Koyote

You're a real ray of sunshine. You're also incorrect.

Ding ding ding! If someone knows what they are getting, and willingly plunks down the money, the purchase is by definition "worth it" to them. How could it be anything else?

livedarklions

And you know this how?
HINT--you don't.

boozergut

Purchased 1 in 2005 and again in 2006. Old as hell, a little less fat, but still having loads of fun.

Highcad

Because I know more than a few. And big surprise, the old fat guys w/ the light weight bike ($carbon/aero wheel sets) are still slow, and most of all, are uncomfortable on their $6000+ bike. But not a total waste. This was disposable income, and the bike shop/industry made money, and someone will get a nice bike at a much lower cost. The old fat guy will go back to more comfortable sports - like golf w/ his buddies.

Maelochs

If you are old enough and fat enough Everything is uncomfortable.

Hint: those fat old dudes didn't think they were going to suddenly "get fast" because they bought hot bikes, any more than thought they would get laid or even drive fast when they bought their expensive exotic sports cars---some of which are equally uncomfortable likely, and absolutely painful to enter and exit.

And since you know them and they are still riding ... seems they will golf with their buddies And ride their hot bikes, drive their hot cars, and laugh about jealous little-minded people who scorn people who have what the small-minded people cannot have.

I do not envy you the burden of knowing everything, but I admire the way you can be simultaneously omniscient and ignorant. That kind of flexibility must take years of stretching.

My hot bike is set up to be pretty comfortable, by the way. And I am still slow.

phedge

The only wastes of money I've discovered are the things I bought ignoring the "buy once, cry once" dictum. Pumps, stands, shoes, jerseys, shorts, tools, all stuff I went cheap on the first go-round. Except I learned a valuable lesson, so maybe not a waste. Yeah, yeah, I'm going with that.

indyfabz

So if you think someone has wasted their money they must have, regardless of what the person who spent the money thinks. Got it. NOT!

Herzlos

I've certainly wasted a lot of money buying stuff to cheap to begin with. I normally dabble a bit to see what I like/need, but it hasn't been cheap or good value.
I'm on my 3rd mountain bike in 2 years - a $400 bike, replaced with a $700 bike and finally a $1500 bike. Each one had under 100 miles on it
Ditto with road/gravel bikes - a $300 bike, replaced with a $600 bike and finally replaced by a $2000 gravel bike and a $1000 road bike.

And that's not including all of the upgrades. I must have lost about $1000 in the first year alone on upgrades and trades to get to something I like. And even then, my $2000 gravel bike has only done 200 miles so it's still sitting at $10/mile which is terrible value.

b88

Now this is an answer I can relate to. lol

Highcad

LMAO - Read my post again genius. Take your time. If someone buys a $6000 bike and doesn't ride it because it's uncomfortable, do you think that they think it was a good purchase decision? Got it. NOT!

tomato coupe

They're the only one that can answer that question, not you.

Highcad

No, I can answer the question, and I did.

tomato coupe

Another newbie telling others how they should spend their money ... how original.

Highcad

You know, my post was about some people I know - but it seems to have resonated with you.

livedarklions

Enjoy your stay, you won't be here long.

Highcad

And another person that spends way too much time on bike forums - and thinks he's special - how original.

Maelochs

Lol yeah .... I have worked hard for a while, and I have some nice bikes, nice cars, nice homes, a good wife, and I keep getting better at life.

I am old and fat but I am living pretty well ....

Just pointing out that you didn't really seem to know much, even though you thought you did. A wise person would make good use of that information.

Also ... i take pretty much everything everyone posts here as a joke or material for more jokes. Welcome aboard.

rsbob 

Waste of money? Aero gloves. Not the biggest and maybe the smallest, but still a waste.

The Chemist

Or in a similar vein, parts that were bought for form over function. I've unfortunately done that a few times recently, not least of which was in pedals, where I wasted money not once but twice getting pedals that colour matched my bike rather than going for ones that actually worked. I have just purchased a set of Shimano M520 pedals which are said to be close to bulletproof and which work FAR better than either of the colour matched pedals I bought did even when new - this is what I should have done in the first place.

rsbob 

Please substantiate your claim. I’d also like to see where that 90% figure came from. Also what is your cut off age for old?

SurferRosa

Riding that chrome three-wheeler, making that first mistake, wearing gypsy leathers, all the way to Fire Lake.

terrymorse 

If you're doing a time trial, maybe not a waste. They cost about as much as regular gloves, and they can reduce drag when in a time trial position. Especially if you have hairy hands.

rsbob 

So what you are saying is that for a very small subset of the cycling population they are of great value. I get that. But for the rest…

livedarklions

So you personally know 90% of old fat guys who buy expensive road bikes? Cool story, bro.

livedarklions

Are you cueing up a "do you shave your hands?" thread?

Expect a bunch of hairy palm jokes.