It has been an issue for me since I first began riding. Is it OK to buy above ones own ability to ride? Is a Fred a Fred if he can buy the best bike out there but he himself is a mid packer? How do you know when you gone to far and have become a Bike Tool?

So will I be Mocked or Luved when I buy this bike???

https://www.storckbicycle.com/usa/ind...&s=TT&s2=aero2

There will always be some guy who's faster. And there will always be some guy with a nicer bike. These will not necessarily be the same guy.

Personally, I'm in favor of buying the best bike you can reasonably afford. If it's above your ability, it'll be a good incentive to "earn" it.

Will you be mocked? Probably. In every sport there are those that will mock it. If youre in love with the bike I would say go for it, I mean sometimes you see something you love, and you know you're gonna use it, great go for it. Plus at the MOP its not like you're puttering along at 12 mph, but hey if you are its your money.

That said IMO Spending that much on the bike if you're not on the pointy end of the grid is a waste of money. You can get 95% of the performance of that bike for 20% of the price.

Personally, buying good equipment would reduce the number of excuses I could use for my bike splits.

If possible, never reduce the number of available excuses.

I am personally not a fan of making fun of someone because they buy equipment which my be beyond their athletic means, to a point. And I'll clarify that:

If I see a guy who goes out and buys a nice bike and it fits him well I usually don't question his motives.

However, if I see a guy riding a P3C with 3cm of spacers and an upturned stem, I usually think his purchase was much more about just buying something than getting the most out of it that he could.

Are you sure the Storck is the best fit for your riding style?

It's your money, do what you want with it. This idea that you are "lesser" because you can buy an expensive bike even if you aren't that fast is STUPID. If you enjoy cycling and want to drop a couple of grand on a nice bike, then do it! I myself am not in this position, but have no problems with people that do. To those that freak out, you need to see a counselor because you have serious insecurity and/or jealousy issues.

I have the same opinion of people I pass wether they are on a $300 Wal-Mart road bike or a $7000 Cervelo, "Maybe they're on a recovery ride."

Also, buying better equipment WILL make you a faster rider, although much less than fine-tuning the engine. That said, if you find yourself on the cusp of topping the podium, then I think the money is well spent as long as you are comfortable spending it. When I was a music performance major during my undergrad, it was no surprise that the blokes that had the nicest instruments tended to be higher up, chair wise. At that level, everyone is so close in ability that even the small differences matter.

My $1000 tri bike was beyond my ability. I bought it anyway because it spoke to my soul.

Then I discovered that I loved it so much that I rode it more, which in turn allowed me to get a lot faster. I'm still MOP but at least now I'm closer to the front of the MOP.

Perhaps the same will happen to you.

a nearly 10k bike seems like a bike a pro would be riding in which they dont pay for their bikes. I would say half that should make a mid pack rider all that they can be. as much as i love expensive bikes id have to think you might get looked funny at. but what do i know

Obsession with how others view you is symptomatic of narcissism. Buy the best bike you can afford! I love my bike, whenever I walk by it and my kids are in the room I make the AWWWWWWWW sound like the bike came down from heaven itself and should be worshiped. Then we all laugh and I think to myself how much I love that darn bike but wish I was a better cyclist. Then I am grateful that I can't "say well if I just had a better bike," no it's me. Can't blame the bike that I am a bit on the slow side. You're only a tool if you are ungrateful. Enjoy your life!

within reason, if you buy in the $4000-5000 range, and you are a mid packer, meh, maybe yes maybe no, if you buy a $17,000 TT bike, you might just want to be able to back it up.

That is one fine looking bike! If you've got the money, then go for it!

Enjoy whatever you ride knowing that anyone who criticizes is just showcasing their own feelings of inadequacy.

If buying that bike will make you love the sport even more then do it! I know that I have a bike that is way outside of my ability. It's like driving a Ferrari with me as a Ford Pinto engine So don't worry about what other people say, you are having fun with the sport and besides, "they" (whoever would mock you) are just jealous cause they can't afford it. Either way, just enjoy the sport and have fun with whatever you get.

Me personally, I've got some sentimental value behind my own bike. (https://www.gripandhammer.com/2009/10...ittle-monster/ ) Even though the bike is less than a month old, it was built by Mark "The Grip" Allen's brother and he spent the whole evening entertaining me with racing stories from the 1990's that brought back some great memories while we built "the little monster".

I have a great idea...spend $5000 on a bike that you like, give me the other $4000 and we'll both be happy and we won't get mocked.

I'll PM you my address for the check.

they are right, get a bike you like, ride it till the wheels fall off, then get a new set and ride it some more.

agreed...at my first tri, the guy next to me in transition had the top of the line Argon. Not only did it make me drool when I saw it, but made me bike a whole lot faster so i could see it again when I came back into transition, since he was out of the water before me

I got to see that bike in person.Its pretty cool.would i buy one? No.There are a lot of other things i could spend my money on to make me faster.i dont care if it is a $10,000 or a 1000 bike fit is most important.Unless you are either a pro or have a bunch of money and just want it.Buy a bike that cost half as much and hire a training coach!

Heh sounds like my bike, although its not top of the Line. Argon 18s aren't common here so both races I've done with it so far I've left my bike only to find a crowd around it checking it out in transition each time. Its kind of a cool way to meet new people at races now.

That Storck is not $10,000 by the way. $10,000 only gets you the frame, aerobars, and fork. Also it is only Di2 compatible so add on another $4,000 then you don't have wheels so $2000-3000 for hed or zipp aero wheels (which with a 10,000 frame, you just might want to get) then probably powertap for 1,000 and then a pair of training wheels, so you are getting above 17,000 plus tax

just say'n

I'm always amazed at how much people worry about what equipment other racers are using, and if they're "worthy" of that equipment.

A $10,000 bike is cool, regardless of who's riding it. If you've got the scratch to run something like that, then go for it. Screw anyone who says you aren't fast enough.

See this is gonna sound bad but theres a very hazy line here.

$10,000+ is SERIOUS money to spend on a bike. Serious in both the amount and commitment. Some people have that kinda cash to burn but most of us don't so when we see a bike like that we assume the person is serious about the sport. Now just because you're serious about it doesn't mean you're a front of the pack guy. But unless you have a really good excuse, if you are on a $10k bike and putting around at 13mph bringing up the rear of the pack, then you need to get your priorities straight. If you do a little bit of research and put a little care into it, and are serious about it, you will know whats worth spending bucks on and what isn't for a beginner. And you will take your time and prepare for the event the right way. To someone who is serious about the sport (and I see this in all sports I have done from this to car racing, and so on) it feels like others cheapen it, to the perception of if you buy the best stuff you can keep up with the best. We all know that isn't the case.

Its less about being a poseur, and more about putting the cart before the horse.

Unless you're in the top 10% of your age group, $10K + is too much for a tri bike. In my opinion, yes, you will look like a poser/tool/fred. Nothing I like more than passing $9000 bikes on my $2000 collection of ebay parts. There's lots of excellent, cool bikes for $3000 to $5000.

Visit several local bike shops. Get to know them and the vibe of the shop. Pick the shop you like best. Then identify the coolest, most experienced mechanic ("wrench") there. Order your brand new $5000 bike from them. Have them go over everything and fit you as best they can. Have them customize it to your liking (Sram Red, with Campy brakes, whatever you like). Then put the project over the top by blowing another $1500 on flying you, your new bike, and your wrench, to spend a couple of hours in the wind tunnel. You will then truly have a bike which is the fastest you can be. You will also have a new friend for life, and be first in line anytime you want so much as your seat height adjusted. That would be a very cool, not a Fred, thing to do. In my opinion.

it's been said and I agree, "one never regrets buying quality"

extravagance however is another story

OK, forget all that - I just saw the bike - ok, if you ride like a beginner - you will be mocked. if you can afford it and ride well, go for it! hopefully the laugh (ers) will be in your dust

I've got a Cervelo P2C (hi-end bike) and a Giant Defy $795 road bike which I got after the Cervelo since I wanted a roadie to ride with groups.

I'm just as fast on the Giant Defy, and can finish well in the FOP on both bikes (top 5-10%) in larger triathlons bike leg, and place in smaller ones.

I'm finding that money does not buy much speed in triathlon. Yes, you do need a road bike (not a hybrid/mtn bike), but after that, all the price upgrades don't make much of a difference.

Get the pricey bike because it's fun and inspires you to ride it, but be under no illusion that you're getting a lot of true performance directly from the bike. Probably the most you'll get out of it is 3 minutes on a 1-hr 40k TT course, and that's talking aero wheels, aero frameset, aero helmet, and tight clothing.

I suspect you'll get 1-2 minutes for free simply by perfecting your transitions in most cases. Much better bang for buck.

So, Hammerdog, did you get the bike? It has been a month...just curious.