Originally Posted by
ilovecycling
I don't see why anyone has to be "worthy" or needs to "deserve" a bike. Are all the guys you see driving Porsche 911s, M3s, etc world class drivers? I don't think so. They have the means and the desire to drive something nice. That is all. It's no different with bikes. I have yet to enter a bike race and I ride a super nice "pro" bike that's worth around $6k. I enjoy riding it and I like knowing that my bicycle is never what's holding me back if I have a crappy ride. I drive a modest car (Kia) and live a modest lifestyle otherwise. I don't buy fancy clothes or anything else. My cycling hobby is the one thing I go overboard with and I see no problem with that. My entire family and my girlfriend think I'm nuts for spending that much on my bike, and they give me crap all the time. But you know what? I don't care because I have a great job and the only person I have to support is me. Everyone can suck it.
While I don't think you necessarily need to 'deserve' a bike, your analogy isn't quite accurate.
People who aren't race car drivers drive Porsches, Lambos, and Ferraris not because they're great race car drivers or even to aspire to be them. They drive them because they are luxury items in and of themselves. Jennifer Aniston can drive a Ferrari and it wouldn't be laughable because the Ferrari is a luxury item. Now, it WOULD be funny to see Jennifer Aniston in a Formula 1 car on a track. Talk about a crash waiting to happen or a wannabe with too much money.
Bikes have some degree of 'luxury' cachet, but for the general public, it's pretty much nonexistent. They're far more a tool for sporting than a pure luxury item in and of themselves. And if you're talking about tools for the sport, it is a bit cheesy in a lot of sports to have a tool that's far beyond your capacity, and pay a huge premium for it just because you can.
You want to show up at a local community Brazilian soccer game wearing your brand spanking new World Cup "Ronaldinho" jersey and matching shoes and socks when you're the worst player on the field by far? The idea is similar when a true bike noob who doesn't know what ultegra or Dura Ace is and averages about 13mph for a flat 30 mile ride, shows up on an $8k bike with Di2 and racing wheels because it was the most expensive bike in the store and he could afford it.
While this example sounds extreme, here in Norcal, it's not completely fantasy.