Originally Posted by
Mountain Mitch
$3000 is a lot to some; not a big deal to others. You will get pleasure out of owing a fine bike. You will enjoy riding it more. How much more is impossible to calculate let alone fix a $$ amount to. If you can afford it and want to treat yourself - go for it. That's the nature of luxury goods. A beater car will get you to the same places as a Rolls - the enjoyment quotient is up to you.
As for me, I LIKE nice bikes! (and I deserve 'em).
I drive a $1100 car that I bought 7 years ago, so $3k is a ton of money for me. I do not have a six figure income.
It's probably for the best that I put 10,000 miles on my ****-heap bike and evaluate at that time and pay student loans for now. I think I could be worthy of a price for "best gear, worst bike" awards.
Originally Posted by
pdedes
what I would do first.
get some really good tires. correctly inflate them. I'm a schwalbe ultremos zx fanboi, but there are other fantastic tires out there that will provide immediate pleasurable feedback.
next, love your contact points. shoes, saddle, handlebars have the potential to increase comfort and enjoyment.
you could spend all the money you want on aero equipment, but unless your motor is cranking out the watts, speed gains will be miniscule in the grand scheme of things (<1%). so spend some time figuring out the training thing if speed is your goal. and, as ever, going fast hurts.
GP4Ks, Sidi Pro-5 shoes, Speedplay zeros, Specialized gel seat, Specialized RBX bib shorts, stock bars. I'm on my second generation of gear for everything and I've realized there is quality (and deals) to be had with the increased costs.