How Much $$$..Rude?
 

I am usually asked by people how much my bike costs or this and that costs. Recently a guy who wants to get into cycling more and graduate from his 70's era Kent road bike asks me how much as a complete system............Meaning bike, shorts, jersey, gloves, etc. So I say to him, as you see me and my bike roughly $4500.00. Well, after gasping he said holy sh$#.
In which I replied, you can go alot more or alot less and you get what you pay for. I just happened to have my tommaso CF DA equipped bike, assos socks, descent stratos shorts, pearl izumi jersey, lg carbon gloves, shimao 215 racing shoes, blah, blah. Winter time would have really blown him away....All assos:).

He did calm down and accepted the fact that to participate as an avid cyclist, the cost is within reality of what I have. Maybe not rude and is good to ask.

You probably could've worded your response in such a way as to not come across as showing off. The "you can spend less, but if you want to be decked out like me..." thing seems a bit conceited.

You can buy a decent Cannondale and all PI clothes and save thousands over your setup, and be just as avid a cyclist.

When I get asked, I usually start by assessing why they are asking. If they are looking to just enter the sport, it's easy to say that they can get set up with a decent bike and everything they need for less than a grand. If they are just being nosy because my bike LOOKS expensive, I ask them if they are willing to do the work themselves or are they the type to just plunk down the credit card.

55/Rad

You can get a full carbon with Ultegra for $2000.
Accessories for another $500.
That would be a good set-up for $2000 less than yours.
Like anything, you can spend through the roof, or find some deals. You can scrimp and suffer, or bump up a little and be happy.
You could shop and be clever and do a nice set-up for $1500-$2000. Moving to aluminum, though.
Part of the fun is online hunting and LBS wheelin' and dealin'.


Slackerprince

I usually reply a bike can cost from $20-$20,000 and my bike is somewhere in between.

"Why do you want to know?"

That's my response to a lot of questions. Their answer drives my responses. If they reply "I'm just interested." I tell them "I'm not interested in telling you." Just because somebody askes you a nosy question doesn't mean that you have to answer it.

I'm not that uptight. I could care less if someone knows that it cost me $2,300 to build up my 2500.

Do you have those $90 Assos winter socks? Someone at the LBS was pitching those to me - I was wondering who spends that kind of dough on socks.

I was actually trying to word it in such a way as to not come across as conceited.

NO. I use just plain wigwam wool socks but an warm assos jacket.

$90 bucks for a pair of socks? Wow. Assos is overrated anyways.

well you failed miserably. I would expect flames.

My stock answer is "A lot less then a Porche or a ski boat."

Side note:
Over morning coffee, when a co-worker discovered I was a cyclist he confidently informed the group, with a someone amazed whilst informative tone
"Some of those bikes cost as much as $700."
Because he's pretty much worthless on all counts, I just smiled....

if it costs more than $150, you're a lance wannabe

There are benefits to being 50+. You can just say, "I forgot".

You could still just say that.

I have been dealing with such stupid questions with my motorcycles for 30 years. Invariably, if I tell the person what the motorcycle really cost, they say something stupid like: "thats more than what my car cost!" Sometimes I just reply that I didn't want a car.

Often I just make up a figure, usually a small fraction of the actual cost. They still think its high...

Its the old saying if you have to ask, you wouldn't understand....

People don't realize how much a good bike costs and often times I just avoid mentioning it. For most, it's difficult to understand why someone would spend more than a grand on a bike. It's so annoying when someone stands there with a moronic look on their face asking: "you paid how much for a bike?"

It all depends on how the question is asked, IMHO. Some people have no interest in cycling and are just nosy. To them, I'll say that a decent road bike costs between $1000-$3000, but that you can literally spend $10k-$20k if you REALLY want to burn some cash.

On the other hand, if somebody is interested in the sport, or just wanting to get started, I don't mind telling them what I paid for my bike, but also mentioning that if they can part with $1000, they'll be able to get a perfectly good bike that will give them years of service. They can decide to upgrade later...or not.

Some people just lack diplomacy when asking questions.

Damn straight! Around here there's a lot of people that hunt, I ask them how much they have invested in all their hunting gear (clothes, guns, ammo, license, and more) and the price usually comes out to a lot more than even my Scott CR1Pro and full gear costs- but I don't really have a set SEASON which I can ride, I can do it at almost any time. Oh, and don't even get me started on the cost of a bass boat.

You found the reason I get to buy whatever I want for cycling...my husband is a duck and bow hunter and a bass fisherman...I just say "oh by the way, I spent $$ on some new cycling shorts", and he says OK. He knows hunting season is coming up and doesn't want me to complain when he's out buying stuff!

You don't have to say anything. You can lie. You can give him a range of prices. I go case by case.

I suppose it's rude if the guy already basically knows the answer and is trying to bust chops or see what kind of deal you swung. But if it's just a novice that is basically clueless, just give a generic ballpark answer and possibly details about other options, that probably answers their question.

It's a triple-edged sword. Do you tell a shifty-looking stranger how much the item is so s/he can steal it? Do you tell the price to scare them off because they obviously are an imbecile and you wouldn't want them on a bike anyway? Do you start a nice conversation with someone who is genuinely interested which can lead on to them becoming as avid a cyclist as you?

Remember, too, that in most people's minds, bicycles are still toys. Spending that much for many is amazing. But then, they probably have that invested in the obligatory wide-screen LCD TV, DVD player and PlayStation and surround-sound gadgets at home anyway (which *I* regard as a complete waste of money).

This is the very reason why a lot of road riders are looked at as name dropping snobs. I just help a new rider friend of mine get setup. Craig's List is a wonderful thing. I found a full Ultegra Specialized Allez w\Keo's for $500 after the odds and ends, about $800.00 total.

I say I don't know, that it was a gift from the wife. If anybody wanna know how much a bike costs they just have to look it up on the internet. There is no reason to ask me.

I was in my LBS and this guy came in with his kid and there was a used KHS mtb sitting there and he asked how much. The owner said, $350. That guy almost had a cardiac embolism. ITS USED!? Stormed out of the stored saying, we will go to walmart.