cooker

slfpwrd, you're clearly a minimalist, in that you restored this cheap old thread rather than starting an expensive new one.

I don't know why the OP has to single out the doctors with expensive bikes sitting in their garage, as opposed to serious riders. There are a number of doctors and probably quite a few lawyers on this board who take their riding seriously. Where I work there are several other doctors who bike to work, some on expensive bikes and some on cheap ones, but I don't know any colleagues who would buy a $5000 bike and not ride it. I've commuted to work by bike over 1800 days, and the most of that has been on used steel bikes. The most expensive bike I bought was a new lower end aluminum one for $400 CDN - it's since been stolen - and I'll probably splurge on a new Bike Friday soon, but only because there aren't cheaper folders out there that will meet my specs (able to carry 220+ lbs., fit in a flight suitcase) and few second hand folders are available.

Why do I ride a 1984 Trek tourer bought used for $250? Less likely to be stolen and no big (financial) loss if it is. Rides beautifully, able to carry all my stuff, and has a retro cachet that some of us value more than carbon fibre.

chephy

The only bike I have at present was sold to me for 60 bucks. I've put a lot of miles on it and will put a lot more on it.

But then I love accessories... lights, panniers, tools, tires, horn, more lights etc... oh yeah, some clothes... so I guess I don't count even if with all the accessories I spent way less than those folks who dumped thousands of bucks just on the bike and then a ton more on shoes etc.

Right now I'm lusting after clipless pedals.

here and there

Same here. I've spent way more on accessories than what I paid for the bike. Then again I like to tinker with new ideas/new setups, but I do I have more stuff than I really need. Since I got the bike in March I don't think I've spent more than a month with a particular setup, but I finally found what works for me so I think I'm done tinkering. (we'll see how long that lasts hah)

The good thing is I may be getting another mountain bike soon and I'll have something new to tinker with.
The setup will pretty much be identical to my current bike, minus the rack, fenders, and lights of course.

Allen

CigTech has a thread in Commuting where he's been putting a $150 Wallmart bike through it's paces.
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/237231-review-gmc-denali-bicycle.html
Best thread I've seen on a basic bike.

--A

DataJunkie

My backup bike is a $100 xmart huffy. My main bike is another story. Personally, I find both ends of the spectrum appealing. Currently I am pondering purchasing an old used road bike for a single speed conversion or building a middle cost geared road bike.
All in all I am not a minimalist. I have always been a bit of a geek with whatever hobby I have at that particular time in my like. I like clothing, equipment, tools, etc.

I-Like-To-Bike

I take it that you are not interested in those low down "average ordinary cyclists" who do not read BF or describe themselves as SERIOUS riders participating in the sport. If you were interested in broadening your outlook about cycling beyond your own frame of reference, you might actually learn something about how to cycle "a lot" with little capital involved.

cooker

I knew you'd show up.

I-Like-To-Bike

So?

Perhaps you want to limit all participation to SERIOUS Cyclists like yourself and the OP and those who agree with SERIOUS Cyclists like yourself and the OP.

mooncricket

About 10 years ago, I bought a $250 Specialized hybrid. Went on a 5000miles, 4 countries tours on it. Loved it. Then used it for another 5 years a commuter and weekend tourer. Now it's a rusted heap. I've got two more bikes since then, and have tortured them pretty well too. Oh, and there was a $125 Chinese bicycle that I bought in Cuba and rode around that country.

I've never been fast enough to be competitive even in a club race and I've never been talented enough to be a real monster mountain bike rider. But I do put in the miles and I love my bike whatever it happens to be at the moment.

I guess if I were into racing (and could crank out the miles at high speeds), I could justify spending a lot of money on a bike. But since I'm not, I'd feel like a faker on an expensive bike.

Sure, it's good to have a nice bike, but it's better to have fantastic rides.

cooker

Faking what, exactly? You'd be getting more value out of it than lots of people who own expensive bikes and ride them lightly. You don't ride an expensive bike because you dont need to, not because you don't deserve to.

supercub

I don't get the premise of this thread. You don't have to look far to find people who ride a lot on cheap bikes. They just don't belong to the world of Bike Forums. They ride "toys" from Walmart instead of a vintage, fixed-gear, steel framed, Brooks saddled Bianchi from 1978 that was bought from a flee market for $10 (from a guy who biked there on a Huffy).

I-Like-To-Bike

Obviously you do get the premise of this thread. The OP (and others) choose to ignore those cyclists who don't fit the OP's vision of the SERIOUS cyclist profile, SERIOUS about the "sport." What possibly could such know nothing losers tell SERIOUS cyclists about putting miles on a bicycle at low cost, eh?

caloso

I was really hoping to participate in this discussion, especially with my $40 Hard Rock that I use to pull my kids' trailer and my $50 Trek 660 that I commute on. Unfortunately, my J.D. and the 3 race bikes "collecting dust" in my garage seem to disqualify me.

Hope you don't mind if I just go back to lurking then.

chephy

...and now the broken record, loop #9837641!

Doesn't it get boring saying the same thing all over again? And over and over and over and over... Apparently not for some folks.

cooker

The reason I wasn't surprised to see you is because I realized I'd inadvertently set it up when I quoted the OP saying something about "serious riders". That phrase seems to summon you, like the bat signal, or saying Beetlejuice three times.

I admit I was a bit miffed at the OP's assertion that "tons of doctors" have $5000 bikes they don't ride. However, he asked a very reasonable question. Is everyone on BF obsessed with fancy bikes or do some take their riding seriously yet do it economically? Obviously, he wants to broaden his understanding of cyclists. Or at least he did in April, 2005.

EDIT: I'll stop trolling now - sorry, chephy.

chephy

The reason I'm this way is that I leave my bike locked up on the street, so I don't want to be out of a couple of thousand bucks if it gets lifted (and that happens in Toronto... a lot). But most accessories are either not on the bike or are easily detachable, so at least I know I get to keep them for as long as I need them. A rather sad state of affairs since I wouldn't mind investing in a great touring bike for all-purpose riding... but as long as bike security is what it is, that ain't gonna happen. I rarely ride for the sake of riding - I ride to destinations - so being able to leave the bike outside and not worry too much is crucial for me.

chephy

I wasn't referring to you, in case you were wondering. Maybe you have said things you've said in this thread thousands of times before, but for some reason I haven't read it and weren't annoyed by it thousands of times before.

I-Like-To-Bike

I don't know. How many times can you use the word "cager" without recognizing how dopey it sounds, eh?

Cadfael

I am by no means a sports cyclist, but I do enjoy being on my bike... it is the one part about work I like, getting there, and coming back. I also like going off-road now and again, but nothing to radical. I do know of the really top bikes, the Oranges, the Marins, the Treks... but they are something I can only dream of given my income. But at the end of the day, if you pay a little less... you can always upgrade the parts as and when you can afford, to some extent anyway. It is also how you maintain it, and rather than fiddle and mess things up... you ask the people that know.

Anyway... here is my bike. It is nothing special compared to some of the lovely machines I have seen on here, but it is still a good ride... yet I still think it is a cool looking bike.



RRP is £175... I got it for £140 from my LBS because I have given him a lot of custom over the years. I have added some kit as I could afford it... the latest being the Marathon Plus Tyres. The bike is a 2004 model, and given the time I spend in keeping it maintained... it looks brand new. But.. I sometimes see the top spec bikes... and I dream... oh I dream!

Feldman

There's a statistic that bounces around through the bike industry every few years having to do with the very small number of miles that are ridden on a huge percentage of the bikes sold in the US. There are a lot of bargains in garage sales and at the Goodwill. Because of the amount of changes in equipment that are fraudulent, marketing-driven changes and not legitimate, engineering-driven changes, there are also loads of good deals in used bike stores and online. Take advantage of the gullibility of some rich dummies--Shimano will be making basic repair parts such as chains, cassettes, chainrings, and brake pads for instance--for their 8 and 9 speed groups for at least ten more years. Third-party manufacturers--those not named Campagnolo or Shimano--make other items like threaded freewheels and quill stems to keep pre-1990 bikes running strong. Let the chumps who believe Buycycling magazine give their "obsolete" stuff away and you'll be the benefactor.

here and there

I'm sorta on the opposite spectrum. My riding is purely recreational and cycling is more of a hobby and a way to get good exercise than anything else. I wouldn't leave my bike locked up outside unless it was absolutely necessary. It's not the greatest looking thing in the world, but it's my only bike so I wouldn't want to take the chance. If I were to do more riding for utilitarian purposes I'd get something I wouldn't miss if it were stolen.

rs_woods

I had a 60$ used Bridgestone steel framed mountain bike that I had bought from my LBS, and I rode that thing hard. I rode it till the wheels almost fell off and the gears didn't shift anymore. I rode it until the paint was coming off from me locking it up against metal stuff, and I had to give it a messy DIY jet black spray paint. It was the ugliest bike ever, but I rode it because it fit me well, it was comfortable, the worn-in look matched my mystique, I was in love. It was my special love, nobody else liked it. Which was good for me, because I figured if it's ugly nobody will steal it. I figured wrong.

davidmcowan

Funny, I bought a Scattante 550 early this year but I literally do 95 percent of my riding on my old converted fixed gear. I break out the road bike for the rides over 30 miles. I will say that I get a little obsessed about getting my fixie "just right" though.

guenevere

I love this thread! Heh, heh... I recall when in my days of working at the LBS, I was enamored of the local lead pelaton rider named Phil, who would ride an old steel Bridgestone, and showed up for the group rides in faded ancient jerseys with holes in them. I think having him as an example, I began to support the 'retrogrouches' more, and sort of evolved that way myself.

seriouslysilly

This thread is a pleasurable and interesting read. I'm new to the cycling word and consider myself to be somewhat on this track (and continue to be).

I am coming from a ToysRUs MTB that I purchased for $150 and felt pretty content with it, at least until I rode my brother’s Schwinn road bike that he bought for $100. I fell in love with the handling and speed.

I did my research and searched for a decent bike after being sticker shocked at the nicer bikes.
I frequently searched on eBay and found a brand new ’05 Jamis road bike (MSRP $1200) and won it for $350 from the LBS. It must have been a fluke or moon phase, but somehow not too many people were tracking that particular auction. Needless to say, the seller puts a reserve on his auctions now J

I truly enjoy this bike and attempt to ride it as much as I can, even for only 15-20mins after coming home from work, just before dinner, or before bedtime.

As I said above, this thread is good as it will keep me grounded so I won’t get lost in all the hype and getting all the expensive gadgets. My future purchase is hopefully a cyclocomputer that is less than $30.