Originally Posted by
brianogilvie
I just voted--but I have a couple comments:
1. What about replacement wheelsets? I kept my original wheels but I had a custom set made for light touring and randonneuring (including a dynohub for lights).
2. Some of us would dispute the claim that we "could ride without" some of those accessories. I commute by bike, and I do long rides in the spring and fall, so I need lights. I can't ride without them, because I am neither reckless nor suicidal. (And in some places--Germany, for instance--it is illegal to ride a bike on public roads that is not equipped with dynamo-powered lights, unless it is a racing bike that weighs under 11 kg.) Other things I guess I could ride without, but I wouldn't want to. I do a lot of rides in rural Massachusetts, so I carry tools with me to fix the most common mechanical problems. Better that than face a long walk home. Similarly, a lock is essential when I get to work because I park my bike outside. No lock=no ride. Fenders are another "add-on" that many of us consider essential.
A fixed-gear purist might say that derailleurs and brakes are not absolutely necessary.
And consider that some bikes do come equipped with some of that stuff already. My Breezer Uptown8 commuter came with fenders, a dynohub-powered lighting system, a ring lock, a kickstand, a chaincase, and even a bell, all part of the price.
You might get further by asking forum readers what they consider to be essential components of a bicycle, whether included in the base price or not.
Replacement wheelsets shouldn't count, otherwise one could have "replacement XXX" where XXX could be anything. You have the wheels on which you are riding, that's the necessary one. As for lights, it's very important but still something could be without. Fenders, etc,.... no. Please don't get pedant... Keep this in mind when voting: the reason I post this is just to see
how much is enough, as one continues to add extras on his bike. If you have a $2000 bike, it's reasonable that you spend $400 for accessories, but if the bike is $200, that doesn't seem a good idea (we are talking about gadgets, not to convert a cheap single speed to a more sophisticated one).
Originally Posted by
caloso
You mean like when I put a $300 computer on a $200 bike?
Yes, that counts
. That computer is only for the bike, not a must-have, and it's riding with you. It shows you are willing to pay a lot for extras