undisputed83

I know I definately am. Compared to sports like football, baseball, soccer, and many others... You don't need to buy anything to have an edge on anyone.

Most cyclists on here are always talking about upgrading to different bikes, or buying stuff for whatever their current project is.

Certainly there are people in here who proudly ride their stock 80's model road bikes as their primary bikes. Those people probably aren't materialistic. But I think the overwhelming majority of us are...

DinoShepherd

Not sure if this is what you meant, but that's what I love about cycling.

Its truly NOT about the gear.

Within VERY broad boundaries, run what you brung, the rider will determine the winner, NOT the equipment. All the new gear que!r stuff is just mental ************ and placebos.

We can all circle jerk about 105 vs. DA and carbon vs. aluminum, but the winner will always be the stonger man who can suck up the most pain.

-Z

umd

anybody can be materialistic or not, cycling has nothing to do with it.

Creatre

Every hobby/sport is materialistic in some way, some more so than others. I think cycling is more expensive than most sports, however not more materialistic. I know when I played baseball I always needed the best bat, and the best gloves, and the best clothing. But that stuff was cheap compared to a bike or bike parts. But in comparison to like cars, people are just as materialistic, and that is even more expensive.

StephenT 

Its called the "Slippery Slope" and it applies to any hobby or other passion one has. Once you start spending the cash its hard to stop. This principle applies to people that like photography, auto racing, skiing, cycling or ______________ (<- insert expensive hobby here)

wrr1020

+1, i'm into photography and i also put my money into modding my car. It's never ending buying modifications.

eyeclan

Cycling is only as expensive as you want it to be, but it's very easy to compulsively upgrade in a sport that's so steeped in efficiency and numbers. I enjoy gadgets as much as anyone else, but at the end of the day, the weight is on the rider (no pun intended).

^Btw, StephenT, I have the exact same Allez as you in the exact same color

colombo357

Only because the public has somehow allowed the government to spend their tax dollars on baseball diamonds in schools and parks, despite the fact that only a tiny percentage of people actually use the damn things more than a handful of times in their lives.

andrewluke

yes.

I don't know what more to say than anyone involved in almost any hobby will be materialistic. I recall having some guy lecture me as to how great his new Nikon D3 was when I was still shooting with my D70 and getting far better shots that he could not take if he wanted to (electronic shutter FTW). There are a lot of people that have to have the newest and the greatest just because they can.

colombo357

Very few people actually contemplate about 105 vs Ultegra vs DA, or Shimano vs. SRAM.

Most people contemplate about $200 Walmart bike vs. $699 Scattante vs. $1300 CAAD9.

It truly IS about the gear.

paste_me

yes, we all are! i know i am!

chasm54

There's a difference between being interested enough in something to evaluate and if possible acquire the best equipment, and being materialistic. The latter is usually taken to mean someone who values material things above other more personal qualities and guages their and other people's worth accordingly. So the materialist cyclist will be the one who looks down on those with inferior or unfashionable equipment, whether or not those people are better - at cycling or whatever - than their Serotta-riding critics.

This happens everywhere and in all spheres of activity. I shouldn't think cyclists are more prone to it than anyone else; maybe less, given the scorn that is heaped on those who buy $5000 bikes but can't pedal them uphill...

rollin

^^ to add..

Acquiring gear often becomes a hobby in itself. This is true of many seemingly activity based hobbies e.g. scuba, golf, climbing, cycling, photography...

Nothing wrong with that but don't confuse the addiction to buying gear with actual ability in a sport or pastime.

I am actually cycling purchase free since 2009, consumables such as tyres and chains aside.

umd

Same here. Just consumables and replacing broken stuff. Unfortunately I consume and break a lot of stuff

mazdaspeed

I am generally very picky with anything mechanical or electrical, I always have been even since I was a kid.

Machka 

Cycling has NOTHING on sailing and dressage.

I was chatting to one of my coworkers who has horses and is involved in dressage. We were both buying saddles. I was choking on $275 for my green Brooks B17 Titanium until she told me her custom saddle was going to cost her $800.

I figure if you enjoy something and you've got the money to pay for it ... buy what you like.

Ziltoid

Buying stuff motivates me to get better, I know it sounds weird but always something next on my upgrade/purchase list really does make me train harder.

Because if I don't train/ride hard I have the feeling I'm not worth my next piece of upgrade, but I want upgrades, see where it goes?

wanders

Maybe not now, but they certainly were in the 80's.

jimmuller 

I don't quite follow the connection here. But it doesn't matter.

FWIW, none of those names (except Walmart and I wouldn't know about Scattante) even existed when my bikes were made. I did 65 miles on Saturday, enjoyed every minute of it. I have no desire to upgrade and never contemplate any of those things.

LowCel 

If only the government could somehow provide us roads to ride on........

cooleric1234

Kind of like bicycling lanes. Sorry, just had to say it.

EventServices

Cyclists are just like any other hobbyist only more so.

Nachoman

I was too until last month when I broke down and relapsed when I upgraded to a dura ace compact crank.

a_phat_beat

except maybe these: link

cshell

Most, yes