Kindaslow

I created a thread about bike lovers versus bike snobs, and the OP was all about the humor in how things are viewed. Some folks kept it fun, some went off onto the never ending debate about cost, value, and the egos that go with those.

So, why on earth does anyone care what someone else spent on a bike? I have known bike lovers and bike snobs from both the Walmart bike crowd and the Colnago (et al) crowd. So, why do some people care what others spend on their bikes, both low cost and high cost?

Please stay away from the silly arguments that all bikes are equal, or it won't matter how much the bike costs because ________ could beat you in a race on a dumpster bike.

I have had times in life when I had little money, like the fact that my first car out of grad school cost me $40 dollars and I drove it for a year. Now, after many years and having raised the kids, I spend what I want on my bikes. However, if you have seen some of my "odd" creations, it is about being a bike lover and making it work for me.

Just wondering if some folks can stay on topic and discuss this with an intent to ponder this idea. We won't likely agree, and who cares. Just looking for some good, interesting, and hopefully FUNNY discussion.

Wileyrat

I really don't care what someone spent on anything, unless I have the same thing and I got a better deal. I buy what I want, and don't care what others think.

On a more humorous note, I was out riding a couple of months ago (I was on my CF Ridley), and stopped at a park to use the restroom. When I came out there was a husband/wife combo stopped there also, and the husband looked at my bike and pointed to it, and said to his wife "now that's a bike". I looked at the wife and said to her "You know what this is? This is my midlife crisis vehicle". She laughed.

Ride what you can and be happy.

CliffordK

Cost is all relative.

I've had people ogle my Litespeed Frankenbike.
Little do they know that their Trek Hybrid probably cost more than my Titanium roadie.

JerrySTL

Jealousy and envy do strange things to people.

Kindaslow

It is a little humorous to me all the negativity that can find its way into some discussions, both toward the expensive and the inexpensive, yet folks don't want to talk about this issue.

canklecat

Spend what you can afford and enjoy it. If I could afford a $5,000 bike at the same financial impact relative to spending $100 now (which I paid for my bike last year), I'd do it. Well, okay, probably not. I'd probably get two or three different types of bikes for the same money.

Custom craftspersons and artisans gotta make a living too. If they make a product a customer wants and can afford, get it.

GlennR

My bike has minimal logos and since it's tone on tone, you can barely see them... which is fine with me.

Its not about the cost, but about the experience.

Jim from Boston

Why argue about cost????

Hi @ Kindaslow,

Captain Bringdown here. I recently replied to your previous post on a somewhat similar thread, “Bike Riding vs Cycling”,

From this previous post on (your) 50+ Forum thread, ”Buying expensive bikes and parts...”

I won’t rehash these threads, or my posts pro expensive bikes, but my last and most whimsical argument to own one was,“At least I have no buyer's remorse about what I might be missing.”

Kindaslow

This is something I totally agree with. I want, need, my bike to be right for me. And, given "where" I am in life financially, I am fortunate enough to be able to pick what works for me without too much worry about the price tag. Each of my bikes, over time, gets morphed into just what I want and what fits me.

Funny story to me.... I had a guy, just last week, say to me, "Your bars just sent your stem a text....time to get out of town" I have Envy DH bars on three of my bikes, because they fit my body perfectly and I like them. However, I am using a Ritchie stem on that bike. He was saying the Ritchie stem is too low class for the Envy bars. Since he is a nice guy, just being a ****** for a moment, I went easy on him and explained why. I broke my neck 18 years ago and it is partially fused. The Ritchie stem is the shortest with the highest rise that I have found, so it works great for me. On a side note, since when is Ritchie low budget???

Kindaslow

Thanks for such a thoughtful response.

wphamilton

Someone may feel like their judgment is called into question, if they've purchased a high end bike and someone else opines that you don't really gain much from it. Or if you ride entry-level bikes and someone calls it out as worthless. The bottom line is that you're foolish for spending so much, or so little.

You can quantify the performance gains from any piece of equipment in isolation. You can quantify its gains in context of the whole system, with varying accuracy. You can also make value judgments base on various subjective evaluations. It's all good, all valid considerations. I think that it's when we mix those up, and when what someone actually wants from his bike gets lost in the weeds, that the contentious arguments arise.

GlennR

This past week, I attend a Trek test ride event and rode a bike 1/2 the price of mine. I was asked if I like it better would I buy one. i told the person, yes, i'd sell mine, but this and pocket the difference.

What it did, was confirm my original purchase.

FullGas

for some things in my life, cost is not an issue.

bikes and whiskey are two of those.

I buy what I like and what I want.

Kindaslow

It is those silly arguments that have me wondering. I believe, for many people, they argue just because they like to argue. Maybe that is what keeps the Internet alive......

In the end, little of what we argue about is needs, it is virtually 100% wants.

And, I want stuff that I like. And, I hope everyone buys what they like, and then rides the wheels off of them, given just one bike is so wrong....

GlennR

Hey, the fat guy down the block gets a new Corvette every 2 years. He barely fits in it and i've never seen him drive it over the speed limit. I see him every weekend washing it and waxing it. Whoever gets it when the lease is up is getting a brand new car.

I drive a beat up 2001 Civic with 257,000 miles. I think the last time I washed it was 2 years ago, but I do vacuum the inside a few times a year.

I get it for him, but i doubt he gets why I have the bike I have.

Wheever

I had one guy get nasty and judgemental on my thread about wanting new wheels last week.

He kept telling me, over and over, about how I was wasting my money because it wouldn't make me faster than him or some other guy blah blah. He simply couldn't understand that I wanted better wheels to improve my riding experience, and thus my *enjoyment* of riding; and enjoyment is why I ride. That didn't compute, and he kept going on about faster/him/me some other guy/not about the bike, etc etc. It got kind of ugly and a mod came in and gave a warning.

People get strange about other people's money. (I just wanted some recs for carbon disc wheels in my price range, FFS!)

Miele Man

Cost of a bicycle and /or accessories/upgrades is relative. A person with a low income can spend a couple of hundreds of dollars on a bicycle and gear and % wise that bike is more expensive than that of a wealthy person who spends thousands of dollars on a bicycle. The important thing isn't he cost but the enjoyment it brings to the owner.

Cheers

Retro Grouch 

There's your answer. When they buy a bicycle or related stuff some people think that they're buying hardware and some people think that they're buying fun. The two groups tend not to understand one another.

GlennR

I bet my 25 year old son on a GMC Denali can beat that guy in a 40k race.

At 18 he raced Cat 5 Crits, on a $700 Allez, and beat guys riding bikes 10x more expensive.

Jim from Boston

I replied on this thread candidly, and in the isolation of my own wants to this query about the values of an expensive bike:

I added that last remark to tweak the naysayers that “bike snobs” only buy high-end bikes as conspicuous consumption.

dbg

Maybe a slight tangent --but I sometimes feel that paying "more" has hidden value, and paying "less" has hidden downsides. My wife can negotiate a car salesman into tears and we have used her guilt skills on other things. But sometimes paying more builds a relationship with the seller and yields follow on services. And sometimes negotiating someone into a loss yields bad things. I am always wary of negotiating for "skills" service (carpenter, plumber, electrician, etc) because there are so many ways they can cut corners or do less than a complete job.
If I want someone to build me a house, I want them comfortable in a decent profit and willing to go all out and take the pride in their work that will benefit both of us.

obed7

i buy what i like, i spend what I can afford.
if someone does not like my choices, i suggest they make their own.

fietsbob

Demand a Raise ! why drag everyone else down because you are not paid enough.

Jim from Boston

Nicely said, @dbg. To embellish the story of my expensive bike:

Now whenever I call the shop, I just say it’s “Jim with the Specialized S-Works.”

berner

I paid $200 for a guitar way back after getting sick of TV coverage of the OJ Simpson trial and that was all that was on the tube. I figured it was a good enough instrument for a hacker like me. I'm still a hacker on the guitar but I wish I'd paid $1000 for a better sounding instrument. On the other hand, my bike at $800 is well more capable than I need. So in the first instance I should have paid more and in the second, could have gotten away with paying somewhat less. I conclude the world does not operate on logic. It operates on the uncertainty principle.