CatScratches

This is mostly just a curiosity question because both price ranges is something i could only dream of right now.

However, I'm curious... How does performance/feel/comfort vary once you get into what I'd call insane price range?

I mean, from my experience, the better a thing becomes, the harder it is to make it significantly better... So what would posses you to buy a 8k bike over a 4 or 5k? To me, it seems either of these would be amazingly dreamy to ride on. Can bikes really be so magical?? :-)

tried googling, but I just found cheap vs expensive comparisons.

rydabent

At that level it pretty much boils down to snob appeal and name brand. The gains provided by another $3000 is about as thin as chicken soup made out of the shadow of of a rooster.

Up North

In general, top of line groups, frames and wheels are all at the lightest end of the spectrum. In cycling the lightest components are the most expensive.

Maelochs

One only cost 5/8 of the other.

jefnvk

And I presume gives up no performance to the more expensive one, at least no performance that will be noticed on anything but long closed course races by guys who don't care about bike cost because their teams supply them for free?

Leebo

1 lb and 1.3 mph. That is all. Just look at components and weight, if that matters to you.

Kindaslow

If it were only about being snobs, the industry would not sell too many bikes above $3,000. However, there are differences (just not as large per dollar spent). First, you are likely to get noticeably lighter wheels, and to a point they might even be stronger. All of the component sets will improve, usually as groups. So, the get lighter and smoother, and sometimes function better under stress. Then, all the small details as the price goes up can change. For example you might end up with titanium seat rails or CF seat rails, maybe nicer bar tape, and other small details. Does any of these make it "work" better? That depends upon you. Are you going to take advantage of these changes that get more subtle as price goes up? Are you going to just want them, and it is then worth it to you?

You will hear a lot of negatives, but some of that is coming from people who have never owned an expensive bike, some have never even ridden one enough to enjoy it.

joejack951

$8000 bike: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/me...duraace/128538
$3900 bike: https://www.specialized.com/us/en/me...rt-disc/115428

wphamilton

A while back there was a guy on the same schedule as my morning commute and we'd randomly ride together sometimes. I didn't realize he was on an $8K bike until he told me - it didn't sparkle like diamonds or float alongside me or anything like that. I honestly can't say what he got out of having that high end of a bike. We rode the same places, at about the same speeds, maybe it was a different experience on his bike but mostly we were doing about the same thing.

He could really book when he wanted to though. I drafted him one morning at 26 mph for 3 or 4 miles.

Kindaslow

By the way, I do think the differences are far more noticeably with MTBs than road bikes, in large part due to suspension differences that are easier to feel and experience.

friday1970

For $8k, you might start looking into a velomobile, like a Quest.
To me, going from a $1k bike to a $3k bike will result in being a bit faster. But as you get more expensive, your ratio of speed gains get less the more expensive as you go.
So for that kind of money, I'd love to go as fast as possible, and heck, keep dry and warm in the process. A velomobile would be perfect for that kind of loot.

But, that's just me. Many here would stick to UCI regulated bikes simply because that is where they will compete in, where seconds matter. I don't compete, so I get to think outside of the norm a little. Hence, a fancy warm, dry Quest velomobile.

Still, I don't have the kind of money yet. So, $1k bikes for me.

gregf83 

I always find it interesting that cyclists seem intent on justifying every dollar spent on a bike in terms of increased performance. A more expensive bike has nicer, lighter components. Just like a Honda Accord has a nicer interior than a Honda Civic. Does it get you to work any faster? No but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy it.

OldTryGuy

My 2013 SL3 Giant MSRP was $5,000 and for $4,000 more I would have gotten SL0 with DI2 11spd, better wheels, better bar/stem combo, carbon TRP for brakes

My wife said get the SL0 and I went for the SL3 since it was more than plenty.

blue192

Even the 4000$ bike is about 3000$ more than I would be willing to pay. Would never ever dream of an 8000$ bike. I would have a heart attack worrying about it getting stolen etc.

raceboy

Bingo, blue192! I was cracking up reading this thread. I ask myself the same question as the OP but my most expensive road bike is $800 and I have so much fun with it I wonder why anyone would pay over $1500 for a bicycle.

If you have the dough and it is worth it to you, though, then go for it!

indyfabz

Not to mention a custom designed and fabricated frame, which can make a load of difference if you have odd body geometry dimensions like I do (e.g., 6'2" but only wear 32" pants). I appreciate the craftsmanship and style that individual frame builders can bring to a bike. You also have more options for aesthetics. Try getting a ceramic finish on a BD bike. To me, all that is worth the extra money.

fietsbob

I Don't Know, send me one of each and at the end of the summer, I might be able to form an Opinion, For You..


How does a $5 sandwich taste , Compared to an $8 sandwich?

Jim from Boston

How does a 5k bike compare to a 8k+ bike?I own a MSRP $8k Specialized S-Works (got it for $4k) and a $1.5 k Specialized Diverge Elite. Just yesterday I posted:

02Giant 

That is no longer the case. The Civic can be had in the same top trim level as the Accord.

Jbarcs

Assuming you are buying a good frame (one would hope it was a very good frame) with the $5000 bike then one really does have to question the $8000 advantage to anyone other than a serious racer. There is, however, something to be said for the gradual upgrading of components. The psychic thrill alone is worth quite a bit. I am not a racer but wanted to buy a set of carbon wheels. Just because. When I did... I was thrilled. Yes, extravagant and far less practical. But oh boy they just felt faster, and climbing became far less daunting. Same thing occurred when I upgraded drivetrain. But I did these things over time as rewards for whatever milestone I felt that I had passed.

So I guess my point (my opinion) is that the $5000 bike deprives the enthusiast of the rewards of the gradual upgrading that keeps each of us so engaged with the machine and the sport.

TenSpeedV2

Because somewhere, there is someone on a $99 Wal-Mart bike thinking the exact same thing about you. They couldn't fathom spending that much on a bike. To someone who easily clears 6 figures, a $3000 bike in the grand scheme of things really is not that much. It is if you only make 30 grand a year, sure.

If you have the money and want to spend it on a bike, who cares if you do or not. Pay your bills, get food on the table, and at the end of the month you can afford to drop 10 grand on a bike, by all means, if that is what you want, do it.

I see lots of people who are content riding on old garbage half parts bin builds on Craigslist. I think life is too short to ride something like that, so I don't. If it makes you happy, ride it.

Kindaslow

These conversations always flow in interesting ways. I love my bikes, and I sure hope other people love the bikes they have. I virtually never talk about the cost of my bikes, because the discussions are rarely based upon anything rational. Good news is that we all get to pick our own bikes

Maelochs

I'd say for anyone who has to ask the question, there is no serious difference. Is Dura-Ace significantly "smoother" than Ultegra? Is the 300 grams less weight on the wheels and groupset worth $3000? Possibly, but probably not Significantly different to the degree that getting the more expensive bike would, in a side-by-side comparison, have you saying, "Dang, I cannot believe these are both bicycles!"

Of course, nowadays the break might between $7000 and $14,000 ....

For someone who has plenty of money and more, why not get the nicest bike one can? I always buy the nicest bike I can even if my budget is barely three figures.

AlmostTrick

Mostly it's the Placebo effect. Expectation plays a potent role in this. The more a person believes they are going to benefit from a $$$$ bike, the more likely it is that they will experience a benefit when riding it.

I've tested high dollar bikes and really high dollar bikes blindfolded. Couldn't tell a difference.

Seattle Forrest

This question is way too vague and anyone who offers a definitive answer shouldn't be listened to.

You can learn a bit comparing types of bikes, like a hybrid gives you an upright position and a TT bike puts you in an aggressive, aerodynamic position. But you can't say how two similar bikes will compare if the only thing you know about them is what they cost. You can blow a lot of money on things that don't matter a great deal to how the bike performs and handles, like some electronic shifting systems, and a Garmin or a top of the line phone, and electronics. Or, you could spend the same money on wheels and improve the ride.