AlmostTrick

No, I'm not asking you how much you paid for your bike(s). That seems too personal of a question to me.

I want to know what you tell people who ask you, "How much did your bike cost?" ... especially, but not limited to, non-cyclists who couldn't fathom paying anything more for a bike than the cost of a Walmart special.

My answer would depend on who's doing the asking, and what kind of mood I was in.

Tell me some of your answers when someone asks "How much did your bike cost?

RomansFiveEight

Guess I just tell them. Doesn't bug me. Of course I don't have a several thousand dollar carbon road bike (I don't begrudge those that do; just mentioning my perspective might be different when there's less sticker-shock when I mention what I have. But even what I have is expensive compared to a department store bike).

I guess if someone asked why on earth I have an 'expensive' bike; I'd remind them I ride it daily, and work up a sweat every time I ride it.

Everyone has hobbies and everyone has things they spend more on than others. I'm sure there are plenty of things I don't get spending a lot of money on. Like designer-breed dogs from high-end breeders when my shelter pup is the best friend I could've ever asked for. Heck we could have a whole thread of things other people waste money on; because we don't get it. Chances are, the folks look at our bikes and just think "bike", and don't get the advantages of a more expensive one.

Who knows, maybe if we spend a little time on educating them why we don't mind spending a little more; and we could get some new folks into the sport!

steve0257

I tell them the truth. I paid about $150 back in 73.

Lanceoldstrong

This question gets put to me a lot at various social events.
I always say $400.00 and it gets met with an appreciative nod and comments like,
"well I had heard you were quite a biker, I guess you really must be."

$400.00 keeps the conversation going and prevents the spit takes that happen if I tell the real number

cyclist2000

I normally tell people that I'm not comfortable telling them that information. Some people have replied that they can just look up the price on the internet, I tell them that they should do that.

What I pay for things isn't anyones business.

RomansFiveEight

Given that these folks aren't exactly enthusiasts, (unless it was a fellow cyclist I guess); what would they look up? "Expensive looking red bike" (or whatever color your bike is)?

Cougrrcj

My main ride, bought new in '76:



I got it for 10% off because it has a 4" long scratch on the toptube. And this was the third bike I bought from that store. The first Fuji Special Tourer being stolen, the second being that one's replacement, and then this one.

Jim from Boston

I replied to this thread on the Car Free Living Forum last year:

raceboy

Personally, the most I've ever spent on a bike is $800 for a clean Giant Defy 1, 2012 or 2013 1/aluminum frame/105. The bike runs really nicely and I enjoy it so much I can't see that it would be worth the extra money to trade up to cf and other upgrades. But that's me. I've got plenty of friends who paid $5k and up for a bike and they are happy, too. That's what it's all about. I'm not going to judge anyone by what they spend on their bike. For me, keeping my road bike costs down also make it possible to have a trekking bike and a hybrid! ;-) I love 'em all and give every one of them a good spin each week.

Machka 

I don't think that's anyone's business. I don't go around asking how much someone paid for their watch, new jacket, car, camera, etc. etc. Fortunately, most people are not so rude to ask ... but on the rare occasion someone is, I'm usually vague.

GravelMN

I tell them about the cost of one day in the cardiac ward. I've got a terrible family history of early heart problems and my cycling lifestyle has been credited by my physicians for my excellent outcomes following two heart attacks (discharge within 48 hours after cath lab) and rapid recovery (I surpassed every parameter for discharge from cardiac rehab on my first day) and return to work (two weeks). So for every day that cycling keeps me out of the hospital, I figure the bike paid for itself.

Ghazmh

I have to admit I had a boss who drove an overpriced status symbol luxury car. Needless to say he often complained about the cost of ownership. he gave me weird looks and foolish comments when I bought my first road bike for $1300.00.

cyclist2000

I have had co-workers that are not enthusiasts, that have said that they can look it up on the internet. I don't have any idea what they would look up, they may look up a mart bike and think that that is the same.

Robert C

In some cultures (Okay, my experience is primarily interior China) it is perfectly normal to ask how much something costs. That being said, I am now back in the states (eight years in China to a small town in the mid-west, big shift).

I still get asked how much my bike costs. Like you, I am vague. I will normally answer, "a bit more than the bikes at Wal-Mart." If they get specific (and I am not getting "run away fast" signals) I might laugh and comment ". . . let me out it this way, the tires cost more than the Bikes down at Wal-Mart."

I have had some of my students look it up online (I teach middle school). I saw one student look it up and after a moment of shock did not share the number with his classmates, he just said "its expensive." My principal has commented that he knows it can't be cheap bike. The things he mentioned noticing were the belt drive and the, "real transmission," as he put it (a N360 hub). A result is that is that, without my asking, a school camera is now pointed at the bike racks (however, he has said I should have it in my classroom).

The oddest one to look up the price is a woman (fairly attractive I will add) who works at a grocery I frequent. She mentioned being curious and looking up the bike I ride. She then began asking very cycling specific questions. She has also expressed interest in going riding with me. . .

Machka 

In my current job, quite a few of my coworkers cycle so we don't need to ask each other how much our bicycles cost ... we've got a pretty good idea already.

Looigi

Personally, I don't get why it's rude and have no qualms about telling anyone, or asking anybody about their stuff. It's not like asking someone why they're fat or ugly.

MRT2

Not many ask, and the few who do are actually thinking about buying something decent. To those people, I tell them, buy as much bike as you can afford, within reason. In other words, pick something that seems sensible, and go a step or two beyond that. It will be money well spent and in the long run, may even save you money on future upgrades. To those who just might have sticker shock, I tell them cycling is like any other sport or hobby, whether that be golf, fishing, motorcycles, sports cars, boating, skiing, ice hockey, hiking, camping, etc... And to those folks, I say to just buy something moderately priced ($500 to $1,000, maybe).

And if they still balk, I would say that when placed up against the cost of some of these other activities, cycling is a bargain. Even if you factor in the cost of accessories and regular maintenance (whether in time or the cost of paying a bike shop), it is still a lot less than what it will cost compared to, say a boat motorcycle, or a sports car. Golf, skiing, or fishing are somewhat comparable in terms of gear in that you could get entry level stuff from a sporting goods store all the way up to serious high end gear. But in golf, you have the continuing expense of club or greens fees, in skiiing, the cost of lift tickets, lodging, and gas to get to the slopes. If you have a really nice bike, you can basically ride it right out from your front door.

Jim from Boston

My advice is to start the search at the highest level to see what the best possible features are, then whittle the search downward to find what's acceptable at your price level, advisedly a step or two beyond "something that seems sensible." Though I don't shop often (about every 20 years) for bikes, I do look around. It seems that various models stratify around certain price ranges, and fit becomes a most important consideration within a price level.

Of course the first question to be asked is "What do you want to do with it?" and perhaps that range should be expanded too.

Hypno Toad

Funny, I don't see an issue telling people. People talk about the price for a car all the time. I frequently tell people about the price of my bikes, and most of them are surprised at the price I get bikes for. I'm a bargain-hunter and never pay retail.

My friend was talking about his new hybrid bike and asking me about my road bike, he was shocked that I got my road bike for $500 less than his hybrid. But I got it at year-end close out. I also have two bikes that cost me $0.

The thing I would never tell anybody, how much I spend on bike gear as a whole.... 'cause I have no idea and it would scare me to know the truth!

wphamilton

Almost nobody ever asks with a bike like mine. What I do get is "what brand of bike is that", which I can't really answer. Nashbar road frame with lower level Shimano components. I just say internet generic. I don't mind telling them that I put it together for $400, but mostly they think that's expensive

rydabent

I dont give the exact price. I got a good deal on my Stratus from my LBS since I went to Hays and transported it back to Lincoln myself, so there was no shipping fee. I wanted to tour the factory. That was in 2008. I paid full price on my Cruiser, since that is the way Terratrike and their dealers do business. That was in 2012. Put together if I had to replace them now it would cost me more than $1000 more than I paid for them. Needless to say I take outstanding care of them!

bouldergeek

I recently returned from motorcycle trips in eleven Latin American countries. I rode a Kawasaki KLR with about $4000 of upgrades. Small crowds would gather every time I stopped in a new town, "Cuanto vale?" was the first question. The poorest dirt hut peasants would want to know what something they could never acquire cost. I just undercut the $5000 MSRP a bit, never mentioning that I had nearly ten grand into it. Even $4000 was beyond comprehension. And in most of those countries, import taxes would have put the cost of the bike closer to $20,000+.

My friends know that my road bike cost more than my Volvo. Strangers don't need to know anything.

RomansFiveEight

Other hobbies is a great point.

I kid you not, I was getting gas once (in my motorcycle) and a guy pulls up in a 2 or 3 year old Diesel F-250 King Ranch ($60k~$90k); with a glittery shiny Bass Boat ($20k, AT LEAST, if not a LOT more including gear and equipment) and all sorts of gear and tackle in the boat and in the bed of the truck. And he sees my shiny bike (which isn't an expensive bike); and decides to comment that he doesn't get why people buy those 'fancy new bikes' when the bikes from the 70's can be had for $500 and 'work just as good'. But, when you ride 15-20k miles in a year on the motorcycle; those old bikes DON'T work as good. My low maintenance, belt-drive, smooth shifting, comfortable bike with lots of storage works great!

But here's a guy who has close to if not more than six digits sunk into his hobby (Okay, MAYBE he would've owned the big truck otherwise, maybe...), scoffing at me spending a few grand on one of mine. But the truth is, he probably didn't think twice about dumping big money onto a boat or that truck. But he probably does own one of those old 70's bikes, and rides it once in a while around the block on a sunny day. It's funny how we, as humans, have such tunnel vision. That the world must work for everyone else the way it does for us.

And this forum isn't immune. How many times do we see folks claim that their way of doing things it the way that works best and everyone who does it differently simply doesn't know any better.

Yendor72

I think I got a decent deal on my bike and frankly the only person that has asked was asking because she wants to start riding with my wife and me. I did tell her what the pricing was between my wife's bike and mine (both clearance priced previous years models) and she didn't seem too surprised. We'll see if she steps up and gets one, would like to get someone else into riding. I did giver her advice on the reason to get a quality bike from the LBS versus a big box store jalopy.

I get more questions about my car than anything, I drive a 2012 Camaro SS/RS, my answer is typically, "Less than the minivans out in the parking lot."

caloso

I usually just tell them what I paid for the frameset. That seems to be a impressively large number for non-cyclists.