Dancing Skeleton

No.

jr59

No it doesn't end!

And on top of that, it gets to cost more!
Not that those dollars spent will make you one bit faster.

As It has been said many times, IT's NOT ABOUT THE BIKE!

You want to race, ok go race. The newest gear won't make you any faster.

You don't need a PT to train, you don't need a computer.
Granted those things make training easier to track. BUT,
they won't make you faster. Same with wheels.

I meet a lady/girl that I saw leading the "very fast guy" rides.
Thing was she was on a 70's touring bike. very steel and very heavy.
She kills those guys, rides off the front and a little faster than the fastest of the group wants to ride.
No kit, no nothing, but a set of clipless.

I met her while she was riding VERY slowly.
I asked her about things. She was part of the Olympic cycling team and as nice as could be.
She lives in Co, buy her Mom and Dad live here and she keeps a cheap bike at their house.
She rides in the fast rides here just to prove a point. It's not about the bike.
It's about how hard you train, and your genetics.

So spend away! You will still be slow. You may look good, and be able to brag at the coffee shop.
But your $$$ spent won't make you 1 bit faster!

pallen

I was having a similar discussion with a coworker recently (about consumer spending, not bikes specifically) and he said one of the most profound things I've ever heard on the subject. "People spend money when they are bored". I think that pretty much explains about 90% of consumer spending.

AK404

A wise man once said, "Human beings make life so interesting. Do you know, that in a universe so full of wonders, they have managed to invent boredom?"

...or was it “Boredom is the fear of self.”?

I forget.

ThinLine

I have 10 bikes and justify (no wife....yet) them by the various purposes they serve. Everyone needs at least 2 race type bikes, 1 comfort bike, 1 urban grap a gallon of milk bike, girls bike- for girlfriend, 2 mountain bikes, beach type bike................are we getting this

surgeonstone

Nope, lost me at 10.

rvk5150

I think with anything in life it depends on your situation and how much you value something. If this is one of many hobbies you may have to think about this and how much you can allocate to this sport. On the flip side I do believe in budgeting and not going overboard despite living comfortably from a financial standpoint however; you do only live once and the money will not go with you to the grave.

I also play other sports but the only other "hobby" is basketball; that is a sport that can cause someone to spend money on useless things like apparel and of course shoes. Yes; you need good shoes so you do not have shin splints, sprained ankles, etc however; you do NOT need the $400 Air Jordans.

Anyway; I have an itch from time to time and do believe long term I would like to purchase a few older "classic" bikes to work on and have as alternative rides but if you do not keep things in moderation you can get in serious trouble.

jsutkeepspining

i view it like this, if you have the money and it makes you happy (aka u wont starve/go bankrupt/piss off ur wife), whats wrong with enjoying a nice healthy hobby. i ride with guys who are like 20-40 years older than me, and they love cycling, why shouldnt they have a $10,000 bike?

onikazi

I admit im never going to be faster than the average fred, and i hit a quandry after building my dream bike - upgrade-itis ended and i was stuck with waning interest in the latest and greatest. nowadays my bike fetishism tends to land on refurbing old frames. the dollar stretches depending on how much elbow grease im putting in - that being said, the frame im working on how is budgeted for $1500 worth of after market parts +/- what deals i can find on ebay.

surgeonstone

It's not having the 10,000 dollar bike that is the issue here. It's having the 10,000 dollar bike and then pouring over catalogues looking for something newer or better 3 months after getting it. It's the never ending process of more, more, I want more. That's the upgraditis problem. Nothing wrong with a great bike. Get it , ride it and be happy and satisfied with it. That is the goal.

Rowan

And it's not just about the rider.

I am really really sorry to destroy your allusions here, but there has been an absolute fortune spent on the woman you talk about to make her fast enough to be in the Olympic team.

Lots of lab work, lots of bike fitting, lots of travelling around the world to compete and gain a measure against others, lots of coaching, lots of work on new bike tech.

Someone has to fork out the moula for that to happen, and it happens behind the scenes so that when you get to see her on a 70s touring bike mixing it with the go-fast group in wherever, you think hard training and genetics are the only things that have made her fast, and the bike and equipment don't matter.

Just stop and think whether the woman rides her 70s touring bike in the Olympic Games. By your logic, she would, but I would guarantee that the bike she used in the Games was worth, oh, what? $10,000 to $25,000?

Plus, there are many on these forums who will attest that spending a lot of money on a power meter has transformed their training and made them faster. Likely the most successful ones at this have also spent money engaging a coach to assist them get the most out of their training programs and power meters.

Then they have invested in things such as expensive aerodynamic wheels because when they get into the higher categories, a second or so extra speed over a mile in a 20-mile race really adds up, and really do make a difference between winning and losing.

And a good quality rider will tell the difference immediately between a good frame and a fantastic frame, whereas mere wannabes will not have a clue about the nuances.

You can think what you like, but there are occasions when spending dollars will make someone go faster.

hhnngg1

There's nothing wrong with that.

There's everything wrong with buying a $10k bike and then looking to 'upgrade' or try something new just 1-2 years down the road while not having any problems with the $10k bike. That's upgraditis.

Learn to dissociate your shopping enjoyment from spending enjoyment, and you'll have no problems with upgraditis. I still love looking and drooling at DI2, $10+ bikes, etc, but I'm not going to drop the coin on a new bike until I NEED one. I've wasted very little money in this sport as a result.

Machka 

And there's nothing wrong with that either ... if you've got the money to do it. Why not consider upgrades after 1-2 years? There were many years where I would have put 20,000+ km on a bicycle in 2 years. Chances are something needed replacing if not upgrading.

RJM

Exactly. That kind of thought process is what credit card companies and retailers love to see.

Cycling is a relatively cheap hobby. Once you buy the bike and some specific clothing it is all basically free. You don't need to upgrade for years, just replace what breaks or isn't working up to expected. Getting obsessed about spending money and upgrading constantly is missing the point.

DaveWC

I don't see that there's anything wrong with buying any type of cycling equipment so long as you can afford it and so long as you ride a lot. The only bad purchase is for equipment that sits idle or puts your financial security at risk.

bianchi10

upgraditis for me:

-Do I need it....No
-Is it going to make me faster or a better rider...possibly but nothing major.

But, I do it for personal satisfaction. I am upgrading nearly every part of my bike within the next 6 months or so, because I want to. It keeps me motivated in this sport. Its like technology, you buy a new cell phone and 5 weeks later it is out of date and something more exciting and bad arse has already been developed. I like to have the newest/"cool" and if I can sell this and that along with save that that one thing I really want then I see no problem with that. If upgraditis was creating an issue financially within your household then it is a totally different problem. I upgrade when I can afford to do so, which mainly envolves baby steps and not just overnight.

I think the conversation of "do i really need this" has been discussed over and over again. A large majority will never need the bikes/equipment we have, but lets face it, we all desire to have good quality or cool stuff that is appealing. IF upgrading is important to you than I say go for it as long as you can afford to do so. If you are one that realizes their current bike/component/clothes...etc are more than enough and would rather spend your money on things that are more important to you than do that.

some people have upgraditis, some are totally content. IF you happen to come down with the sick and painful disease of upgraditis it will never stop. It continues to grow inside of you like a tumor that corrupts your soul. I have stage 3 upgraditis and am seeking help

AK404

This is not the kind of problem the 41, or anyone, can resolve within a single thread.


I mean, ****, the bicycle is a vehicle: it has two wheels and it takes you places. Where the hell does it take you?

Machka 

Around the world. To places I've never been before. To places I love to visit again. It allows me to do things I would never have done otherwise, and gives me the opportunity to meet people I would never have met otherwise.

Aeolis

I'm at 3 bikes since I started cycling (3 months ago). I finally feel like I have a grasp on what I need and what I want. Still in my head I consider buying a 3k bike that will be 2lbs lighter than my current bike. That can't be the thoughts of a mentally stable individual

jsutkeepspining

+1

thats what i was basically trying to say!

caloso

Desire is the root of all suffering.

Dudelsack 

That is one of the most profound things I've ever read on the Internet. You are really smart. Did you go to college or something?

Dudelsack 

No. When you step on a big nail, or when you stub your toe, or fall off a stair and shatter your patella, THAT is the root of all suffering. To say nothing of kidney stones.....

surgeonstone

And the love of money is the root of all evil.

abstractform20

thats right. rap ists, serial killers, pedophiles, crime bosses, and dictators do it all for the love of money.