53-11_alltheway

That thread https://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycling/114253-speaking-hole-cyclists.html by cantdrv55 got me thinking.

Even if I had an extra $5,000 lying around would I really want to spend it on a ultra high end bike considering a <$2500 bike will do exactly the same thing.

I'd probably be too afraid to ride it or even lean it up against anything.

baj32161

After having not rhad a new roadie in over 25 years, I can say that my Tourmalet is as good a bike as I have ever ridden, and I don't NEED anything better. I just can't justify buying a high end bike....maybe I could go up to about $2500.00 but no more.

I would rather buy a high end digital SLR for my photography hobby and take it with me on my not-so-high-end bike.

Brian

Patriot

On the other end of the spectrum....

I think we should all just forget the expensive bikes, and just ride $80 Wally World 35# steel MTB's with cheap $10 lights using 4-AA bateries.. Who cares about going faster, with better performance? Who cares if we get to work faster, win races, set personal best times, and compete with our friends during club rides?
We are so much better than this. Why should we be satisfying our desire to compete, to socialize, to be vane, to pose....

For that matter, all of those cheapy bikes shouldn't even have paint, and our clothes should all be the same color. Who needs to stand out and be original. Oh, the Vanity.

Wildwood 

Why do people buy expensive cars, boats, watches, Jewelry, etc.?
Have ya priced an Armani suit lately?
My wife just spent $7K on new kitchen countertops (she calls it a home improvement investment).
At least a $5k bike (if ridden) gives some health benefit.

TheKillerPenguin

Clothes? HA! Clothing are just another tool of the Bourgeoise. Naked is where it's at. And if you're cold, roll around in some mud and let it dry. That's all the clothing you need.

53-11_alltheway

That's kind of my point. All these things cost money.

Do I want a $5,000 bike or say a $2500 bike and a $2500 TV (or whatever toy floats your boat)


Patriot, as founding Godfather of the OCP you are kind of in between here because you do have somewhat of a "value minded" philosophy when you bought the Pedal force frame.

Sometimes paying more doesn't get you more.

el twe

No. No I don't.

55/Rad

To some of us, our bikes represent to us what your SLR does to you.

To each his own.

55/Rad

Patriot

I may have bought a less expensive carbon frame, but the TLC that went into painting and building makes the finished price tag pale by comparison to its sentimentel value, which is of course, infinite.

Wildwood 

[QUOTE=53-11_alltheway] That's kind of my point. All these things cost money.
Do I want a $5,000 bike or say a $2500 bike and a $2500 TV (or whatever toy floats your boat)


Life is all about choices. People with lots of disposable income make different financial choices than people on tight budgets. Lots of people on bike forums have several $5k bikes, others would say $2500 is way too much.

Impoliticus

Amen.

Also, some people can afford a $5000 bike. I on the other hand cannot so that's why I ride a $600 bike. As long as people are civil and understand some people would rather do other things with $5000 then there shouldn't be any problems.

tribe3

have one? yeah! Use it? with my 14/15mph avg... mmmm My ears would be buzzing with all the "look at that a$$hole" comments I would be gathering along my crawl I'd have it as a piece of art in my bike room (I would have a bike room too)

cryogenic

I've got about $1800 in mine... the only way I'd consider spending more is if I called up Independent Fabrications and had them build me a custom frame... I could justify an extra 2 grand on that, but that's about it.

simplyred

I want a bike that fits me and suits my riding style and demands..
If it ends up costing that much, so be it...

If riding is living, what is your life worth?

trayer350

Having an expensive bike eliminates the possibility you aren't riding well or often because 1, the bike is cheap and uncomfortable, 2, I really wonder what I could do with a really nice bike, 3, I wonder if cheap components will lead to an accident or something, 4, I am a terrible cyclist and my bike is an embarrassment, too, 5, I am tired of fixing this thing, 6, my body is being jangled all over the place and this frame is making a racket and my ears can't stand it, 7, this bike is just plain ugly and I am tired of other people's suggestions and insults.

53-11_alltheway

Yeah, it's all relative. The guy with several $5000 bikes probably has a few nice houses and a few nice $100,000 cars too, etc.

Mr. Markets

okay, to confuse matters further, are we not talking oftentimes MORE about having an expensive FRAME as even high end components can be had on lesser frames. And if so, when is the $3000 frame just that much more than the $2000 frame in performance, comfort and fit?

Blackberry

There is such a thing as bad naked. Maybe I'd better buy some window shades.

Trogon

If you have an extra $5k laying around, you shop wisely, do the building yourself and end up with 2 or 3 $5k bikes.

tribe3

You're right. having the real thing kills the fantasy and fantasy being perfect, ergo it's better than the real thing

baj32161

It took all of my tax return to afford my LeMond. I do not have the cash to lay out on a high end bike, nor can I justify it at my level of cycling. If I had to pay full retail for my bike I most certainly would not have bought it. My bike is already many times better than anything I have owned in the past.

BTW..I don't have the camera either.

Longhorn

I have a student who used to work at a bike shop. He told me yesterday that he sold a lady an $11,000 bike! She wanted the best he had and it turned out that the bike fit her. It was a Serotta.

55/Rad

But if you had the money, you'd buy the camera first. And that's okay. It's all about personal choices - my thing is to have nice bikes but in reality, none of them were purchased new and all of them were pieced together.

In 1987, I bought a used Canon F1 - the top of the line SLR at that time. I didn't need it nor did I deserve it but I really wanted it. But I grew into it and today, I am a far better photographer for having it.

Follow your passions.

55/Rad

womble

Is there much performance difference between a 2.5k bike and a 5k bike? I suspect that there's not a lot in it (but can't say for sure as I've never ridden a 5k bike).

There is a HUGE difference between 2.5k and 5k worth of DSLR kit though, if you count the lens as part of the camera.

TheKillerPenguin

There's not even a gigantic difference even between a $1500 bike and a $5000 bike, although there is a noticable one.