StanSeven

I see lots of people that live more modestly buying high end ($10K) bikes that ride them. For example, my LBS sells and stocks lots of high end bikes. Last time I was in there had three Cervelo R5-Ca frames on the rack ($9800) plus a couple built up - one had to be $20,000 @11 lbs. I just drool at everything including a Pinarello Dogma with Campy EPS. The point is I know and see lots of people buying these bikes and every one is very serious. I don't believe I've heard an employee say someone brought a high end bike that wasn't serious.

runningDoc

HEEEEYYYY.... ok you're right. My first road bike was a USPS 5200 trek. I rode it with my dentist friends who all had serottas and my hipster friends who all were on pistas.

StanSeven

And you had time to ride because you only worked 4 hours a day, Mon thru Thur. Right?

Worknomore

I might spend 15k on a Bike, but I would never admit it.

zonatandem

Spent considedrably less than 15 grand on this all custom/all carbon fiber tandem . . .
And double the fun!

hendrick81

People that spend the cash for these bikes can obviously afford them. Lets let them have their fun

The bike will be on CL for 30% less in no time

Have at it!!!!

Fox Farm

I just would not spend that kind of money for a bike, particularly a production bike. I can afford to do this but for me, nope. I would suggest spending, say $8000, which is again a lot of money for a bike, and investing some of the remaining $15,000 in some training camps with pros.

manutd

How much faster will that all make you? Maybe the better wheels will give some improvements but the others won't really.

What is the difference in the frame? Both SL3 carbon

DaveWC

I'm not arguing that the S-Works model will make you faster, just that I'd rather get it than a $15k Trek. I don't believe the frames are the same though in the two models we were discussing. But why go SL3 at all? Why not save another $500-$700 and get the Shimano 105 Roubaix Elite model? You honestly believe that Ultegra will make you faster than 105? Where does it end?

ImChris

That is really cool man! Looks really enjoyable.

Chris

GlennR

There's plenty of people that lease a Porsche 911 and never drive over 65mph. These are the same that buy a bike over $10k and only put 100 miles a year on it.

Last fall i decided to purchase a bike and visited a number of shops. When asked what my budget was I told them i can afford to buy any bike they had. A few steered me to the very expensive ones and never asked me about any questions about my riding history.

A few asked me low long i've been riding, my general health, the type of riding I wanted to do and others. They showed me bikes that were appropriate for me. I decided on a Trek Madone 4.6, a bit more than i need but nowhere near the price some were showing me.

My son works summers at a bike shop and has talked customers into cheaper bikes because they were the right choice. But if a customer insisted on spending more than he needed... he sold it to them.

Here ya go, Trek Madone 6.9 SSL Project 1... 400 miles.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/2011-Trek-Ma...item2ebfbaa584
Maybe his health is the reason he's selling it.

Expect to see some 7's next spring.

lungdoc

This Doc would be afraid of getting mocked if I spent that kind of money on a bike - and got passed regularly by many on bikes worth massively less! If I buy a Porsche nobody really knows that I am a slow driving poser on a track if I only ever drive it around the city. With a bike one's speed and ability is readily apparent to all, unless you just hang out in front of the local shop or hang it on your wall. There's certainly a price-performance curve that really flattens out once you're north of say $3000 for recreational riders. The percentage of buyers of those bikes who are good enough to really take advantage of them has to be small indeed, but hey, it's a free market. For my money I am happy to have something that is high quality, comfortable, better than me and not the limiting factor - and find other things to spend money on - if it's cycling related than cycling related travel comes to mind as others have said.

I may not fit the doctor stereotype though - to the post above denigrating Kia - I just got my wife a Kia Rio5 and we both LOVE the thing, unbelievable value for the money.

Ranger Dan

I don't know why the majority buy expensive bikes, but StanSeven got it right in my case. On the other hand, some of the other folks here on BF are clueless (no big relevation there).

I spent about $12k on a very nice bike, and on some rare occasions I've bought nice things for some other hobbies I have. On the other hand, my house is nothing special, and I was driving a rusty 1986 Chevy Cavalier until just last year (I gave up on it when I was driving to work at -16 F and found the temperature in the car was the same whether I had the heat or air conditioning on).

The reason that I can afford a spendy bike is because I put in a lot of time at work -- over 300 hours per month. No overtime, no sick leave, no paid vacation. I figure that I earned the money and I can spend it the way I like. I manage to ride 100 - 150 miles per week. I ride solo and have only encountered one other bike rider while out riding so far this year, so it's not as if I bought my bike just for show. If what I or someone else rides somehow bothers you, then you need to HTFU (I'm not sure what that means, but I don't think it's an official BF post unless I include it).

manutd

Very true....I initially was looking at the Roubaix Comp. (ultra/105 mix) but liked the colour of the SL3 expert (white/carbon) so I had to get the upgraded frame!!!!!

Would I actually be just as fast on a CAAD10....probably (maybe faster) but I wanted the Roubaix.....I would have bought the S-works if I could justify the cost to my wife....which I can't......then again I can't justify the cost of the expert either.........so I bought her a Cervelo to make her happy