Situation: You have a mostly stock 2011 Trek Fuel ex8 (Shimano SLX, elixir 5 brakes, Fox 120mm RL fork, RP2 with DCRV shock). Bank error in your favor, you’ve got $1000 burning a hole in your pocket. What do you do?
What
Do
You
Do?

What I’m considering:
Option 1 – Blow it all on a sweet new fork. Fox FIT RLC 120. Oh the low speed compression damping goodness. Mother of god. Put the old fork on the loaner bike, or hawk it on craigslist.

Option 2 – Convert to XT 2x10 and put the old parts on my loaner bike/hardtail. Added plus, this might actually make me want to ride my hardtail because the SLX stuff is pretty solid.

Option 3 - **********????

Cut your losses, CL it and buy a Yeti.

I'm not really crazy about either option. They seem like relatively low benefit over what you've already got. I would probably be inclined to splurge on some nicer wheels or a full carbon cockpit (with room to spare). Just because you won second place in a beauty contest doesn't mean you won't need something more in six months and wish you hadn't overpaid for something you basically have already.

Dropper post. Not that that costs $1000, but nothing wrong with having money left over.

Alternately, option 1 and then send the old fork to me.

industry nine

The bank will most likely find the problem and want the money back. Don't spend it.

Dump the Elixir and get some Shimano M785's (2012 XT's), get a dropper post is another good one, either a 2012 Reverb, or hold off for a few months till 2013 Fox and Joplins are out, otherwise, what wheels are you running, swapping for some ligher / better ones would be a good upgrade.

Yeti sounds cool but the nearest dealer is 2,000 miles away so I've never ridden one. Also the geo is the same as my trek on their 5 inch bike, just a better suspension pivot.

The wheels are another good idea, i built all the wheels on all my other bikes. I'm running the stock wheels, some no-name shimano hub and bontrager duster rims, straight gauge spokes. I like the offset spoke bead on the duster rims but the hubs are complete crap; the cones keep loosening up every few rides and I'm sure the races are going to be shot pretty quick. Otherwise they've stayed true since their initial re-tensioning.

If I got new wheels and disk brakes I could put the old wheels and brakes on my loaner bike which has V-brakes now...

Hmmmmmmm

Chris Bling hubs but what rims? I weigh 180 and do mostly rocky rooty XC trails, no big drops or super gnar.

3. Return the money. It's the honest thing to do.

To the bank?

Maybe if it was personal, or a small mom and pop shop, but to the man?

This is assuming you're banking w Wells/BA/Chase or something or other, and not some local credit union.

to heck with the man. New wheels get my vote. 1000 bucks will build you a mighty fine wheel set.

Oooh yeah, do that. Forget your King hubs laced to whatever rims. Go I9.

Good god people stay on track! Bank error was a metaphor (and a monopoly reference), it was a payroll error where they weren't paying me what they said they were paying me until I checked finally.

Also, straight pull aluminum spokes and aluminum nipples? I don't think so. I haven't had a steel spoke from a wheelset I've built or maintained break on me yet.

There are no nipples on I9 wheels. I could testify to their toughness as well but it sounds like you've already made up your mind.

Didn't read that part...give it back. It ain't yours.

Convert to SRAM X.9 triggers/derailleur, Sun Equalizer wheelset, and go tubeless with Stan's. Spend the other $500 on whatever you want.

$1000?

bank error in your favor? are you playing monopoly?

spend it on a kick ass mountainbike trip.

buy gas for a whole month.

eat out at an awesome restaurant, actually eat really really really well made food.

if not, get a 170mm rock shox lyrik and shimano xt trail brakes.

Ya only have a 1k budget? I9s are excessive bling IMHO. A Stans wheelset using their in house hubs will get you a decent tubeless wheelset and they're 30 POE if memory serves. Use the remaining to send the fork and/or shock to Push.

While I'm impressed with the general moral righteousness of everyone, there seems to be a misunderstanding, see my previous post:

This is money that I earned but was not paid, it was not really a bank error, that was suppose to be a lighthearted joke.

Apparently banks are serious business.

Can push do much with an Float RL fork?

I'm just gonna go ahead & put it out there that you should return the money.

Not that it would make any sense, but the general consensus here seems to be that you don't deserve the money you earn

Why give money back to the banks that partly caused the recession we are in and then got ALOT of bailout money (money that came from your tax dollars) maybe im a terrible person but i say spend that cash!

- Couldn't you just have a FIT cartridge installed? Not sure if that's possible, but it will probably be cheaper
- Dropper seat post
- Just convert your current 3x9/10 to 2x9/10
- New hubs, you said you built your other one's yourself and that you like your current rims, so maybe just change the hubs
- Bling cockpit

After reading these responses, the clear choice is to return the money to the bank.

LoL'z and stuff..................

(For reals, I'd think wheelset and carbon (bars, seatpost and cranks))

There is a lot of angst attached to my LOL.

I'm going to my LBS to discuss my problem with them, since obviously they won't tell me to give my money to a bank.