loneviking61

It's not what you've got that counts, it's what you can do with it!

Campag4life

I have to say I am surprised you would write that as you tend to be a bit more enlightened than many here. I was proving the opposite case. Guys with less money go for carbon wheels...not rich guys. Its the same thing for guys who put aftermarket wheels on their car...like $3K modular wheels on a Civic. They are called 'tuner' cars. Rich guys don't do that.
But the guy working at McDonalds does. Those guys 'support' the aftermarket car industry...not rich guys. Their buying is inverse to their earning power. I don't believe there is an exact parallel to the demographic of bike industry. But I would say just like in the car industry, many if not most purchase carbon wheels for the 'prestige'. This will incense many that own carbon wheels who perceive them to be faster. But what are carbon wheels worth in a race? 1-2 watts? and how many race?

lungdoc

Would a better way of asking the question be 'how fast do you have to be, and what kind of cycling do you need to be doing, for expensive wheels to be a rational purchase' ?

Setting aside the inevitable "freecountry, I have money, I can buy what I like, supports the economy" truisms, isn't there indeed a definable type of cyclist/cycling where high end carbon wheels are a sensible thing to buy? Conversely, isn't there also a vastly larger group where such a purchase clearly is for looks/show/bling/feel (and that's fine by me, but let's be honest about it)?

On a personal level I could afford any bike or wheels, but a) it's a waste of money better spent on other things to buy gear way beyond my needs, and b) I don't like the feeling of being the guy whose gear is in a completely different league than his abilities. There is a difference between those (many) passing me thinking 'nice bike, mediocre cyclist' and thinking 'what is that guy doing on that bike, what a waste'.

mpath

All anecdotal. Been to any Saturday/Sunday morning 'cars and coffee' event with high end cars? The rich guys are supporting the aftermarket industry also - to what degree, no one really knows - while the guys working at MacDonald's are the ones on the sidelines videotaping the whole thing on their iPhones.

DataJunkie

Rich guys buy the bikes with all the high end crap already installed. The rest of us add it as we are able.
How is that for an idiotic generalization?

StanSeven

One could say the same about nay hobby or interest - fast cars, top line golf clubs, fishing gear, audio equipment, tennis, etc. Part is pride on having the best, another piece is the belief (hope) that spending dollars translates to a small improvement, and maybe motivation to do better. Very little spending on hobbies is rational

Drag

This.

lungdoc

Absolutely agree with first sentence. The second I somewhat disagree, very little if any spending on hobbies is necessary, but I think quite a bit is rational. To use a different hobby my wife and daughter do (horse) riding, hunter-jumper at a local amateur level. We just bought a very nice horse that is I think a "rational luxury" at a little under $15,000. Operating costs are no different than if you buy a $2000 horse with WAY less training and often a host of issues. On the other hand I think we'd just be nuts to buy a $50,000 or $100,000 horse to ride at that level. BTW horses matter much more than bikes do to a rider's performance and enjoyment, and there's a lot more to gain by spending money up to a point, i.e. a $1000 bike is vastly closer to a $10,000 bike than a $2000 horse is to a $15,000 horse.

I think there is a rational range of spending, even if you have the money, for one's ability in most activities. For me it's once the equipment is of such quality that it in no reasonable way is limiting my performance or enjoyment and indeed is capable of more than I am; going beyond that level seems a waste.

Essex

The plus side is that a horse can also be your pal. And a whole lot nicer to look at even than the most $$$$ bicycle.

AdelaaR

The downside is that a horse can kick you in the balls, which a bike can't.

Right Said Fred

The plus side of a horse is that you can eat it. Try that with a bike.

Rx Rider

unfortunately a bike can kick you in the nutz nearly as well as a horse, that's why I retired from mtb. don't get me wrong road riding has smacked me pretty good also, just not in the fig.

has this thread yet influenced the OP, yea or neigh?

hammy56

thats what she said.

fly:yes/land:no

sorry i am late to the party - damn satellite internet seems to be on the fritz, and i had to wait until my 45' catamaran pulled into st maarten to get wireless.

i have never understood why people think it's any of their business how i spend my money. i mean, if i go out and buy the guadiest most obnoxious 100mm rims, it is obviously because i want them and i can afford it. of course, you want to praise one of my 6 bikes (one at the barbados plantation, one at my cape town condo, one in my adelaide townhome, one at the ski resort in san moritz, one at the chalet in aspen, and the beater parlee custom that i keep at my parent's estate in newport), and please, feel free to do so - part of the reason that i bought 6x zipp 808 firecrests is because it gets me noticed. just don't be critical that i am slow because i spend more time posting about it on the hot r not thread than i do riding.

gotta go - i have an important meeting with a couple of guys with ubs discussing the optimal means of disbursing my inheritance in international tax havens, plus i have a couple of east european ballerinas coming over for dinner this evening and, my slavic is in dire need of a refresher course.

HardyWeinberg

Only in the express checkout.

StanSeven

In front of me and after having a long conversation with the clerk before starting to write

eja_ bottecchia

I like this.

tagaproject6

The thread that keeps on spewing gobs of awesome!

Campag4life

Not really. Rich guys don't put aftermarket wheels on a Civic. Tuner cars are generally owned by car crazy kids. I know as I used to be a card carrying member. Rich guys in fact rarely own Civics. Yes there is an aftermarket for BMW...I have worked in it...and guys tend to be a bit more well heeled there. Let's put carbon wheels in the bling category. And BMW's do get blinged out from time to time...but generally again by kids and not rich guys. Rich guys just buy a high end BMW like a M car...which comes with factory bling. Now perhaps there is a parallel to rich guys buying a high end Cervelo already with Zipps...but again, in my experience a lot of guys add Zipps to their bike and most that do aren't rich or old.
YMMV.

Silvercivic27

I'm a rich guy who owns and daily drives a Civic LX on the stock steel wheels. I also have 3 sets of carbon wheels for 2 of my road bikes. True story.

Campag4life

Believe you. And there are rich guys that don't care much about cars...and even tree hugging rich guys. I have moved away from the performance car area for example...although I admit to getting the itch once in a while. It would be interesting to see the demographic on rich guys that don't flaunt their wealth...my friends are both sides. No universal demographic. You do fit my profile of rich guys that don't put aftermarket wheels on your Civic tho.
FWIW, carbon wheels on a bicycle makes more sense that wide aftermarket wheels on a Civic...which tend to slow them down.

mpath

Wut? www.mfest.com, www.gumball3000.com, and I could go on. Forget the Civics.

patentcad

Define 'rich guy'.

We would prefer copies of your 2011 1040 long form.

Silvercivic27

I like performance cars. They're of the aforementioned variety of ones that come "tuned from the factory" that I don't otherwise mess with too much. I also bought my Cervelo with the Cosmics on it. I love my Civic. Great gas mileage, plenty comfortable for me. I can haul bikes on it and not give a rats about scratching/denting it. I can valet it and not worry about it. I can park it on the street and not worry about it. In the winter, people can play bumper cars with me and it's OK. I can drive it around and people don't try to race me, cops don't pull me over (sometimes just to say nice car, but thanks for the stress!), and people don't automatically assume I'm an a-hole, especially because I look young. I guess point is that you can't make assumptions. Some people actually like and choose the stock Civic.

caloso

I'm having a bike elevator installed in my garage.