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: December 2022

It was going SO WELL. Giga and the Rascal filling every trail riders need. Even shiny-obsessed me. Bardino campaigning it’s second winter. Tempest ready for some epic gravel adventures.

And, then things kind of unravelled. Accelerating into a late year purchase somehow leaving me to explain I’ve had three hardtails this year. And I thought I was done with hardtails. Clearly not.

Right let’s get it over with.

What came into the shed

Nukeproof Digger

Last years model. On offer from my favourite LBS. Dropper post and, on the dropped theme, more drop bar MTB than gravel bike. It is brilliant on easy singletrack with 650B wheels, decent geo, good tyres etc. It’s way slower on the road than the Tempest but that didn’t stop me riding it round a good chunk of North Wales in the snow with Ads. A sleeper but a keeper. Needs more love in ’23.

More here: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/dig-it/

Nukeproof Scout

Two entries, both in and (nearly) out. Bought from that favourite LBS at a discount even as a brand new model. Built up from the remains of the Bardino. Fun bike, pretty stiff tho even with 2.6 tyres. Always wanted one, first ever alloy HT I think (although you know there’s been a few bikes in my history and I can’t be arsed to check all of it…) so glad I ticked that box.

I wasn’t looking to move it on but my mate Nig’s lad is looking for one, and has an Aid sized bike to swap, so I was doing it for the kids. Honest. Also having three Nukeproofs felt a bit fanboi-ish. From the man who recently had three Ibis’s.

It did look good tho even with the ‘Jailhouse Tats’ frame protection.

More here: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/yellow-is-the-new-slack/

Cotic BFEMax

Slipped in under the cover of darkness late December and has already been deployed in the Grim. So far so good. I really like steel hardtails and this is what my (now Jess’s) SolarisMax never quite was. 140mm fork, steepish seat angle, slack head angle, steel voodoo vibe. It’s a lovely thing and – again – it was a great price. Honestly tho I’d have paid RRP for it.

Orbea Vibe

Oh hello an eBike? Well yes but not as a replacement for a non EEB. It’s all explained here: https://www.pickled-hedgehog.com/ebagum/  TLDR? Decided we weren’t moving house after kids mostly left, and I don’t want to be driving to Ross and Ledbury. Also a great explorer bike. So far it’s been brilliant. Way better than expected.

I don’t want an MTB version tho!

What’s stayed in the shed

Just the two. Quality not quantity.

Revel Rascal

Still going strong. Rode it less than last year because the Giga became my summer trail bike of choice. Every time I go back to it tho, it feels light and fast and agile. Chalk and indeed cheese when comparing to the rider. So nearly perfect, but because I’m a savage it’s getting a longer fork and maybe a slackset.

I’ve ditched the horrid orange fork decals and it remains s a firm shed favourite. I know that doesn’t mean much tho 🙂

Nukeproof Giga

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 a year 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 1100km ridden this year. Saved my arse multiple times on the Basque and 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.

Oh I nearly forgot:

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:)

What’s left the shed

Revolving door policy in full effect.

Nukeproof Scout

Said everything I’m going to say. Time to move on and never speak of this again.

Planet-X Tempest

Traded sideways for the digger. Sold to a very enthusiastic fella for his 60th birthday. He did more miles on it in a month than I’d done in a year. I kind of miss it but, if I had to choose it’s the digger every time.

Nordest Bardino

Went to fund the Scout that then funded the BFEMax. Yeah I know. It’s insane. Anyway my friend Mike first borrowed and then bought it. We had a day riding together on my local trails the day after my birthday. He had a brilliant time and I had a hangover 🙂

I still have the Boardman CX bike. It’s gripping manfully to the Turbo. Another 1500+ KM and it refuses to die, or require any maintenance other than wiping down with a damp towel. The Turbo is nearly dead but I’m taking that as a sign.

I’ve sort of written off the Trailstar as Glynn borrowed it 5 years ago and I’ll never ask for it back.

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 2023. 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.