One hundred US shimoleons.

I inherited mine so it was a 'gift'. The last guy to ask was the rent-a-cop at the bank. I ride to cash checks & he guards it. I told him a weeks pay. I don't know his pay & he doesn't know mine.

I don't want to be dishonest but I don't want to tell many people about the value of my bike. Most simply don't care, so that's no problem. Some just want nothing more than a little conversation. If someone suspicious is asking about my bike's value and I think he or she wants to take the bike, then I'd be inclined to get back on the bike and keep riding. If I had ridden somewhere for an errand or an appointment, I'd ask if I could take the bike into the building with me.

I have two standard answers, depending on who is asking. If another rider asks, I often times will just tell them what the bike lists for and leave it at that. If it is a non-rider, I just say something like “too much" and give a chuckle.

My bikes are all old/used and since I work on them myself and /or friends do and I'm a compulsive/professional "bargain hunter" there's no point in telling anyone how much I've got into a bike since it's unlikely they could replicate it. I just say I got it very cheap in a thrift store a long time ago that's close enough to the truth about any of my bikes ...:D

I have no problem with lying to rude strangers. If they're persistent a-holes I have no problem telling them to **** off.

I like that one...and it is true in my case. :P

Aaron :)

If it helps for some, just slap a Huffy or Roadmaster sticker on it and move on and so will the ones asking. The only time I ever asked someone about their bike, was how much it weighed, as it showed all the upgraded parts and all.

But I'm not sure how effective it would be. When I looked at local police reports on burglaries and robberies, the two things that showed up far more often as stolen than bicycles were jewelry and guns. My impression is that letting it be known that there are firearms in the house makes it a more rather than a less tempting target.

I wouldn't recommend an outright lie - telling someone you bought it for $50 from Walmart could lead to awkward subsequent encounters if they see you again after actually trying to buy a similar bike. In my case I can honestly say that I got my bikes used so the price is highly variable - and refer them to a website if they want to get current pricing information for themselves.

Guns like bicycles need to be secured. Most houses aren't that secure. They make safes for a reason, people just don't use them.

Aaron :)

"About twice as much as the shoes you have on".

Not an issue.
In close to 60 years of cycling I've never had anyone ask me about the cost of my bike. I can't recall a stranger ever asking me anything about bicycling. Or maybe I just didn't pay attention to dopey questions from strangers.

My bike (velomobile) costs about the same as a small car (if you buy it new it would be around 5000 euro's or about 6000 dollars) but i dont have to pay for insurance, road taxed, fuel and it doesn't costs as much to maintain as a car and it doesn't depreciate as much as cars do. So i save money in the end by not having a car but this expensive bike. And yes if people want to know the price, i tell them. It's not the worlds biggest secret since they can find the price on the internet if they wanted to.

Them's fightin' words around here! I like it.

Usually I get nice bike and looks expensive and leave it there. If my wife asks I always say $100 and she usually goes out and buys her self something.

I typically answer completely honestly, I tell them that I can't remember what I paid for it.


I had installed a safe (bolted to the wall) in my parents house when I was living there. When I left I left it and several of my guns in it; after all, the number of times that I have needed a hunting rifle "right now" can be counted on the thumbs of one foot.

His house was broken into while he was on vacation and the safe was torn from the wall; yes, my guns with it. Here is the funny part. The ones under the bed in my bedroom / the guest room were untouched.

Back to bikes, Other than what is, in most cases, the truth of , "I don't remember;" I also go with the generic "a lot" or " more than you can get a decent bike for, but I ride mine a lot." It is a real problem here in China because asking how much something costs (or even what your job pays) is not considered a rude or intrusive question. It takes some getting used to.

I was at a Hostel in FuangHuang once and I was locking my bike up in the courtyard for the night and the owner told me to put it in the storage room; but to lock it there too. "After all," he added, "its a 2995rmb bike." He had the price correct right down to the five. In China this is not unusual at all; but, for an American it feels a bit odd to have a stranger rattle off the price of their bike. Oh, the bike was in the storage room the next morning, just like I expected it to be.

It depends on the stranger. To the two guys that were chatting me up while riding around me on beach cruisers, I keep in vague. If it's someone riding in a charity event with me, I'd tell them. But my current bike doesn't tend to interest any of the people riding road bikes, so I've never had anyone in a charity event ask me. When I get my trike, that will likely change and I'll probably shock them when they find out it costs as much or more than their road bike.

Ditto +4


Two years ago, I had the identical experience while waiting for the bus. At the time, I was riding a Cannondale BadBoy. Guy was insistent, creepy and even said to me something along the lines "Betcha could get bout $200 for it at that there pawn shop."


Information is available via the internet and the publicly accessible library.

I overpaid for the Trek Alpha 2.1 (purchased from Bike America--you do the math)--I stopped riding it "daily" because of
the OP's issue with questions and its flashiness. I didn't think about the labeling at the time. Now, I ride it in group rides (sponsored by Trek) and critical mass.

My daily is a Schwinn Crosscut. It looks a mess, is a beast--nothing fragile about her.
I am looking for a folder with the same durability and utilitarianism because due to the "looks" I have been receiving--time is limited on
the acceptance of the Schwinn at my second job. I won't lock her up outside because she may not look like much but those monkey lights are expensive and I do not want them stolen.

So again, to answer the question: No. I do not discuss price point if I am approached. Further, I was taught price point questioning is extremely inappropriate and rather tacky. Like asking "How did Sally die?"



On the other hand, I understand curiousity and friendly chit chat.

Wow, I thought it was a common courtesy not to discuss such things. The only people who might ask would be my friends, who are also into bikes, and it would be phrased as "would you mind sharing how much you paid?". I couldn't imagine a random stranger asking how much something cost.

I suppose you could try to remind them that it's impolite to talk about money by saying something like "would you like to know how much I weigh, too?". Of course, that isn't particularly polite...

I once had a stranger asking me how much I weighed. I have no idea why he asked that question.

I usually ride a bike that I found at the dump and improved with components also from the dump (mostly). So there's no need to lie about the price.

I never tell ANYONE how much I spent on a bike, even if that bike was a steal at a garage sale. It's none of their business. I will tell them where the nearest bike store is if they want to check one out for themselves (unless it was a garage sale deal), but as for actual price - nope. Even family.

I might type it on here if someone is asking about price range for a particular bike or bikes, but as for face-to-face, nope. If someone asks how much I spent or what it cost me, my standard answer is "less than I expected".

In the states I generally and hesitant to talk about prices. However, here in China it is common and expected, to discuss prices. It is a guaging mechanism; however, there is another factor.

Prices are all over the map in China. Something may sell for three times as much in another store and prices are often negotiable. It is also just part of being sociable to discuss prices in China. It is hard for an American to get used to.

I was riding with the club that mets at the Giant shop one afternoon and, at a rest stop, one of the men asked me how much my bike cost. In truth I did not remember, something that they found odd. However, the bike shop owner was with us and he did remember, and told them. In America that would have been unspeakably rude. In China it was not considered rude at all.

Another story; at a Hostel in Feng Huang I was locking up my bike in the enclosed courtyard for the night. The owner stopped me and commented that I should lock it in the storage room for the night. After all, he added, "its a 2995 RMB bike." We would have rounded; but he clearly took pride in knowing exactly how much that model cost.

Just different cultures.

I've really never understood the hesitation in the USA to discuss cost of something or salary among friends. It almost seems like we gauge our worth by what we can afford (or in some cases buy but not afford) or how much we make. If a friend asks me how much I paid, I'll tell them. I'd likely follow up by the fact that I saved for 3 years doing side jobs and paid cash because I knew this is what I wanted.

While I was riding to the Optometrist the other day, an older man whom looked a little homeless came up from behind and was waiting at the corner with me for the light to change so we could cross; he was on a bike too.

He made some conversation with me asking about my bike, thinking they were 16" tires.

After a few questions about it he finally asked how much it cost. I felt that since he wasn't some young looking wanna-be gangster I didn't feel overly concerned about telling him. But usually, I don't like discussing how much I pay for things even with family.

But at the same time I understand why some people ask, it's because they're interested in the same things we are, don't know price market fully and want to know if its good quality because they don't wanna buy an inferior product.

Discussions about the cost of my bike never take place in the presence of my bike. It's come up when I talk general bike quality with people on the job, but when I'm out and about, no one speaks. (I've been told by one relative, a through-and-through 'gangsta', that I looked like I could f*** up some sh**, so people don't mess with me. Others in the hood think I'm a cop. I don't correct their impressions....)

I just tell them 35 ducats and a florin or two.

On my touring bike, I offer to trade their nice car for my bike.

My beater road bike, exactly what I paid for it, $50.

I tell them the truth:

"This bike? I pulled it out of a dumpster."

"This bike? I got it from the city dump."

"This bike? I got it at the pawn shop for $50."

:lol: I found it in the LBS dumpster, just under a couple of Colnagos.