How do you answer "How much did your bike cost??"
06-12-07, 04:35 AM
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I tell 'em "It was more than I wanted to spend, but less than I should have spent." or "Ten bucks" my MTB and Roadie were $10 at Sally 
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06-12-07, 06:20 AM
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As a die-hard bargain hunter and proud of my bargains, I sometimes even volunteer that information before being asked. And I like to let people for whom the cost of a new bike may be a barrier to entry into cycling that there a lot of good quality used bikes in good condition around for $100 or less if you just look for them. I love with my vintage Puch Mistral frame bike. Got it at the flea market for $20. I've probably put $100 into it in accessories. And $30 for a cassette upgrade after a friend gave me a nice set of aluminum rims with a Deore 7 speed freehub (for free just 'cause he didn't have any use for them). With the modern drive train and aluminum wheels, it a really sweet ride now.
06-12-07, 06:26 AM
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"Too much!"
If they know bikes, they know what that means.
If they don't know bikes, who cares what they think.
If they know bikes, they know what that means.
If they don't know bikes, who cares what they think.
06-12-07, 06:35 AM
#29
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Originally Posted by caloso
I say, "About 3." Among my coworkers, the response is "Wow! Three hundred dollars for a bike?"
06-12-07, 07:04 AM
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My current bike only ran about 600 so it hasn't been a major issue thus far. Plus since I don't have a car more people are open to the concept that I spent more money on my bike than they might have since it sees more use/abuse than a weekend rider may apply to their bike. However, if you know what type of car they drive you can easily turn it around if they don't like how much you spent. I could buy a new car for 15-20k yet many people spend 40-50k on a car... Easy retaliation if they condescend toward your bike "well I could have gotten a car for 20k less..." and thats a number of VERY nice bikes!
06-12-07, 07:14 AM
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I have three stock answers to this question (and btw, should we be surprised by how often we get asked this?)
1) to close friends & coworkers I know/trust, I tell the truth (rounded to the nearest hundred).
2) to aquaintances or peers with whom I am not too personally aquainted, I say "more than I've ever spent on a musical instrument." (I'm a musician, so this gives them a very wide ballpark pricerange, plus indicates the level of my cycling passion.)
3) to complete strangers I say "too much" and leave it at that.
1) to close friends & coworkers I know/trust, I tell the truth (rounded to the nearest hundred).
2) to aquaintances or peers with whom I am not too personally aquainted, I say "more than I've ever spent on a musical instrument." (I'm a musician, so this gives them a very wide ballpark pricerange, plus indicates the level of my cycling passion.)
3) to complete strangers I say "too much" and leave it at that.
06-12-07, 07:18 AM
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I'm with option 3) unless I know the person asking has a more expensive bike than I do: "too much"
06-12-07, 07:21 AM
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Originally Posted by rickyaustin
He starts asking me about my bike (Surly Crosscheck) and the seat (Brooks) and he had no idea what either were - no biggie - a month ago neither did I.
After 5 minutes of convo he asks me how much the bike cost. I don't know why, but I felt a little weird answering that... partly because I know his did not cost more than $200.
After 5 minutes of convo he asks me how much the bike cost. I don't know why, but I felt a little weird answering that... partly because I know his did not cost more than $200.
I ride a used bike, so it was fairly inexpensive. Dending on who asks & what I think is the reason why, I'll either answer what I paid for it originally or what it is now worth after various upgrades. For coworkers who simply want to think it is outrageous to pay a lot of money for a bike, I'll sometimes say "It's pretty expensive at $250 a year, which includes gas, oil changes, brakes, tires and misc repairs to get me to and from work, but I figure I get it back by not having to pay for a gym membership."
06-12-07, 08:04 AM
#35
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Originally Posted by rodrigaj
"Too much!"
If they know bikes, they know what that means.
If they don't know bikes, who cares what they think.
If they know bikes, they know what that means.
If they don't know bikes, who cares what they think.
Also, depending on how they react, and how well I know them, I just leave it be, or tell them the actual price if I think I have the time to explain why if they ask. I've never had a total stranger ask, but if they did, the answer is 'too much'.
06-12-07, 08:22 AM
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Tell them, and if they give you that 'you could have got one for $150', just say, "then I'd have a crappy bike." This conversation reveals more about the asker than you. Remember, cheap bikes are for cheap people. Both of my ride buddies could not get their heads around spending more than the cost of Wal Mart bikes. Both were so entrenched on price that all mention of quality was not heard. This is because the cheap ones have two wheels and actually roll. Theyn think; what more could you want?
One finally upgraded and was totally happy with it. (Trek 7200). I gave the other one a new Trek 7500 that I bought for my wife but she didn't want. Now he's happy too.
Lesson; Some people never learn, unless you give them a better bike. So, keep quiet on this one. It could get expensive. BTW, the hardest ones to convince are the retired ones who are on a fixed income. bk
One finally upgraded and was totally happy with it. (Trek 7200). I gave the other one a new Trek 7500 that I bought for my wife but she didn't want. Now he's happy too.
Lesson; Some people never learn, unless you give them a better bike. So, keep quiet on this one. It could get expensive. BTW, the hardest ones to convince are the retired ones who are on a fixed income. bk
06-12-07, 08:26 AM
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When an experienced biker asks, tell how much. When someone on a $100 bike (or no bike) asks, tell them "It was a toss up between the bike and either a used car or a flat screen LCD witha new whole house sound system..."
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06-12-07, 08:35 AM
#40
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I told the wife that my Giant TCR C1 cost $250 
Only kidding - She did gasp at the price though even when I told her it was $900 less than retail.
Strangers rarely ask me questions like that anyhow, but I'd probably just say it was worth every penny!
Only kidding - She did gasp at the price though even when I told her it was $900 less than retail.
Strangers rarely ask me questions like that anyhow, but I'd probably just say it was worth every penny!
06-12-07, 08:43 AM
#41
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Cost of my bikes? My current summertime ride costs over twice as much as my winter ride, less than half of next summer's new ride, and that will far cheaper than a good used car or SUV.
06-12-07, 12:37 PM
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I had to lie to my parents who bought me dept. store bikes when I was small (not that I'm complaining. We didn't have that much money). I told them my hybrid was $200 and my dad said, "Wow, that's a fancy bike!"
06-12-07, 12:42 PM
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I usually say less than $100 since my roadie is a 1988 Schwinn Premis donated to my cause that I restored using a grinder wheel, rust-o-leum and spare parts! She's a beauty now.
Originally Posted by rickyaustin
Heya
sorta new here, this may have been discussed.. if so.. whoops!
I was riding today and came to a stop to take a break/turn around/drink of water when another guy on a relatively inexpensive bike stopped to chit-chat with me. I'm sort of shy so I didn't talk much but I was polite and didn't brush him off. He starts asking me about my bike (Surly Crosscheck) and the seat (Brooks) and he had no idea what either were - no biggie - a month ago neither did I.
After 5 minutes of convo he asks me how much the bike cost. I don't know why, but I felt a little weird answering that... partly because I know his did not cost more than $200. Not because I think I'm hot-stuff with my bike.. I'm not, I'm still a chubby guy who isn't in great shape. It just felt weird. I dodged the question and told him the LBS built it up custom for me and basically directed him there to inquire.
I've had a couple co-workers on campus ask me and I told them — and they usually scoff and call me an idiot when "I could have gotten a bike for $150" ... I believe you get what you pay for.
I try extremely hard to avoid looking like a prick or a 'bike-snob' because I'm not. If you have two wheels you're fine in my book. I just needed a nice bike because I'm 6'5" 300lbs, will put thousands of miles on this one and don't want to break a cheap one in half.
Just by reading thru some of the posts and photothreads on here, I see there's some serious cash in bikes around here.
So how do you answer "How much did your bike cost?" from a stranger? Family member? Co-worker??
sorta new here, this may have been discussed.. if so.. whoops!
I was riding today and came to a stop to take a break/turn around/drink of water when another guy on a relatively inexpensive bike stopped to chit-chat with me. I'm sort of shy so I didn't talk much but I was polite and didn't brush him off. He starts asking me about my bike (Surly Crosscheck) and the seat (Brooks) and he had no idea what either were - no biggie - a month ago neither did I.
After 5 minutes of convo he asks me how much the bike cost. I don't know why, but I felt a little weird answering that... partly because I know his did not cost more than $200. Not because I think I'm hot-stuff with my bike.. I'm not, I'm still a chubby guy who isn't in great shape. It just felt weird. I dodged the question and told him the LBS built it up custom for me and basically directed him there to inquire.
I've had a couple co-workers on campus ask me and I told them — and they usually scoff and call me an idiot when "I could have gotten a bike for $150" ... I believe you get what you pay for.
I try extremely hard to avoid looking like a prick or a 'bike-snob' because I'm not. If you have two wheels you're fine in my book. I just needed a nice bike because I'm 6'5" 300lbs, will put thousands of miles on this one and don't want to break a cheap one in half.
Just by reading thru some of the posts and photothreads on here, I see there's some serious cash in bikes around here.
So how do you answer "How much did your bike cost?" from a stranger? Family member? Co-worker??
06-12-07, 12:43 PM
#44
Senior Member
These department store bikes. Hope they are satisfactory. Cheapo components. Heck Wal Mart bikes are less costly than decent quality Shimano handlebar gear shifters. Gotta be a rub somewhere. They hold up for those who ride em hard; well, I am happy for you.
06-12-07, 12:46 PM
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I simply tell them I don't know-either (depending on the person inquiring) I inherent the bike or the bike was a gift. I protect myself against potential thieves by evading the true value of the bike, and I don't embarass someone who might be really interested in buying one just like it.
06-12-07, 01:39 PM
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"I didn't pay a cent for it. I saw some dude riding by on it one night and I wanted it. So I killed him and it's been mine ever since. By the way, that's a pretty cool bike you got there, dude."
That'll shut 'em up quick.
That'll shut 'em up quick.
06-12-07, 05:37 PM
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Originally Posted by cyclezealot
These department store bikes. Hope they are satisfactory. Cheapo components. Heck Wal Mart bikes are less costly than decent quality Shimano handlebar gear shifters. Gotta be a rub somewhere. They hold up for those who ride em hard; well, I am happy for you.
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06-12-07, 05:56 PM
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Originally Posted by caloso
I say, "About 3." Among my coworkers, the response is "Wow! Three hundred dollars for a bike?"
Right there with you! ...Love that response!
Although I have to say "about 8" to represent the MSRP.
And it being a tandem recumbent trike, I DO get that question alot!!
Along with "did you make that? is it comfortable/easy to ride/fast? How is it on hills?
Etc, etc, etc!
06-12-07, 06:10 PM
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Why do you want to know?
Their answer will drive what I tell them afterward.
Their answer will drive what I tell them afterward.
06-12-07, 06:29 PM
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I have a bit of a different issue - I have easily the most expensive bike perhaps for 100 miles - almost certainly the most expensive bike the vast majority of people have seen or ever will see. And, for the average farm worker, it represents 2/3 of their YEARLY salary. Imagine telling someone in the USA you spent 30,000 dollars for a bike...
But, I tell them. I ride a lot and they know it - and I really use it. It isn't just sitting in a corner somewhere. We have two ways of saying something is expensive.
One is "Caro" - which means expensive
The other is Costosa which means costly.
Caro means that it was expensive but probably not worth it, costosa means it was a good investment, but not cheap.
I explain that it is costosa because it is older and has kilometers on it like a car - and is still going strong. I also explain that it has more than paid for itself in fuel savings.
They agree with me - it is expensive, but if you can afford to buy one, well worth it.
Now a new car for me would be caro - and they agree with that too!
But, I tell them. I ride a lot and they know it - and I really use it. It isn't just sitting in a corner somewhere. We have two ways of saying something is expensive.
One is "Caro" - which means expensive
The other is Costosa which means costly.
Caro means that it was expensive but probably not worth it, costosa means it was a good investment, but not cheap.
I explain that it is costosa because it is older and has kilometers on it like a car - and is still going strong. I also explain that it has more than paid for itself in fuel savings.
They agree with me - it is expensive, but if you can afford to buy one, well worth it.
Now a new car for me would be caro - and they agree with that too!