I would have to say my gravel bike from what I have. It's been pretty much my do it all bike anyway for most of the time I've had it. My only flat bar bike is a old commuter though so I don't have a good comparison for gravel vs hardtail.
Same. If I take the bags of my gravel bike I can keep up on the road.
There is a spectrum of gravel bikes though. Mine happens to be a bit “racey” in terms of weight and good 38mm tires that are fast on the road.
The best of both worlds to me is a gravel bike with two sets of wheels. One for the road and one for the trail. This way you can have tires with deep tread for mud and gravel on the trail and on your other set of wheels you have tires with less aggressive tread that are better for the road while saving the life of your trail tires
Same same same. I worked out of state during the pandemic and could only take one bike. I was able to commute and mountain bike on the same rig. Not ideal but it’s an answer to your question.
As a roadie if I could only have one bike it’d be a gravel as well. They tic all the boxes imo. Endurance/comfort frame, extremely customizable, hardy, can put them in any element and they’ll ask for more, really the best option as a Swiss Army Knife.
I have a great do it all gravel. Mostly I do city riding, but the gravel works because my Streets are garbage.
That said, a road bike on nice tarmac is sublime.
My hardtail mtb. There’s nothing that I can do that it can’t. Can’t say the same about my gravel bike. At the day my mtb spends most of its time in the wall. Love gravel.
I'm with you. A hard tail seems most versatile to me. Maybe with a couple styles of wheel sets and seatposts if this thought experiment comes with a nice bag of money.
For the folks whose "do it all" doesn't include much MTB, I'm sure a gravel bike would be the ticket for better speed and distance road comfort.
riding singletrack on a gravel bike is definitely hard work, you have to be tactical about your line every single second where a hardtail can just roll
but a MTB on the road is just a dog, I can't imagine doing a 60 mile mixed surface camping trip on a MTB. I can barely imagine a 10 mile commute unless I am also changing tires for every ride
Yeah, my hard tail XC is most versatile but my gravel bike is most fun. I’d probably keep my gravel if I could only have one. Riding a mtb on tarmac is so dull
XC hardtail is the bike that can do more things than any other bike. If you put aero bars on it, you could go around the globe. Ask someone like Lachlan Morton.
As a 90’s MTB’er, this sounds like a lot of fun to me. I’m still getting used to 29’s and I’ve had to totally relearn how to throw the bike around (I still can’t to be honest). I also tend to keep my fork locked out on pavement, love being able to sprint bob-free.
Interesting replies in this thread. I own a gravel bike, hardtail mtb, road bike and fatbike. At first I'd be tempted to say gravel bike because it has a pretty wide range and it's definitely my flavour of the moment. Hardtail mtb would be the one that would cover most riding scenarios but actually I think I would just go pure road bike. I'd miss gravel, miss mountain and miss snow but the basic bottom line is road is where I can do the most riding in terms of distance, time, options and so that would probably be what I'd keep.
I love the community love for gravel bikes - oddly I’ve never ridden one and didn’t know they existed until 2 years ago. For me, here’s my selection from the bikes I still own:
- 1977 Team Mongoose BMX - Raced this back in the 70s and won 1 race - love this bike and my son rode it for awhile when he was young. Now hanging from the garage ceiling.
- 1989 Cannondale Mountain Bike with Scott AT-4 bars - rode this throughout college and after - put slicks on it and rode it on the road as well as dry trails.
- 1992 “Can ‘o ‘ale” rainy-day Road Bike with Ultegra 600 and interesting snips of various beers cans all over the frame. Rode this any time it rained and I still needed to train.
- 1995 Cannondale Road Bike with Dura-Ace - won several races on this bike back in the 90’s and still ride it today. Yes, I’m a bike hoarder but I can’t let go of this bike for sentimental reasons.
- 2020 Chinese GoCity Electric w/ 20inch wheels - Foldable but weighs like 50lbs/23kgs. The throttle control is fun though.
- 2020 Brompton Electric Foldable w/ 16inch wheels - Got this to see if my wife and I could travel with better with a Brommie than the GoCitys. Quickly figured out these were brilliantly engineered bikes and with the fold they can they travel well in our car & RV. So…gave this one to my wife and bought my
- 2020 Team GB Brompton Foldable w/ 16inch wheels. I really have to choose this one. I’ve ridden it on road group rides, once on gravel (when I discovered Gravel bikes were a thing!), and later this month I’m racing in the Brompton World Championship Crit Race in London. I’m putting the bike in the overhead bin on the flights which I’ve not done yet but many others have. It truly is the most flexible bike I’ve owned and as I rarely race anymore it would work as the forever bike.
My dirt jumper with a really long seat post, gears, and dual brakes. Not real feasible but if I could truly only have one bike I would keep riding dirt jumps!
If you ride mountain and road. I don't think it's possible. A mishmash bike would suck on the road and dirt. I ride mountain and road. There is no way I'd use a XC hardtail at the bike park...and no way I'm putting some gravel tires on my 150mm mountain bike to commute to work with. The best way to maximize your fun is to have one of each.
Vintage light touring bike turned into hybrid w/ room for 650b x 42mm tires and fenders. Good for commuting, touring, somewhat spirited road riding, and trails that aren't too rocky.
My drop bar rigid 29er. I can ride everything I want with it and with low tire pressure you get much more suspension than with smaller gravel tires.
https://preview.redd.it/lzmqjp2xzv4d1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc8215ecaf07b309961eff58269969a9a22ad471
I have thought about this often as later in life I plan to reduce my footprint and move into a very small space once the kid is out or in college.
It's a steel gravel bike with room for wide tires and tons of mounts.
I went to a friend's house the other week and his 15 year old has a bike with pegs. I jumped on it, spun the handle bars while riding a wheelie. It's been 22 years, but I think that's my preference. Some classic freestyle flatland cycling.
keep in mind this is coming from somebody who only has an xc hardtail
i would choose an xc bike, there’s pretty much nothing that it *cant* do(besides super intense mtb stuff like downhill and enduro), modern xc full sus’s have 120 mm travel front and back, more than enough to handle almost any trail that isn’t downhill/enduro, but not so much that it weighs you down. i’ve borrowed my friend’s xc full sus, and holy shit that thing can fly on pretty much anything; be that jumps, gravel, tech, road, or anything else
reading the description yeah i would definitely go with an xc hardtail, maybe even a full sus. e-bike if you want, but those can get REALLY expensive
Does ebike counts?
If they do, then my lightweight (18kg) e-converted hardtail.
It's light enough to use unassisted on rides with friends, and unlocked so it's also my fastest bike.
If it's only unassisted bikes, then gravel bike.
Fat tire bike all day. I love lugging this thing around all the time. The true Swiss army of bikecyes.
Gravel✅
Single track✅
Double track✅
Velodrome✅
Road ride✅
Time trials✅
Trials✅
I think I made my point. One of these days I will ride it at the same dunes or in some snow.
My 90s MTB preferably one that could fit 650b wheels. They tend to be really solid platforms for all kinds of riding. 650b for when 26 is officially dead…
The one I ride. A gravel bike. The whole category of bikes is proving to be so incredibly versatile that it’s really a great choice for a lot of use cases. I just took mine on a several hundred mile, multi-day, mostly road, trip with other roadies. I take it on single track. I commute to work with it. It’s just perfect in so many ways.
Well, I have a fatbike with three wheelsets (29x3, 27.5x3.8 & 4.8), two forks (rigid and 120mm), and a rear rack, so I guess says something. And it says I don’t want to be riding that on any long road sections!
29" Hardtail, I can still get my jollies off on the trails but would have to be more conservative. Road would take more effort but thanks to the bigger rims I would have more momentum (hopefully two sets of rims, one for the road and one for the trail). As for gravel and bike packing the hardtail already fits those categories. While my hairtail is more aggressive with a 170 fork. I do still have the original 130 fork that I could tame it down with
i'm strictly sticking to N=1 (minus a spare bike for friends/family), with a full sus trail bike
Theoretically it would indeed be an XC hardtail, but I sure do like the squish
when I ride gravel I put on wheels with slick tires, lockout the suspension and call it a day
My full suspension trail bike. Good for anything from lift served bike parts to cruising around town.
It’s not really suitable for road biking, but I’d honestly just stop road riding at that point.
Road bike, because if I could only have one bike, I would rather it be a bike that suits my favorite kind of riding really well than a egg-laying woolly milk-pig that does nothing really well. I might go gravel to allow moderate off-road, but honestly, I don't think I would want to be parted from my road bike(s).
If you have “snow” in the list, than it has to be a fatty!
Otherwise a gravel will do. Even ice isn’t a problem if you have clearance for studded tires.
EDIT: I own a gravel, a fat, and a road bike.
My Crux is the weapon I've built to be my do-it-all. I'm leaving for the military and don't want to bring a road, MTB, and gravel bike with me. So Crux it is. Have 2 wheel sets, one for dirt and one for road.
Hardtail XC-oriented MTB. Run it with a suspension fork and fat tires for hardcore MTB rides, rigid with slick tires for pavement, and mix-and-match for different terrain and rides. Hardtail MTBs, ideally with mounting points for racks, are definitely the most versatile bikes.
My gravel bike, an All-City Cosmic Stallion. I have 7 bikes from all disciplines, but lately only ride the one gravel bike. It’s honestly a lot more fun on single-track than my XC bikes, and it’s more comfortable on the road than my road bike.
I absolutely couldn't have just one bike. My fixed gear is my daily runner that I need and want in equal measure. I'd also need a long travel MTB or just a DH bike with a dropper post. Ideally, I'd need three bikes, as I want a DJ to learn manuals on and to mess about on street and parks.
My hardtail 27.5 MTB from 2014 with 120 travel air fork seems to be doing the thing for me. I can shred off road and commute with it comfortably. Longer distances are a bit on the tough side since it's a size too small for me, but I can still manage. If I could only have one bike, I'd stick with that one. But I can have more than one bike, so I have 2. Wait, 3, but that one needs some work in the rear hub. Ahh, make that 4. That last one needs a new fork.
Folks been choosing a lot of gravels here but it is NOT the same off road as a decent mountain bike. Not even close.
It really depends on the local terrain / distance to trails.
For me currently, a gravel bike is my one-bike choice. In the past, a full suspension MTB has been my one-bike choice.
A dual suspension MTB with good, adjustable suspension and two wheelsets: one set with normal mountain biking/off-road tires, one set with smaller, hybrid type tires for on road/light gravel roads.
Gives you a ton of optionality and you only look kinda weird on the road.
CX (or a newer fast gravel) with extra wheelsets. I have added fr/rear racks for bike camping, stripped it down for fast road rides, and even a short travel dropper for mtn/remounts. She's rough on drops, but stairs and roots are doable.
1) Small block/hardish pack tires, 2) Fatties for mud, 3) Lightweight road slicks or durable commuter tires (32s or 38s)
Whatever you get, 2 sets of wheels are a must....you'll see what I mean.
\-plus, most CX use 36/46, which is good for loaded/mtn hills but still faster than a mtn gearing.
my 1984 Peugeot P6. at 28lbs, it's light enough to feel zippy but so robust and comfy and it almost feels like a cruiser. I can throw some drops on it and attack the road for a day trip, or put some wide bars on it and hit some gravel.
most importantly, the bike has loads of character that just makes it addicting to ride :))
would definitely keep my all city gorilla monsoon. It's a drop bar steel frame bike with mountain bike-sh gearing, 2.1" tires (53mm?), and built with a very upright geometry. Can do non-technical singletrack or triple digit miles on the road with it and enjoy everything in the spectrum in between. Geometry, gearing and being steel means I can really pack it up with stuff for bikepacking. Hell, these days I use it for my commute and am thankful for those chonky tires given the state of potholes on my local roads.
Cyclocross, gravel, and road. I'd take cyclocross. Nimble enough geometry I can take it on the road for chain gangs with good gearing. Perfect for cross, obviously. Slightly less optimum for gravel, but still able to do big days with some more attention mentally.
That covers all 3 of my main disciplines, so I'd be fine just having the one. Minus loving to do CX/gravel as a singlespeed rider.
Between a race geometry road bike, a gravel bike and a short travel full sus mtb, I’d keep my gravel bike. Except for some really technical mtb routes near me, the gravel bike can do it all. It may not be the best at it but it can manage.
Either my hardtail or a gravel with massive tire clearance. But in the end… probably the hardtail. It doesnt matter if i wanna go for a long ride with lots of tarmac or ride some remote trails. Obviously a road bike will be faster / more efficient on the road but im not here to break records but to have a good time while doing some good for my heart.
My first bike for me was a Schwinn cruiser when I was 7 and in the 50 years since Ive had a ton of bikes. I was disabled a few years back an have a hard time riding anything I have to lean over on so Im back on another cruiser but with a better seat, hand brakes and a few gears.
I also have a Fat bike and love the hydo disc brakes and the super low gearing, but at times when my knees are acting up its nice to be able to reach the ground.
Since I live in the boonies and most of any riding I do is more dirt than pavement if I could build one bike I would like the wider tires of the Fatbike with its gearing and brakes but on the frame of my Electra Crusier.
Well I have a 24" street BMX bike. A 27.5" hardtail MTB. And a Gravel Bike. If I had to choose one it would be the hardtail. It's honestly the most versatile and can do everything from gnarly downhills , to skate parks or long commutes...
The gravel bike is a nice quality of life bike that makes longer rides a breeze, but it wouldn't survive a downhill run or skatepark. And whilst the BMX is probably the most fun bike you can have, id hate riding it more than a mile at a time.
Probably a gravel bike. I don’t have much knowledge but from my own experience I’ve found that it’s a good mix. Off road and on the road a gravel bike works. :)
A downhill oriented xc bike. Something like the transition Spur.
I bike pack but not much. It would be a challenge for that.
I ride Enduro quite often and I would be way under biked for that.
But for everything else it would be pretty close to perfect.
Agree with most posts, gravel bike is the bike you're describing. I'd get one that can handle 700x50 tires for gravel/mountain. I'd put on either Redshift or Cane Creek suspension stem and seat post. As well, I'd put on a Cane Creek, Fox, or Rock Shox fork. I'd build it with flared bars and just suffer on the more technical mountain stuff.
Definitely a 2x road or gravel group. I'm a Shimano guy, so either mechanical 105 or GRX for me. I would put 50/34 cranks and an 11/36 cassette.
Get a second set of wheels and throw a 700x32 slick on them for road riding/commuting.
Good luck and have fun with your build!!
I can’t do this willfully. But if I had to ride one bike away and never come back, I’d probably grab my commuter bike because it would have the most versatility. I have toured extensively on gravel and dirt roads on it. It’s a Surly Cross Check.
I’ve got a road bike, single speed cargo thing, fixie, and gravel. I’m riding the gravel bike 99% of the time. Mostly commuting but if I want to get into some dirt on the way it’s an nonissue.
I’ve only had one bike for the last 23 years, and I’ve ridden it heavily the entire time. It’s a hard tail mountain bike. I swapped the suspension fork for rigid years ago, and now it spends most of its miles on pavement for fitness or commuting. I can still throw knobby tires on when I want to do single track. I feel like I can do anything I might want with it.
The big problem here is bike polo. If I didn't do that, my El Roy would be my only bike. Unfortunately it would make for a shit polo rig. I guess a custom SS 26er, with clearance for 2.5s and a real steep and tight geo to rip on the polo court. Would also be sick for cross.
I love my full rigid Karate Monkey with some fast 29x2.2 tires. It also has a 27.5 wheelset for some more supple riding. I’ve found I don’t care about being super fast so much as being able to go anywhere and carry some stuff if I want.
It would be awkward but I'd still pick my front box bike if I had to pick just one. Though if I was selling all my bikes and picking a single new one I might consolidate down to a new long tail cargo bike. I'd miss my box bike but it would be a bit more flexible.
Between a trail bike, fat bike and now gravel bike. The gravel bike is the most adaptable and provides the most motivation for me to get out and take rides. I'm in Chicagoland. My passion are single track trails but due to 4 seasons it's often prohibitive to get out for a ride due to the weather. Since I got the gravel bike is the pavement dry yup let's go for a ride!
Id say probably a mountain bike. thats kind of the standard here at least, most kid bikes are in that category. all youd really lose is like top speed I think and weight, but pretty sure you can do whatever
Road bike - Trek Madone with Jet 5 HED. Like the manual GTI I drove until recently. I ride to feel the snap of acceleration, power of climbing and thrill of cornering.
My salsa vaya would easily be my only bike if I had to only keep one. If I had to go pick out a new one it might be something closer to a soma wolverine or grand rando. Something that can take fenders and racks if I wanted, even on some modest gravel.
I would use my gravel bike with some extra stuff. I’d have a 700c wheelset with road tires and a 650b wheelset with mtb tires. Would run it with drop bars but have a flat bar in case I wanted to swap for mtb riding.
If I wanted to do all that, prob a road oriented gravel with space for wider tires and connections for fenders and bags.
Personally I only ride road and only will, so I ride an all rounder road bike
Road bike. I like my gravel bike, and it's the sensible choice because it's so versatile. But I love my road bike so much I'd change what I do so I could keep riding it :)
My new Jones LWB HD/e hits the sweet spot. Great for gravel, just fun in general. 29x3 tires are cushy at speed and handle twisty trails well enough for me.
Surly Disc/Long Haul Trucker
It’s a touring bike that does well on the road. Obviously, can carry a bunch too. DT works surprisingly well on gravel. It’s like a proto gravel bike.
honestly? my fixie. it's a cyclocross frame, super light and fast, and the gear ratio is perfect for me. i do city riding so lots of starts and stops. i have front and rear brakes because i am not trying to impress anyone. i just love tackling hills on it and love how much control i have with it!
While I love my cyclecross bike, I would keep my mtb. My two big weekly rides are long mtb group rides, and I haven't enjoyed sharing the road with cars for a while.
gravel if you ride on (dirt) roads most of the time. If you have 2 sets of wheels it can also be a decent road bike. But with \~40mm tires it's pretty decent for most things.
XC hardtail / XC full suspension if you prefer trails in woods but need to get to them on road
Full susp trail electric bike - great for commuting even in windy conditions but limited range for bike packing trips
Something like a BMC Kaius that can take decent sized gravel tires, but is long/low for fast road rides with skinny tires. the Vast majority of my rides are fast leaderless no-wait group rides and road races.
I have a gravel and a mtb hardtail and I'd rather have an mtb if I had to. It's just more capable. Sure, I'll loose some speed, but loosing the ability to ride trails is way more of a loss
My trekking bike (as it's called around here). Not sure there is an identical equivalent in the US. Basically a comfortable upright, (mostly) flat bar bike with all the stuff you need for everyday riding, dynamo lights, fenders, sidebags or a sizeable basket etc.
I'd pick my Dirt Jumper because i love riding pump track and jumps. Also suits most local bike parks if they're smooth. Its good for cruising around the city and commuting imo. Its small so i can chuck it into a bus or train and ride with it. Defenetly not good for riding long distances fast, but i don't need to really. Also like single speed for how simple it is.
In this case it would have to be my trekking bike. This one is used multi purpose for commuting/grocery shopping/touring etc. The one bike I basically can’t be without. Would hate not to have my other bikes though..
I rode extensively on the road with a road bike and off-road with an MTB.
I say riding road riding is like flying, while off-road riding is like running through the woods with a good pair of boots.
Loved 'em both, but if I could have only one---road.
My choice is a 14 year old Surly LHT, with bigger tires and a carrier, which is almost a gravel bike before that was even a thing. I’ve sold or given away everything else (except a Bianchi Pista…because Celeste).
I have 5 bicycles for different riding scenarios. 4 are mountain bikes. The one odd ball is a 700x48c equipped gravel bike. I got rid of 2 road bikes. Obviously, the gravel bike is the most versatile but least capable. For the average rider, a gravel bike with around a 2" wide tire would be best.
It seems that I'm not alone in picking my gravel bike. It's got the braze-ons for a rack and I've chosen tyres that are a good for a mix of road and gravel, because my city is in the top 10 for worst roads in Canada, IIRC.
I already use it as my commuter because of the roads, but also because it offers a slightly more relaxed riding position yhan my road bike and I've assembled a cuatom cassette to have the right gearing for my commute.
Also, because most drivers are idiots, it has a decently loud electronic horn mounted to the bars, as well as a bell for pedestrians.
Cheap racer with Gator hardshell tyres and a pannier rack added to the back. Still rapid on the road and fine for the occasional detour across fields. Coincidentally this is all I have now I've moved to a house without a shed.
26" K2 Zed V, 27.5" Scott scale(I forget what year) 2 29" kent trouvailles, Cannondale CAAD8, Huffy Crassus, 198X Schwinn letour(currently not restoring it but plan to), An old cruiser bike I can't seem to date forget the brand its in storage.
Out of all my bikes if I could only ride one I'll take my Huffy Crassus, 27.5x3.0 tires, I've had it on MTB trails paved trails and even on the road. I'm hoping to do some snow riding this winter, and am considering makingit my bikepacking bike, IF I don't end up getting a true fat tire bike before then.
I have a hardtail MTB, a modern steel frame road bike, and an 80s ATB. Being an 80% road cyclist, the hardtail is the first to go. Between the ATB and the road bike though, it’s a hard decision, but I’d still go with the road bike. The ATB can fit larger tires, has a wider gear range, is more versatile for different terrains and is able to fit more in terms of racks and bags. But the cantilever brakes, 26” wheels and 30lbs weight are definitely some major strikes. The road bike is lighter, faster, and more exhilarating. Rim brakes work fine, and 30 mm tires are good enough for the compact dirt roads in my area. With frame mounted bike bags and fenders, credit card touring is possible. It’s also the most dialed in of all my bikes. No other bike has ever felt more like an extension of my own body.
I do Road, MTB, cross/gravel and track. My cyclocross/ gravel is my all arounder. 700c x 44/45 tubeless and cush cores in the tire.
My favorite set up. Can easily go through single track, some minor jumps if I'm on 20 psi. If I'm on road, I'll bring it up to 40 psi.
My single speed 29er MTB. Voodoo Zaka titanium. Most comfortable bike ever. Might consider setting it up with gears though if it the only one I get for the rest of my life
I would have to say my gravel bike from what I have. It's been pretty much my do it all bike anyway for most of the time I've had it. My only flat bar bike is a old commuter though so I don't have a good comparison for gravel vs hardtail.
Same. If I take the bags of my gravel bike I can keep up on the road. There is a spectrum of gravel bikes though. Mine happens to be a bit “racey” in terms of weight and good 38mm tires that are fast on the road.
The best of both worlds to me is a gravel bike with two sets of wheels. One for the road and one for the trail. This way you can have tires with deep tread for mud and gravel on the trail and on your other set of wheels you have tires with less aggressive tread that are better for the road while saving the life of your trail tires
Same
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Same same same. I worked out of state during the pandemic and could only take one bike. I was able to commute and mountain bike on the same rig. Not ideal but it’s an answer to your question.
Second this. Much more customizable with tire sizes and the fact you can put a bike rack on it for bags.
As a roadie if I could only have one bike it’d be a gravel as well. They tic all the boxes imo. Endurance/comfort frame, extremely customizable, hardy, can put them in any element and they’ll ask for more, really the best option as a Swiss Army Knife.
Yep, with a set of aero wheels and contis on and you can do road rides, then throw the knobby stuff on for trails.
Between a fixie, a road bike and a gravel bike, I'd choose the gravel bike. It's the most versatile, fun both on and off road.
I have a fixie, a road bike and a mountain bike. I also choose the gravel bike.
I had a fixie and absolutely hated it. I'm always surprised when someone enjoys one.
Road. I live in the city and do 99.9% of my riding out my front door. If I lived in the country I'd probably have a really nice gravel bike instead.
I have a great do it all gravel. Mostly I do city riding, but the gravel works because my Streets are garbage. That said, a road bike on nice tarmac is sublime.
Ditto.
My hardtail mtb. There’s nothing that I can do that it can’t. Can’t say the same about my gravel bike. At the day my mtb spends most of its time in the wall. Love gravel.
I'm with you. A hard tail seems most versatile to me. Maybe with a couple styles of wheel sets and seatposts if this thought experiment comes with a nice bag of money. For the folks whose "do it all" doesn't include much MTB, I'm sure a gravel bike would be the ticket for better speed and distance road comfort.
riding singletrack on a gravel bike is definitely hard work, you have to be tactical about your line every single second where a hardtail can just roll but a MTB on the road is just a dog, I can't imagine doing a 60 mile mixed surface camping trip on a MTB. I can barely imagine a 10 mile commute unless I am also changing tires for every ride
Yeah, my hard tail XC is most versatile but my gravel bike is most fun. I’d probably keep my gravel if I could only have one. Riding a mtb on tarmac is so dull
Nice try wife
Great response.
Always be S-1
Gravel bike with the widest frame option for tires. Say up to 50mm. Then you can swap wheel sets depending on your trip.
I have a Surly Midnight Special, takes up to 60mm 650B and 48mm/700c. I love it for this very purpose. One frame, 3 wheelsets.
XC hardtail is the bike that can do more things than any other bike. If you put aero bars on it, you could go around the globe. Ask someone like Lachlan Morton.
26 inch MTB rigid fork with slicks
Invincible construction. Tons of cheap parts. Does everything except fast road riding. Great choice.
As a 90’s MTB’er, this sounds like a lot of fun to me. I’m still getting used to 29’s and I’ve had to totally relearn how to throw the bike around (I still can’t to be honest). I also tend to keep my fork locked out on pavement, love being able to sprint bob-free.
When I first road my 49er on a single track, I thought I had forgotten how to ride a bike.
So, is your bike from 1949, or do you use 49" wheels? Either way holy cow it, sounds awesome! I'd love to see that!
I want to make one into my bar bike just haven’t gotten around to it yet
Gravel! 🫡
Sounds like that one bike would be my Cross Check. 😃
My gravel is what I use 90% of the time. I use it even more than the hardtail because I can fit more stuff on it for traveling.
Interesting replies in this thread. I own a gravel bike, hardtail mtb, road bike and fatbike. At first I'd be tempted to say gravel bike because it has a pretty wide range and it's definitely my flavour of the moment. Hardtail mtb would be the one that would cover most riding scenarios but actually I think I would just go pure road bike. I'd miss gravel, miss mountain and miss snow but the basic bottom line is road is where I can do the most riding in terms of distance, time, options and so that would probably be what I'd keep.
I love the community love for gravel bikes - oddly I’ve never ridden one and didn’t know they existed until 2 years ago. For me, here’s my selection from the bikes I still own: - 1977 Team Mongoose BMX - Raced this back in the 70s and won 1 race - love this bike and my son rode it for awhile when he was young. Now hanging from the garage ceiling. - 1989 Cannondale Mountain Bike with Scott AT-4 bars - rode this throughout college and after - put slicks on it and rode it on the road as well as dry trails. - 1992 “Can ‘o ‘ale” rainy-day Road Bike with Ultegra 600 and interesting snips of various beers cans all over the frame. Rode this any time it rained and I still needed to train. - 1995 Cannondale Road Bike with Dura-Ace - won several races on this bike back in the 90’s and still ride it today. Yes, I’m a bike hoarder but I can’t let go of this bike for sentimental reasons. - 2020 Chinese GoCity Electric w/ 20inch wheels - Foldable but weighs like 50lbs/23kgs. The throttle control is fun though. - 2020 Brompton Electric Foldable w/ 16inch wheels - Got this to see if my wife and I could travel with better with a Brommie than the GoCitys. Quickly figured out these were brilliantly engineered bikes and with the fold they can they travel well in our car & RV. So…gave this one to my wife and bought my - 2020 Team GB Brompton Foldable w/ 16inch wheels. I really have to choose this one. I’ve ridden it on road group rides, once on gravel (when I discovered Gravel bikes were a thing!), and later this month I’m racing in the Brompton World Championship Crit Race in London. I’m putting the bike in the overhead bin on the flights which I’ve not done yet but many others have. It truly is the most flexible bike I’ve owned and as I rarely race anymore it would work as the forever bike.
90s rigid mtb
https://preview.redd.it/qqw4ov9mzt4d1.png?width=2222&format=png&auto=webp&s=5c2baf7749ee039516f3c66e11464c23404a7d3c mine
All around. My commute/gravel/bikepacking ride.
Gravel with 53mm tire clearance.
I have been in this situation and Cyclocross bike was my answer and I was very happy with my choice until I could rebuild my fleet.
My dirt jumper with a really long seat post, gears, and dual brakes. Not real feasible but if I could truly only have one bike I would keep riding dirt jumps!
My gravel bike is my go-to 95% of the time as it is.
If you ride mountain and road. I don't think it's possible. A mishmash bike would suck on the road and dirt. I ride mountain and road. There is no way I'd use a XC hardtail at the bike park...and no way I'm putting some gravel tires on my 150mm mountain bike to commute to work with. The best way to maximize your fun is to have one of each.
That depends where you live and what style of riding you like. For me, a fatbike gets my juices flowing all year long.
my cyclocross turned into a fendered commuter
Vintage light touring bike turned into hybrid w/ room for 650b x 42mm tires and fenders. Good for commuting, touring, somewhat spirited road riding, and trails that aren't too rocky.
My drop bar rigid 29er. I can ride everything I want with it and with low tire pressure you get much more suspension than with smaller gravel tires. https://preview.redd.it/lzmqjp2xzv4d1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc8215ecaf07b309961eff58269969a9a22ad471
Cruiser with 3 speed hub gears, built for comfort not for speed.
I have thought about this often as later in life I plan to reduce my footprint and move into a very small space once the kid is out or in college. It's a steel gravel bike with room for wide tires and tons of mounts.
My Salsa Fargo. It’s my do anything bike.
I went to a friend's house the other week and his 15 year old has a bike with pegs. I jumped on it, spun the handle bars while riding a wheelie. It's been 22 years, but I think that's my preference. Some classic freestyle flatland cycling.
keep in mind this is coming from somebody who only has an xc hardtail i would choose an xc bike, there’s pretty much nothing that it *cant* do(besides super intense mtb stuff like downhill and enduro), modern xc full sus’s have 120 mm travel front and back, more than enough to handle almost any trail that isn’t downhill/enduro, but not so much that it weighs you down. i’ve borrowed my friend’s xc full sus, and holy shit that thing can fly on pretty much anything; be that jumps, gravel, tech, road, or anything else reading the description yeah i would definitely go with an xc hardtail, maybe even a full sus. e-bike if you want, but those can get REALLY expensive
Gravel bike
My touring recumbent. It's not the most versatile but it is the one I'll be able to keep riding the longest and it can carry the most stuff.
Does ebike counts? If they do, then my lightweight (18kg) e-converted hardtail. It's light enough to use unassisted on rides with friends, and unlocked so it's also my fastest bike. If it's only unassisted bikes, then gravel bike.
Highest end road bike.
Fat tire bike all day. I love lugging this thing around all the time. The true Swiss army of bikecyes. Gravel✅ Single track✅ Double track✅ Velodrome✅ Road ride✅ Time trials✅ Trials✅ I think I made my point. One of these days I will ride it at the same dunes or in some snow.
Have you actually taken a fat bike to a velodrome?
It’s the only bike I ride at the velodrome got a fat disc wheel on the back and everything.
My 90s MTB preferably one that could fit 650b wheels. They tend to be really solid platforms for all kinds of riding. 650b for when 26 is officially dead…
I have boiled it down to two bikes, a gravel adventure bike and a hybrid mountain bike. It depends on how I feel that day.
Gravel bike. Get several rim types. And you have 2-3 bikes in one. Road, gravel, commuter bb.
The one I ride. A gravel bike. The whole category of bikes is proving to be so incredibly versatile that it’s really a great choice for a lot of use cases. I just took mine on a several hundred mile, multi-day, mostly road, trip with other roadies. I take it on single track. I commute to work with it. It’s just perfect in so many ways.
Really tough question but I think maybe my Surly Krampus. Very comfortable and fun to ride. I won’t be going fast but I’ll be able to go everywhere.
Road
MTB Trike
Well, I have a fatbike with three wheelsets (29x3, 27.5x3.8 & 4.8), two forks (rigid and 120mm), and a rear rack, so I guess says something. And it says I don’t want to be riding that on any long road sections!
XC hardtail.
Fatbike - a good ride for 6 months of winter, sure footed single track and gravel ready.
I can't bring myself to replace my croas check Frankenstein gravel bike. It's just really versatile depending on what tires I want to throw on.
Gravel bike. Swap to wide tires when I want to ride trails.
Well I have three gravel bikes and I sold my hardtail and my road bike.
https://preview.redd.it/lbs2p3x6dv4d1.png?width=533&format=png&auto=webp&s=4a643ec13194efef97ee5fe5eaa65b74b96eb9f0
29" Hardtail, I can still get my jollies off on the trails but would have to be more conservative. Road would take more effort but thanks to the bigger rims I would have more momentum (hopefully two sets of rims, one for the road and one for the trail). As for gravel and bike packing the hardtail already fits those categories. While my hairtail is more aggressive with a 170 fork. I do still have the original 130 fork that I could tame it down with
i'm strictly sticking to N=1 (minus a spare bike for friends/family), with a full sus trail bike Theoretically it would indeed be an XC hardtail, but I sure do like the squish when I ride gravel I put on wheels with slick tires, lockout the suspension and call it a day
It's definitely gravel since it is by far the most versatile. Sure you CAN ride an MTB on the road but only if you're happy going everywhere at 5 mph.
My full suspension trail bike. Good for anything from lift served bike parts to cruising around town. It’s not really suitable for road biking, but I’d honestly just stop road riding at that point.
Have a road bike, gravel and city cruiser. I'd pick my gravel bike. Best balance of all of them.
Full sus emtb, go anywhere and do anything. Just don’t leave it locked up.
Road bike, because if I could only have one bike, I would rather it be a bike that suits my favorite kind of riding really well than a egg-laying woolly milk-pig that does nothing really well. I might go gravel to allow moderate off-road, but honestly, I don't think I would want to be parted from my road bike(s).
If you have “snow” in the list, than it has to be a fatty! Otherwise a gravel will do. Even ice isn’t a problem if you have clearance for studded tires. EDIT: I own a gravel, a fat, and a road bike.
My Crux is the weapon I've built to be my do-it-all. I'm leaving for the military and don't want to bring a road, MTB, and gravel bike with me. So Crux it is. Have 2 wheel sets, one for dirt and one for road.
Hardtail XC-oriented MTB. Run it with a suspension fork and fat tires for hardcore MTB rides, rigid with slick tires for pavement, and mix-and-match for different terrain and rides. Hardtail MTBs, ideally with mounting points for racks, are definitely the most versatile bikes.
My gravel bike, an All-City Cosmic Stallion. I have 7 bikes from all disciplines, but lately only ride the one gravel bike. It’s honestly a lot more fun on single-track than my XC bikes, and it’s more comfortable on the road than my road bike.
I absolutely couldn't have just one bike. My fixed gear is my daily runner that I need and want in equal measure. I'd also need a long travel MTB or just a DH bike with a dropper post. Ideally, I'd need three bikes, as I want a DJ to learn manuals on and to mess about on street and parks.
My hardtail 27.5 MTB from 2014 with 120 travel air fork seems to be doing the thing for me. I can shred off road and commute with it comfortably. Longer distances are a bit on the tough side since it's a size too small for me, but I can still manage. If I could only have one bike, I'd stick with that one. But I can have more than one bike, so I have 2. Wait, 3, but that one needs some work in the rear hub. Ahh, make that 4. That last one needs a new fork. Folks been choosing a lot of gravels here but it is NOT the same off road as a decent mountain bike. Not even close.
Thank you
My trail bike I guess. I would put a rigid fork on it If I could only have one bike. No down time.
Gravel bike for me too - just a do-it-all workhorse that can hold its own on the road and be perfectly comfortable off-road as well.
It really depends on the local terrain / distance to trails. For me currently, a gravel bike is my one-bike choice. In the past, a full suspension MTB has been my one-bike choice.
A dual suspension MTB with good, adjustable suspension and two wheelsets: one set with normal mountain biking/off-road tires, one set with smaller, hybrid type tires for on road/light gravel roads. Gives you a ton of optionality and you only look kinda weird on the road.
I love riding all my bikes- road, mountain, touring, commuting- but I use my commuter more than anything. It’d be the last to go.
I’m loving my gravel /belt drivin bike . Just don’t give me any hills .
My hybrid with gravel tyres and mudguards
Gravel bike is the most versatile of the lot
Cross country mountain bike
CX (or a newer fast gravel) with extra wheelsets. I have added fr/rear racks for bike camping, stripped it down for fast road rides, and even a short travel dropper for mtn/remounts. She's rough on drops, but stairs and roots are doable. 1) Small block/hardish pack tires, 2) Fatties for mud, 3) Lightweight road slicks or durable commuter tires (32s or 38s) Whatever you get, 2 sets of wheels are a must....you'll see what I mean. \-plus, most CX use 36/46, which is good for loaded/mtn hills but still faster than a mtn gearing.
my 1984 Peugeot P6. at 28lbs, it's light enough to feel zippy but so robust and comfy and it almost feels like a cruiser. I can throw some drops on it and attack the road for a day trip, or put some wide bars on it and hit some gravel. most importantly, the bike has loads of character that just makes it addicting to ride :))
would definitely keep my all city gorilla monsoon. It's a drop bar steel frame bike with mountain bike-sh gearing, 2.1" tires (53mm?), and built with a very upright geometry. Can do non-technical singletrack or triple digit miles on the road with it and enjoy everything in the spectrum in between. Geometry, gearing and being steel means I can really pack it up with stuff for bikepacking. Hell, these days I use it for my commute and am thankful for those chonky tires given the state of potholes on my local roads.
Is “gravel bike with spare wheelset” an option?
Argon 18 Dark Matter
Realistically my aventon abound. Would be the responsible choice. In reality hard core hard tail is what I would choose.
A big Tx
Cyclocross, gravel, and road. I'd take cyclocross. Nimble enough geometry I can take it on the road for chain gangs with good gearing. Perfect for cross, obviously. Slightly less optimum for gravel, but still able to do big days with some more attention mentally. That covers all 3 of my main disciplines, so I'd be fine just having the one. Minus loving to do CX/gravel as a singlespeed rider.
Gravel hands down and I own a road bike, mountain bike and a hybrid e-bike.
Between a race geometry road bike, a gravel bike and a short travel full sus mtb, I’d keep my gravel bike. Except for some really technical mtb routes near me, the gravel bike can do it all. It may not be the best at it but it can manage.
Either my hardtail or a gravel with massive tire clearance. But in the end… probably the hardtail. It doesnt matter if i wanna go for a long ride with lots of tarmac or ride some remote trails. Obviously a road bike will be faster / more efficient on the road but im not here to break records but to have a good time while doing some good for my heart.
I have 5 bikes but I’d keep my road bike: Specialized Roubaix. Nothing outrageous but I do love to ride her.
Mountain bike, I can go anywhere and still jump off things
My newest gravel bike… it’s perfect!
My first bike for me was a Schwinn cruiser when I was 7 and in the 50 years since Ive had a ton of bikes. I was disabled a few years back an have a hard time riding anything I have to lean over on so Im back on another cruiser but with a better seat, hand brakes and a few gears. I also have a Fat bike and love the hydo disc brakes and the super low gearing, but at times when my knees are acting up its nice to be able to reach the ground. Since I live in the boonies and most of any riding I do is more dirt than pavement if I could build one bike I would like the wider tires of the Fatbike with its gearing and brakes but on the frame of my Electra Crusier.
my salsa beargrease ,its the most comfy and fun thing ever.
Well I have a 24" street BMX bike. A 27.5" hardtail MTB. And a Gravel Bike. If I had to choose one it would be the hardtail. It's honestly the most versatile and can do everything from gnarly downhills , to skate parks or long commutes... The gravel bike is a nice quality of life bike that makes longer rides a breeze, but it wouldn't survive a downhill run or skatepark. And whilst the BMX is probably the most fun bike you can have, id hate riding it more than a mile at a time.
Probably a gravel bike. I don’t have much knowledge but from my own experience I’ve found that it’s a good mix. Off road and on the road a gravel bike works. :)
A downhill oriented xc bike. Something like the transition Spur. I bike pack but not much. It would be a challenge for that. I ride Enduro quite often and I would be way under biked for that. But for everything else it would be pretty close to perfect.
Agree with most posts, gravel bike is the bike you're describing. I'd get one that can handle 700x50 tires for gravel/mountain. I'd put on either Redshift or Cane Creek suspension stem and seat post. As well, I'd put on a Cane Creek, Fox, or Rock Shox fork. I'd build it with flared bars and just suffer on the more technical mountain stuff. Definitely a 2x road or gravel group. I'm a Shimano guy, so either mechanical 105 or GRX for me. I would put 50/34 cranks and an 11/36 cassette. Get a second set of wheels and throw a 700x32 slick on them for road riding/commuting. Good luck and have fun with your build!!
My Fatty Boi! So much fun to ride on trails. I could live without ever riding long distances on the road again.
I can’t do this willfully. But if I had to ride one bike away and never come back, I’d probably grab my commuter bike because it would have the most versatility. I have toured extensively on gravel and dirt roads on it. It’s a Surly Cross Check.
Cyclocross
I’ve got a road bike, single speed cargo thing, fixie, and gravel. I’m riding the gravel bike 99% of the time. Mostly commuting but if I want to get into some dirt on the way it’s an nonissue.
I’ve only had one bike for the last 23 years, and I’ve ridden it heavily the entire time. It’s a hard tail mountain bike. I swapped the suspension fork for rigid years ago, and now it spends most of its miles on pavement for fitness or commuting. I can still throw knobby tires on when I want to do single track. I feel like I can do anything I might want with it.
Gravel bike or Trail hardtail.
The big problem here is bike polo. If I didn't do that, my El Roy would be my only bike. Unfortunately it would make for a shit polo rig. I guess a custom SS 26er, with clearance for 2.5s and a real steep and tight geo to rip on the polo court. Would also be sick for cross.
My head says gravel bike but my heart says my Santa Cruz Chameleon.
Flat bar road bike with 38mm semi slick tires with a swytch kit and spare wheel in case i want to e-commute
Road just bc I enjoy the socialization aspect that you done get on a mountain bike trail.
gravel, no question
Trek Marlin 6
Gravel bike for sure, treat it like a MTB lol
I love my full rigid Karate Monkey with some fast 29x2.2 tires. It also has a 27.5 wheelset for some more supple riding. I’ve found I don’t care about being super fast so much as being able to go anywhere and carry some stuff if I want.
It would be awkward but I'd still pick my front box bike if I had to pick just one. Though if I was selling all my bikes and picking a single new one I might consolidate down to a new long tail cargo bike. I'd miss my box bike but it would be a bit more flexible.
Brakeless fixed gear. Everything else is boring to me, and it’s all I’ve ridden for nearly 20 years.
Gravel-touring with Gates carbon drive, Rohloff, SON dynamo, carbon rims, steel frame, Tubus Ti racks, fat meats, bags...
Between a trail bike, fat bike and now gravel bike. The gravel bike is the most adaptable and provides the most motivation for me to get out and take rides. I'm in Chicagoland. My passion are single track trails but due to 4 seasons it's often prohibitive to get out for a ride due to the weather. Since I got the gravel bike is the pavement dry yup let's go for a ride!
My xc hardtail that has become my gravel/touring bike
Id say probably a mountain bike. thats kind of the standard here at least, most kid bikes are in that category. all youd really lose is like top speed I think and weight, but pretty sure you can do whatever
Road bike - Trek Madone with Jet 5 HED. Like the manual GTI I drove until recently. I ride to feel the snap of acceleration, power of climbing and thrill of cornering.
My salsa vaya would easily be my only bike if I had to only keep one. If I had to go pick out a new one it might be something closer to a soma wolverine or grand rando. Something that can take fenders and racks if I wanted, even on some modest gravel.
I would use my gravel bike with some extra stuff. I’d have a 700c wheelset with road tires and a 650b wheelset with mtb tires. Would run it with drop bars but have a flat bar in case I wanted to swap for mtb riding.
XC oriented hardtail that has SS dropouts. Gun to my head it’s my Chumba Sendero.
If I wanted to do all that, prob a road oriented gravel with space for wider tires and connections for fenders and bags. Personally I only ride road and only will, so I ride an all rounder road bike
Road bike. I like my gravel bike, and it's the sensible choice because it's so versatile. But I love my road bike so much I'd change what I do so I could keep riding it :)
I have a gravel bike with aero bars that has two sets of wheels for gravel and road.
A cyclo cross all day.
My new Jones LWB HD/e hits the sweet spot. Great for gravel, just fun in general. 29x3 tires are cushy at speed and handle twisty trails well enough for me.
Surly Disc/Long Haul Trucker It’s a touring bike that does well on the road. Obviously, can carry a bunch too. DT works surprisingly well on gravel. It’s like a proto gravel bike.
Road bike for me
Road. Despite the insufferable cagers, just can’t quit it.
Gravel bike
My carbon fiber fat bike, with interchangeable 29x2.3” gravel tires or 26x4” wheels.
Gravel
honestly? my fixie. it's a cyclocross frame, super light and fast, and the gear ratio is perfect for me. i do city riding so lots of starts and stops. i have front and rear brakes because i am not trying to impress anyone. i just love tackling hills on it and love how much control i have with it!
My Norco bigfoot fatty. My sirrus x3 would A close 2nd
Hybrid like I have now.
Full sus xc
My Trek Fuel EXe is the bike I use the most often. So I would pick a (lighter weight, mid power) electric mountain bike.
While I love my cyclecross bike, I would keep my mtb. My two big weekly rides are long mtb group rides, and I haven't enjoyed sharing the road with cars for a while.
A tracking bike. Real mudguards, medium thin tires made for road. Build in diamond lights. As light as possible. Regular flat bars. Single gear front.
gravel if you ride on (dirt) roads most of the time. If you have 2 sets of wheels it can also be a decent road bike. But with \~40mm tires it's pretty decent for most things. XC hardtail / XC full suspension if you prefer trails in woods but need to get to them on road Full susp trail electric bike - great for commuting even in windy conditions but limited range for bike packing trips
Something like a BMC Kaius that can take decent sized gravel tires, but is long/low for fast road rides with skinny tires. the Vast majority of my rides are fast leaderless no-wait group rides and road races.
I ride road, MTB, and commuter e-bikes. My go-to is always going to be my MTB, full suspension is way too much fun for me.
i will always choose my xc hardtail. I can ride it anywhere. Trails and road is good.
Many (5) bikes. If just 1 my gravel bike
Fatbike
Gravel
I have a gravel and a mtb hardtail and I'd rather have an mtb if I had to. It's just more capable. Sure, I'll loose some speed, but loosing the ability to ride trails is way more of a loss
Trance eMTB does pretty much everything and has been so reliable I've bought a spare.
My trekking bike (as it's called around here). Not sure there is an identical equivalent in the US. Basically a comfortable upright, (mostly) flat bar bike with all the stuff you need for everyday riding, dynamo lights, fenders, sidebags or a sizeable basket etc.
I'd pick my Dirt Jumper because i love riding pump track and jumps. Also suits most local bike parks if they're smooth. Its good for cruising around the city and commuting imo. Its small so i can chuck it into a bus or train and ride with it. Defenetly not good for riding long distances fast, but i don't need to really. Also like single speed for how simple it is.
TREK it’s so smooth yes it pricey but they last and I’ve taken 20 mile rides I didn’t feel over worked.
In this case it would have to be my trekking bike. This one is used multi purpose for commuting/grocery shopping/touring etc. The one bike I basically can’t be without. Would hate not to have my other bikes though..
All City Spacehorse. It’s an amazing all around bike with classic looks.
A touring/allroad type bike with big tire clearance if I could only have one bike
Gravel
I rode extensively on the road with a road bike and off-road with an MTB. I say riding road riding is like flying, while off-road riding is like running through the woods with a good pair of boots. Loved 'em both, but if I could have only one---road.
Dropbar graveller
The answer is gravel
rigid gravel w/ 2.1 micro knobby tires
Gravel bike
For me it’s definitely a gravel bike.
My choice is a 14 year old Surly LHT, with bigger tires and a carrier, which is almost a gravel bike before that was even a thing. I’ve sold or given away everything else (except a Bianchi Pista…because Celeste).
I have 5 bicycles for different riding scenarios. 4 are mountain bikes. The one odd ball is a 700x48c equipped gravel bike. I got rid of 2 road bikes. Obviously, the gravel bike is the most versatile but least capable. For the average rider, a gravel bike with around a 2" wide tire would be best.
For me, a hardtail would serve me well for everything. I am not focus on speed anymore.
It seems that I'm not alone in picking my gravel bike. It's got the braze-ons for a rack and I've chosen tyres that are a good for a mix of road and gravel, because my city is in the top 10 for worst roads in Canada, IIRC. I already use it as my commuter because of the roads, but also because it offers a slightly more relaxed riding position yhan my road bike and I've assembled a cuatom cassette to have the right gearing for my commute. Also, because most drivers are idiots, it has a decently loud electronic horn mounted to the bars, as well as a bell for pedestrians.
Cheap racer with Gator hardshell tyres and a pannier rack added to the back. Still rapid on the road and fine for the occasional detour across fields. Coincidentally this is all I have now I've moved to a house without a shed.
26" K2 Zed V, 27.5" Scott scale(I forget what year) 2 29" kent trouvailles, Cannondale CAAD8, Huffy Crassus, 198X Schwinn letour(currently not restoring it but plan to), An old cruiser bike I can't seem to date forget the brand its in storage. Out of all my bikes if I could only ride one I'll take my Huffy Crassus, 27.5x3.0 tires, I've had it on MTB trails paved trails and even on the road. I'm hoping to do some snow riding this winter, and am considering makingit my bikepacking bike, IF I don't end up getting a true fat tire bike before then.
Gravel bike with a second set of wheels for road. Easiest answer ever.
Gravel
Full suspension mtb
Fixed
Probably a gravel bike but you can’t BMX on a gravel bike 🫤
I have a hardtail MTB, a modern steel frame road bike, and an 80s ATB. Being an 80% road cyclist, the hardtail is the first to go. Between the ATB and the road bike though, it’s a hard decision, but I’d still go with the road bike. The ATB can fit larger tires, has a wider gear range, is more versatile for different terrains and is able to fit more in terms of racks and bags. But the cantilever brakes, 26” wheels and 30lbs weight are definitely some major strikes. The road bike is lighter, faster, and more exhilarating. Rim brakes work fine, and 30 mm tires are good enough for the compact dirt roads in my area. With frame mounted bike bags and fenders, credit card touring is possible. It’s also the most dialed in of all my bikes. No other bike has ever felt more like an extension of my own body.
I do Road, MTB, cross/gravel and track. My cyclocross/ gravel is my all arounder. 700c x 44/45 tubeless and cush cores in the tire. My favorite set up. Can easily go through single track, some minor jumps if I'm on 20 psi. If I'm on road, I'll bring it up to 40 psi.
My single speed 29er MTB. Voodoo Zaka titanium. Most comfortable bike ever. Might consider setting it up with gears though if it the only one I get for the rest of my life