RomansFiveEight

Yeah for sure. I like watching GCN on YouTube. I've been hearing people tell me how I need a lighter bike for climbing and I probably do. But when GCN tested it, watt-for-watt, the time difference of several kg more weight was only a couple percentage points in a 30 minute climb. That's a lot of money to be 2% faster! Worth it to some, but not for all.

I WILL say, that morale matters. I keep my bike meticulously clean, I have stickers with my name on it, and I wear clean, cool looking kit. Not because I'm a pro or want to be a pro. But because it makes me feel good about myself and what I'm riding, which is excellent motivation for pushing just that much harder. If a cool aero carbon bike does that for you, it's probably worth more than just the weight savings.

TriDanny47

When I posted positives about my $200 Walmart Mt Bike on a thread a couple of months ago I got flack because I was thought to be encouraging big box purchases of bike shaped objects.

As I stated on that thread, I can only speak to that particular bike - other than heavy, it's a good bike, held up much better than I thought it would, I've more than gotten my money's worth out of it.

Biker395 

Hey ... post up some photos on our Photo of the Day thread ... we won't bite.

There are some interesting parallels. Most folks have cameras waaay better than what they need or know how to use. But again, those folks may not need that $2000 zoom lens and may not know how to use it to it's full potential, but they have fun with it, and it keeps the camera companies in business making cheaper lenses for the rest of us. It's all good.

BobbyG

+1

The film critic Roger Ebert explained his criteria for reviewing films. I believe it was something like "What does the film attempt to do, and how well does it achieve this." I think this can be applied to bicycles and to an extent bike purchases; "What are the builders trying to achieve, and how well do they achieve it?" and "What is the buyer trying to achieve with this purchase, and how well does the purchase achieve this?" Within this framework all fair criticism, both positive and negative can be presented. But people be all emotional and stuff; and egos, feelings and prejudices get in the way. On the other hand, it would be a pretty dull existence if life were cleansed of human emotions and foibles.
Bottom line: Follow your bliss. And if that involves chasing it on a bicycle; go, Go, GO!

RomansFiveEight

Film exegesis. I like it!

Wildwood 

Sorry not to have read every post in th thread, but one angle that I have to admit is true for me. I like vintage stuff because I can spend the bucks to have a really nice bike that suits my riding style and ability and history - and nobody expects 'the guy on the old bike' to lead, or pull, or finish in the first group. And if those things ever happen, especially often, then you just might get credits. (Unfortunately, it hasn't happened to me in a couple of years).

edit: in vintage-land, $1,000 - $1500 buys a very fine riding machine. If it was good enough for Eddy and Greg to race on, it's more than adequate for me. SLX is silky with the right tubulars. Triples (3X6) offer plenty of gear range, replacement brake pads are cheap. Maintenance is much easier on a friction shifter. And a wet weather bike with fenders keeps the others clean.

A majority of the ride qualities of any bike are in the tires and wheels. Give me a cheap frame and quality tires/wheels over an expensive frame with crap wheels/tires.

RomansFiveEight

I'm running a Canon EOS T1i, which I bought new when it first came out (500D in Europe), an 18-35, 50f/1.8 "nifty fifty", and a Canon 70-300 f/4-5.6. Nothing any purist would find anywhere near his kit bag. But they all work great for me. I like to have fun. And there's not a tremendous advantage to me spending thousands on a lens that would make razor sharp images that few would see. It's sort of like cycling. My heavy bike makes me fitter; I'm not out to win races. My entry-level camera challenges me to do a better job, I'm not out to get the cover of NatGeo.

I shoot in manual mode exclusively (that's where the fun and the challenge is!). And a favorite activity of mine is taping over the back screen, driving an hour or more to a destination, and spending the day taking photos in manual mode. Great 'training' that forces one to learn how to really take photos, that doesn't rely on tweaking and re-taking. Many suggest those raised on film are better photographers and so, with that principle in mind, that technique works well for me.

At the end of the day, if I don't pick up my camera for a month I don't lose any sleep. I don't really share my photos. In fact, I delete most. I just like to have fun!

While cycling is fun for me, it's primary goal for me is fitness. So I get fitter, and I have fun. If I'm slow forever that's alright with me, as long as I'm faster than I used to be. Some I think struggle with that, because the goal, for them, is to be faster than someone else. I only want to be faster than myself.

bruce19

I don't care what others do and I don't care if others approve of what I do with cycling or my money. I have no judgement to make.

Rick@OCRR

I've worked in the bicycle industry pretty much all my adult life which means I pay about half off retail for any bicycle related products. With this knowledge I've convinced myself that anything I buy (cycling related) is a great deal! So . . . no worries, right?

Not exactly. I am also half Scottish, so I'm a horrible cheap-skate / skin-flint. As a result there is always that conflict. Plus, all my bikes over the years (except my folder) I have built up from frames without keeping close track of what all the bits cost. I don't think anyone has ever asked me what any of my bikes cost, which really makes this a non-issue (at least for me).

I admit to being fascinated with SRAMs new wireless group . . . may fit one of my bikes with that eventually . . . though it is rather pricey.

Big Picture: Ride what you like and can afford (as long as it works and fits well).

tclune

When I retired, I got a comfort bike to ride to my retirement job and got rid of my car. The comfort bike ran me about $400 complete. After a couple of years, I found that I wasn't getting the kind of workout I wanted from it. I went looking for a better bike and fell in love with the Trek 520. It's more money than I ever expected to spend on a bike, but I was able to rationalize the purchase and am very happy with my choice. It's not in the range that folks on this thread are calling "expensive," but I suppose such things are relative. Anyway, I find the value of the 520 to be worth the expenditure, so I have no regrets about my choice. I do find myself irritated by weekend warriors who buy all the equipment that they see in the magazines, know all the brand names of all the equipment, and never actually seem to get around to riding. But I can't really justify that visceral response.

crazyb

I have a moderately expensive bike, a little over 4 grand back in 2007, and after I bought it I was in the parking lot of the LBS waiting to take off on a group ride. Another guy standing next to me asked me what I paid for my bike. I told him and in a shocked kinda way he said he didn't know how anybody could substantiate that much on a bicycle. I pointed to my 1996 Taurus and said, that's paid for, How about yours. As said above, Priorities. Could care less about a new expensive car or truck.

mercator

I like expensive bikes. I'm also really cheap.
So whenever a great deal comes along on a really nice bike, I have to buy it.
Fortunately for my bank account, this doesn't happen all that often.

Wildwood 

I like it.

chasm54

I like wine. As a general rule, a £20 bottle of wine will be markedly superior to a £10 bottle. A £50 bottle will be better than the £20 bottle, but the difference may be less great. A £100 bottle may well be no better than the £50 bottle, it's often prestige rather than quality that dictates the higher price.

Same with bikes. The difference between ordinary and good is worth it to me. The difference between good and best - not so much.

TriDanny47

It matters to me too. I guarantee I will never be a pro, I am surprised at how well I can ride given my overall health situation (my VO2 Max range has been 19 to 26, the mean being about 22). I have trouble with power but surprisingly good endurance. Running and swimming are harder, I get out of breath which brings waves of nausea. I push myself because I want to be better tomorrow than I am today - in all areas of my life. I'm not willing to settle for settling. I've seen that in all strata of society, not appealing to me.
0

I feel like I have five to ten years left to live - doctors say "we don't know" and are more optimistic - and new drugs for my condition, a chronic form of leukemia, mean they are probably right. Right now overall things are good medically given the totality of my circumstances. But I've always had a bad feeling from day one about this, and feel like the clock is ticking away.

Cycling is one of the things that has kept me motivated to move forward. It would be easier not to at times and just give in to this thing. If buying the next cool new cycling toy or just a jersey that catches my eye at the LBS keeps me moving forward with my plan, why not?

practical

Unfortunately, not always the case. Sometimes purchases are signals of identity and someone may want to get a more expensive bike in order to show that he "fits in" with a certain group. Most purchases, particularly high end purchases, rely on this behavior.

tg16

We could get into a philosophical debate about how even the act of fitting in is how some define themselves thus making it still riding for "you"; however, I think we are both right depending on the person. I personally would love to own a high level Colnago or Pinarello with Di2 but something always comes up. Right now we are taking estimates for a new roof and some siding work. Unfortunately, I can't ride either of those To be honest, even if nothing came up, I wouldn't be owning one. I've discovered the joys of getting a frame and building it up the way I want.

70sSanO

I couldn't agree more. It is really a lot of fun to see it all come together and then get it out and make a few teaks or replace this or that component and get it dialed in just the way you want it.

I also find that there is a real vested interest in something you've actually made as opposed to just buying something that someone else thinks is what you want.

John

Gonemad

My only thought on expense related bicycles is not so much enjoyment, but of appreciation and understanding of what that tech is doing for you. It's like fine dining: a true food connoisseur truly appreciates the skill and delights of a meal which would be completely lost on most people. And that same connoisseur can still thoroughly enjoy a pepperoni pizza just as anyone else would.

eja_ bottecchia

Best comment thus far.

People should really take tg16's advise at heart and sop worrying about what everyone else rides.

Kindaslow

I am about 98% done with building up my SS MTB this way. The funny part to me is that nobody would guess the kind of money it takes to build a SS MTB just the way you want it. So, absolutely no prestige in this bike, even with some serious coin in it. But, it is a truly spectacular bike that I will love for years to come.

Kindaslow

Enjoy every day! We all should!

And, keep your eyes open for those cool parts.

eja_ bottecchia

Not necessarily so.

I am an iconoclast and a non-conformist. I really don' care to fit in with others.

I bought my bikes and I ride my bikes not to impress anyone nor to fit in with a certain crowd. I bought my bikes and I ride my bikes to please only one person: me and no one else.

I don' understand why is concept is so hard to grasp by so many.

eja_ bottecchia

Not necessarily so.

I am an iconoclast and a non-conformist. (I am also a grouchy older guy). I really don' care to fit in with others.

I bought my bikes and I ride my bikes not to impress anyone nor to fit in with a certain crowd. I bought my bikes and I ride my bikes to please only one person: me and no one else.

I don' understand why is concept is so hard to grasp by so many.

Kindaslow

In my area, bikes over $5,000 are very common. So, unlike the person you quoted above, a person here might have to go above $12,000 to really get that "club" feeling. And, I just do not see much of that mentality around my area. Maybe where that person is, maybe there is some truth o those feelings and thoughts. But, I would hate for a good discussion to devolve into that rabbit hole of an argument.

Like you, I buy what I like to ride. It is an easy concept to grasp, if ones mind is open to the possibility.