Originally Posted by
FunkyStickman
I know a lot of people that drive as a hobby. They have "weekend" cars, and take them to tracks and drive them for fun. They dump thousands of dollars into them, and have to have a separate car for daily driving. It's one of the main reasons the automotive aftermarket is in such a boom. It's become a multi-billion dollar hobby industry.
Bikes are becoming the same way. The reason they are selling carbon bikes like crazy is because there's money to be made in it. People want them, and companies make them.
I'm the same for my bike or my car... I have one of each, they're both good all-arounders. My car's not the fastest at the track, but I can drive it home afterwards and then take it to the grocery store. My bike isn't the fastest, but it's fast enough, and I can commute on it anywhere with 50 pounds of gear, which the roadies here won't do.
Funny you should mention hobbyist motorists...
I know a family in Atlanta, GA that lives pretty much car free...except for his race car. He has a sports car that he races at Road Atlanta. It is not a daily driver, it is registered and street legal, he drives it to the track and races, then drives it home. The rest of the time they use mass transit or bicycles to get around. If they need to go somewhere that requires driving the rent a car.
Aaron