GhostRider62

You sayin there are close minded people on the internet, people who think they know it all, and then get angry when another voices another viewpoint? Shocking.

About 35 or so years ago, I was riding an old bike that had problems. My fellow club member during a ride asks me, "What percentage of your paycheck do you save" and the cheapskate in me answered. He told me he was a CPA and Financial Advisor and asked if he could give a friend some advice, I said sure. He said go buy THAT carbon bike topped with C Record. He was right. Was it necessary? No. I could have bought a crappy steel bike with Shimano 600EX and clincher tires. for 1/5 the price. I think the challenge for those speaking from an Economist type viewpoint, others can't think rationally or unemotionally when it comes to money. Case in point.....

I was playing golf with a very wealthy fellow who took such joy in finding golf balls. I said, "Pete, you're worth like $500mm, what are you doing looking for free golf balls" and he says, "More like a billion" but let me ask you, "If you saw a 5 dollar bill on the ground, would you pick it up" and of course, I said yes. He said, I know it sounds silly but it gives me pleasure. N + 1 philosophy in bikes is probably similar, it somehow gives pleasure and that pleasure isn't easily understood by the unafflicted. I still don't get the pleasure of a billionaire finding free golf balls but I accept he gets off on it. Some people have to have the latest and greatest. For me the greatest advancement in bikes are clipless pedals, indexed shifting, electronic shifting, and excellent lighting choices. Everything else is trivial in comparison