Good Enough For Me
04-10-19, 11:34 AM
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Good Enough For Me
One of the frequent posters on the Track Forum has a saying that is basically, ‘Good enough for me’. His thinking is why spend money on equipment that is designed for a 2,600 watt sprinter, if you can only produce 1,200 watts? GCN did a video where they talked to pro riders and managers about whether they have had a bike fit or not. What I got out of that is that how you are fit to you bike has a lot to do with what your goals are. Over the years, I have noticed that my handlebar height has come up. I care more about being able to comfortably see down the road than being the most aero. I have also bought my first Ultegra equipped bike in 20 years. It works just fine. My favorite wheel set are my HED Belgiums because the are durable and work well in the rain.
I will probably continue to have bikes built for me; why buy to stems, two saddles and two wheel sets just to get your bike to fit right, but I am definitely a different consumer now than I was Years ago.
I will probably continue to have bikes built for me; why buy to stems, two saddles and two wheel sets just to get your bike to fit right, but I am definitely a different consumer now than I was Years ago.
04-10-19, 11:49 AM
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Good enough for you!
04-10-19, 11:55 AM
#3
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My often repeated phrase on these forums is- I have low standards.
Its funny, because I dont consider my standards low until I read threads here, then realize how happy I am with products that are declared inferior and poorly working by many others. Its funny to me, actually.
Everyone has their standards and expectations. Some cant fathom riding a bike with external cables, or shifting by the push a lever instead of pushing a button, or not riding a bike with the most comically oversized bottom bracket. Thats cool and all- everyone has their standards adn expectations. I just chuckle when I read that to not have some of these things is somehow dangerous.
I dont benefit from hydraulic disc brakes on a road bike(heck, they arent even on my gravel bike), I dont need a TA fork with MTB dimensions to ride on roads, and I dont need frame damping features that exist to offset making frames absurdly stiff in the first place. Since I dont benefit from those things, I dont need em. What I have is good enough for me.
My bikes will never hold me back- they are all well ahead of my abilities, so not only is what I have good enough for me, its better than I need.
The 'advancements' in products do hold my interest from a curiosity standpoint though.
Its funny, because I dont consider my standards low until I read threads here, then realize how happy I am with products that are declared inferior and poorly working by many others. Its funny to me, actually.
Everyone has their standards and expectations. Some cant fathom riding a bike with external cables, or shifting by the push a lever instead of pushing a button, or not riding a bike with the most comically oversized bottom bracket. Thats cool and all- everyone has their standards adn expectations. I just chuckle when I read that to not have some of these things is somehow dangerous.
I dont benefit from hydraulic disc brakes on a road bike(heck, they arent even on my gravel bike), I dont need a TA fork with MTB dimensions to ride on roads, and I dont need frame damping features that exist to offset making frames absurdly stiff in the first place. Since I dont benefit from those things, I dont need em. What I have is good enough for me.
My bikes will never hold me back- they are all well ahead of my abilities, so not only is what I have good enough for me, its better than I need.
The 'advancements' in products do hold my interest from a curiosity standpoint though.
04-11-19, 01:31 AM
#4
Me duelen las nalgas
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Ditto. I've had a hankering for an affordable carbon bike since test riding a Tarmac last summer. Until this week I'd had only steel bikes. But I couldn't pass up a deal on a late 1990s-early 2000s Trek 5900. It's not quite as stiff and lively as the Tarmac, but it's pretty darned good.
Good enough for me. I can feel a little difference on climbs and sprints, but overall it feels very familiar, like a slightly lighter, slightly quicker version of my steel road bike. I might be able to improve it a bit with lighter tubes and a few minor tweaks here and there.
Mostly it's just an interesting change of pace. It's motivate me to make a few changes to the steel road bike to nudge it more toward comfort for longer rides.
But until I can consistently hold 300+ watts for longer than 10-20 minutes, the bike won't matter as much as the engine. It's just a fun toy. That's a good enough reason.
Good enough for me. I can feel a little difference on climbs and sprints, but overall it feels very familiar, like a slightly lighter, slightly quicker version of my steel road bike. I might be able to improve it a bit with lighter tubes and a few minor tweaks here and there.
Mostly it's just an interesting change of pace. It's motivate me to make a few changes to the steel road bike to nudge it more toward comfort for longer rides.
But until I can consistently hold 300+ watts for longer than 10-20 minutes, the bike won't matter as much as the engine. It's just a fun toy. That's a good enough reason.
04-11-19, 05:53 AM
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04-11-19, 06:23 AM
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Bought my dream CF bike five years ago. Happy and fast. Training hard for what will probably be my last century and decided I need a backup bike. Bought a $369 Vilano Forza. Set it up as close as I could to match the $2,000 plus CF Zenetto. Guess what - if I closed my eyes I could not tell which bike I was riding - until I started shifting the Shimano Claris vs SRAM Red. "Good enough for me."
04-11-19, 06:30 AM
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I was in a Trek store and was completely blown away by a 13K bike that was on a stand at the front of the store. One of the sales people asked if I would like to take it for a test ride? I told her that the bikes capabilities were so far ahead of anything I could ever hope to produce that is would be an insult to the bike. At 70 I have my personal bests and that is something I set out to try to improve at least once a week on one of my Strava segments but I am still trying to get within sight of the limits of my current bike. My bike isn't good enough for me, it is a goal for me to become better than the bike. "Ride and enjoy" is what I continue to say to myself.
Frank.
Frank.
04-11-19, 06:48 AM
#8
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You will always have folks who are ok with the “good enough” stuff (I’m sort of one of those folks). But there’s also those who need inspiration to keep riding and sometimes that inspiration comes in the form of new Kit, new gear, new wheels, new bar tape and sometimes even a new bike. I don’t fault those folks, we all have different motivations and if a 13k bike gets you out on the road more and you can afford it, have at it!
04-11-19, 07:03 AM
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This is my good enough for me road bike I bought four years ago.
04-11-19, 07:17 AM
#10
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People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
Last edited by TimothyH; 04-11-19 at 07:21 AM.
04-11-19, 07:52 AM
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Because I want it and can afford it.
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
04-11-19, 07:55 AM
#12
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04-11-19, 08:03 AM
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04-11-19, 08:05 AM
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I'm happily mediocre in my cycling ability, both my bikes run sub $800 frames with Ultegra and do everything I need them to, and definitely aren't holding me back any. I've sorta always been this way with gear for anything - middle of the range. But sure, if money was no object I'd probably be riding the latest greatest for the heck of it. Also I think there is a bit of truth to the sentiment that anything that inspires you to get out on the bike is a worthwhile investment, be it nice kit or whatever.
04-11-19, 08:24 AM
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Unless you're willing to upgrade each time you see some hype on the internet, anything you get is going to feel like a bit of a compromise very soon.
Bikes seem to invite conflict because the top of the range is expensive, but accessible to much of the population of enthusiasts and there is some stigma associated with being manifestly unfit and slow on a five-figure piece of equipment. Anyone with the coin can buy a $200,000 car and drive it to the dry cleaners in perfect respectability. The person who buys a 2,000,000 boat, can easily find hotshot crew and a pro tactician to tell them which way to turn the thing to win races.
Bikes seem to invite conflict because the top of the range is expensive, but accessible to much of the population of enthusiasts and there is some stigma associated with being manifestly unfit and slow on a five-figure piece of equipment. Anyone with the coin can buy a $200,000 car and drive it to the dry cleaners in perfect respectability. The person who buys a 2,000,000 boat, can easily find hotshot crew and a pro tactician to tell them which way to turn the thing to win races.
04-11-19, 09:58 AM
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Unless you're willing to upgrade each time you see some hype on the internet, anything you get is going to feel like a bit of a compromise very soon.
Bikes seem to invite conflict because the top of the range is expensive, but accessible to much of the population of enthusiasts and there is some stigma associated with being manifestly unfit and slow on a five-figure piece of equipment. Anyone with the coin can buy a $200,000 car and drive it to the dry cleaners in perfect respectability. The person who buys a 2,000,000 boat, can easily find hotshot crew and a pro tactician to tell them which way to turn the thing to win races.
Bikes seem to invite conflict because the top of the range is expensive, but accessible to much of the population of enthusiasts and there is some stigma associated with being manifestly unfit and slow on a five-figure piece of equipment. Anyone with the coin can buy a $200,000 car and drive it to the dry cleaners in perfect respectability. The person who buys a 2,000,000 boat, can easily find hotshot crew and a pro tactician to tell them which way to turn the thing to win races.
04-11-19, 10:22 AM
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04-11-19, 10:47 AM
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I bought my last bike new in '84. It's still my only bike. It has DT friction shifting and a Helicomatic rear end. It has 27 inch gum wall tires. It has 36 spokes per wheel and alloy rims. It gets me from point "A" to point "B" and back again. I like it. It's good enough for me.
Jon
Jon
04-11-19, 06:59 PM
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Because I want it and can afford it.
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
04-11-19, 09:01 PM
#21
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The posters on the track side are largely competitive cyclists, not enthusiasts. The point I believe that the poster was making is save money in one area so you can spend it somewhere else that will make you competitive. Some of those guys are riding track bikes that are $15,000 so I doubt they would look down or even care how much you spent on your bike. Those guys are hard core. Some have spent money to spend time in a wind tunnel to collect data.
-Tim-
04-12-19, 12:58 AM
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It is pretty simple; As my cycling perspective or goals have changed, so have my perceived needs. The Idea of why spend money on high level equipment if you don’t need it really resonates with me, but for different reasons than what was intended by the original poster of the statement. I will probably not buy another bike with Dura Ace because my Ultegra bike works great for me. Some riders have a similar philosophy, some don’t. No big deal. Either one works if it works for you.
04-12-19, 05:32 AM
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Yeah. Instead of something on the higher end I opted for a custom-designed, hand-crafted, ti frame built by a local artisan and LBS owner who twice won best MTB at NAHBS.
04-12-19, 06:01 AM
#24
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Because I want it and can afford it.
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
People who will never work in a commercial kitchen use use Calphalon cookware and J.A. Henckles knives.
My neighbor will never drive his Audi R8 as fast as it can go but he is free to own it.
People are free to buy whatever they want for as much money as the feel they can afford. If someone wants to buy a pro tour bike to ride around the subdivision then that's nobody's business but their own. I don't have to justify my purchases to anyone, nor does anyone have to justify their purchases to me.
-Tim-
04-12-19, 06:47 AM
#25
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It is pretty simple; As my cycling perspective or goals have changed, so have my perceived needs. The Idea of why spend money on high level equipment if you don’t need it really resonates with me, but for different reasons than what was intended by the original poster of the statement. I will probably not buy another bike with Dura Ace because my Ultegra bike works great for me. Some riders have a similar philosophy, some don’t. No big deal. Either one works if it works for you.
If recreational then I'm still not understanding how my comments are excluded.
Assumption
-Tim-