Obsession with how others view you is symptomatic of narcissism. Buy the best bike you can afford! I love my bike, whenever I walk by it and my kids are in the room I make the AWWWWWWWW sound like the bike came down from heaven itself and should be worshiped. Then we all laugh and I think to myself how much I love that darn bike but wish I was a better cyclist. Then I am grateful that I can't "say well if I just had a better bike," no it's me. Can't blame the bike that I am a bit on the slow side. You're only a tool if you are ungrateful. Enjoy your life!