Why "fat" guys buy expensive bikes:
1. Forces them to ride -- $800 bike in the garage or $3,000 bike in the garage? Which will my wife force me to ride more often to offset the expense (thereby allowing me more time on the bike)?
2. Because we can. Why do some people buy bottled water at $4.00 a bottle? If a "fat" guy can afford an expensive "light" bike, who cares? Most people end up living to their means...the more expendable income they have, the better things they buy (houses, cars, charitable donations, bikes, etc). Besides, every ounce counts. Whether it's on me or my bike, a pound is a pound.
3. For fitness.
4. As a hobby.
5. For fun/recreation.
This is one "fat guy" (probably properly categorized as "big" versus "fat", but I will still join the "fat" side of this argument) who, 3 years ago, purchased a $3,000 bike and who is NEVER going to contribute it to all you perfectly fit, "I'm a better cyclist than you", "you don't deserve that bike", "I'll drop you up the next hill", "you're average speed is only 17.5 mph", professional cyclists. When I'm bored with my current ride (maybe next year), I'll buy a CF bike and KEEP my old bike and just make it my beater, using it only in the rain and other poor conditions. And, if I don't use it for that, I'll just let it sit in my garage and gather dust. Just because I can...
So much for the cycling "community". It's Orwellian..."all cyclists are created equal, but some are more equal than others."