Originally Posted by Surferbruce

I'll admit I love nice stuff, especially nice bike stuff. Most often I think it's worth it to spend a bit more and buy something of quality, whether it's a frame or wheels or a jacket or whatever floats your boat. I could even be described as a bit of a gear snob. Recently though, I've been reminded that it's not always neccesary. Some of you might know I'm over in France for a year, and winter is starting to hit here. I brought with me all my nice cold weather gear - Arcteryx Gore Tex shell, Feathered Friends down jacket, Rapha softshell, Craft baselayers-you get the idea. So, what do I wear 90% of the time? A thick polar fleece zip neck I got at the supermarket here for 11euros, or about 14 bucks, and a pair of knee high rubber rain boots I got at the garden store for 8euros, or about 10 dollars (save the sheep jokes). These two pieces of gear work as well, or better, than any of the expensive clothes I brought with me and I wear them almost every day here at the house.
Likewise, I wanted a winter bike to spare my expensive ride the torture of a rainy winter, so I picked up a new Giant TCX2 Sora/Tiagra equipped cross bike for just under 900$. Now, I'm not ready to trade in my Campy equipped 585 for a 900$ Sora bike with an aluminum fork just yet, but I've been putting in miles on the Giant and it does everything I ask. It shifts fine, it's rolls quiet, and it handles wuite well. Really, in the big picture of things I have about just as much fun on it as I do on my LOOK. Plus, I never think twice about it falling over or taking a slider on it or just thrashing around on it, so in sometimes it's even more fun than my expensive bike.
It's got me looking at gear a bit differently and thinking maybe, just maybe, it should be mandatory for anyone who spends a few thousand dollars on their "good" bike (or even just a pair of wheels), should have another bike that costs no more than a few hundred, just to ride once or twice a week to remember what it's really all about, and that it doesn't always have to expensive.