Why isn't good enough good enough?

[Digital Gee]

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this whole bike upgrading thing. Let me put my question in perspective.

In the summer of 05 I started biking again, with a new low-end low-cost mountain bike, and put about 800 miles on that bike on the knobbies, never straying from the road, until someone suggested slicks. Did that, and now have about 2,000 miles on that bike.

I realized somewhere in the midst of all that that I was probably going to spend most of my cycling time on the road, but when I tried out a few road bikes, they were always too uncomfortable. Then I found on Craigslist a used Giant Cypress SX, and figured for about $200 how could I lose?

This bike has been excellent for me. I've swapped out the saddle, installed new brakes and tires, raised the stem, got a rack for the back, a computer, and now some bar ends. It's given me a good ride, and I've got about 1,600 miles on it so far. This 2004 model is an excellent economical flat bar road bike. In 2005 and beyond, they changed it to a comfort bike and I wouldn't buy any of the subsequent models.

Anyway...as many of you know, I've been searching, in an on-again/off-again manner, for a better bike, and have tested most of the well known brands entry level road bikes. They are not as uncomfortable as they used to be, and I can probably use a bike with drop bars provided it's still set up with the bars about even with the saddle, and so on.

But here's what I think stops me when I go looking. If I'm completely honest with myself, my current bike (the Cypress SX) is good enough for my purposes. I ride mostly shorter rides (10-25) miles, in urban neighborhoods with lots of traffic signals and stop signs and such, 3-4 times a week, for fun and good exercise. I haven't been able to understand how a new bike will substantially improve on my experience.

I can appreciate how a more expensive and newer bike can have better components, having tried them, but honestly -- the low end trigger shifters seem to do the job easily, the bike, while slow, is fast enough for me (I probably average 12-15 mph on my rides). I don't climb many hills so I can see how a different bike might make that easier, but my brain keeps coming back to "good enough is good enough!"

Yet I haunt the bike shops and browse Craigslist still. I don't understand this! When I tried out the Cypress SX, I could tell immediately the performance boost I'd get with it to do the kind of riding I do, compared with the heavier mountain bike. But when I test ride the affordable road bikes, the improvement seems much less substantial. Yes, they are smoother and lighter and more limber, but I guess they're not THAT much better or I would have pulled the trigger. (Yes, there was a time when it was a financial question, but that's not so true anymore.)

So what I wonder about is why, if what I have is good enough, dependable enough, fast enough, and certainly paid for enough, why if that's true, do I keep looking at new bikes. And what's it going to take for me to find another bike that lifts the whole experience so much that I gotta have it -- like what happened when I tried out the SX? I came close to that feeling only a couple of times -- and if I remember right, they were both bikes made of carbon. (My wallet just hiccuped).

Okay, enough musings for one morning. I know, I know. N+1 = the right number of bikes. I just don't see why, in my case.

[crtreedude]

Gary - you have found the secret to Nirvana - don't want more than you already have. I have a F900 Cannondale - wonderful bike, LOTS of kilometers on it. I could buy another bike, but I fear my current bike would have me bumped off or something....

And, all that time spent looking at bikes would be better spent riding, doncha think?

[Blackberry]

Good questions DG. Earlier today, I happened upon a thread that asked "What kind of bike do you get for $5000?" There were lots of viewpoints, but one I found interesting is (paraphrased) that you can buy a Timex (which is what I've got) or you can buy a Rolex. Both keep time pretty accurately, but the Rolex gives you a certain amount of styling and/or satisfaction you can't find in any other way. Thread here:http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=229017&highlight=Tommasini

Those who actually had $5,000 bikes may have considered the purchase worth the money but didn't seem to think they had been lifted into another realm of existence--and that you hit diminishing returns fairly quickly. From a strictly practical perspective, the more expensive bike will likely be lighter and possibly more reliable, which may matter a whole lot more to a racer or hard-core roadie than it would to you or me. Speaking for myself, I rode my 20-year-old beater mountain bike in the snow today and had a grand time.

[stapfam]

I have generally changed my bikes about every 2 to 3 years. In 2001 I bought my Bianchi Mountain bike. This was a factory "Special" as they had put the wrong components onto a higher ranged frame. So I had a good bike but some of the components were still low grade. Over the years, as parts have failed, I have upgraded the parts to something very respectable. In fact- all I have of the original bike is the frame- The bar stem and the front derailler. I could get a more modern bike but to get the grade of bike that I would be happy with- I would be looking at around $4,000 to replace this old Bianchi that does everything that I want it to, and is built with the components of high enough quality that it is not going to let me down.

Then in 2002 I bought the Tandem. A very good bike in the Tandem world, even though it is not up to the standard of some of the other Gold Plated US manufacturers. It was not suitable for the use that I wanted to give it but the frame was probably the best for my use that I could have bought and the bits attached to the frame would get me started on offroad tandem riding. A lot of money later and I have a tandem that will do everything that My Bianchi will do- Except I have trouble bunny hopping it- and at a far faster speed. It is built like a tank and will never let me down unless we find a tree that we cannot miss at full downhill speed. I could not repalce this Tandem unless I start the same way with a Top grade frame and built from the ground up. At todays priced- that will cost me in excess of $10,000 and would probably have the same components that I currently have. So why bother when the current Tandem is exactly what I want.

Then last year I got the road bike. A Giant SCR 3.0. Not the same SCR as you have as this appears to be the European replacement of the OCR. Only got the base model at around $800 but this has everything on it that I want. May only have 8 spd sora gears on it. May not have any trick bits on it. May not be the best handling bike around. What it is though is a very good bike for an occasional road biker that just wants an uncomplicated bike that is going to give him a good ride.

If you have a bike that works- you like- and doesn't owe you anything- then why change it. Upgrade it as parts fail and built a basic bike into something just a little bit special. That is what I have done on my bikes, And my bikes work for me.

Now as we have convinced you to stay with the Cypress- About the next upgrade you are going to get for it and my suggestion is wheels. The best improvement you can do to any bike so when do you get them?

[cyclintom]

Those who actually had $5,000 bikes may have considered the purchase worth the money but didn't seem to think they had been lifted into another realm of existence--and that you hit diminishing returns fairly quickly. From a strictly practical perspective, the more expensive bike will likely be lighter and possibly more reliable, which may matter a whole lot more to a racer or hard-core roadie than it would to you or me. Speaking for myself, I rode my 20-year-old beater mountain bike in the snow today and had a grand time.
Looking at my stable I have some really NICE bikes. But I obtained most of them used from various sources and seldom paid more than $2,000 for the most expensive. I DID pay about $3,600 for my Eddy Merckx Corsa new and with all of the latest stuff on it. It is my heaviest and also my fastest bike. But I can hardly bear to take it on the road because it cost so much. Instead I end up riding my Basso or my Look both of which cost considerably less than a grand by the time I built them up.

[pastorbobnlnh]

...So what I wonder about is why, if what I have is good enough, dependable enough, fast enough, and certainly paid for enough, why if that's true, do I keep looking at new bikes....
It's called dreaming the "what if!" "What if, I had bike X, I would... climb higher, go faster, ride longer, you fill in the blank _______." This is good as long as it doesn't detract you from other important things in your life.

[Digital Gee]

Now as we have convinced you to stay with the Cypress- About the next upgrade you are going to get for it and my suggestion is wheels. The best improvement you can do to any bike so when do you get them?

Okay, so what would a wheel improvement do for me, and what would you suggest? Right now, I have XERO-Light XSR-4 wheels, and Specialized Burrough 700x32 tires.

[rule]

More, better and different. It's the American way.

[p8rider]

More, better and different. It's the American way.
The way I have always heard it is: "If some is good, More is always better!"

There is a story I was told by a Dutch associate years ago. Now the Dutch have a reputation for being "frugal" to put it politely. This person told me that in the U.S. he was surprised when looking at a perscription's directions that the predominant item was the "NOT TO EXCEED" clause on the label. In Holland he told me they have specific instructions on what dossage is required to have any effect!
Sort of off thread, but related.

[stapfam]

Okay, so what would a wheel improvement do for me, and what would you suggest? Right now, I have XERO-Light XSR-4 wheels, and Specialized Burrough 700x32 tires.

So now we start on the next round of what should I get?


Cant Help you Gary As I do not have the experience on road bikes but as I am up for new wheels on the Giant= I am looking for Suggestions from the rest of the forum for a 700 wheel with a top rate rim, enough spokes and a hub that will last for the next 4 years. And must not cost an arm -Or- a leg. Good wheels at sensible prices- What suggestions?

[vger285]

It's in the blood, everybody wants the next best thing,sounds like you got your bike at the sweet spot! Your always gonna go to the LBS and check out the new stuff, Then don't think about upgrading, just go out and go upgrade(Eddy Merckx) and enjoy your ride, you got the best of both worlds!!

[joeprim]

DG

Why mess around with it. Remember "Better is the enemy of Good Enough". Do longer rides, maybe some supported rides. My daughter lives in SD and sometimes goes on group rides. With more distance you may (or may not) decide you want something different.

Joe

[HopedaleHills]

He's right, it's the American Way. Bigger, Better, More Expensive. I guess it's the same reason some guy needs a Lexus to drive 6 miles to work and back, or why do people who don't know the meaning of "Depth of Field" buy a digital SLR to shoot family snapshots. When you think about it most people could get by with a Toyota Corolla and a Canon "Point and Shoot".

But back to your question. I'm with you. I bought a Trek 1200c when I started riding. It's a great bike for me and I don't plan on buying another, ever. It suites my needs just fine. I also bought an inexpensive Gary Fisher, same story, good enough.

I'm pretty sure your Cypress is exactly right for the kind of riding you enjoy, so why change except to look better. Heck seeing as you don't do many hills, new lighter wheels may even be unjustified.

Now of course if I was 28 with a great body and trying to impress the chicks that's a whole nother story.

[Tom Bombadil]

Gary,

It seems to me that you have a bike that is very well suited to your usage and you find it comfortable to ride. I could someone in your position switching to a road bike, after all you are riding on roads and they are somwhat more efficient on them than your present bike. But only if they were comfortable for you. For if they aren't, then you probably wouldn't ride them as much as your present bike. And that wouldn't make any sense.

It may be that you are already at optimal - that is, you have the most optimal compromise bike for your personal needs and usage.

I can understand you continuing to look for a good deal on a used road bike, just to see if you could adapt to it, and if not, dump it for about what you paid for it. I was thinking the same thing until I decided that I hated riding a road bike so much, that it didn't make any sense to get one. (Although I admit that if I stumble on a great deal ... like a nice Schwinn from Goodwill for $15, I might still pop for one.)

[p8rider]

Now of course if I was 28 with a great body and trying to impress the chicks that's a whole nother story.
Now you understand DG'S dilema. while not 28, he is in a position to "try" and impress the chicks. So he half needs a better bike

[centexwoody]

[quote=DigitalGee]Why isn't good enough good enough? [endquote]

But it IS...

If your ride is sweet enough, just ride it. As a familiar saying goes about persons in committed relationships looking at members of the opposite gender:"Just because I've already ordered, doesn't mean I can't look at the menu..."

It is human nature and a by-product of our material culture, that we are always curious about some other latest/newest/more expensive/fancier THANG.

BTW, I got a new bike because my old one didn't fit me very well and there wasn't anything else I could do to it to improve that situation...

[big john]

I call it Bike Lust. Sometimes you just have to have a new one.

[maddmaxx]

Your here in this forum. You do not ride a bike as a necessity. Obviously bikes are more than just a machine that you use to do something. Some folks covet expensive cars, some expensive wines. Those of us here just "like bikes". It could be worse, you could have 17 cats.

[centexwoody]

It could be worse, you could have 17 cats.

:lol:

[jppe]

If you're content doing the riding your doing your bike is obviously well suited for that. If you had an interest in a different type of riding-lots of much longer rides, rides with group, improving overall speed, epic centuries etc, then you might want to consider a different bike.

I think it keeps coming back to determining what kind of riding you want to do. Once you get that figured out it helps determine the type of bike you might want.

[Road Fan]

So now we start on the next round of what should I get?


Cant Help you Gary As I do not have the experience on road bikes but as I am up for new wheels on the Giant= I am looking for Suggestions from the rest of the forum for a 700 wheel with a top rate rim, enough spokes and a hub that will last for the next 4 years. And must not cost an arm -Or- a leg. Good wheels at sensible prices- What suggestions?

Mavic Open Pro rims (if clincher), 32 or 36 spokes, built on either Ultegra 9, 10 or Chorus 10 speed hubs. Based on the spoke notes on Peter White's website, I'd go with Wheelsmith spokes. You may cheapen hubs to taste. You can get cheaper and you can get lighter, but it makes a great compromise of cost, strength, durability, easy rolling, and lightness for a road bike. Plus all teh parts are home-maintainable, everything works just like it did 40 years ago, 'cep for the freewheels.

Road "who needs 24 mm rims????" Fan

[Beverly]

I think it keeps coming back to determining what kind of riding you want to do. Once you get that figured out it helps determine the type of bike you might want.

That's been my experience. I started riding on a hybrid and most rides were on trails with the grandkids. I bought my first road bike (Trek 1800C) when I started riding longer distances with some of the club members. I decided to buy the next road bike for a couple reasons - It's a WSD and fits me better than the original and I wanted a backup road bike:)

[SSP]

But here's what I think stops me when I go looking. If I'm completely honest with myself, my current bike (the Cypress SX) is good enough for my purposes. I ride mostly shorter rides (10-25) miles, in urban neighborhoods with lots of traffic signals and stop signs and such, 3-4 times a week, for fun and good exercise. I haven't been able to understand how a new bike will substantially improve on my experience.

Imagine that the only car you've ever owned was an '81 Volkswagen diesel pickup. It's a dependable vehicle that gets you from point A to point B...albeit, slowly, and with no "elan".

Now, imagine that you got to drive a Subaru WRX, with tight all-wheel drive suspension, and turbo-charged 6-speed shifting.

That's the difference between your Cypress SX and a good modern road bike.

Does that mean you "need" the WRX?

No...if you're only interested in getting from point A to point B.

Yes...if you want to feel what it's like to "play" on a windy mountain road.

[CrossChain]

Everybody's right and all reason's above for buying or not buying are good. Perhaps, however, and that's only a perhaps, you ride your current speed and distance because that is what best suits your current bike, not your potential cycling Self. As Grant Peterson at Riv sorta says, "A good bike won't make you directly faster or stronger or have more fun, but then, it won't hold you back either."

[NOS88]

Perhaps I'm looking at this differently than I should, but why do mountain climbers climb mountains? Why do many young men date many women before marrying one? Why do some married people have affairs? Why do I have at least six kinds of pie that I really, really like? I think "human nature" for some is that desire to try something else. While I acknowledge that many people in western cultures are rasied in an atmosphere of consumerism (perhaps none more than those in the U.S.), I think it goes beyond that. I think there are some people who enjoy the hunt or search as it were. I love my main bike right now, and it far exceeds what I need, but I'd love to have four more.... just to be able to ride 'em.

[Digital Gee]

So, it sounds like I should enjoy the bike I have and understand that I'll probably have bike lust regardless, and that a better bike might take my riding to another level (or not, who knows?). I guess I'd rather be in the position I'm in -- I might like another bike, but I don't NEED another bike.

I can have fun looking at Craigslist without being impatient, and I can kick the tires at the LBS from time to time, without feeling guilty or consumptorial.

I believe if I lived outside the city a bit, and rode on more rural routes with far fewer stop signs and traffic signals and with more hills, I would NEED a different bike to suit that terrain. But I like riding right out my front door rather than hauling the bike 20 miles away to get in a ride.

PS: I might even go look at a Craigslist used Sun EZ-1 recumbent someone is offering at a great price this week. Didn't think I was 'bent material, but they're only asking $250, bike looks in good shape, so why not try it?

I'm incorrigible.

[BluesDawg]

Who knows why we are always looking for something newer or better? We just are, that's all. There's nothing inherently good or bad about wanting to get something better or to improve what you have. Nor is there anything noble or despicable about sticking with what you have.

My tendency is not to replace my bikes with better bikes, but to make my bikes better, either by adding better parts or by making the parts I have work better. I also tend to make my bikes work better for a specific set of purposes and to get more bikes to cover more of these nitches. The added challenge is I have to find ways to do this without spending too much money.

[BluesDawg]

So now we start on the next round of what should I get?
Cant Help you Gary As I do not have the experience on road bikes but as I am up for new wheels on the Giant= I am looking for Suggestions from the rest of the forum for a 700 wheel with a top rate rim, enough spokes and a hub that will last for the next 4 years. And must not cost an arm -Or- a leg. Good wheels at sensible prices- What suggestions?

My best advice for either of you is to find out who are the aknowledged wheelbuilding gurus in your vicinity and have one of them build a set of wheels for your specific needs. An experienced wheelbuilder will talk to you about what you ride, where you ride and how you ride. He will take your size into account.
Personally I would look for someone with a bias toward traditional types of wheels. Sturdy rims with eyelets for the spokes. 32 or 36 double butted silver stainless steel spoke by either Wheelsmith or DT (Peter White's frustrations with DT notwithstanding, they make excellent spokes). Brass nipples. 3-cross spoke pattern. Good, but not exotic hubs. Probably Ultegra/XT/Veloce or Centaur. A good builder can take these parts and build a set of wheels that will be light, reponsive and stay in true almost forever. And he can do it for a fraction the cost of those exotic wheels with too few spokes and crazy spoke patterns.

[bkaapcke]

"Gary, are you going Zen on us? What's the world coming to? bk

[Dchiefransom]

My best advice for either of you is to find out who are the aknowledged wheelbuilding gurus in your vicinity and have one of them build a set of wheels for your specific needs. An experienced wheelbuilder will talk to you about what you ride, where you ride and how you ride. He will take your size into account.
Personally I would look for someone with a bias toward traditional types of wheels. Sturdy rims with eyelets for the spokes. 32 or 36 double butted silver stainless steel spoke by either Wheelsmith or DT (Peter White's frustrations with DT notwithstanding, they make excellent spokes). Brass nipples. 3-cross spoke pattern. Good, but not exotic hubs. Probably Ultegra/XT/Veloce or Centaur. A good builder can take these parts and build a set of wheels that will be light, reponsive and stay in true almost forever. And he can do it for a fraction the cost of those exotic wheels with too few spokes and crazy spoke patterns.

I concur with the 32/36 spoke wheels. I went "fancy" on my Trek 420 when I got tired of the cheap 32 spoke wheels on it, and got the stiff flat bladed Shimano 550 wheels. Now I can feel everything I roll over, whereas before, my bike glided along with all those round spokes soaking up a lot of the road buzz.

DG, keep your eye out for a decent steel framed road bike for a low price. If you find one with a 130mm spread at the back axle, you can ewventually put anything on it that comes on the new bikes today. If you find something that doesn't have 9 speed, they can always put spacers on new wheels and there are still 6/7 speed cassettes out there in almost every bike shop.

[CrossChain]

I.

DG, keep your eye out for a decent steel framed road bike for a low price. If you find one with a 130mm spread at the back axle, you can ewventually put anything on it that comes on the new bikes today. If you find something that doesn't have 9 speed, they can always put spacers on new wheels and there are still 6/7 speed cassettes out there in almost every bike shop.

Actually, no need to make considerations for most older frames with 126mm rear spacing. (6/7 speed hubs can be relatively harder to find.) We're talking 2mm on each side of the dropout required to "expand" to accept a wider, 130 axle. I have an '87 Specialized Sirrus, very stiff....and a 91 Bridgestone RB-T. Both with narrower 126 rear spacing. They are now 9spd simply because I applied a little thumb pressure (surprizingly little) and slipped on Open Pro's with 9spd Ultegra hubs. Shifting is flawless with Centaur indexing on one (with Jtek Shiftmate), D/A bar ends on the other. Invest in some wheels (an old MA-40 fan, now an Open Pro fan) and a new cassette/chain and you are down the road. Some older dt friction shifters (Mavic retrofriction, Shimano 105 fric. mode that I've tried) shift very nicely and accurately across the wider cassette.

[Dchiefransom]

Actually, no need to make considerations for most older frames with 126mm rear spacing. (6/7 speed hubs can be relatively harder to find.) We're talking 2mm on each side of the dropout required to "expand" to accept a wider, 130 axle. I have an '87 Specialized Sirrus, very stiff....and a 91 Bridgestone RB-T. Both with narrower 126 rear spacing. They are now 9spd simply because I applied a little thumb pressure (surprizingly little) and slipped on Open Pro's with 9spd Ultegra hubs. Shifting is flawless with Centaur indexing on one (with Jtek Shiftmate), D/A bar ends on the other. Invest in some wheels (an old MA-40 fan, now an Open Pro fan) and a new cassette/chain and you are down the road. Some older dt friction shifters (Mavic retrofriction, Shimano 105 fric. mode that I've tried) shift very nicely and accurately across the wider cassette.

I've also heard something about shops being able to bend the dropouts on a steel bike to 130mm easily.



Gary, go test ride that EZ-1, you'll be amazed at the comfort. I had just finished typing my other post when the doorbell rang, and my brand spanking new Rans Stratus LE is parked in the garage waiting for my day off Wednesday.:D

[BluesDawg]

I've also heard something about shops being able to bend the dropouts on a steel bike to 130mm easily.
http://sheldonbrown.com/frame-spacing.html

[gear]

A long time ago I saw an interview whith Mohamed Ali and he was asked about how he was spending his fortune. He talked about how a person has desires for objects but once they acquire the object of that desire a void is created and a new object of desire takes its place. He felt this was never ending and pointless so he worked at controlling it rather than giving into it.

Of course he was never bit by the bike bug so maybe control was easier for him.

[jab1362]

Gary,
I too suffer from the I have more bikes than I need,but not as many as I want syndrome.
Right now I have 3 a mountian bike for the snow,todays ride, an old classic schwinn voyaguer my first good bike that I bought 20 years ago and my new toy and lately the bike I ride the most a Xootr Swift. I live on Cape Cod and riding it here is almost like bringing a puppy to the beach. I have never ridden any bike that more people ask me about. That said I'm looking for a swb recumbent for the spring. It never ever ends.
Joe

[Big Paulie]

My tendancy is toward having one bike and upgrading when I can. And by upgrade, I mean improving the quality of a part, not neccesarily the weight. Some parts have gotten lighter, some have gotten stronger and heavier. But all have added to the performance and/or durability of my bike relative to my needs.

One thing I have learned is that the highest end parts aren't always the most durable...in spite of names like "Dura Ace." The mid-range stuff seems to have all the performance of the light stuff, with more durability and a bit more weight. Since I use a Shimano group (by default, since it's the most ubiquitous) the Ultegra level parts work out best of me.

I think getting the frame that fits you and suits your riding style and personal aesthetic is the way to spend money in the beginning, then upgrade the wheels and other parts as time goes on. Getting bikes with so-so frames and a nice gruppo and wheels can be a mistake.

[madli]

Enough? Guess it could just be the "human condition" infused with the experience of cycling.
How do you like those Specialized Borrough tires? Been eyeing'em for my Cross bike.

madli

[va_cyclist]

It's not having what you want, it's wanting what you've got.
- Sheryl Crow

[airbrake]

"I don't want what I don't have."
Sinead O'Connor

I figure that after I get a few more things I'll think that way...as if!

[OBXBIKR]

Bikes are a lot like women, when you find THE ONE, you'll quit shopping around.

[Digital Gee]

Enough? Guess it could just be the "human condition" infused with the experience of cycling.
How do you like those Specialized Borrough tires? Been eyeing'em for my Cross bike.

madli

I like 'em a lot. No flatting so far in nearly 1,500 miles. (Knock wood!).

[webist]

Early in my tenure here I asked a similar question about upgrading. Indeed, I said I was having fun and getting exercise and asked why I should upgrade. One response stayed with me.

"Draw a one-mile circle on a map with your house in the center. That represents the area you'll see while running. Draw a 10-mile circle. That's the area you'll see on your MTB or Hybrid. Now draw a 30-mile circle and see what you'll see on a road bike."

It turned out to be quite true. Was it necesary for me to buy a Specialized Roubaix? No. I was getting plenty of fun and exercise out of my Sedona DX. Am I having more fun and getting more exercise on the Roubaix? Yep.

[terry b]

I think it depends on what kind of person you are, what tweaks your fancy and how much money you are willing to apply to whatever hobby you choose. Honestly, there is little difference between someone collecting HO trains, beer steins, antique cars or racing bikes.

The first thing to understand that beyond a certain point, a bike can only make you a better rider by making you want to ride more. Lighter bikes with better components are a small part of the equation, easily swamped by the time you're willing to devote to training. If you're on something you enjoy, ride it and enjoy it. Doesn't matter if it's a $200 hybrid or a $5000 custom steel racer. Both can give their owner a tremendous amount of enjoyment.

But if you find yourself bitten by the bug then go with it. Lose all the "I'm not worthy" and "this is more bike than I can use" mentality and get the one that you can't resist. That bike will always keep a smile on your face which is something we should all strive for, particularly all of us in our "golden years." :D

I like bikes, plain and simple. I like spec'ing them, amassing the parts, opening the boxes, building them on the stand and riding them. I have no illusions about ever being a better rider, because I simply do not have the interest or discipline to train in a way that will raise my skill level. But I still love riding and every time I see some two wheeled sexy thing, I want it. Which is why I now have the pile of bikes I have.

Being happy with the bike you have is a little like being married to the right person - it never hurts to look at other models and appreciate their beauty and attraction, but still you'd never consider "upgrading."

On the other hand, (and not like being married to the right person) life is short. If that little carbon fiber Italian tootsie keeps haunting your dreams, don't steer away just because you think you don't need it. Have some fun instead.

[CrossChain]

Buck Biker had a nice wife with whom he'd spent many happy years together-- and her gravity-tugged figure had begun to show it. They'd had many lovely romps with one another and still did....though her age and some dated habits were showing a bit. Sometimes Buck daydreamed of Angelina Jolie. She beckoned to him with seductive arms and pendulous charms. Buck imagined lively afternoons sipping outdoor espressos in lovely Italian climes, or even long breathless rides held tightly in her clasp.

When Buck had a minor heart attack and went to the hospital, he looked to his wife's serene and comforting face for reassurance and courage. And she was not wanting. She was there, as she had always been, daily. Buck Biker happily went home to their wonderfully normal life together. He sometimes still daydreamed of Angelina Jolie.

-- A Retro Fable.

[Digital Gee]

Buck Biker had a nice wife with whom he'd spent many happy years together-- and her gravity-tugged figure had begun to show it. They'd had many lovely romps with one another and still did....though her age and some dated habits were showing a bit. Sometimes Buck daydreamed of Angelina Jolie. She beckoned to him with seductive arms and pendulous charms. Buck imagined lively afternoons sipping outdoor espressos in lovely Italian climes, or even long breathless rides held tightly in her clasp.

When Buck had a minor heart attack and went to the hospital, he looked to his wife's serene and comforting face for reassurance and courage. And she was not wanting. She was there, as she had always been, daily. Buck Biker happily went home to their wonderfully normal life together. He sometimes still daydreamed of Angelina Jolie.

-- A Retro Fable.

So, the moral is, Buck Up? :)

[CrossChain]

DeeGee......at this time of night, I'm pretty bucked up. See you tomorrow! :)

[Deanster04]

I'd like to hear your thoughts on this whole bike upgrading thing. Let me put my question in perspective.

In the summer of 05 I started biking again, with a new low-end low-cost mountain bike, and put about 800 miles on that bike on the knobbies, never straying from the road, until someone suggested slicks. Did that, and now have about 2,000 miles on that bike.

I realized somewhere in the midst of all that that I was probably going to spend most of my cycling time on the road, but when I tried out a few road bikes, they were always too uncomfortable. Then I found on Craigslist a used Giant Cypress SX, and figured for about $200 how could I lose?

This bike has been excellent for me. I've swapped out the saddle, installed new brakes and tires, raised the stem, got a rack for the back, a computer, and now some bar ends. It's given me a good ride, and I've got about 1,600 miles on it so far. This 2004 model is an excellent economical flat bar road bike. In 2005 and beyond, they changed it to a comfort bike and I wouldn't buy any of the subsequent models.

Anyway...as many of you know, I've been searching, in an on-again/off-again manner, for a better bike, and have tested most of the well known brands entry level road bikes. They are not as uncomfortable as they used to be, and I can probably use a bike with drop bars provided it's still set up with the bars about even with the saddle, and so on.

But here's what I think stops me when I go looking. If I'm completely honest with myself, my current bike (the Cypress SX) is good enough for my purposes. I ride mostly shorter rides (10-25) miles, in urban neighborhoods with lots of traffic signals and stop signs and such, 3-4 times a week, for fun and good exercise. I haven't been able to understand how a new bike will substantially improve on my experience.

I can appreciate how a more expensive and newer bike can have better components, having tried them, but honestly -- the low end trigger shifters seem to do the job easily, the bike, while slow, is fast enough for me (I probably average 12-15 mph on my rides). I don't climb many hills so I can see how a different bike might make that easier, but my brain keeps coming back to "good enough is good enough!"

Yet I haunt the bike shops and browse Craigslist still. I don't understand this! When I tried out the Cypress SX, I could tell immediately the performance boost I'd get with it to do the kind of riding I do, compared with the heavier mountain bike. But when I test ride the affordable road bikes, the improvement seems much less substantial. Yes, they are smoother and lighter and more limber, but I guess they're not THAT much better or I would have pulled the trigger. (Yes, there was a time when it was a financial question, but that's not so true anymore.)

So what I wonder about is why, if what I have is good enough, dependable enough, fast enough, and certainly paid for enough, why if that's true, do I keep looking at new bikes. And what's it going to take for me to find another bike that lifts the whole experience so much that I gotta have it -- like what happened when I tried out the SX? I came close to that feeling only a couple of times -- and if I remember right, they were both bikes made of carbon. (My wallet just hiccuped).

Okay, enough musings for one morning. I know, I know. N+1 = the right number of bikes. I just don't see why, in my case.

You're an addict...like me. Cycles are the electric train for adults. The thrill of the upgrade.

[BluesDawg]

My bike is perfect the way it is. But I saw this part on eBay that I'll bet will make it just a little perfecter.:o

[The Weak Link]

"Life is like a box of chocolates. You open the box expecting to get a really tasty one, and dang it someone has already come along and eaten it. Well crap."

Hope that helps.

[John E]

I get alot of personal satisfaction out of keeping and maintaining my cars, bikes, stereo gear, and other possessions for extended periods of time. I also relish the solid financial security I have built over the years by living well within my means, instead of letting my lifestyle and rate of consumption rise to fill my increasing income. At heart, I am still the car-free bohemian (lower-case; my Capo bicycles are Austro-Bohemian, uppercase) grad student living on my teaching assistantship and my wife's spotty income as a substitute teacher.

Recommended reading:
http://www.nytimes.com/books/first/s/stanley-millionaire.html