Are expensive bikes worth it?
06-18-23, 05:51 AM
#101
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Or, maybe spending a lot of money on a bike simply motivated you to that higher performance level. You thought you should be faster on your "Italian racing bike", so you were. No doubt the weight savings with the new bike had something to do with it, but maybe not as much as you think.
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06-18-23, 02:14 PM
#102
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OP here, and I found out that several people in the factory that I work at go on regular bike rides, so I asked them. One had a 2012 Specialized Venge Pro that he was looking to pass along, and he was kind enough to let me borrow it for a couple of days to figure out if I wanted to buy it, and to test ride it.
I tried it on the first day I got it home. It is objectively better in literally EVERY category. Despite being in my work clothes, riding in heavy wind, on a bike I am unfamiliar with, and in the rain, my average mile time improved by over 10%.
So I can kind of see why the question seemed ridiculous to most of you now. I will say that for my hobby riding that I am doing (10-25 miles, two or three times a week) that this is probably way nicer of a bike than I need, but that isn't going to keep me from buying it
I tried it on the first day I got it home. It is objectively better in literally EVERY category. Despite being in my work clothes, riding in heavy wind, on a bike I am unfamiliar with, and in the rain, my average mile time improved by over 10%.
So I can kind of see why the question seemed ridiculous to most of you now. I will say that for my hobby riding that I am doing (10-25 miles, two or three times a week) that this is probably way nicer of a bike than I need, but that isn't going to keep me from buying it
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06-18-23, 04:30 PM
#103
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I prefer to buy a frame have it assembled with the right parts. As for road bike equipment I stick with Dura Ace7800 and for mountain bike stuff XT 780 T.No, 11 speeds or 12 speeds stuff, no electronic transmission, and no disc brakes for me.
06-18-23, 06:39 PM
#104
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OP here, and I found out that several people in the factory that I work at go on regular bike rides, so I asked them. One had a 2012 Specialized Venge Pro that he was looking to pass along, and he was kind enough to let me borrow it for a couple of days to figure out if I wanted to buy it, and to test ride it.
I tried it on the first day I got it home. It is objectively better in literally EVERY category. Despite being in my work clothes, riding in heavy wind, on a bike I am unfamiliar with, and in the rain, my average mile time improved by over 10%.
So I can kind of see why the question seemed ridiculous to most of you now. I will say that for my hobby riding that I am doing (10-25 miles, two or three times a week) that this is probably way nicer of a bike than I need, but that isn't going to keep me from buying it
I tried it on the first day I got it home. It is objectively better in literally EVERY category. Despite being in my work clothes, riding in heavy wind, on a bike I am unfamiliar with, and in the rain, my average mile time improved by over 10%.
So I can kind of see why the question seemed ridiculous to most of you now. I will say that for my hobby riding that I am doing (10-25 miles, two or three times a week) that this is probably way nicer of a bike than I need, but that isn't going to keep me from buying it
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06-19-23, 04:16 AM
#105
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Another angle - if you're out suffering on the bike because you don't have the fitness to ride a basic flat bike path - do you feel better or worse on an expensive bike - knowing that you dropped $$$$ and are in no way enjoying your ride?
For fathers day my 12 year old son and I went for a 48 mile ride on some local roads and 30 mile bike path. The bike path was packed with people, many on very expensive bikes, many people were not looking or doing well.
He, a 12 year old, noticed a few things - we were not passed once by anyone on the entire ride. People were not riding well, struggling, walking their bikes up the small hills on the path, complaining about the wind and how far they had left to go - he also noticed that most of the road bikes cost way more than what we were riding - and he asked why would you spend so much money on a bike if you can't even enjoy a ride... And yes, my son is a bike junky and knows what expensive/good bikes are.
Guy next to us at the parking lot came in on a new Colnago - he was dead, and he complained to us about the heat - 80 degrees, and the head wind - 10-12 mph gusts, and how he was gassed after 20 miles.
For me, if you're not fit, not able to enjoy an easy ride - dropping 10k for a bike, just to suffer, would only make me feel worse.
For fathers day my 12 year old son and I went for a 48 mile ride on some local roads and 30 mile bike path. The bike path was packed with people, many on very expensive bikes, many people were not looking or doing well.
He, a 12 year old, noticed a few things - we were not passed once by anyone on the entire ride. People were not riding well, struggling, walking their bikes up the small hills on the path, complaining about the wind and how far they had left to go - he also noticed that most of the road bikes cost way more than what we were riding - and he asked why would you spend so much money on a bike if you can't even enjoy a ride... And yes, my son is a bike junky and knows what expensive/good bikes are.
Guy next to us at the parking lot came in on a new Colnago - he was dead, and he complained to us about the heat - 80 degrees, and the head wind - 10-12 mph gusts, and how he was gassed after 20 miles.
For me, if you're not fit, not able to enjoy an easy ride - dropping 10k for a bike, just to suffer, would only make me feel worse.
06-19-23, 09:01 AM
#106
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Another angle - if you're out suffering on the bike because you don't have the fitness to ride a basic flat bike path - do you feel better or worse on an expensive bike - knowing that you dropped $$$$ and are in no way enjoying your ride?
For fathers day my 12 year old son and I went for a 48 mile ride on some local roads and 30 mile bike path. The bike path was packed with people, many on very expensive bikes, many people were not looking or doing well.
He, a 12 year old, noticed a few things - we were not passed once by anyone on the entire ride. People were not riding well, struggling, walking their bikes up the small hills on the path, complaining about the wind and how far they had left to go - he also noticed that most of the road bikes cost way more than what we were riding - and he asked why would you spend so much money on a bike if you can't even enjoy a ride... And yes, my son is a bike junky and knows what expensive/good bikes are.
Guy next to us at the parking lot came in on a new Colnago - he was dead, and he complained to us about the heat - 80 degrees, and the head wind - 10-12 mph gusts, and how he was gassed after 20 miles.
For me, if you're not fit, not able to enjoy an easy ride - dropping 10k for a bike, just to suffer, would only make me feel worse.
For fathers day my 12 year old son and I went for a 48 mile ride on some local roads and 30 mile bike path. The bike path was packed with people, many on very expensive bikes, many people were not looking or doing well.
He, a 12 year old, noticed a few things - we were not passed once by anyone on the entire ride. People were not riding well, struggling, walking their bikes up the small hills on the path, complaining about the wind and how far they had left to go - he also noticed that most of the road bikes cost way more than what we were riding - and he asked why would you spend so much money on a bike if you can't even enjoy a ride... And yes, my son is a bike junky and knows what expensive/good bikes are.
Guy next to us at the parking lot came in on a new Colnago - he was dead, and he complained to us about the heat - 80 degrees, and the head wind - 10-12 mph gusts, and how he was gassed after 20 miles.
For me, if you're not fit, not able to enjoy an easy ride - dropping 10k for a bike, just to suffer, would only make me feel worse.
Sure I've seen the odd unfit guy walking their £10k bike up a steep hill during an event and it is certainly not a good look. But for the most part guys I see at events on very expensive bikes are decent riders and many are very competitive.
Maybe it depends a lot on where you live and the local biking culture. Here in the UK, there are a lot of very fast club riders, mostly riding relatively new bikes, mostly mid-high end builds.
06-19-23, 09:10 AM
#107
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This sounds more like a weird dream to me - lol! Hammering along the bike path with a 12 year old, passing dozens of guys struggling to keep moving on their £10k super bikes.
Sure I've seen the odd unfit guy walking their £10k bike up a steep hill during an event and it is certainly not a good look. But for the most part guys I see at events on very expensive bikes are decent riders and many are very competitive.
Maybe it depends a lot on where you live and the local biking culture. Here in the UK, there are a lot of very fast club riders, mostly riding relatively new bikes, mostly mid-high end builds.
Sure I've seen the odd unfit guy walking their £10k bike up a steep hill during an event and it is certainly not a good look. But for the most part guys I see at events on very expensive bikes are decent riders and many are very competitive.
Maybe it depends a lot on where you live and the local biking culture. Here in the UK, there are a lot of very fast club riders, mostly riding relatively new bikes, mostly mid-high end builds.
Many 4K+ rigs. To me, 4K+ is expensive - especially for what looked like a bunch of non riders on a bike path.
See it all the time - a guy on a CF Trek with decent groupset, with a crap bike fit, wearing tennis shoes and a t shirt - humping down the path at a crawl.
Fits into my thinking of “worth it” not being a being a one sized fits all discussion.
OH, and my son drafts behind me pretty well at 18-20 MPH.
06-19-23, 09:21 AM
#108
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One super bike.
Many 4K+ rigs. To me, 4K+ is expensive - especially for what looked like a bunch of non riders on a bike path.
See it all the time - a guy on a CF Trek with decent groupset, with a crap bike fit, wearing tennis shoes and a t shirt - humping down the path at a crawl.
Fits into my thinking of “worth it” not being a being a one sized fits all discussion.
OH, and my son drafts behind me pretty well at 18-20 MPH.
Many 4K+ rigs. To me, 4K+ is expensive - especially for what looked like a bunch of non riders on a bike path.
See it all the time - a guy on a CF Trek with decent groupset, with a crap bike fit, wearing tennis shoes and a t shirt - humping down the path at a crawl.
Fits into my thinking of “worth it” not being a being a one sized fits all discussion.
OH, and my son drafts behind me pretty well at 18-20 MPH.
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06-19-23, 09:41 AM
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This sounds more like a weird dream to me - lol! Hammering along the bike path with a 12 year old, passing dozens of guys struggling to keep moving on their £10k super bikes.
Sure I've seen the odd unfit guy walking their £10k bike up a steep hill during an event and it is certainly not a good look. But for the most part guys I see at events on very expensive bikes are decent riders and many are very competitive.
Maybe it depends a lot on where you live and the local biking culture. Here in the UK, there are a lot of very fast club riders, mostly riding relatively new bikes, mostly mid-high end builds.
Sure I've seen the odd unfit guy walking their £10k bike up a steep hill during an event and it is certainly not a good look. But for the most part guys I see at events on very expensive bikes are decent riders and many are very competitive.
Maybe it depends a lot on where you live and the local biking culture. Here in the UK, there are a lot of very fast club riders, mostly riding relatively new bikes, mostly mid-high end builds.
My first organized ride, (in 1988), was a 50 mile loop with a steep-ish climb about half way in. There were multiple people walking or sitting on the side of the road. I was really surprised by that.
A few years ago there was an event near here where you could ride with Peter Sagan. If you got the hotel and ride package it was about $3500. People came from all over the country and there were hundreds (at least) of riders. The featured ride was in the local mountains and my club happened to be riding some of the same climbs and I was shocked at how unprepared many of the riders were. If I pass you on a climb you are not having a good day and I passed a bunch of these squids. Some even gave up and turned back.
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06-19-23, 09:45 AM
#110
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I guess it's a very different cycling culture where you are. I'd say the average club rider here is on a £3-4k bike (carbon frame, Ultegra level build, mostly disc brakes) and they tend to be pretty fit, keen cyclists. Certainly don't see guys in T-shirts and trainers on bikes like that!
06-19-23, 12:16 PM
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I guess it's a very different cycling culture where you are. I'd say the average club rider here is on a £3-4k bike (carbon frame, Ultegra level build, mostly disc brakes) and they tend to be pretty fit, keen cyclists. Certainly don't see guys in T-shirts and trainers on bikes like that!
