Many people will tell me that I spent way too much money on bicycles. To me, I made my bike purchases based on how I would use them. I know that I spent more on my fenders ($300 berthoud stainless steel, powder-coated, leather mud flaps, & brass hardware) for my touring/commuting bike than most people would spend on an entire bike.

Then again, I ride this bike InTheRain a lot. I like my feet to stay relatively dry, and like to keep most of the crud off of my drive train. Since I ride and live in the Puget Sound area, I perceived this as a priority. But... I don't spend a lot of money on sunscreen.