I’ve cut down on bikes, that’s a bit like saying “I used to smoke 50 a day, but through sheer willpower, I’m down to 48“.

Update: January 2026

Last years summary noisily trumpeted a note of fiscal responsibility. Finally some age related – let’s not fall into the world of fantasy and call it “maturity” – acceptance that it’s really not about the bike. However lovely and shiny they are, and the siren call of the promises they make.

Yeah, never going to last was it. 2025 was less of a fire sale and more what – on first and possibly second inspection – appears to be a targeted burglary.  In a historical and frankly terrifying month, we were N-2 with no sight of a delivery person struggling under the weight of the emperors new frame material.

Thankfully, my experience, knowledge, wisdom and sheer inability to deal with reality pulled things back. But, you know for a minute there, all got a bit scary. On the plus side I bought at least two bikes while slowly healing a broken collarbone. I’m very proud of that, but other opinions are available.

What came into the shed

A Propain Hugene: A trail bike because I didn’t already have two of those. There are some words here about how it happened, but now why because we’re way past that. It’s a lovely bike, it really is but I’m not sure it’s lovely for me. And I’m not blaming it for being the innocent party when I went all in on “Splatterbone” in May.

The gravel bike replacement- a Nordest Britango. Perfect bike packing rig- steel frame, 140mm fork, tan wall tires. The holy trinity:) I’ve not actually been on any trips further than the local woods, but that’s all going to change in May. Traws Eryi here we come. Shed musings here, including a spoiler for what’s below.

And a Santa Cruz 5010. My third every bike (of, er, quite a lot, I kind of stopped counting after 50!) and it’s taken me nearly 20 years to get another one. And yes it is a trail bike. And yes I now appear to have 4 of those. Just the one set of legs tho, no upgrade there.

There were reasons, but not good ones. I do really like this bike tho. Even tho the designers failed to agree the correct wheel size, so chose two different ones.

What’s gone through the revolving door.

If you’re keeping up – and I appreciate there’s some 4D chess shit going down here – the shed was basically stacked to overflowing with trail bikes. Two of which I sold – again with just the one good typing arm.

The Yeti took a bit longer mainly because the first person to view it noticed a massive crack near the BB. Not my doing, but understandably he wasn’t keen to complete the purchase.

Yeti SB140LR – I’ll miss that bike, but not the complexity of all the expensive bits.

The mighty v2 RipMo. I hadn’t ridden this much since the Molini trip in Sept 2024. After riding the Yeti and then the Propain, I kind of went off it. Which was odd, as it’s always been the bike I’ve felt most tuned into.

Anyway, I’ll aways remember it for the Pyrenees trip the year before. From which this pic is taken. Absolutely fantastic up and down.

Nukeproof Digger

Took a gravel bike on a gravel tour and – while the tour itself was fantastic – formed a strong opinion it would have been way more fun on a hardtail. So the Digger finished the tour and a few weeks later finished with me. Really don’t miss it, won’t have another gravel bike (no honestly, I’m firm on this!)

What stayed

Cotic BFEMax

Still here. 1400km+ in. The “GrimWagon” repels rain, mud and – probably – borders. Because I’m an idiot I stuck the biggest fork allowed up front and happily ploughed through and over mostly anything less than three feet in height.

It’s wearing the “Double Fugly’s’ mudguard combo right now, and I expect it’ll be thrashed through the whole winter without a break. Then I’ll put it away because these knees and hard trails are not compatible with a single sprung end.

The only love it’s had lavished on its permanently filthy frame is a new chain, some shorter cranks and the post Fox 36s I filched off the Yeti before I sold it. 2000km in 4 years may not seem a lot, but I have too many nice bikes to ride when the dry line reappears.

Orbea Vibe

Still got it. Still fab. Al’s car replacement service and occasional Pub insertion/retrieval vehicle.

Now tubeless otherwise just charged up, ridden and placed back in the shed with a smile. Not had one ride that’d have been better in a car.

https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/ebagum/  makes up reasons why I bought it. Most of them – against the tradition of such nonsense.- have come true.

I (still) don’t want an MTB version tho! Having ridden one in Spain tho, they are pretty much the devil on my shoulder. And every year the urge gets a little bit stronger!

Nukeproof Giga

From 2025: Aside from a trip to Madeira where other bikes in the Shed might have been more fun, it’s spent most of the year on the wall. It’s still a damn fine trail bike, but I have better ones. It’ll never get sold tho as when there are trails appropriate for it’s burliness, I know it’ll be ready to go.

More travelled than Alan Wicker (look it up young people). 180 at the front and only 10 less at the back. Writing cheques (yep you’ll be googling those as well) I clearly cannot cash. But wait, is it just a weighty trail bike with a few more tricks up its sleeve?

After four years I’d say not. Just been fantastic. Now with a few suspension (well 2 so really that’s ‘all of them‘ https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/stuck-in-the-middle-with-you/ )  and around a 2000km ridden. Saved my arse multiple times on the Basque and 2 x Molini trips. That wasn’t the surprise. The surprise was how brilliant it was as a trail bike. 37lbs of hard to categorise fun.

Bearings are shit tho. Match the paint 🙂 Don’t care, love this thing.

Jessie’s Solaris

Ridden twice by Jess and once by me. But when she has time to ride again, we’ll be back out together. I’m refusing to buy her an eBike as she’s always whinging about riding uphill:)

Aid also has a Spesh Fuse – ridden once. He liked it. It’s not going anywhere when he wants to ride again.

What else is left the shed?

Revolving door policy in full effect. But there are some enduring old stagers hanging about.

This is my brothers old road bike. He smashed it into the back of a lorry, so felt handing over any catastrophic fame failure to me was a fine idea. It’s “covered” 2500 ish Zwift km. As have I, sadly.

I’ve sort of written off the Trailstar as Glynn borrowed it 10 years ago and I’ll never ask for it back. Oh my old Boardman CX went to a mates lad. No idea if he’s ridden it, but I certainly wasn’t going to.

I did consider leaving previous years below. But honestly having reviewed that content, not even I can pass it off as anything much short of a mental illness 🙂

Roll on 2026. I have the ‘perfect bike shed‘. Don’t expect any changes next year*

*this is not a commitment. Or even a promise. Maybe an ambition? Even that feels a bit strong.