How do you answer "How much did your bike cost??"
 

Heya

sorta new here, this may have been discussed.. if so.. whoops!

I was riding today and came to a stop to take a break/turn around/drink of water when another guy on a relatively inexpensive bike stopped to chit-chat with me. I'm sort of shy so I didn't talk much but I was polite and didn't brush him off. He starts asking me about my bike (Surly Crosscheck) and the seat (Brooks) and he had no idea what either were - no biggie - a month ago neither did I.

After 5 minutes of convo he asks me how much the bike cost. I don't know why, but I felt a little weird answering that... partly because I know his did not cost more than $200. Not because I think I'm hot-stuff with my bike.. I'm not, I'm still a chubby guy who isn't in great shape. It just felt weird. I dodged the question and told him the LBS built it up custom for me and basically directed him there to inquire.

I've had a couple co-workers on campus ask me and I told them — and they usually scoff and call me an idiot when "I could have gotten a bike for $150" ... I believe you get what you pay for.

I try extremely hard to avoid looking like a prick or a 'bike-snob' because I'm not. If you have two wheels you're fine in my book. I just needed a nice bike because I'm 6'5" 300lbs, will put thousands of miles on this one and don't want to break a cheap one in half.

Just by reading thru some of the posts and photothreads on here, I see there's some serious cash in bikes around here.
So how do you answer "How much did your bike cost?" from a stranger? Family member? Co-worker??

To much! :D

I tell the truth. No one called me an idiot yet. If they did they would get a reply along the lines of I can afford it and they can't so they should shut a **** up.

I say about $200. I bought a used bike with good parts that didn't fit, then a good frame with bad parts that did fit, then combined the two.

But in your case, I'd just say I paid $(whatever you paid), and then say "I'm worth a top quality, good fitting, safe bike, aren't you?"

Or say " I paid $(whatever you paid), what did you pay for your car?" Althought that probably only works if you are car free, or car light with a very old paid for car.

I just tell them the truth..I let them decide how to react to it, and move on with the rest of my life.:)

I don't know if it is a hint of paranoia, but I refuse to tell a total stranger what I paid for my bicycle.

The scene that plays in my mind is something like this ...... a total stranger with a history of stealing bicycles approaches the lone female cyclist and strikes up a friendly conversation. During the course of the conversation, the price of the bicycle comes up. She tells him, and little $$ signs appear in his eyes. He appears to leave, but watches her from a distance. Lulled into a feeling like everything is OK, she leaves the bicycle outside while she pops into the convenience store to use the washroom. When she returns the bicycle is gone.

I don't tell strangers the price of my bicycle ... and I don't tell them where I'm heading either! I'll hedge around both questions ... and even lie if I feel it is necessary.

The only people who know the price of my bicycle are very close family and friends.

I say, "About 3." Among my coworkers, the response is "Wow! Three hundred dollars for a bike?"

I tell the truth. People spend $40K on SUVs, thousands of $$$ on country club fees, so I just tell them I spent $3400 on my bike and let it go at that.

For me it depends on who's asking the question.

If I know someone well enough and I know that they're generally interested I'll tell them.

Often I'll just tell people that my bike's a mid range kind of bike. It's certainly not a top of the range bike but it's better than average. That's usually enough for most people.

I rarely tell them the true price because it is so beyond what they think a bicycle could be valued.

To co-workers I say "More than $2000." None of them has fainted yet, but it has come close. One of them started to say how stupid it was to pay so much for a bike, but I nipped that in the bud by asking him if he thought it would be OK if I criticized him for the money he spends on what he is passionate about. We both agreed it would be best if we were allowed to spend our money as we saw fit.

For those who would listen, they understood better when I explain this principal- There is durable, light and inexpensive, you can only have two, your choice.

To a guy on the street with a cheap bike, I will only say that I paid a lot, but cycling is my passion.

I am car free and my two bikes are a Wal-mart hybrid and a Giant OCR C0 that I paid $5,200 for. (Guess which one I have put 4000 miles on this year?)

I say, "It's like the story about the yacht. If you have to ask you can't afford it." Seriously most people who recognise what my bike is and who built it do not need to ask.

A friendly Nurse who had joined a short training ride asked just that question and there was a moment of silence. Then I broke the ice by saying that I had a Cannondale tourer at home that had cost me $60. Then the 6 others gave their prices ranging from $1,200 to $4,500. Mine was $1,950.

I just tell them the truth.

A total stranger, I usually answer with a one word response, money. They usually take the hint and don't push it.
A friend or if I run into a cycle enthusiast, I'll tell the dollar amount.
A family member, never had one ask.

The standard reply is to put one hand on your heart and slowly raise the other up above your head as you say "Before I answer that I want to ask you something far more important, have you allowed Jesus into your life?..." then give them that intense stare with the accompanying grin.

On another note, do you include upgrades like pedals, computer, lights? My spendy (for me, of course) bike cost 800, but it's pushing 1000 with all the stuff. Anyways, I've never really been asked by strangers, so I can't say. I can, however, respond with the assertion that I am car free, put in 300+ so miles a week, and thus want a decent bike.

Oh, and Cyclaholic, much better "signatures" have popped up since yours. I mean, truly, wonderfully absurd stuff.

Thanks for the heads up, I'm looking forward to catching up with my new favorite poster's gems of masculine wisdom :p :D

If I'm on my main ride, my LHT, I usually answer "about $1000." No one has called me an idiot yet. However, I have old Schwinns and such that are of comparable quality, and I can truthfully answer "100 bucks." The only idiots are the guys clueless enough to spend money on a Wal Mart bike, but, if they stick with cycling for any time at all, they generally figure this out for themselves.

I don't see any problem with discussing a price on a bike, costly or not. I don't care to tell them where I'm going. In any case I fear not. Perhaps it's different for a gal. If a person seems worth talking to in the first place, why not. Some riders just don't know. I would agree to briefing them on price range in general. I never tell anybody "none of your bussiness".

To people I don't know that well, I'd say something like "It cost a few dollars, but it's also twelve years old, and still in good enough shape that I can't justify a new one. That makes it cheaper than a Wal-Mart bike."

To my friends, I just give them a number.

I'll answer anyone truthfully if asked that. I often do. I've spent the equivalent of US$7500 on my three bikes, if I count the tools used to build them, as well as extra parts that aren't used right now, extra racks and bags, parts I've replaced and spare parts.

They're about $2000 each at the moment.

Some think I'm nuts for spending that much money on a bike (yet they drive cars that cost 15 times that and probably spend more on gas every year). Others understand that good bikes cost money.

I'd be proud to say my bike is of greater value than my car. If that were true. It's not being a snob, it's displaying your values. 150 dollar bike. They are wal mart crap; i'd not ride. they are not road worthy. You'd really feel embarassed when your cheapie bike causes you to get stuck out there.

I say my bike is worth £5,000.

My bike???

Priceless

george

all our bikes come to around 8000 dollars.

I just give them the price. It's all in your attitude and approach.

I don't understand why people refuse to give the price.

I tell 'em "It was more than I wanted to spend, but less than I should have spent." or "Ten bucks" my MTB and Roadie were $10 at Sally :)

As a die-hard bargain hunter and proud of my bargains, I sometimes even volunteer that information before being asked. And I like to let people for whom the cost of a new bike may be a barrier to entry into cycling that there a lot of good quality used bikes in good condition around for $100 or less if you just look for them. I love with my vintage Puch Mistral frame bike. Got it at the flea market for $20. I've probably put $100 into it in accessories. And $30 for a cassette upgrade after a friend gave me a nice set of aluminum rims with a Deore 7 speed freehub (for free just 'cause he didn't have any use for them). With the modern drive train and aluminum wheels, it a really sweet ride now.

"Too much!"

If they know bikes, they know what that means.

If they don't know bikes, who cares what they think.

That's exactly what I say. When ask'd, I say about 3. I get this look like $300 is alot for a bike. Little do they know an extra 0 is in place.

My current bike only ran about 600 so it hasn't been a major issue thus far. Plus since I don't have a car more people are open to the concept that I spent more money on my bike than they might have since it sees more use/abuse than a weekend rider may apply to their bike. However, if you know what type of car they drive you can easily turn it around if they don't like how much you spent. I could buy a new car for 15-20k yet many people spend 40-50k on a car... Easy retaliation if they condescend toward your bike "well I could have gotten a car for 20k less..." and thats a number of VERY nice bikes!