General Cycling Discussion - Most extravagant bike-related purchase?

Now, by extravagant I don't neccessarily mean a large sum of money -- a $50 bottle cage or $100 stem would be more extravagant than a $200 pair of shoes or a $3000 bike. You know, something that cost more than it should have but you bought it anyway?

My personal best in this category was something I bought today; a $110 carbon fiber seatpost (Easton EC-70) which I at least managed to get on sale for 20% off, but still....

I wasn't really wanting to get a CF post; I just wanted to get a post with a little more setback and after visiting 4 local shops I finally found a post that would work, but it was hella expensive. I was tired of driving and the sale price made it almost acceptable, so now it's on my bike. :D That's one sales receipt that's going straight to the shredder!

Originally posted by Grendel
You know, something that cost more than it should have but you bought it anyway?

$75 Redhook cycling jersey. I love Redhook beers so I just had to have one. I wonder if they make a Guinness jersey. I'm also quite bummed that Primal Wear discontinued the jersey with the green alien.

I bought a new seat for the bike this weekend.
I had to get one due to a "clipless" incident last Thursday.
So I went to the LBS, picked one out that was around 50 bucks.

The wife says, "are you sure you don't want to get a "better" one?"
Duh, yeah...
So I bought a seat for a hundred dollars. I barely paid that much for the whole bike.

Dang, I live in a part of the country where a Huffy is considered a darned good bike and Schwinn is the epitome. Around here you don't buy bike stuff, except maybe a bell, a rack, and a light. (Helmet optional) But here I am with my silly Selle Italia leather seat, panniers, biking shoes, Camelbak....:D Everything I buy for my riding feels like an extravagance....what fun to live a decadent life of luxury and spendthriftiness!

Investment or extravagence????? Tough to discern between the two. For example, a Chris King headset, retails for over $140.00. For a headset? Heck, you can get a decent headset for $18.00, and you expect me to pay over $100. Are you on crack?

But, it comes with a 10-year guarantee, and it'll probably outlast the frame. So, yep, I bought one!

L8R

I guess I fell for the sales pitch (or the pitch from some of the BF members). :D

purchase #1: I bought my two headlights (NiteRider NiteOwl) for my commuter for $120 each. :eek:

purchase #2: I broke down and bought a decent saddle for my road bike for $100. Glad I did. :D
Now I need to find a comfortable saddle for my commuter. Not sure if I want to spent $100 though.

Extravagant... I bought a NOS Record Delta brakeset. I guess the thing that makes them extravagant is the fact that the only thing they are good for is slowing down enough that other people can notice them. Seriously, the old Shimano RSX calipers on my beater stop better. Not complaining, its not like I do mountain descents... I bought them because they are pretty.

R535 shimano's-$56 bucks,WOW.

Spent $130 once on a set of good tyres. Too bad they didn't last any longer than any other tyres-may have made the purchase a bit more justifiable if they had...

That is really tough to narrow down, but most likely it would be my Cinneli Carbon handlebar/stem. I love it though, most comfortable handlebars I have ever owned. Fits my hands perfectly, but they were $450. here is a pic :)
http://www.coloradocyclist.com/images/products/full/cinlhdj01.jpg

Well it must be my Schmidt dynamohub but I don´t rate it as an extravagant purchase cause it preforms soooo well that I cant imagine living without it;)

But it was a lot of money...

Originally posted by Inkwolf
Dang, I live in a part of the country where a Huffy is considered a darned good bike and Schwinn is the epitome.

But you live in the part of the country from where Treks originate. :D Then again Schwinn is next door and Huffy not all that far away either.

Polar S-710 HR Monitor....$330
Of course it's also a watch, altimiter/barometer, wireless bike computer (downloadable to the PC) and a darn good training assistant.

Garmin ETrex Vista GPS - nearly stole it new for $225
Maptech Terrain Navigator Software for the GPS (Utah and Colorado maps) $129

z1 fr Marzocchi at 733 cdn...

Hmm... my $130 Briko Spark helmet.... I got it for $60, on a clearance sale. :) I find it to be more comfortable and cool-looking than Giro, but the adjustable head-strap is kinda suck.

http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/400/40_1359.jpg

I would have to say my Serfa's Dual Density Pro saddle. It was $100 give or take a few bucks. I wasn't planning on buying a new saddle, but when I saw it I had to have it...you know, for the coolness factor.

Most extravagant? Well it could be the Sugoi 21 Windows jersey. It was the only one I could find in size XL, it was $85 CDN, which is about $65 more than my other jersey!! but it looks soo durn cool!!! But it was my: "thanks me, for taking me out to ride" present!! Or... was it buying the egg beater peddles for $70? nah, I had just brokem my wrist because the $55 sh!tmano 515's locked me in? (thats my story and Im sticking to it!!)

I almost bought a ti bottle cage for $80 bucks Canadian. Almost...

I guess just about everything I buy I consider to be a little over the top. I would have to say though that my CK headsets do it for me. I have a regular one and a Steelset. I remember sweating when buying them. :D

Toronto posting alert :P

Originally posted by khuon
$75 Redhook cycling jersey. I love Redhook beers so I just had to have one. I wonder if they make a Guinness jersey. I'm also quite bummed that Primal Wear discontinued the jersey with the green alien.

Hmmm, this sounds familiar. I did the same thing with Deschutes Brewery. I was there (in Bend) and just had to have the jersey displayed on the wall.

Well, now for a different story...

How about a freakin' website to play fantasy cycling? You guys don't want to know what I paid for this, thinking that memberships would sell like they do in fantasy football. So, here I am giving them away for free, because it makes me feel good, but still paying the designer.

No regrets though. I'll be giving out a service that makes some folks happy.

:D

My bike had XT components so I upgraded to SRAM XO. No real need to, but looking at the stuff once fitted, it looks, so, well, ahem, sexy!

Maybe I need to get out more, eh?:)

Originally posted by khuon
But you live in the part of the country from where Treks originate. :D Then again Schwinn is next door and Huffy not all that far away either.

Treks are El Dorado. :D Okay, maybe it isn't really as bad as I say here in the North Woods anymore, but I still think that if anyone in my particular rural area had a Bianchi or Cannondale or Univega or Rivendell or Gary Fisher or something in a rummage sale for $25, it would probably be all mine, because nobody else would be willing to spend that much on an off brand. http://home.earthlink.net/~inkwolf/lol.gif

Originally posted by easyrider

How about a freakin' website to play fantasy cycling? You guys don't want to know what I paid for this,
:D


We do now.

$13,000 for something to carry my bike to the trailhead, plus a few hundred on pits a pieces to make it get there even faster.

:D :D :D :D :D

Originally posted by bikeCOLORADO
Polar S-710 HR Monitor....$330
Of course it's also a watch, altimiter/barometer, wireless bike computer (downloadable to the PC) and a darn good training assistant.

Garmin ETrex Vista GPS - nearly stole it new for $225
Maptech Terrain Navigator Software for the GPS (Utah and Colorado maps) $129

I paid $265 for mine... :eek: and love it.

XTR rear derailleur LG rapid rise 150 Euro`s....

When I was considering buying a new house, I checked if there's enough room in the storage to keep my bikes in. There was. I bought the house. Does that count as a bike-related purchase?

--J