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Why is being a beginner/recreational cyclist with an expensive bike a crime?

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Why is being a beginner/recreational cyclist with an expensive bike a crime?

Old 07-31-06, 07:49 PM
  #126  
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Originally Posted by not2fast
There have been a couple references in here about guys on bikes with their legs at 90 degrees?? What does that mean?
It means their seats are low or their bikes don't fit. They can't extend their legs.
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Old 07-31-06, 07:52 PM
  #127  
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ok, thanks!

(I will remember to raise the seat on my Cervelo P-3 tomorrow!! )
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Old 07-31-06, 07:54 PM
  #128  
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Maybe they were talking about Joe Theismann? I ride by Redskins Park a lot, but I never see any of those guys on bikes. Whimps.

Originally Posted by not2fast
There have been a couple references in here about guys on bikes with their legs at 90 degrees?? What does that mean?
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Old 07-31-06, 07:57 PM
  #129  
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Yeah, yeah. The traditional definition of an investment is "property or another possession acquired for future financial return or benefit". Selesmen slways throw the word around - trying to get you to "invest" in a new car or whatever. It's really a misuse of the term.


Originally Posted by Bike Lover
Maybe it's a good investment in fitness. Maybe it's a good investment in terms of $/miles and then can be sold at a minimal loss, when factoring in the miles/years ridden.

As a personal point, I went to buy a beater car and spent $3k on it in '96. I still have it but it'll be going to charity soon, after 10 years (it was almost 10 years old when I got it) and about 50,000 miles later, I think it was a good investment. I will not get any money back from it but 3k over 10 years and 50k miles= good buy to me (and minimal repairs).
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Old 07-31-06, 09:55 PM
  #130  
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The economics of expensive bike ownership just doesn't add up at my house.

Let's use DrPete as an example. He goes out and spends 5 grand on a bike. If he rides it every day for 3 years solid--except for the month of January--he's spending ten bucks a ride. He'd have to ride it for ten years, excluding Januarys, just to get it down to a latte a day.
Or, let's say he wanted to do a race day cost analysis: 25 races a year for four years would come to 50 clams a race + license fees + race entry fees + maintenence + tires + etc = ? Worth it? To improve his place in each race one or two spots? Would he move up in Cats any quicker? And 25 races a year makes him a pretty busy boy!

Sure, we all want to upgrade, and give ourselves every advantage we can. Especially in racing. But like so many posters have already mentioned, the greatest advantages and improvements we can make for ourselves is in training, diet and savvy.

And the concept that its good for the economy seems preposterous to me. Where are most of the bike parts made these days? In America? Not likely. Some profit goes to Trek, some goes to the LBS, but what portion goes to the country of manufacture? Its seems better for the burgeoning economies of China and east Asian nations.
If DrPete wants to do the econmy of America more good, he would be wiser to spend less of his money on foreign made products and keep the remainder of his dough here.

(My thanks and apologies to DrPete!)
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Old 08-04-06, 02:00 PM
  #131  
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I'm no racer but I ride everything, I have 9 bikes, fixed gear, single speed, road bikes, BMXs, you name it. Didnt pay much $$$ for any of them and they have lasted for years, grant it I upgraded a few things here and there over time. I ride my road bike quite a bit. I dont wear spandex and the spiffed out jerseys but I can hang with the best of the "weekend warriors". If you want to look like your racing in the "Tour de whatever" thats cool... doesnt bother me one bit. Just ride and have fun!

Last edited by PIZZ; 08-04-06 at 02:08 PM.
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Old 08-04-06, 02:10 PM
  #132  
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Originally Posted by smellygary
The economics of expensive bike ownership just doesn't add up at my house.

Let's use DrPete as an example. He goes out and spends 5 grand on a bike. If he rides it every day for 3 years solid--except for the month of January--he's spending ten bucks a ride. He'd have to ride it for ten years, excluding Januarys, just to get it down to a latte a day.
Or, let's say he wanted to do a race day cost analysis: 25 races a year for four years would come to 50 clams a race + license fees + race entry fees + maintenence + tires + etc = ? Worth it? To improve his place in each race one or two spots? Would he move up in Cats any quicker? And 25 races a year makes him a pretty busy boy!

Sure, we all want to upgrade, and give ourselves every advantage we can. Especially in racing. But like so many posters have already mentioned, the greatest advantages and improvements we can make for ourselves is in training, diet and savvy.

And the concept that its good for the economy seems preposterous to me. Where are most of the bike parts made these days? In America? Not likely. Some profit goes to Trek, some goes to the LBS, but what portion goes to the country of manufacture? Its seems better for the burgeoning economies of China and east Asian nations.
If DrPete wants to do the econmy of America more good, he would be wiser to spend less of his money on foreign made products and keep the remainder of his dough here.

(My thanks and apologies to DrPete!)
Screw the economy... I just want a cool bike.

I totally agree that the engine upgrades are BY FAR the most cost-effective, but it doesn't keep me from wanting to buy a really nice bike if I have the cash.
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Old 08-04-06, 02:24 PM
  #133  
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I think the most important question to you who is going to fix the bike when it breaks down forty miles from your house or LBS?
Maybe you need a better bike. Ever heard of a cell phone? Maybe its just luck, but I have been riding for years and my bike has never broken down to the point of being unrideable(not including crashes). If my car, which is far more complex than a bike, can last for over 100,000 miles before needing ANY repair, I have the expectation that my bike can go 40 miles without leaving me stranded.
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Old 08-04-06, 02:31 PM
  #134  
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Originally Posted by slowandsteady
Maybe you need a better bike. Ever heard of a cell phone? Maybe its just luck, but I have been riding for years and my bike has never broken down to the point of being unrideable(not including crashes). If my car, which is far more complex than a bike, can last for over 100,000 miles before needing ANY repair, I have the expectation that my bike can go 40 miles without leaving me stranded.
And you can get that reliable bike by spending hundreds, not thousands of dollars, just like you can get a Toyota and don't have to buy a Maserati if you want a dependable car.
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Old 08-04-06, 03:39 PM
  #135  
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I always recommend a lower cost entry level bike for a newbie for the following reasons:
1 - don't know if you like the sport
2 - don't know if your size is right....you need to determine if you have physical constraints (knee, back...)
3 - a newbie is more likely to crash for stupid reasons....can't unclip...can't follow well in a paceline...poor braking\cornering skills....etc.
4 - you won't appreciate a lighter\faster bike because you haven't spent time riding a lesser bike and you won't appreciate the gains as much. Such as: ride feel, small gains in performance....
5 - the bike is only part of the scenario. Seats, pedals, shoes, helmets, clothing, wheels are all components that add up to the whole package and each can be an endeavor on its own.... So a expensive bike is nothing if the other pieces don't fit.

It isn't a crime but it is worth it take your time to find the right setup for you. Cycling is a sport you grow into.
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Old 08-04-06, 03:43 PM
  #136  
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Expense is relative isn't it.

When I only made 20k in the 80s I dropped 600 bucks on a Cannondale R500.
I still have folks griping about 700 bucks on a bike and they make 4x that. Cost of bikes hasn't gone up that much in 20 years.

There are the curmudgeons who will ride that 1970s rusty bucket across the country just to prove that they are cheap. LOL!!!!

Last edited by twbradford; 08-04-06 at 03:56 PM.
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Old 08-04-06, 03:47 PM
  #137  
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Originally Posted by DrPete
Screw the economy... I just want a cool bike.
what he said!
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Old 08-04-06, 03:57 PM
  #138  
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Originally Posted by caligurl
what he said!
I agree with DrPete and caligurl.

Plus, aren't we world citizens now? I'm helping the economy by spending on my nice toy.
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Old 08-04-06, 04:19 PM
  #139  
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It is fun to talk about other peoples, bikes, benefits, downsides, etc, and just like any other hobby or profession, there is a difference between wishing and coveting/jeliousy. I have always riden nice bikes, but not always the most expensive or "blingy" as some youngsters may say. When I was racing I still was not pushing my frame + components to the max (even a professonal is tinkering on the edge only). I ride what I ride not necessarily for the bling (it is always part of it for anyone) but to have parts that work... sometimes the only part that works is the very expensive dura ace / record part, and sometimes the 50 dollar crankset works!

I could have afforded long ago to dump the 2100 frame and get a madone or the like, but after riding CF the ride difference did not mean enough to dump the cash. I am sure I would have gotten more "ohh's and ahh's" riding a madone 5.9 but I am very happy with my Al 2100. I also feel that buying better components now eliviates the "should have" buyers remorse that I frequently have the first time something does not go as good as it would have with the more expensive part - like cranksets. The difference in performance for example, between a DA10 7800 shifter and a 105/ultegra 9 speed shifter was amazing. Will puting DA10 on the bike make me faster... no (well except from going from 175 to 180mm crank arms). Wouid going from stock to ultegra on my bowery make me much faster - no - but I feel alot safer at 250 pounds on ultegra than stock!

Should we really care what others ride... nah! I would ride a trek 1500 right now if it shifted as good as my DA 2100. I don't care if you bike cost 1000 dollars or 7000 dollars... as long as you are not a fat a$$ clogging our medical system!

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Old 08-04-06, 04:22 PM
  #140  
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BTW I do not care if the bike costs 10 dollars or 0 dollars per ride... if I am having fun - WHO CARES!

A movie with snacks making me fatter still costs more, and it is only 2 hours of entertainment - and I gain a pound or more every time I go!

Don't like what I ride... go cry to someone who cares!
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Old 08-04-06, 05:59 PM
  #141  
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Only a real jerk.

Only a real jerk would care/complain about what kind of bicycle someone else was riding or how fast they were riding. A real judgmental jerk. Lot of them out there and it appears a lot of them on this forum. Of course, they are smarter than the rest of us and should tell us how to live/ride.

Jim

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Old 08-04-06, 06:20 PM
  #142  
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I don't have a car payment(nor will I have one). You can get a seriously nice bike or multiple bikes for 400-500 a month. It's all about where you want to put it.
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Old 08-04-06, 08:46 PM
  #143  
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Originally Posted by cooker
And you can get that reliable bike by spending hundreds, not thousands of dollars, just like you can get a Toyota and don't have to buy a Maserati if you want a dependable car.
If you want a dependable car, don't buy a Maserati! You'll need to adopt a mechanic into the family. Like many cars that push to the edge of the performance threshold, they break easily!
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Old 08-04-06, 10:41 PM
  #144  
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What else am I going to spend my money on? A new couch? A bigger television? No thanks.
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Old 08-05-06, 02:08 AM
  #145  
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If it makes you want to ride your bike everytime you see it because of its bling factor then go ahead and buy one. Cycling is our passion and hobby so go out and splurge cash on your bike. There are many reasons why its better to splurge on a bike than something else and this can go on forever.
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Old 08-05-06, 08:11 AM
  #146  
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The expensive bike is symptomatic of a society that thinks that money can buy anything, including climbing Everest, sailing across the pacific or racing a bike. There is so much emphasis put on the gear and the advertising message is that you can be anything you want to be, just buy the best and you'll be the best.

That's why many (most) good cyclists scorn the nubee on a good bike who barely knows how to ride.
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Old 08-05-06, 08:49 AM
  #147  
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Originally Posted by twbradford
There are the curmudgeons who will ride that 1970s rusty bucket across the country just to prove that they are cheap. LOL!!!!
And that's no more of a crime than the other side of the coin.
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Old 08-05-06, 08:51 AM
  #148  
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Work hard and play harder!
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Old 08-05-06, 10:23 AM
  #149  
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Originally Posted by BillyD
Yes.

Both.

Without a doubt.
+1

I work hard for a living, and petty jealousy be damned, if I want to spend my hard earned cash on a nice bike, I'll do it.

Steve
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Old 08-05-06, 11:33 AM
  #150  
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'Cause when I first started cycling, every ride was uphill and against the wind both ways, and we had to use heavy steel frames with only one bottle cage, and we had to use itchy wool jerseys, and we had to glue on our tires, and we know who Eddy Merckx is, and we had non-indexed downtube shift levers, and had to endure clammy leather chamois, and had to nail our cleats into our shoes, and had only ten gears, and had to loosen and tighten our toe straps at every stoplight, and had no EPO,.....
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