shawnj73

Age has nothing to do with it, actually most of the big s--t talkers are in there early to mid thirties! I do agree that our younger generation does not want to work for anything. I am also a person that does not discourage anybody from riding what ever they want to ride; however I am entitled to speak an opinion, and my opinion is that spending 5000 dollars bike to get attention is a waste of a good bike. You want to impress the cycling community ride up beside a rider, and ask questions like what size gears do you like to use on this climb. That is Impressive! I love the comment that someone on this thread; he bought a bike that he basically could grow into. This is a thought, but how do you the rider know what you are capable and not capable of, unless the rider is already cycling? How do you know you are even going to like the sport? I do not know what inspires a new rider to buy a ride over 1500, but once again it is only money, and it is good for industry.

ManBearPig

Can you please cite an example or two of threads on this forum criticizing and berating beginners in the manner you describe? It would be easier to comment with some specific examples.

cooker

People can do what they want, but I definitely am not in the camp that endorses the notion that you should buy "the best bike you can afford". Sure if you're competing and you're as fit as you can get and an extra $500 will give you the edge over your competitor, and you can find the money, why not? But the majority of riders are casual recreational riders who are not going to experience much difference between a $400 bike and a $4000 bike. And just like some BFers may sneer at someone who buys "too much bike", there are also lots of members here who will egg you on and (perhaps inadvertently) shame you into thinking you need a pricey bike. After hearing their input, you'd be embarrassed for people to know your bike doesn't have a carbon fork, or a ten speed cassette - they might think you're "cheap".

You buy a bike that fits you and is suited to the conditions you will ride in, and if it costs $40 it's nobody's business.

shawnj73

+1

cyclezealot

I have the same dilema right now. My touring bike is decent. A Fuji tourer.
Yet, I have some pretty rigorous plans for long distance touring. Do I deserve an upgrade ?

slide13

I say buy the best bike for the amount of money you want to spend.

I don't care if you have a $6000 custom bike and ride it twice a month. Hey, if that makes you happy and you're cool about it then I'm happy for you. No, if you go getting in my face and telling how cool it is and how cool you are for having it, well, then I have a problem. Conversly, if you have a used bike you picked up for $200 and ride it every day, more power to you!

I'm a shop rat, spent eight years working in bike shops and I have a true love and passion for bicycles. I don't ride as much as I want too and should. Once or twice a week is all usually. I'm also fat and slow and ride a Record equipped bike that is worth more then my car. I don't give a crap what people think about it. I like my bike, I was able to afford my bike (since I worked at the LBS) and I'm happy when I ride my bike. Not much else matters IMO. I don't care what you ride either, if you have a passion for the sport or for bikes in general and are a cool guy/gal then we're good.

So, basically my philosophy boils down to "don't be a jerk and ride whatever you want/like/can afford"

cooker

"Deserve" is meaningless. There are only two reasons to upgrade. You need to, or you want to. Pick one.

55/Rad

I say hunt the world for the best deals on used stuff, build it yourself and let everyone think you spent $3K when all you really spent was $800.

Then you won't feel bad riding it.

baj32161

I couldn't have said it better myself, which is probably why I didn't . Props cooker!

Cheers,

Brian

cyclezealot

The reason I think I 'deserve' an upgrade for some serious touring. I find myself mid way across Kazikistan or somewhere remote; I need the security of having totally reliable componentry.
Don't mean to infer it is a status thing. Fuji puts in some pretty good base line stuff.
My question is really meant for myself.

jbhowat

We call you ROBOTs. Rich Old Bastards on Titanium.

Haha. But really I don't care what people ride as long as they don't think it makes them superior to me. Just because your bike was handcrafted by Ernesto Colnago and blessed by the pope or whatever doesn't make you faster than me. So when we're at a stoplight or whatever - don't act like you're hot **** basically.
Not directed at you Francis, just using the general "you" there.

shawnj73

I seems that you have been riding for a while, so you should know what you need to do.

Arizona-Cyclist

Absolutely! This is my M.O.

For years I strove to upgrade and get "better" bikes. Colnagos, Pinarellos, Custom built - got some, tried some. All the while I had a series of Cannondales. One day it occurred to me - "hey, I like the way these Cannondales feel". I can afford any bike I want - but I ride a flat black Cannondale. They aren't sexy but its what I like and I don't care what anyone else thinks. I don't care if others ride $8000 bikes or $700bikes. Its what they want and what makes them happy that is important. As long as I love my ride, that's all that matters.

Now, Riding in a Discovery Jersey... just kidding!

ManBearPig

Amazingly, nobody (except me) challenges the OP's premise that people here are "criticizing and berating" beginners for their purchases. Everyone in this thread has just run with the topic of how much bike to buy at different levels of experience. I still would like specific examples of criticism and berating.

pigmode

What you ask for is extremely difficult and time consuming to turn up in a search. I've seen enough occurances to where I can completely understand the OP's POV.

ManBearPig

True, but since he just posted about it, I figured he probably saw a thread very recently. He's not reaching back to the depths of his memory 6 months after seeing the thread(s).

ZachS

And you end up with more bikes that way .

San Rensho 

I've found just the opposite of what the OP sees. Here in materialistic Miami, everyone has $5k+ crotch candy, and they compliment those with the newest unobtanium and look down on guys with "inferior" bikes.

I ride a re-painted 3Rensho with no stickers, dressed in a T-shirt, and I get snide remarks occasionally from the crowd that make the crawl from the bling-bling bike shop to Starbucks so they can show off their bikes. But those guys can't ride to save their lives. Feels good to drop guys like that that are 20 years younger than me.

SaintAndrew

to me i don't give a rip if some rookie wants to buy an expensive bike- it's his moeny whateva.


one thing i can't stand is posers though. you've all seen them, these guys have "the look" down pat. a huge pair of blue ice brikos, the full lotto team gear, the giro, the sidis, the ****ing C50.

don't get me wrong they're just spending their moeny how they want, but if you're going to to spend so much effort trying to be tom boonen, you should ride by tom boonen because getting all euro'd out and then getting passes by some kid on a mountain bike has gotta be embarassing.

FormerBMX'er

Exactly what I did, not for $800 but far less than $4,000






Suggested Retail Price $4,000.00 USD

BillyD

Oh . . . . good . . . . . seems like it's a wrap for this thread.

FormerBMX'er

Tell that person with the knife to your throat to stop making you read threads you don't care about

noriel

I find that a lot of the better online gun forums are the same way as it is here. Watch all those new shooters with expensive guns, especially with the clay shooters and their Kriegoff's or Perazzi's, get schooled by rem 870 shooters. It's just like the yuppie harley owners who don't work on their bikes. Hey, our favorite companies need to make money, so the more people that buy my favorite company's products, the better. You can't buy speed or skill, anyway. Just like most of the sports car owners couldn't even handle a track day, or crotch rocket squids can't even get rid of their skunk-striped tires.

If they've got the money, good for them.

I just get annoyed with the whole full-kit team replica thing -- what's the point?

mollusk

People buy fancy bikes for all kinds of reasons. Some need them for the competitive edge. Some need them to motivate themselves to exercise. Some need them for posing. The engineer in me wants to match the engine to the rest of the vehicle and deal with performance metrics versus $'s spent. But that is only one way to view a bicycle purchase. It happens to be the way I do it, but it isn't the only way. Others just love the feeling of a first rate machine even though they may never use it anywhere near its potential or to possess a piece of art (a Vanilla, for example). Personally I don't view bikes that way, but that doesn't mean that I look down on others that do. However, when I ride with others I am more impressed with the "engine" than any other component.

flatlander_48

Personally, I'm just happy that folks are buying the good stuff so the companies will still be in business when I decide to go MegaBucks...