DTG

I figured to put it here since the bike at hand would get more use commuting.

Anyway, have you ever wanted something but just can't get around to buying it for yourself? You figure after time, the thought will go away but in actuality, it doesn't. My situation is from the moment I saw the Jamis Renegade Elite, it's been on my mind non stop. That bike checks off so many things I want in a bike, hell, things I thought I had with my 2015 Diverge Comp Carbon. Don't get me wrong, I still love and cherish my Diverge but that Jamis is on another level with the things you can do with it.

In short, what do you do in those trying times of wanting something but not pulling the trigger? The money for the bike and few upgrades isn't the issue. I'm just trying to justify it overall even though I have in my head multiple times. I'm torn and at a crossroad. What would you do or what have you done when faced with this dilemma?

john_mct

They're both too freakin nice to be commuters, first of all...my heart really goes out to you struggling with this decision. Buy it if it will make you happy, it probably won't though...there will be another awesome bike in three years. The Jamis is a bike, that you can pedal places, just like the one you have...there is no other level of what one can do on a bike, especially when comparing two that are so very similar...

mcours2006

Stop over thinking it. One bike is all you need, all the others are wants. If you want it then you should buy it, especially if money isn't an issue.

Darth Lefty 

SWMBO: "It's always been up to you. Don't worry, I can make the budget work. It will just have to come out of the vacation fund. I just want you to be happy."

Jim from Boston

To buy or not to buy, that's the question.I have posted,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

…. As almost all bike lock threads admit, no lock is fool-proof….

My bikes are perfectly suited to me, so besides the expense of buying a new bike, the hassle of just shopping for a new one with my limited time to shop would be intolerable.…

I hate to shop, but I much prefer to buy something important for myself rather than by someone else. Furthermore if I really needed/wanted it I would not expect my yearning to disappear.

My shopping strategy for something important is to look at the high end (expensive) models first, just to know what’s available and then whittle downwards to find what’s acceptable, the so-called sweet spot of price/value.

I’ve participated in several popcorn threads on BF about the value of “expensive” bikes (I have one), and my last word is "At least I have no buyer's remorse about what I may be missing."

Regarding buying the bike,

Jim from Boston

I had to look up SWMBO.

alan s 

Spending is good for the economy.

RubeRad

That's a great question. I try to be aware of that all the time, and it's one of my gates for buying something, especially something expensive. I try to avoid impulse purchases. If I forget about it, then I didn't really want it or need it. So wanting something for a long time is an indicator that something may be worth buying.

In my case I've been commuting on a CrossCheck for 4 years now. After one more school year I'm sending a kid off to college, and I was hoping to send my commuter with him and use that as an excuse to upgrade. I'm thinking Volagi Viaje (hey what happened to Volagi.com -- did they go out of business?!), or some cheap Ti. Problem is, my kid doesn't like my bike, so I got some marketing to do...

However in your particular case, I have a hard time distinguishing what's so amazingly great about the Jamis that the Diverge is lacking. I mean, that Jamis is a kickass bike, but so is the bird in the hand. I would definitely not want to own both of those bikes, they're so similar.

So here's what you do. Take the price you paid for the Diverge, and cut it in half. That's what you can reasonably expect to get for it on Craigslist. Subtract that from the price of the Jamis. Add the price of the intended upgrades. If that total price is something you can afford, and are willing to spend, then go for it.

srestrepo

this is a dilemma i deal with constantly. how do i solve it? luckily, i can work overtime. at which point, i'm either too tired to care for buying the thing i wanted anymore or i can't wait to get it and i love it forever. i let exhaustion do the talking.

but mostly, like others have stated above, i start with the most expensive offering and work my way down the list of features of things that i can do without and things that i cannot compromise on.

i looked at the Jamis too - also for commuting.

i ended up getting a GT Grade Sora because ultimately, i was going to be commuting on it and the GT had all of the the things i wanted and none of the stuff i didn't plus it was a holdover from last year that fit me well and so it was a great price. i ended up using the money i saved to upgrade the components and make it more comparable to the jamis but only in places where it mattered most to me personally (new TRP spyres and discs and new tiagra components).

either way, if its eating at you like that, just do it, you'll regret it later. the jamis is a nice bike...

Jim from Boston

Just his morning, same as my post, I became intrigued with the idea that I could use a videocamera for biking.

srestrepo

nothing like wondering how much better that castelli jacket is over the one i presently have... surely there has to be some tangible difference in quality and feel that would improve my life in some enormous way... also jim, i wish i had the chance to ride around boston daily. i'm in springfield and let me tell you - its a battlefield out here. we barely have any bike infrastructure or people accustomed to riding our here like you might in boston.

Darth Lefty 

@Jim from Boston well it does help if you have a compelling story and you've hit max out-of-pocket on your insurance plan!

Darth Lefty 

Founder and chief engineer had a wreck last year and suffered a TBI. News since then has mostly been about his recovery, not the bike business.
https://www.google.com/search?q=vola...volagi&tbm=nws

RubeRad

wow, that's terrible!

InTheRain

Yep. Jamis Renegade is the #1 bike on my list. However, as nice as it is, I'm not willing to fork out the dollars. I have an excellent commuter (ebike) that gets the most ride time. I have a road bike that has been getting hardly any miles lately because of the weather (and when we get the rare nice day, I've been choosing to use that time for some golf that has also been rare this year.) I guess I'm not in the market... but if I were, it would be a Jamis Renegade.

DTG

As much as some people believe that, I could never get on board with that line. The same could be said about jeans, shoes, etc. I know you have more than one pair of shoes, right?

DTG

I like the way you think good sir!

DTG

On the outside, it seems they are the same bike but in actuality, they are not. Things are significantly different. The Jamis is in fact an upgrade, the carbon frame is superior to the Specialized, group set, Shimano 805's, dropper seat post compatible, Jamis did the stress testing of the frame and fork.......25 lbs up front and 25 lbs in the back (lowriders and/or a rear rack), tubeless compatible tires out the gate, and bottle mounts on the underside of the downtube.

As I've said, the Diverge is a great bike, the Jamis is just overall better. I've gone bikepacking with the Diverge but I would never go beyond bikepacking bags since I wouldn't want to test the Carbon in that regard. Some would say no biggie but that's easier said than done. With the Jamis, they have already done the R&D as well as the stress testing, so it's a given what you can actually do compared to what you think you might be able to do.

Jim from Boston

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

I hate to shop, but I much prefer to buy something important for myself rather than by someone else. Furthermore if I really needed/wanted it I would not expect my yearning to disappear.

My shopping strategy for something important is to look at the high end (expensive) models first, just to know what’s available and then whittle downwards to find what’s acceptable, the so-called sweet spot of price/value.

I’ve participated in several popcorn threads on BF about the value of “expensive” bikes (I have one), and my last word is "At least I have no buyer's remorse about what I may be missing."

Quote:

Originally Posted by srestrepo

this is a dilemma i deal with constantly. how do i solve it? luckily, i can work overtime. at which point, i'm either too tired to care for buying the thing I wanted anymore or i can't wait to get it and i love it forever. i let exhaustion do the talking.

but mostly, like others have stated above, i start with the most expensive offering and work my way down the list of features of things that i can do without and things that i cannot compromise on.

Quote:

Originally Posted by srestrepo

nothing like wondering how much better that castelli jacket is over the one i presently have... surely there has to be some tangible difference in quality and feel that would improve my life in some enormous way...

also jim, i wish i had the chance to ride around boston daily. i'm in springfield and let me tell you -its a battlefield out here. we barely have any bike infrastructure or people accustomed to riding our here like you might in boston

Hi @srestrepo,

Thanks for your reply, I’m not familiar with Castelli jackets, but actually for such an important item like a jacket, my wife bought mine for me as a gift, and it was a good choice (she has good taste and bought it at my trusted LBS...and it was an offer I could not refuse, from SWMBO ).

I didn’t note originally that that you are from Western MA (Springfield). I’ve only ridden far west of I-495 on one short tour about as far as Westfield, and one weekend ride in the Berkshires. Do you know Boston? It is indeed a great place to cycle. As I have posted on a few threads,

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim from Boston

... I personally enjoy showing visitors around Boston, and I have offered some open-ended invitations on a few Forums to look me up if visiting Boston, for advice or to meet up. I do usually need a couple days notice to alter my schedule…