I've been riding for about 20 years, and I've never bought a complete bike, new or 2nd hand

I'm wondering if I'm in a minority


more than one box can be ticked

Me.

Is it drinking time out in Australia right now? Well....when isn't it....I guess a better question would be, is it late out in Australia right now?

I've only bought new bikes...

Never bought new, I have always been given bikes (when I was racing) or bought something used..

Try reesponding to the other thread:

"Poll: who has never bought a brand new, complete bike?"

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=175372

Which isn't a poll, either.

???

Edit: Wait... this one is the poll; the other one isn't.

Now I'm really confused!

I think the last time I had a new bike was when I was in grade school. After I got into cycling more seriously in high school, I usually wanted to build my own. Here's some of the ones I've ridden at some point:

Raleigh single speed
Schwinn 5spd banana seat
Mongoose BMX
Holdsworth (first real road bike)
Zullo Columbus Aero (little too flexy)
Guerciotti SLX road (one of my favorites)
Maza
Gios Columbus SL road
Cannondale 3.0 (perhaps a little too stiff)
* 2002 Lemond 853 frame with Shimano Utrgra group
* 2002 Wilier Triestina Alpe d'Huez with Campy Chorus group
* Cannondale MTB team Sobe one with SRAM and coda mix

The last three are what I have now. When I used to race, I'd just replace the frame and fork and reuse the components to minimize the cost due to crashes. Of all the road bikes I miss the Guerciotti with Campy Neuvo Record the most (got it used for about $700 back then). But I didn't have a good fit down until I got the Cannondale 3.0. I ride a 57cm frame now but back then I used to ride 60cm frames. I used to have the saddle so high that I had to ride toes down more often (and no, I didn't know about Jaques Anquetil's pedaling style back then :-). Correct bike fit makes a world of difference.

Bought my Mongoose new, though it wasn't a huge outlay of cash.

The Schwinn I bought as a complete, but in need of repair ($10)

The Barracuda I bought as a complete bike ($35) but stripped it to the frame and rebuilt

The Gazelle I bought as a frameset only.

hmmmmm.....interesting.............seems I'm in the minority

I buy complete bikes one part at a time.

I've bought 6 or 7 complete ones over the years. I don't do it any longer, however, except as parts bikes.

E bay..be! Good deals to be had by all. I have bought two real nice roadies and a great mountain bike on Ebay. Really surprised at how well I did pricewise.I am now building up a weather bike and doing quite well buying piece by piece.Not a fan of my LBS so why dump coin in their pocket for no reason. I will always buy lightly used given the choice of new and large money or used and less -than- large money. I wrench my own bikes so do not feel "obligated" to help out my local shop.

I've bought complete bikes, but never new. Someone buy me a new bike :D

me.. i'm guilty of that.. but i'll never buy one brand new ever again, unless if i hit the lotto.. in that case, i'll buy the whole damn company.

reason is.. i found out that i love building the bikes more, instead of just paying for a finished product. ;)

Does it count as a complete bike if it comes with everything except the pedals?

What if you buy a bike at a bike store and it is delivered to you as a complete functioning bike, but at the time of purchase you swap out components (different saddle, different wheels, etc.) from the maker's specs?

The bike I own now is the first I have bought myself after a year of riding. I got it 2nd or 3rd hand from a mechanic at a LBS.

In my childhood, my father has bought me at least 4 brand new bikes, my Tricycle, a Single Speed CCM, my 3-speed Stick BRC Stingray type bike, and a 10 Speed racer.

Yes, I have bought many "New Complete" Bikes in my life for myself and for my family, too many to count over the years.

I have also Built, from ordering components, 4 bikes, and built 2 sets of wheels.

I have bought 2 complete road bikes since I was 13 yrs. the first was a tech770 around '86 and a Bianchi in '94. neither of which is a complete bike any more.

yep

The 4 bikes I have now were used when I bought them. One from a pawnshop, two from Yellow Bike and one from LBS as frame fork assembly.

I've bought 6 complete bikes new (if you want to include mt bikes make 7 new).

My first road bike a Centurion Le Mans, Ciocc, '95 Cannondale R900, Serrotta Atlanta, Bianchi Pista and a Cinelli Starlight all new.

Used I've bought a Merckx and a Burley Duet tandem.

do you keep the old ones or trade them in?

Sold most of them, really wished I'd kept the Ciocc! I forgot to add one, a Vitus which is what I sold the Ciocc to get. Big mistake, the Vitus was a good climber but really sucked everywhere else. At one point I had the Pista/Burley/LOOK 481/LOOK 381/Felt DA700. Currently I have the Felt/Cannondale CAAD 8 full Record/LOOK 481 (frameset for sale).

My KHS Flite 800 and Scattante CFR LE were purchased new and complete.

Bought one But, Not for myself but,my son 23 years ago if that counts. Guess who's rebuilding it now?

I had 4 Schwinns: a black 20", a 3-speed stick Schwinn Stingray, and an Apple Crate. In high school I bought a Schwinn Super Sport 10 speed. The next and last stock factory build was a Cannondale 7-speed MTB with peperoni fork.