I love bikes — but there have only been one or two bikes that I was truly head over heels in love with. Bikes like this are rare. They become your perfect partner. They make you feel like a better version of yourself. They’re special. If you’re smart, you hold on tight and never let go. If you’re less smart (like me), you sell them. Then days, months, or years later, you find yourself wallowing in regret.
This Valentine's Day, I’ve been feeling sentimental. My heartbreak still feels fresh. I’m also not alone. Many TPC employees have also experienced love and loss with their bikes. Today might be all about flowers, chocolates, and sweethearts. But we'll use this day to remember all the amazing bikes that got away.
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Salsa El Mariachi
"The love of my life was my first mountain bike. I bought my 2013 steel El Mariachi frame when I started working at TPC. It was also the first bike I ever built from the frame up. It taught me more about bikes and riding than any other bike I’ve ever owned. It built the foundation for all of my mountain bike skills. It introduced me to singletrack, the terrain I now love to ride the most.
"I rode it for three glorious years. Then, in 2016, I sold it — like a fool. I upgraded to a full-suspension bike. But I often find myself reminiscing about the simplicity, the direct feel, and the sublime ride of my old steel hardtail. I’ve even tried to recapture the magic with carbon and titanium hardtails, but for some reason, they just weren’t the same. Now I browse TPC from time to time, hoping to someday reconnect with another black and green steel El Mariachi frame. But alas, they get rarer and rarer with each passing year." - Bruce
Canyon Ultimate CF SLX WMN
“This was actually my wife's bike that I bought from the Canyon SRAM team. It was in great condition, with SRAM Red eTap and ENVE wheels — just such a sweet ride. When we moved to the States, I ended up selling her bike to declutter as she hadn't been riding more than once or twice a year, but I seriously regret doing that. I would most definitely buy it back if I had the chance.” - Johann Van Zyl, Catalog Supervisor
Trek Checkpoint
“I look to my gravel bike to perform double duty. A blend of capable and confident on chattery gravel as well as responsive and fast on pavement with the simple swap of a wheelset. I think a lot of people aim for this nowadays, but the balance is very much a personal preference. I tried the Cervelo Aspero for a bit, which certainly delivers on the tarmac side of things. But, I occasionally wanted more tire clearance and on steep descents, with chunky gravel, it felt a bit wild. For me, the Checkpoint met in the middle right where I wanted it.
“Would I buy it again? Funny you ask, I just recently acquired another one! When the bike was originally launched it came in a color Trek called ‘gravel,’ which immediately grabbed my attention back in the day. Years later I'm pumped to be riding it.” - Adam Vadeboncoeur, Merchandising Associate
Custom Walt Works Steel Rigid Singlespeed
“It was so unique and so fun to ride. It had big 29 x 2.5’ tires. It had a super low gear, which meant it was as great on a casual commute as it was on trails. It had super wide titanium handlebars that looked great and allowed me to put the front wheel wherever I wanted. It was so punk rock. The hot orange was objectively not a great color, but it was just so bold and obnoxious that it became cool. And it was steel.” - Chris Blick, Quality Manager
Vintage Giordana Polaris
“Dura Ace 7400 is my favorite group of all time. An amazing new old stock 7400 group came through TPC one day so I bought that first. Then the Giordana frame came through and I built that up with the group and it was so smooth. At least I still have the photos for posterity…” - Justin England, Sr. Category Purchasing Manager
Surly ECR
“I named it Pancho, and Pancho and I rode down the Baja Divide together in 2018. I sooo wish I didn't sell it.” - Jalen Bazile, Customer Associate
Kona Unit
“This was the first mountain bike I bought back when I moved to Colorado in 2012. I have been mountain biking since I was a kid but I wanted to get back to simplicity and core riding skills. So I decided to buy a new fully-rigid, singlespeed, 2013 Kona Unit. Over the years I installed a fork and a 1x drivetrain. I really loved to rip that bike all around the Front Range trails. I sold it in an effort to reduce my ever-growing bike fleet. My lesson has been learned, I will do my best to embrace the N+1 lifestyle. I have a nicer, newer steel hardtail now, but I'll never quite get over the loss of that beautiful bike.” - Nick Leng, External Compliance Specialist
2015 Trek Superfly SS
“It made even the tamest trails crazy fun. It had beefy DH tires and 800mm bars. This bike probably increased my MTB skills faster than any other bike I've ever owned. I traded it for a dirt jumper that I barely used. Still sour about this one.” - Owen Halseth, SEO Strategist
Early-80s MCS BMX race bike
This isn't Doug, or his bike, but I assume he looked something like this. Photo: MCS BMX
“It was so cool. It had chrome frame forks and bars with blue Z-rims and other blue highlights. For a 14-15-year-old boy, it supplied endless hours of fun riding on the backyard track. And much excitement when racing. I’ve hardly sold a bike since. I really miss it.” - Doug Farrar, Line Technician
1996 Cannondale SR2000
“It had a Headshok with a lockout, Coda magic motorcycle cranks, 1st-gen Dura-Ace STI levers, derailleurs, brakes, and even a fluted Dura-Ace seat post. It was a lively shade of dark purple. I actually sold it to TPC back in 2015 or so.” - Shay Rubino, Suspension Technician
Davis Phinney steel road bike
“It was built by Serotta and had an insane black and green splatter paint job. I have never seen another one like it. Not on eBay or anywhere on the internet. It's as if I had the only one (doubt it). Sold it for gas money to move from Austin, TX to Boulder, CO.” - Dan Hanafin, Creative Director
Independent Fabrication Deluxe Redux 29’r
“The saddest thing was the guy I sold it to put it on a rear bike rack on his car one day and drove it out to a trail. He got rear-ended by a big pickup on the way there and it got crushed.” - John Watson, Director, Content and Special Projects
Read more about John’s Independent Fabrication Deluxe Redux 29’r here.
Final thoughts
Not everyone at TPC is feeling heartbroken over a bike they’ve sold. In fact, we have a couple of heartbreakers in our midst. Our founder, Nick Martin established TPC to sell all of his pro race gear after every season. Now TPC has become the world’s biggest retailer specializing in buying and selling used bikes. So he’s okay with not getting attached.
“I've never regretted selling a bike,” Nick said. “There is always another bike to replace ‘the one.’ I've always found joy in experiencing a new ride, new technology, and continuing to progress in how my bikes are set up. Looking back at all the bikes I have sold, I don't think there is one bike that I would want back.”
You’re stone cold, Nick. But nowhere near as bad as our fraud prevention expert and serial bike-flipper, Charlie Madden. “Haha, I regret selling none of ‘em,” he said. “Bikes keep getting better. Good riddance! :)” You’re such a player, Charlie.
But some of our newer employees are learning to love the bike they have. Our newest Intake Technician, John Maegerlein, is riding a 2017 Focus Mares CX. “I haven’t sold it,” he said. “But I get really sad thinking about it not being a part of my life 😂.” It sounds like John is maturing into a rider who’s ready to make a long-term commitment. But if not, TPC has the biggest selection of bikes in the world, so he can try his luck with something else!
Do you have a bike that you regret selling? Why was it so special? If you have a bike that "got away," tell us about it in the comments!
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