livedarklions

My reading comprehension is just fine. Your writing skills, on the other hand, are quite awful. You do understand that the topic of a posting is usually contained in the first sentence of the first paragraph, right? What did you lead with? A $10,000 bike. What is it you list as being your question in the first paragraph? "Who here considers a $10,000 bike to be a lavish luxurious extravagance?" Nice try at the deflection, but it was a crappy start to a crappy thread.

You can try to dress up this sorry excuse for a debate into a moral/analytical question, but all it comes down to is shaming people for the amount of money they spend on bicycles (either "too high" or "too low") is a stupid thing to do. If you're letting your kid starve to buy Dura-Ace, I'll pass judgment on you, but otherwise, I really don't see how any of this is even remotely interesting. It's just a puffed-up "slob vs. snob" debate, with some phony-baloney "intellectual" rationale thrown in.

And if you're going to do the phony economics calculation, at least understand that the big difference in scaling between different income levels is opportunity costs--what purchases the poorer person is going to have to forego to buy a 5% of income bike vs. those of a richer person.

base2 

Man, you're missing the point hard. Maybe tailoring the question to you specifically might help. Mr. Dark Lions: You do have a relationship with your bicycle, correct? Ok. At what point does your relationship with your bicycle out weigh your other relationships? Your dog? The pan-handler?

It was "Mystery Poster X" that first mentioned $10k bicycle. I qouted as a means of jumping off point for the thread. I acknowledeged they exist & are common. I asked if others thought it was an extravagance. (Appearantly it is...Who knew?) I then framed the question in terms of income to level the field & avoid slob/snob [Start thread, GO!] Do you see where you missed?

livedarklions

Well, 2nd base;
My bikes are machine and are eminently replaceable. I don't have a dog. I have no relationship with a pan-handler, but I did give $5 and a strawberry-rhubarb muffin to a guy in Brattleboro a few weeks ago because he looked like he needed it and we had a nice chat while I was locking my bike.

Fascinating stuff, really insightful questions.

For me to miss the point, there would have had to be one. You started a silly thread because a silly guilt-trip posting annoyed you. Now you're trying to rewrite your OP into something profound, but lack the capacity to do so.

Should've been closed pages ago.

I won't be reading your response.

Cyclefiend

Having ridden most of my life and typically owned bikes that were cost effective, then ridden them for 15 years, I splurged on my latest bike. Absolutely no regrets. The latest technology is amazing! Speed, handling, comfort are all improved.

As to the money better spent on societal needs, I give to those too, both monetarily and in-kind.

foothillbilly

This is beyond my comprehension. My annual income is well under $10,000.

base2 

Would you trade a "well under" a $1000 bicycle to do the right thing? How about a $500? (Thats 5% to 10% of your income.)

As @livedarklions rightly pointed out, these things scale in difficulty. So, adjusting for it being, say, twice as hard in your case...We can modify the question to read: "Would you trade a bike in the $250 to $500 range to do the right thing?"

Lake Ontario

My expectations are well met with a beat up '68 Varsity as long as it has bearings and brakes. That was the bike of my youth and anything more would be wasted on me... so if I spend $50 and putter for a month or two, Im tickled. Then another rusty past dream will pop up and I'll happily make friends with it. When my basement gets crowded, they are welcome gifts to a dissbilities services agency in town that helps people with nothing. None of this is a plan of mine, its just how it works some times. So antique Varsities, old broken Mauser rifles and 2 Golden Retrievers on a path is what happy is. 🤠

berchman

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.

jdsyachts

If you can afford it and the only ones it may impact are your beneficiaries go for it. Price is immaterial. Everyone has different priorities. You have the money, spend it as you want not how others think you should or what to some is the "politically correct" way.
Sorry but I'm old, retired, and have worked for every penny I have. I don't have a $10k bicycle, but do have 6k and 4k bikes that I enjoy. Though I bought them for enjoyment I see nothing wrong if I had bought them to impress others if that brought me pleasure.
Forget what others think - do what will make you happy, as long as it is within your means.

livedarklions

If it keeps you on the road with replacement knees at 81, I'm all for it!

I did kind of expect your post to end with "sleeps 4 adults and a dog", though.

86az135i

Every time you buy something, a good or service, you are employing someone. So should someone hoard their money instead of buying stuff and supporting other people?

FiftySix

How ludicrous.

When the cost of living may very well exceed your income the right thing to do is to take care of yourself financially. Charity can be given with one's time, if one so wishes.

FiftySix

I'm not sure what you mean by "hoard money", but I always have a negative reaction to the term.

I prefer the term "save money". As in saving up a reserve for whatever may come in the future. Such as losing a job, unexpected medical bills, house or car repairs, retirement income, etc.

The money still gets spent (and employs someone), it just doesn't get spent right now.

Happy Feet

I don't find anything wrong with that. And I'm well aware my opinion on anyone else's choices isn't worth much to start with - this is just a discussion on a forum.

I see yours as a grail or purpose built bike. You save, you have a vision, you create that vision. And yeah, have no doubt that if I won the lottery or had more disposable income, I would be building some pretty expensive bikes too. At work I also facilitate a therapeutic cycling program and use a 6K bike (we have 2 of them so that's 12K). It's a passion like restoring old cars or owning a Harley.

As some others noted, the only problem is when that price becomes the "normal" price for a bike. Call me old fashioned but I hope 10K never becomes normal as far as a bike is concerned because I like to think of cycling as a normal activity and if 10K (or 5 or 3 or 2) became the normal buy in price to do it that would exclude far too many new riders from ever entering into the activity.

The premise of the thread is messed because, as others have noted, you don't have to choose between owning a bike or helping the needy (or saving puppies). But a better way to put it might be how one felt about people becoming so miserly in order to purchase an expensive bike, that they forgo their other obligations (if we can call them that) such as child/spousal support, paying bills or contributing to the community. It makes a little more sense when framed that way. One might say that doesn't happen but I know a couple of guys who are dead beat dads but own nice Harleys and lots of tattoos.

Bajabri

As a self employed carpenter, a 10k bike is hardly in my price range but I do own one. 40 years ago as an apprentice I bought a new Italian road bike which cost me nearly 2 months pay.
I also own a $100 dollar bike, plus 3 or 4 others which range up to 5k. Is it lavish and luxurious? Likely is but it makes me happy and it’s where I have decided to splurge. If you have not ridden top of the line machine try it.
If you think thats crazy I have a friend, Also a blue collar tradesman who has close to 100k invested in a sound system. While this has taken him many years to accumulate and fine tune its something he loves.
the bikes are something I love so If there was a 15k one I thought would work well in my stable I would likely find a way to get it. What price happiness. The bikes are cheaper than kids.
BTW, my german shepherd got a new hip, a cost of $8000, who we lost a year and a half later to cancer. Would I do it again?
Without a second thought.

B

bruce19

My bikes want to know if your bikes are ridden by a professional or some lame recreational rider.

foothillbilly

Exactly. I was able to get a $650 e-bike. I needed that because of my health conditions and car-free life. I was able because of a specific bit of income. The financial scale of the original posting blows me away. What would I ever want with a bike that costs more than, say, a good recumbent or e-bike that I could use well?

OldFartCyclist

And, if you have one, what car do you drive?

Duragrouch

OP: My girlfriend, circa 1999, as I'm ogling a Cannondale adventure bike with hydraulic brakes: "A friend of mine who knows bikes says you shouldn't spend more than $500 on a bike unless it's going to have sex with you." (Again, 1999 dollars.)

I go for value. In 1989, $725 bought a mid-range Cannondale 14 speed criterium road racer. I was my last year in college and my first new bicycle ever, and my first frame size that was perfect for me. The next nearest bike in performance and weight was twice the money (though it rode stiff, I later put larger road tires on it which made a huge difference). I proceeded to ride it 55k every evening. Even when I graduated and started working. One Saturday I rode from my apartment to my little brother at college 100k away, he was astounded. When I got sent to Europe for training for two weeks, I took it along. Over the years, went through three sets of wheels (the last set double-socketed rims, those will last forever). Riding gave me great joy, making me want to ride it more, so keeping me healthy, but also, a proper fitting bike saved on medical bills, and that pays for itself.

These days, I ride a 20" wheel folder that sells new for $500 but I got used cheaper because it needed a full overhaul and tires. In November I found a Litespeed Saber halfway across the state, bought it for a friend, needed a good cleaning, adjustment, and new chain, came with $180 in extra new tires (and 650c, hard to find on sale), whole package, $450. It's a bit small for me but I told him if he ever doesn't want it, I'll buy it and hang it above my bed just to look at it, it's lovely.

The new Helix titanium folder? That's a HECK of a deal at less than $2k, there's nothing comparable in capability. Same for a Brompton. Those are bikes that can substitute for a car for multi-mode commuting, saving the cost of a car, insurance, maintenance, and fuel, and on that basis they are CHEAP.

For just exercise, I go cheaper. But, since 99% of bikes come poorly adjusted and lubed from the factor and dealer, and I would have to do same to a new bike, I tend to buy used and then do a full overhaul. I'm retired. My time is cheap.

Lastly, a bike is also art, a lovely thing to look at. Compared to fine cars, fine wine, and fine women, a reasonably fine bike is relatively cheap for the aesthetic value it adds to one's life. However, on that basis, I like a bike with mechanical and aesthetic longevity. That Cannondale racer? Still have it. 30 years. In 2003 I added a triple crank, long cage derailleur, new cassette and chain, as I was working in an area with hills. Been in storage since late 2006, after that I needed a bike with panniers, and then a folder with panniers.

tabl10s

I wouldn't trade to help a puppy. It's just an everyday pet(unless facing extinction).

BlazingPedals

I guess I must be a Terrible Person(tm) because I ride $5000 bikes instead of riding a $300 bike and using the rest to save puppies. Call me unrepentant.

strangdang

Every now and again I get an email reminder of some popular threads here on the bike forum, and I thought this one seemed kinda weird so I came looking. It just seems really hilarious to me that there are 140+ posts all started by a statement that someone made that was kinda proud of the fact that they rode $40 bikes from Goodwill? I mean, why is that person even here. This is called Bike Forum, as in people that appreciate bikes. I mean all power to those folks that ride cheap used bikes to get where they are going, but joining a bike forum? That would be like joining a "Hot Cars" forum, being proud of your used Ford Focus, and not being able to appreciate those that like Bugatti's. And then later on in the thread I find a reference to "rims" as if they are whole wheels. Wouldn't folks on a bike forum know that the wheel is made up of the rim, the spokes, and the hub? It all just seems so crazy to me.

Maelochs

I have no problem with Anything a person rides. I don't care if it is $10 Good Will bike a $10,000 high-end bike.

The whole point is that the Cost of the bike is not the point. Riding is what bikwes are about ... or owning and looking at, or bragging about when BSing with friends, or parking outside cafes to attract dating partners or Whatever.

If it has Anything to do with cycling or cyclists, this is a good place for it.

I started with a Murray (I think) with training wheels---they came off when I was five. I got a Robin Hood English Racer (Sturmey-Archer 3-speed) and then a Schwinn Suburban. I then rode borrowed bikes and FREE---that's right, No purchase price---bikes which I picked out of the trash and reconditioned.

I rode for several years on bikes made out of junk. Anyone want to call me out for commuting maybe 10000 miles per year on Free bikes? Anyone want to tell me I was not a "cyclist" because my bikes didn't cost enough?

I rode five to seven days a week, I was car-free. I went to work, to classes, to the grocery store, to run errands, to do laundry, to hand out with my friends, to go camping, to go touring, and on my days off, i rode just for fun. I rode regardless of weather. I generally carried all my food, water, a couple changes of clothing (different for work and classes, and spares if it was raining) and spare shoes (flat pedals but I rode in sandals and they got sweaty or soaked with rainwater, whichever applied. Needed real shoes for jobs, didn't need shoes for yoga, tai chi, or qigong classes, did need shoes for college classes ....) Plus tools, spares, whatever ... because you won't keep a job if you have to call in explaining how your bike broke. Be late and greasy, but get there.

I regularly carried 20-30 pounds of gear---more depending on the weather. And I would carry 50-plus pounds of groceries (gallons of water (25 cents from the filter machine) plus 25-pound bags of rice, bags of beans, peanut butter ... I'd wash my laundry at he laundromat and bring it home--wet--to hand on the line. A couple weeks' worth of laundry, wet, weighs a Lot.

I have never been so fit. i wasn't fast, but after several years of that, I could rip off strings of 100-mile days on a fully loaded touring bike with no problem.

Eventually I saved enough to get a "real" bike---I didn't need one, i liked building them from scrap, but I wanted the "new" tech, like indexed shifting (!) But I rode I cannot say how many thousands of miles on bikes which cost whatever two new tubes cost 35 years ago.

So ... am I allowed to post here?

Maelochs

Tl;Dr----the cost of the bike is irrelevant and nobody else's business anyway.

livedarklions

Given that this forum is General Cycling and not Hot Bikes for Connoisseurs, it's a perfectly fine place for someone who rides a $40 bike to post. It doesn't mean that that particular post was worth responding to, however. It happens to have been a rather stupid post and this has been a completely pointless thread.