worker4youth

It doesn't depend on the weight of the bike. If you've got a 30 pound bike, and you're spending $1k to loose 100 grams, you're a weight weenie. It depends on the ratio of money spent to weight loss. Of course, eventually weight weenies with enough money will not end up with a 30 pound bike.

aadhils

I'm pretty fit, and young, and my primary bike weighs in the neighborhood of 40lbs. Anyone wanna rant about that?...

Trev Doyle

This is a very stupid thread.

thewalrus

This is a thread that shows up every 3-4 months, like clockwork. I find it amusing

Do the young, non-fat people complaining about old fat yuppies buying $4000 bikes realize that it's good news for them? When somebody gets tired of a bike they rarely ride and puts it on craigslist, there's a big discount involved. I highly endorse the idea of fat old guys buying Dura Ace stuff and selling it to me one year later barely used!

curiouskid55

Well I only buy a 3 thousand dollar bike about once a life time so is it okay if I have a bike appropriate for the rider I am going to be 5 years from now?

Albany-12303

Its just not the weight - $$ bikes shift better and have better brakes. Plus, they look way cool!

GuitarWizard

As long as they actually ride it and get in better shape, more power to 'em. Let 'em buy whatever they want....it's their money.

For the whole weight weenie thing.....I almost got caught up in it recently - needed a zero setback seatpost, bought a Thomson Masterpiece (but, bought it because it's a damn good post, not just because it's light). Bought a Specialized Toupe seat....but only because it's the most comfortable seat I've ever ridden on. Bought an FSA carbon compact crankset w/ their Ti ISIS BB.....but only because I got the whole setup for under $300 and needed the gearing. I realized that when I started looking at the weights of tires and tubes, I was like "whoooooa wait a minute", and sorta rethought the whole thing a bit. My bike is a bit under 18 pounds as it sits now....which is fine. It rides great, handles great, stiff and comfy....everything I could want right now in a bike. I did buy Conti GP4000 tires, which are fairly light, but got 25mm tires and bought them for the positive reviews they've gotten. I passed on the Dura Ace 12-27 cassette and bought an Ultegra for half the price and 50 grams more weight. There comes a point where it starts getting ridiculous. My 5200 is about 5 pounds or so lighter than my 2100. While I would probably notice the weight slightly while climbing, what I REALLY notice between the two is how much smoother overall the 5200 is....and to me, that was worth the money. The ride is just worlds better.

Besides, I (probably like many others) still have another 20 pounds or so to go before I get back into serious climbing shape. I'm not worried about losing 1/2 pound on my bike - but the process itself can be kinda fun. It's like modding a car....it gets addictive.

GuitarWizard

That's part of the package....my 5200 has far better brake feel/response/braking than my 2100, and shifts much better. Now when bombing down the road, I actually have confidence in my brakes whereas before with the 2100, I always hoped nothing happened that required emergency braking. The RSX brake calipers on the 2100 seemed to not be very stiff . I have always wanted Dura Ace, but I do not regret in the least having Ultegra now. I love it, actually. Looks-wise....I like them both, but prefer the 5200.

pedex

See the same thing in almost all hobbies. Equipment is easy, using it is tough. Just like in the computer forums I hang out in, its quite the rage to buy all sorts of expensive computer gear, yet the most infrequent thing is people that know what they are doing with it, same reasons as cycling. The motor is the hard part, just like knowledge about computers takes time and effort. All the equipment in the world is no substitute for miles and effort spent on the road.

thewalrus

1902 sears catalog

SDRider

Make all the uninformed generalizations you like but there's a guy who works at my lbs who weighs a good 30lbs more than I do who could probably pound you into the sand on a ride.

So please, do us all a favor and leave the generalizations and stupid observations to the idiots on those other forums.

CPcyclist

they are subsidising the things we buy

BikingCT

Why "fat" guys buy expensive bikes:

1. Forces them to ride -- $800 bike in the garage or $3,000 bike in the garage? Which will my wife force me to ride more often to offset the expense (thereby allowing me more time on the bike)?

2. Because we can. Why do some people buy bottled water at $4.00 a bottle? If a "fat" guy can afford an expensive "light" bike, who cares? Most people end up living to their means...the more expendable income they have, the better things they buy (houses, cars, charitable donations, bikes, etc). Besides, every ounce counts. Whether it's on me or my bike, a pound is a pound.

3. For fitness.

4. As a hobby.

5. For fun/recreation.

This is one "fat guy" (probably properly categorized as "big" versus "fat", but I will still join the "fat" side of this argument) who, 3 years ago, purchased a $3,000 bike and who is NEVER going to contribute it to all you perfectly fit, "I'm a better cyclist than you", "you don't deserve that bike", "I'll drop you up the next hill", "you're average speed is only 17.5 mph", professional cyclists. When I'm bored with my current ride (maybe next year), I'll buy a CF bike and KEEP my old bike and just make it my beater, using it only in the rain and other poor conditions. And, if I don't use it for that, I'll just let it sit in my garage and gather dust. Just because I can...

So much for the cycling "community". It's Orwellian..."all cyclists are created equal, but some are more equal than others."

krazyderek

done to death....

64deville

I've found that weight isn't everything when it comes to cost difference. Typically the more you spend, not only do you get a lighter bike but you get a more efficient bike, better riding bike. I find a lot of guys aren't competetive cyclists and often they are a little to a lot out of shape but they like the performance and feel of the higher end frames and components. Its their money so I let them spend it how they see fit, I just explain the differences between the frames and components in a very nuetral way and let them make up their own minds.

I know what you mean as far as ironic weight weenies though, I see them too.

slvoid

Shhhh... don't tell em!

RedFerret

Yeah, you don't deserve to be that fit with a bike like that You need to put down that bike and go see the burger king, maybe in 30-40 lbs you'll be in the proper form to ride a bike like that! Seriously, kids these day, they don't get anything

LIVE2BIKE80

is this a playground? starting to sound like "my dad can beat up your daddy"

and by the way, isn't your above quote about some guy who i dont even know beating me (who you dont even know) into the sand a generalization and a stupid observation? but then again i am just making an observation. this can go around in circles

uga8589

Why do you have an issue with anyone buying anything? Is it his large gut or large wallet that you hate?

I enjoy looking at other people's bikes. I like looking at the threads where people post pics of their bikes. Should we now start making them post pics of their mid sections to see if they match up with the bikes.

AlanS

You are *really* starting to annoy me.

It should be on the left side of your keyboard. That key is usually a bit longer than the other keys. It says "SHIFT" and you press it each time you want to start a sentence. Otherwise none of us will treat your comments seriously.

Thylacine

I pressed 'shift' when I wanted to start this sentence, but nothing happened so I just started it the old fashioned way.



This thread does come up too often, but what the heck, I'll bite. I don't despise people with good bikes. Actually, what I despise more is people who put Record and Lightweight wheels on a Surly. THAT really, REALLY irritates me. To use the Ferrari analogy, it's like them putting their goodies on a Hyundai chassis.

It's dumb. If you have a sh¡t frame, you have a sh¡t bike. I'm sorry, but that's just the way it is. I don't care if you got a good deal on a generic carbon frame with graphics straight out of CorelDraw circa 1995 and it only cost you 500 bucks. If you hang anything decent on that, it's a travesty and you need to be hurt. Preferably with some carbon shards.

Carry on.

okpik

so putting a weak azzed no good motor on top of a big dollar racebike probably irritates you too?

LIVE2BIKE80

it's just so much quicker not to and time is so precious

LIVE2BIKE80

No, but it would be damn interesting

Mo'Phat

Hey...I resemble that remark...except for the young and handsome part.

The OP's comment about older, balding, gray-haired guys not driving their Vipers to their fullest potential, is one of the more ignorant statements of blatant ageism that I've ever read. I know PLENTY of older guys that take their machines to limits that 'kids' didn't even know existed.