TejanoTrackie 

What percentage of the initial cost of a complete bike do you spend on upgrades / changes / accessories etc? Is it:

1) Zero - Ride it completely stock and only change parts as they wear out.
2) 1% to 20% - Minor parts that are really bad or don't fit me.
3) 20% to 60% - Many parts with significantly better quality higher priced replacements.
4) 60% to 100% - Major parts such as wheels and cranks with better quality higher priced replacements.
5) 100% to sky's the limit - Just about everything with exotic premium parts.

2manybikes

All five choices, it depends.

cZa

Same here...

Bone Machine

Me, too. But I voted #3, because on most of the bikes I've had, that's about what I spent.

On my 2004 Rockhopper, I've probably spent more than double the original cost on upgrades. REALLY stupid, I know - but for some reason, I have a sentimental attachment to the frame...

xavier853

I voted "Major Parts" because that is what comes close for me. I really enjoy just building from a frame up, and buying quality parts, but not super super duper high end

Build your own

The only Bikes that i bought complete are my Road Bike and a cheap MTB,that i have at the House for my Dad to ride around on.The Road Bike will be upgraded over Time.My Fixed Gears are all built from the Frame up,so no stock parts to upgrade.

TejanoTrackie 

Yeah, I guess I should have stipulated that it would be the most typical scenario. There is an option when making a poll to allow for multiple answers, but I didn't choose it and don't know how or if it's possible to edit a poll.

What I'm looking for here is your basic philosophy in setting up a bike and how you view the cost / benefit of upgrading a bike relative to its initial quality. For example, would you consider putting Phil hubs on a Pake?

yokotas13

if i dont like it, i change it. not really a budget in mind

ianjk

Usually swap out seat/pedals/bars, but have a pile of each of those.

Retro Grouch 

You don't have a time frame - all of my bikes have always evolved over time. The percentage would depend on where that bike was in it's life-evolution.

The percentage of the bike's initial cost is pretty much meaningless anyway. I aquired the frame for my fixed gear conversion from my daughter so the initial cost was zero. Most of the parts came from my box of spares but a few were bought new so it's percentage would be "infinity".

Leukybear 

This^... because parts can be swapped on to different bikes or kept in a parts bin until later use. So technically, the cost of the bike to part ratio is pretty much dissipated once you calculate that in...

yokotas13

pretty much
i have an 1800.00 bike with a visp frame...and just got a 2010 fuji track pro. only ordered a few hundred in parts for it (brake, bars, pedals pretty much) no need to swap anything out, i like it. prolly do some hed3 wheels or aerospokes since the roads in saudi arabia are as bad as pakistan after the floods

adriano 

obviously.

rustybrown

I'm generally a used, pre-owned type of consumer. A franken bike is expected and budgeted accordingly. Initial investment can make or break a project. I bought a $5 Peugeot and hooked it up with a new wheel set, chain, seat and tires. Still one hundo cheaper than other avenues.

If I bought a new bike, I'd probably ride it stock until something broke. Or swap parts from another bike to get it to where I wanted.

mihlbach

There is no typical. It really depends on the bike. I have bikes that are 95% stock....I bought them because I was satisfied with what was on them. I have other bikes where 100% of the parts have been replaced mostly out of necessity. Other bikes I have custom built and upgraded to different degrees. There's just no way for me to vote. But if you are asking me philosophically what is best, I would say buy or build the bike that is 100% suited to you and then change nothing, but it really just never works out that way.

NateRod

I ride a Pake, and my answer is: Maybe... if I found them for cheap. But I wouldn't go out of my way to find them.

I buy parts when the need arises, and I just scour every source for the best I can get in a certain price range. Usually it means I get mid-range stuff, but occasionally, I luck out and find a high-end component at a great price (hell yeah, ebay).

Anyways, I think good components on a cheap frame are better than crappy ones on an expensive frame... and I see a lot of the latter.

fuji86

$ 256 delivered as initial cost of bike:

$ 51 Parts 19.92 % of $ 256
$ 12 Wheel Truing (assembly & maintenance on an internet bike, so I'm really not sure that this really shouldn't be added to the $ 256 to get to $ 268, if so the percentage of parts replacement/upgrade goes down to 19.03 %)
$ 14 Lock

Then again, a lot of extra time to get things assembled and adjusted too, what is that worth ?

I really have no intention of swapping parts, not that I was totally satisfied, but since they are bought and paid for, might as well ride them to a state of repair, that way I get value and replace them when it's time to realize full value for those components.

adriano 

one jackson got me four phil cartridge bearings.

2manybikes

My view for different bikes varies. Two of my bikes are" money is no object" some are just change saddle and wheels. Some are no change, and most of the beater bikes are kept relatively inexpensive. I built one of my "money is no object" bikes. All of the options in your poll are typical for me. Generally speaking the relative value of the bike dictates how much I spend on changing it. But not my single speed coaster brake 700c wheel rain bike, that's special to me, I modified the frame and had to build a coaster brake onto a 700c rear wheel.
I doubled the cost of my track bike by adding new hubs. Not good for the budget but, I like it!

Xgecko

It depends......

I built a 24" race cruiser from the frame up and spent middle to high end on everything......

I went cheap for a commuter fixie and bought a Dawes from BD I only replaced the seat, pedals and bars so that I was comfortable since then I have only upgraded when something has failed (headset, tires, drivetrain etc) I will likely change the rear wheel when it dies but I can't see replacing the front unless something eats it.......

Squirrelli

This.

Ken Cox

Buy the complete bike to get the frame and a bike you can ride while you upgrade it.

I have 600% of the original cost of one of my bikes invested in the final bike.

Really, a steel frame nowadays represents one of the less expensive components of a bike.

My bottom bracket, hubs, spokes/rims, saddle, brake/lever, head set and crank set each cost more than the frame of my first fixed gear bike.

In fact, only my stem, handlebars and seat post cost less than the original frame.

Slingithajime

Im at about 20% now after switching out for a new Brooks saddle, clips and pedals.

Will be at 100% once I pull the trigger on an upgraded wheelset

TL179

Yeah, there's a mash cinelli ( actually for sale now) here in town. You can always hear its un-oiled, over tensioned chain grinding away at those lasco cranks. I see a lot of this. But why bother with ANOTHER 800 bones in drive train if all you want to do is style out.

wagon.

1,000% ha. but not because the parts are top shelf, just because the bike was $50 on CL.