kyroadguy

I've been involved with a lot of various sports over the years but have never experienced jealousy surrounding equipment like this before. I own a sub 2k bike, but couldn't care less if someone who had never ridden before showed up to a ride with a 10k machine. I just don't get where the hate comes from. If someone wants to spend the money, more power to them IMO. Some spend lots on cars, boats, and other toys, but those don't invoke the jealousy I see here on the forums surrounding bikes.


Honest question: why?

Barrettscv 

Don't let a few opinions determine your generalizations.

DiabloScott

I think it's like buying a trophy.

merlinextraligh

Only time, I've had any issue with what someone else was riding was at a training camp where a guy showed up with a new Colnago with Zipps, and an SRM. The guy was a new cyclist; the bike was in poor adjustment; he had no idea how to change a tire, didn't have a tube to fit his wheels (or a valve extender).

Only reason it was an issue was the amount of time we spent waiting trying to solve his mechanical issues.

Thus, it helps if you're going to take your uber expensive bike out on a group ride, that you have some idea how to use it, and perform simple repairs.

Of course you can be as big a PITA with a $1,000 bike, it just stands out more with the $10,000 bike.

sijray21

because i'm jealous and being the typical american consumer, i want more money so i can buy better things because i think that will make me better and give me satisfaction. then i will cry when it doesn't, forget that it doesn't, and want better and more things to make up for the shortfalls in my life

coldass

We are all paying for other peoples excesses everyday now. Noticed the fallout of the Global Financial Crisis at all?

Once that's clear we'll then have to deal with the stuffed environment - once again due to excess.

We all know its wrong but its our drug.

kyroadguy

uhhhhh what?

Bah Humbug

People care about other people's business all the time.

I won't take it further than that in order to avoid off-topickage, but yeah.

slimvela

"why do 'have-nots' care what 'haves' spend their money on?"

Fixed...

Voodoo76

Why do other people care what I care about?

hairnet

I get **** for not having a $2k+ bike at times

cgjane

Talus

If people didn't buy expensive bikes and then sell them barely used, I'd be riding an even bigger piece of crap.

cgjane

sigg'ed.

DrPete 

Your argument is based on the extremely shaky assumption that a $5K bike, for instance, is a big excess for everyone, and it's not.

It's all masked envy/jealousy to some extent--if it weren't, you wouldn't care what someone else bought/rode.

-I'm smarter/stronger because I know that spending a lot on a bike won't make me better,

-I'm a more educated consumer because I know more than that person does about value, etc.

-I'm better than that person buying the fancy bike because they're extravagant and irresponsible (see above)

-I'm a better athlete than that person so I don't NEED that fancy bike.

Inherent in having some negative reaction to owning/using something is some type of desire for that person not to have it. Whether you camouflage it as altruism, being the stronger athlete, being the smarter consumer, etc doesn't matter.

Some of the harshest words I've ever had said about me anywhere have been on this forum, and for the simple reason that I own and enjoy a bike that many consider too expensive/elitist/whatever. It's pathetic.

redfooj

i dont criticize spending
only bad tastes
i mock 500$ bikes and 5000$ bikes alike.

<--- equal-opportunity hater

Lazyrider

Well,
I am fortunate enough to be able to ride just about any bike I would want to but I appreciate "value" for performance. Therefore my objection to someone spending an unnecessary amount of $ on a bike isn't based in jealousy, but rather their stupidity. I am not talking about experienced riders who have withstood the test of time as far as dedication to the sport and want to treat themselves to a high end bike albeit unnecessary at the level most of us ride.

Overexuberance and overindulgence are what I think some here object to including myself. Yes, if someone wants to spend 10k on a bike who has never ridden before, that is their choice. However, I ask you,
If you have a child who shows interest in playing the violin, do you go out and buy them a $3,000,000 Stradivarius for their first lesson? Or, if I decide to go skiing for the 1st time in my life this winter, should I go out and spend $15,000 on skis, poles, clothing for my first lesson on the Bunny Slopes just to fall on my *****?

Now, I know the contrarians will say whatever someone wants to spend their money on is their business, but logically, we all know what the answers are to the above scenarios that I present. And if you have kids that ask for these extravagant items without ever participating in the activity, we all know how "logical" you would become as a parent when you say "NO".

In fact, it is ridiculous to think that just because I can afford to buy expensive equipment for an activity I am not even involved in yet makes it logical or practical. I'd venture to guess that many of you that say "more power to others" as far as their spending habits are the same guys who hem and haw about necessities like gas prices, milk prices and tolls etc. Yet $10k on a bike that will never be ridden is practcal. LOL

Now, I would assume that in MOST cases, someone who shows up with a $10k bike is experienced and knows how to ride in a group, change a flat, lube their chain etc. But if that person is a HOT MESS, and a total poser, then they are just as silly as I would be showing up to my first violin lesson with a Stradivarius. Now I cannot afford a $3 million violin, but I can afford a $15k bike that I choose not to buy because a $3-5k bike is more than enough.

jasony0423

I may be totally off here. I didn't stalk you prior to posting, so this is based soley on your posting here... That said, I'm assuming that the name DrPete implies you spent a great deal of time, and thus a great deal of money furthering your education so that you could in turn, earn a greater (we hope) deal of money to spend on such extravagent things as expensive bikes... Right now I can afford to spend $1,000 on a bike. I don't have issue with people that can spend lots more. When I get the $140,000 worth of student loans I have paid off, the first thing I'm doing is buying a Porsche. Far more excessive than my Hyundai today, but worth the excess IMHO.

ImRael

I've never noticed this.

bigskymacadam

the sentiment is everywhere, however. i've traversed gun forums, car forums, other bike forums and it's the same difference in purchase, owning, judging whatever.

the question is not Why?

rather, Why Not?

kyroadguy

Ok, so you have the ability to judge how much someone should spend on a bike---heck on everything in their life! Is this amount is based on extensive research or is it just god-given talent?

If so, let me know the parameters you need to tell me how much I should spend on a bathing suit for next week.

Thanks!


I haven't noticed it anywhere else. If I had, I would have never made this thread.

umd

You mean like when you showed off and rolled your uber-expensive Cervelo through the hotel lobby?

BillyD

*sigh* . . . . getting popcorn weary.

umd

Damn, 7 days already?

bigskymacadam

@kyroadguy

You haven't seen the polymer vs steel, Glock vs. XD, Cobalt vs. STI threads that abound?

It's like motobecane vs. trek vs. orba here.

Same difference.

Gives ppl things to talk about when they're not driving, shooting or riding.