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Are expensive bikes worth it?

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Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Are expensive bikes worth it?

Old 06-03-23, 05:00 PM
  #26  
ARider2
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Yes or no depending on personal situation.
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Old 06-03-23, 07:09 PM
  #27  
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I figured this was a question that got asked frequently, but had no idea how many responses that I would get the privilege to read through.
no, this is not a "troll thread," I am literally just SO inexperienced in this and have nobody that I know locally who can give me good answers.

I appreciate the useful info, and the few sarcastic responses gave me a good laugh too!
Sounds like the general answer is "go try a more expensive bike to feel the difference" and "to a casual rider, a cheap bike is usually fine"
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Old 06-04-23, 04:44 AM
  #28  
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"Expensive" is relative and worth is highly subjective.

Some may consider $1000 cheap for wheels and not worth it.

Used bikes are better values than new $1000 bikes. If OP is looking for a $1000 bike, consider purchasing used would be my suggestion
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Old 06-04-23, 06:35 AM
  #29  
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Go test ride a few at your local bike shop. I dare you. There are sub $1k bikes. Ride one then work your way up the price range.

Now I must answer your question. Yes. You will notice the difference. The price point of the performance increase may not be worth it to you but yes. You’ll buy the more expensive bike. Think each night while watching TV. Why did I spend so much. That money could have gone to new siding for the house. But. But then each time when you’re out for a ride you’ll realize why you spent the extra money. Smooth ride. Quick acceleration. Light weight climbing a hill or lifting to the roof rack. Less maintenance on the bearings. Easier shifting. Better Disc brakes prevented hitting the dog that ran out in front of you and you did not notice because your gaze was watching the oncoming car to make sure they don’t turn into you. The car the dog was running for. Pick any reason or add your own.

But whatever you do even if you don’t get a new bike upgrade your tires. And tubes unless you ride tubeless. Best bang for the buck.
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Old 06-04-23, 08:30 AM
  #30  
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People rarely regret buying too much bike.
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Old 06-04-23, 08:43 AM
  #31  
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mine is worth it

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Old 06-04-23, 08:49 AM
  #32  
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They are worth it if you know what the improvements are and what they do for you. If you don't have enough experience to tell that, then certainly they aren't doing you one bit of good.

You can enjoy and get all the benefits you need from a much less expensive bicycle.

If you have the deep pockets for it to not be a drain on your finances, then I have no issue for someone buying the expensive bikes just for the bragging rights. That helps push the just superseded technology down to the less expensive bikes faster

Last edited by Iride01; 06-04-23 at 08:52 AM.
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Old 06-04-23, 09:21 AM
  #33  
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Originally Posted by ussprinceton
mine is worth it
What does it weigh when you put the wheels on?
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Old 06-04-23, 09:27 AM
  #34  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
What does it weigh when you put the wheels on?
that's what it weighs as a whole complete bike

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Old 06-04-23, 09:32 AM
  #35  
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Originally Posted by ussprinceton
mine is worth it

A floppy gel Walmart type saddle cover is never worth it.
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Old 06-04-23, 09:39 AM
  #36  
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Originally Posted by mstateglfr
A floppy gel Walmart type saddle cover is never worth it.
this is the saddle that I use, no cushion whatsoever

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Old 06-04-23, 09:40 AM
  #37  
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the Chinese gel seat cover

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Old 06-04-23, 10:19 AM
  #38  
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15.32 kg x 2.2 lbs/kg = 33.7 lbs OK, makes sense.
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Old 06-04-23, 10:22 AM
  #39  
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Originally Posted by Polaris OBark
15.32 kg x 2.2 lbs/kg = 33.7 lbs OK, makes sense.
do you need glasses? Its in lbs, not kg
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Old 06-04-23, 11:29 AM
  #40  
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Originally Posted by ussprinceton
the Chinese gel seat cover

That explains all of the butt-hurt.
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Old 06-04-23, 12:30 PM
  #41  
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ussprinceton Re: posts #38 and #39, wouldn't a slightly padded CF saddle be more comfortable and weigh less than a bare CF saddle and a gel seat cover from AliExpress?

Especially when the saddle is 12 cm wide but the seat cover is 165 mm wide?
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Old 06-04-23, 12:40 PM
  #42  
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Depends on your budget and how much you want to ride. Even for a 10 to 20 mile ride you’ll notice the difference riding a more expensive bike. For one, the components might be smoother. To me, a gravel bike with 38 to 42psi of air on 38mm tires is a comfortable ride. Much more than a 23mm tired with 100psi. You can forgo the carbon and more expensive components because the cheaper, lighter ones shave a little weight and they won’t make you a better rider. Spend time in the saddle and enjoy.
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Old 06-04-23, 03:39 PM
  #43  
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Originally Posted by zandoval
In competition weight makes a big difference even when measured in intervals of 30 grams/1oz.
In what competition does 30g make any significant difference?
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Old 06-04-23, 03:58 PM
  #44  
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Originally Posted by bikealangelo
but i have been wondering about something lately:
Do expensive bikes ($10k+) justify the cost?
fify
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Old 06-04-23, 04:38 PM
  #45  
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Define “worth it”.

For the average rider, the typical group rides, and even the best occasional climbs… anything over a 2-3k 105 equipped bike is a want vs a need or “worth it”.

So the value is found in your wants, not really what the bike will do for you.


The basic Aluminum or lower spec CF bike with 105 will allow you to ride right next to the higher dollar bikes, with very similar riding experiences, for 10’s of thousands of miles.
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Old 06-04-23, 04:54 PM
  #46  
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In its day, your Le Tour was not a cheap bike. Cheap bikes then had squashed and spot welded fork and chain stay ends and all heavy steel components. That Le Tour was better than my old Continental and would weigh less. $1000 is about the cheapest for a usuable bike that you would put real miles on these days. To me, expensive is more like $3K on up. If you ride 20 miles 12 times a month then your equipment has to be up to it. Decent riding kit alone (shoes, helmet, padded shorts, Jerseys, gloves, outer layers, computers, glasses, blinking lights, etc) gets you past $1K all by themself pretty quickly. So to answer your question, yes a new truly expensive bike will perform better than the Le Tour, especially if you do hills, but to really gain the benefits, the proper kit needs to be used a long with it. This assumes your bike is properly sized to you.
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Old 06-04-23, 05:15 PM
  #47  
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YES....any amount of money needed to get away from down tube shifters
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Old 06-04-23, 05:44 PM
  #48  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
In what competition does 30g make any significant difference?
Pigeon racing.
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Old 06-04-23, 11:11 PM
  #49  
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Originally Posted by PeteHski
In what competition does 30g make any significant difference?
Obviously, in the Weight Weenies forum.
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Old 06-05-23, 05:45 AM
  #50  
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No

I had and have a variety of bikes at different price points. Quite honestly, Shimano Claris/Sora level bikes are pretty much as good as it gets.

On my two latest bikes one has the cheapest Promax Decoder R single piston mechanical disc brakes, the other Shimano 105 hydraulic. They’re both fine.

Paying more for carbon frames is ridiculous to me. They said the same about aluminum 30 years ago, and now steel frames are a high end niche.
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