Should a high quality very costly bike be based upon ability? Not cash in hand?
 

Is it just me or should there be some type of system that dictates if one is truly worthy of a given bike? Is it OK to be a newby with a new Dragonfly Calfee with full dura ace? Or should one have to work their way up the cycling hierarchy through putting miles in first? I enjoy nothing more than flying by some dood with a $5,000 bike who has a nice matching team kit. Or am I just jealous??

Sure it's ok. Would you want someone else telling you how to spend YOUR money?

You're just jealous.

The speed difference between an entry level $650 bike and your $5k uberbike is less than 2%. If you put aero wheels on the $650 bike and no aero wheels on the 5k bike, the $650 bike will likely be faster.

Price of bike you ride depends on really nothing but your wallet. Skill level has nothing to do with it, despite the fact I do find it somewhat humorous when I see guys on 7k DI2 bikes with deep aero wheels who average 15mph on a flat. (There are a lot of wealthy older guys around here in Silicon Valley that do this.)

It does not matter either way, be happy that people are cycling no matter how long they have ridden or what they choose to ride. Unless they are riding a Strida. ; )

1. You're jealous.
2. Some people actually ride slowly on purpose at times, and don't care that you're whizzing by.
3. Some people who ride slowly may have been able to ride very fast at some point and are not noobs by any stretch of the imagination.
4. Don't assume that the nice bikes and equipment you see out there are actually paid for.

I think we need to encourage more newbs to dive in and invest in the best from the get go (specially if they are as tall as I am). How better to drive down the value of extremely low mileage used top end equipment to the point that even I can afford to ride DA, Red or SR?

Jealous is putting it mildly. Bikes are not expensive. $5000, really? That is the price of a 10-year-old POS economy car.

I'll bet when you grow up you will get the giggles every time you drive past a Corvette doing the speed limit.

That "dood" may be a wounded warrior trying to get his life back together.

<sarcasm>Please, please, PLEASE! Tell me how to spend my money. Please tell me if I'm worthy of any of my bikes. I will immeditately sell any of them that I don't deserve! PLEASE!</sarcasm>

So, let's have an ability based "licensing" system to see who gets what bike? Yeah, that'll do wonders for the economic health of the bike industry.

Has a very sick dystopian sound to it.
"From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs."

Maybe this will help you with your issues.
http://www.amazon.com/Yertle-Turtle-..._Other_Stories

Finance a bicycle...!? that sounds like... that's gotta be rare. Speechless.

You're envious, not jealous. (common mistake)

Maybe the UCI can set up qualifying time trials. Based on your time, you qualify for a bike of a certain cost.
For instance, sub 50 minute 40 k, no limit.
50 - 54 min, up to $6000
55-59 up to $5000
1 hr - 1:04 up to $4000
Etc

I should be riding a Huffy

I think I deserve a Porsche :)

agree with most of what's been said. if one works and makes ones own money, one can buy whatever one wants

I don't have the funds to get the EVO that I would love, but my CAAD works just fine.

I ride with guy's that have expensive bikes, their wheelset cost more than my bike, but many of them are very slow and have no skill

last thing, I would never finance a bike, doesn't make sence to me, but to each their own, my LBS has an actual layaway program that gives you three full months to pay for the bike, a little every payday and your're golden, no finance charges or interest.

Sure - that system was called Socialism and Communism, and it died a long, drawn out death in the Eastern bloc countries.

But, wait... aren't we instituting that system in the U S of A now...

Anyway, in that Utopia, my Dad who has been professor for 40 years should be a billionaire by now and all social workers and public school teachers should be millionaires....

Instead, we have countless billionaires generated by Net and other completely life essential products like food, medicine, shelter, and clothing....

Wait, wrong forum.

Mark

Obviously, people are free to spend their own money any way they want.

That said it does make sense for newbies to put in some time, and work their way up, before making major expenditures. Not because they dont' "deserve" a nice bike, but it's a good idea to take some time and figure out what you actually need and want.

I didn't realize so many of you were riding past me. I will try to stay over to the right as much as possible.

I like how you think.

You're assuming that such a system would determine that you are worthy of the bike you ride.

You guys fall for the same trolls over and over and over . . . . . . .

And the trolls know it. You're getting played.

yeah, but what better do we have to do? Work?

Deserve's got nothing to do with it from Unforgiven :

http://youtu.be/dpDkYZWeeVg

What a silly thought!

This is about the third trolling thread OP has started in the last few days. Go away.

Troll or not, I'll just answer this one since I have a little time to kill.
Newbies are free to buy whatever they want.
Me on the other hand... I'm fairly new to the sport (started 5 years ago) and I like to start with an entry level bike which i still ride now. Atm I'm looking for a mid level bike around the $4k mark. And when I out grow that one I'll buy my first top of the line bike. I just like to start low, use it a long time and than upgrade to something better so I really experience the difference which would be impossible when you start with a really expensive and good bike.
Bottom line, just buy what makes you happy and most important what makes you ride more.