Originally Posted by
Happy Feet
I guess there are two ways to look at it.
From a luxury item/want perspective who's to say how much some one should spend. People buy $50,000 watches when a $100 Timex will do. Some people live frugally and save up for that one grail item while others spend a lot on all aspects of their lives.
From a practical perspective, unless you are a professional racer, a $10,000 bike is fairly ludicrous. It's also weak. There is nothing more pathetic than soneone who says they have fine taste and prefer expensive things - like no sh_t. How uninspired can you be. "I like the best this, and the best that.." is something someone with little practical experience often says because they have no real grounding to base specific preferences on. They want what they've been told they ought to want which in N.A. is excess.
For people who are serious it would be plausible to buy a level or two above their current skill level and appear reasonable but like someone above said; if you have crap skills and a champagne bike be prepared for some well deserved mocking related to the paragraph above.
In another practical vein, the technology for bikes is pretty mature and still not at a point to warrant $10,000 builds unless it's someone's grail bike. The law of diminishing returns dictates that, for the average rider, a bike in the 1-3K range provides all the technological advantage they can utilize. If you think you need to spend > 5K because of your skills... you don't.
The problem with bikes is that they are made to be ridden but can become status symbols wherein owners or lusters argue theoretical advantages of minutiae.
My ICE recumbent trike costs $10,000+. It is worth it. The front and rear suspension mountings make riding on the chip sealed roads around here pleasant instead of miserable. The Rohloff hub gear is trouble free and can be shifted while standing still. The Shimano E8000 pedelec electric motor laughs at hills that I used to crawl up at 2.5MPH and also gives me a superior aerobic workout because it lets me maintain good RPM. The Frog Speedplay pedals give my knees all the float they need. The drum brakes do not require adjustment and I happen to be mechanically challenged. The custom made Finer Recliner neck rest is comfortable. The fenders keep me and the trike clean. The expensive rear rack is very strong and well-designed. The posts with handles help in getting on and off the trike. The Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires protect against flats. The DiNotte lights front and rear get drivers' attention while the bell made of Japanese temple bronze gets pedestrians' attention and sounds beautiful. Going downhill at 35MPH the trike rides as though on rails.
I'm 81 and after knee replacement my legs wouldn't flex enough to ride a diamond frame. I reluctantly had to part with my 1980's Jim Redcay custom built touring bike which was also expensive and worth it. The amount of money in medical bills saved by having a trike that makes it a pleasure to exercise, justifies the cost of the trike.