Magura hydraulic rim brakes) had to go in for a new headset and the stem was siezed to it. Although I'd been eying up sexy CX bikes, which make great commuters, the H700 been a good friend. Talked through some options with the LBS and realised I didn't want to lose it. Pimped it up with some carbon forks, front disc brakes, lightweight stem and a new seatpost (ditched the heavy post-moderne suspension one) and it now rides much faster. It also looks a bit 'different' which I quite like. The LBS were really helpful as I suppose it was a bit more interesting than their usual bike maintenance work. Nothing like a bit of 'cosmetic surgery' to pep up your relationship!

I'm thinking of parting company with the full sus I have.

Since getting my 29er ht it just doesn't get a look in. I offered it to my son but he still likes the 4x style set up of his ht and delcared it boring! Kids these days hey!!

Great piece btw - really got me thinking about former bikes!

I've worked in the bike industry for years and owned 50+ different bikes including 25+ full suspension mountain bikes

it takes me away from having so much attachment to pine for these sold / traded bikes, because most were owned for 1 season, at the most 2 seasons

recently I have been thinking about selling my mountain bike (Stumpjumper Expert Carbon 29'er) because it does not see anything like as much use as road bike or commuting hybrid, once a week is not even common any more!

but I know I'd always regret not having some type of mountain bike for the occasional off-road ride, and so it keeps its place in my stable of bikes

I still cry myself to sleep at the thought of the day I sold my racing bike for student fuel (beer money). I kept the training bike instead of the one with the Columbus slx frame, C-Record gruppo and the world's most beautiful brakes.

I haven't been able to sell one since. That was nearly 25 years ago.

To be fair though, I did get pished many times over on the proceeds.

I sold my old Giant to a friend. Over the summer I arranged to meet him for a drink, and for the first time we'd ever met at that Central London location, he didn't arrive by bike. I felt a bit empty, I'd been looking forward to seeing it again...

this has brought a tear to my eye and sad memories I buried deep earlier this year when i done exactly the same thing with my beautiful matt black giant reign X2 with delicious 180mm totems and forumla mega brakes which hadn't seen trail nor hack for near 3 years since my complete conversion to the 'dark side'

i felt so firm & right in my choice in those days of long road rides & warm nights during the summer but lately my heart has been heavy as i miss my friend and sadly the other friends with it who didn't convert but who have been swapped by equally good road friends.
damn those recent videos of the red bull rampage i forgot about our religious annual May trip to innerleithen & glentress, the fun park & me hitting the high step ladder drop for the first time ever on the last trip after 5 years of trying.

'i hope your new owner cherishes & gazes on you with the same love i did & gains as much pleasure from long saturday afternoons on cavehill or the mourne mountains or quick summer evening spins at the local park - i miss u my friend - forgive me for thinking i didn't need u any longer - i did & i do'

You won't want to hear this but mine's had an airing this autumn and it's been ace. Having done exclusively road riding for 2-3 years now, I had an itch that needed scratching and this coincided with a work event that took me within 30 mins of a well known trail centre.

Cue a nominal amount of cleaning, lubing and a quick spin around the block and it was in the back of the car along with the (thankfully clean) camelbak, shoes and (peaked) helmet. Trail centres might be a guilty pleasure compared to finding your own way over hill and dale, but it was certainly a 'lunch break' that put a smile on my face.

I've done a couple more rides since on it and for winter training and for nothing more than a break from the norm, MTB is the way to go.

PS: I was amazed how some MTBs such as the downhill rigs have evolved since I was more into it. I thought road bikes were expensive...

*Sniff!* You made me miss my Giant OCR with this post... thanks... I remember her fondly...

As a purchaser of second hand bikes I can only assure you that the current owner will experience and cherish all of the above (and more!) on his new toy! The Giant looked quite the machine - ready for anything.