here's the thing. isn't a lot more fun to have to think about cost when you are speccing a bike? maybe this isn't the case for op or others, but i'm on a pretty low budget, and love being able to scrounge parts, find good deals on parts, etc. most of the fun is finding out how cheaply i can make a bike with x-frame and x-components. if i were able to just go out and buy a look 595, i don't think it would be as fun. looking around on ebay, getting parts from friends that are upgrading, etc. is really fun for me.

here's the thing. isn't a lot more fun to have to think about cost when you are speccing a bike? maybe this isn't the case for op or others, but i'm on a pretty low budget, and love being able to scrounge parts, find good deals on parts, etc. most of the fun is finding out how cheaply i can make a bike with x-frame and x-components. if i were able to just go out and buy a look 595, i don't think it would be as fun. looking around on ebay, getting parts from friends that are upgrading, etc. is really fun for me.

Truth.

I've got a bit of a franken-bike, that were I have to bought it outright woulda cost me more than I've been able to piece it together for.

Blue RC4-AL Frame - 550
30mm 1600g Reynolds Alta Race Wheelset - 250
PowerTap Pro built into DT RR1.1 - 850 (Okay, so that wasn't so cheap :D - but it's totally worth the price for me)
Reynolds Ouzo Pro Fork - 70
DA Group, EC90 bars, CF Spec'd seat post - Sorta free, or 700 bucks depending on how you look at it. I pulled it from a Specialized Allez Pro I pretty much stole on ebay to give to my sister as a graduation/b-day present - took the 9s 105 and other bits that I'd previously pirated from my aluminum Litespeed that I wrecked in a crit, and put it on the Allez. I also sold the Roval wheelset from the Allez for ~1/3 of the purchase price of the Allez, and put some old Easton wheels on the Allez.

So I'm in for only about 1000 bucks on a lightweight frame, DA group and semi-aero wheels. Not too bad...

Lets not add the other bike related expenses together though. Oof-dah.

My best races last year and diet:

3rd place in hilly RR: 3 double cheeseburgers and small soft drink right before registration
3rd place in crit, in which we lapped the field: Pizza for breakfast and lunch
5th place in crit, bridged to lead group solo: McD's again

Seriously, the dollar menu at McDonald's is a great way to go. You might not want to live on it for weeks at a time, but in terms of calories per dollar, you can't do much to beat it. Carbs, protein, and fat. Delicious. I believe in eating well and I try to do so when I'm losing weight. But for race fuel, well, anything will burn if the fire is hot enough.

I have ulcerative colitis and eating crap food is like sticking a knife in my lower abdomen. I eat very healthy because of my disease, luckily it benefits my cycling as well.

if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.

Fiddlesticks!! Life is about passion, not paychecks. If your passion is riding a bike, then do what you have to do to ride a bike. the other stuff either turns out to be not as important as you thought it was, or manages to sort itself out somehow.

to butcher an old cowboy joke:

Cyclist #1, "What would you do if you had a million dollars?"

Cyclist #2, "Keep racing until it was gone."

the velodrome phoenix

Fiddlesticks!! Life is about passion, not paychecks. If your passion is riding a bike, then do what you have to do to ride a bike. the other stuff either turns out to be not as important as you thought it was, or manages to sort itself out somehow.

to butcher an old cowboy joke:

Cyclist #1, "What would you do if you had a million dollars?"

Cyclist #2, "Keep racing until it was gone."

the velodrome phoenix

Fiddlesticks? Fiddlesticks!!!? Sir this type of language will not be tolerated on a family forum such as this!

Fiddlesticks!! Life is about passion, not paychecks. If your passion is riding a bike, then do what you have to do to ride a bike. the other stuff either turns out to be not as important as you thought it was, or manages to sort itself out somehow.

to butcher an old cowboy joke:

Cyclist #1, "What would you do if you had a million dollars?"

Cyclist #2, "Keep racing until it was gone."

the velodrome phoenix

Yes yes, you should certainly provide for your participation in the sport! No reason to make payments on carbon wheels though if you can't just buy them. Stay outta debt as much as possible! Payments on a first reasonable quality bike makes some sense, but pay it off and ride it into the ground.

Not to be a dick but if you live paycheck to paycheck you shouldn't be buying a bike.

Don't tell that to 99.9% of Californians.

funny-

the only time i ever see really highend gear- Colnagos- Ridleys- etc is on Sunday rides at the park.

look what is winning CAT 3 races. it is usually pretty mundane fair.


a friend of mine was worrying about his bike being a little old/heavy. after his first CAT5 race i asked him, "in any way do you think your bike held you back?"

you can guess his answer.

I'm looking forward to placing near the front, well ahead of the expensive posers, while I sprint on my 1988 Cannondale 3.0, with Suntour Ultra-7 13-21 freewheel. I race on old, but light tubulars, with the bearings proper adjusted - not too tight as most people mistakenly do.