Jixr

I've been riding a fixed gear for 2 years now, and have been wanting to get a nice road bike.

I've been working a side gig and had some money saved up, and found a 2013 Fuji SST 2.1 at a performance bike for $1300 ( a few years old but still new ) It originally was $3k, so it seemed like a good deal. I'm a PB member and get $130 back in store credit that I could use for new bar tape, tires, a matching bottle cage or whatever little goodies I find, so overall it seems like a really good deal. The way I look at it, minus the money I made from my little side gig, my 'normal' money i'm only out like $500

Full carbon aero frame, nice wheels, ultegra shifters brakes and a rotor crankset.

Bike is stupid light at 17lbs

Riding it it feels smooth and is easy for me to sustain a 20mph pace compared to riding my FG.

But i'm kinda thinking I spent too much money. I ride a good bit, I did 3500 miles last year, and hoping to do more this year. While the bike is stupid nice, despite the age I couldn't find anything else sporting ultegra and a carbon frame in its price range. ( most things were carbon with 105 and no-name brakes and other little parts ) I could just buy a cheaper bike but every cheaper bike I've ridden the heavy weight and clunky and inefficient shifting is so much that i'd rather just be on my 16lb fixed gear

In the back of my head I just kinda feel like I should just save that money and continue riding my FG. Would be nice having that extra cash in savings. Before I got into cycling spending more than $500 seemed crazy, and now that i'm into it spending 3x that is still pretty far-fetched for me. Its hard for me to instantly love a bike, I love my cheap FG so much because of all the awesome rides I've done on it.

Part of the reason why I'd like a road bike is for longer rides and events I simply can't keep the pace while riding FG, and would like to try my hand at racing in some of the local crits. ( which currently don't host FG events )


PB has a generous return policy, so I have awhile to decide if I wanna keep it or not.
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TL;DR: Spent $1400 on an awesome bike, felt like I got a good deal, but I feel like I should have just put that money into savings and continue riding my cheap but slow bike.

Kindaslow

Keep it, ride it, you will be happy.

indyfabz

$1,400 is not a lot.

scott967

Yes, you probably spent too much. But you did it, so learn your lesson, take care of that bike and ride the crap out of it. Don't get upgrade-itis, ride your bike and save what you can so you get a cushion where you can spend money on a bike and not have to worry about paying the rent.

scott s.
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Maelochs

You should take the bike into the street and break it into pieces with a hammer, and then take a saw and cut off your own legs. That'll teach not to buy what you want when you can get it at a great price.

Spoonrobot 

Be aware that Performance Bike does have a generous return policy but no manager in their right mind will let you leave with a refund on a $1,400 bike that displays any sort of visible wear they think will affect resale.

I've seen this play out several times.

• Customer brings in $1,000+ bike they've ridden more than a couple dozen miles to return
• "Discusses" with manager for 30-60 minutes
• Only offer is store credit or no return
• More discussion for 30 minutes
• Call to corporate for 30 minutes
• Offer of 50% store credit, 50% cash and free membership to rewards program
• More discussion and phone calls 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Customer given offer to return $1,000 bike, purchase $2,500 bike for $2,000 and free membership in rewards program
• Customer accepts one of three options or walks out

Not even joking. Want to bring back one of the 7 speed Schwinn Cruisers that your mom rode a couple times 11 months ago? Sure here's your $300 bucks back.

$3500 SL 1.5 you rode a couple centuries and maybe a training crit before deciding the headtube was 5mm too tall? Store Manager Mark will die before you get a cash refund, same with the district manager, the corporate phone rep and the regional boss.

So for various reasons, I'd recommend you keep the bike and ride it until the wheels fall off.

ETA: I know it's not the same everywhere but this has been my experience in several of the stores I've been in.

Rowan

You have aspirations of racing? Keep the bike. You will need it.

howellhandmade

Removed the second-guessing for you. Sounds like a great bike. If riding it makes you happy, ride it and enjoy it. And relax. If you had the money in the bank you'd wish you hadn't passed on that great deal so you could ride the crit next weekend. The fact that you worked and saved and didn't just slap down the credit card means you'll be ok.

Maelochs

Right, you don't get a cash refund ... you get credit. or, as you explained thoroughly, some mix of benefits, including (maybe) some cash. It's really quite fair.

On small stuff, they will give you cash back. I've gotten $100 straight-up refund from Nashbar, no questions asked.

canadian deacon

The question is...are you selling the fixed gear?

OldTryGuy

A reply.......Ride the bike like you stole it, cause at that pricing you almost did, so ENJOY!!!

A reply.......Spending the money on the bike was smarter, healthier and begins a great habit compared to alcohol or smokes.

A reply.......If you want to race, you best be riding a whole lot more.

Again, no need for second guessing, nice bike at a great price.

trailangel

You didn't look at the $10,000 bikes?

Phil_gretz

...to continue spending on your bicycling interest for at least one year. Reevaluate your savings/investment goals and begin to devote your energy toward meeting these again. Stick to your plan.


This way, you can ride the new bike and not be nagged by the doubt that you can re-gain your savings. Don't spend on extras and non-essentials for the next year. Save savagely and without regret. In a year, you'll be ahead of where you are now, plus you'll have enjoyed riding the new bike in the interim.


My two cents...

BlazingPedals

While your mileage isn't huge, it's enough that you deserve a nice bike. Keep it and love it.

BobbyG

If you feel guilt or remorse, you are not riding fast, or hard enough. If you are not risking the welfare of your children, relax and enjoy the special opportunity to buy a very nice bike at a very nice price, that isn't much more than what you would have paid for a more ordinary bike.

Sy Reene

Not sure, but perhaps might improve success ratio of getting cash back is to ship the return back to Performance. Fill out the form and ship the bike. There's no person involved making a decision to accept your product back first or under what conditions.

It's a pretty clear policy, taken from here: Returns - Performance Bike

"Returns/Exchanges

We stand behind every product we sell. If an item does not meet your expectations, simply return it. We guarantee your money back for a full year. After one year, we’ll provide an exchange, repair, or store credit to ensure you have the product that meets your needs. If you’ve lost your receipt, we’ll provide a store credit at our current price."

exmechanic89

If you think you'll ride the bike regularily it was certainly worth buying, imo.

Maelochs

Tell them you are a Very important poster on Bike Forums ... you will get the respect you deserve.

jefnvk

If you like it, and can actually afford it, keep it. A year from now you'll have forgotten about the money, but you'll still like the bike. I've had spenders regret on many a purchase, and never once have I looked back on it when the pain of the bank account being emptied had subsided and thought it was a bad choice.

Subjective. I don't race, or ride fast, or have the need for a fat/suspended offroad setup, so $1400 is quite a bit in my mind to spend on a bike because addequate options can be had considerably cheaper.

My experience has been more along Spoonrobot's. On a Saturday morning, store busy with two associates working, and one of them being tied up for at least a half hour by a guy trying to return two bikes the day before the year was up because he decided he didn't like them. Very visibly used. Dunno what the resolution ever was, but I do know he didn't appear to be in line for a direct cash refund.

Maelochs

In any case, if you deal in good faith with Nashbar or Perf Bike, .... by which Io mean, Don't come in with a bike beat to crap, the day before the warranty expires ...

If you buy a bike and ride it for a few days and realize it is the wrong size, I'd bet you'd get cash ... but would probably want credit anyway, to get the right size of the same bike.

naturally they don't want people working the system but on the other hand, I have never heard a complaint about them from a legitimate customer ... which leads me to believe that they regularly honor their warranty/exchange policy. If not, I am Sure we;'d all have heard about here at BF.

Maelochs

Absolutely However, it is also good, now and then, to treat oneself.

Seriously, most of us could be riding old Huffys, or Dutch granny bikes, or any cheap cruiser with a 3-speed IGH and still be riding. We don't Need drop bars and 8 or 11 cogs---we don't Need brifters. We don’t need vintage Schwinn Le Tours we could get by with 3-speed Varsities. .... we don’t need to own half-a-dozen bikes. One will do.

But there is also desire. We see an old Peugeot and think how nice it would look with a little car and cleaning ... we see a gorgeous old Miyata and think., “I don’t Need it but i Want it and I can afford it.”

$1400 is a lot of money to me ... but I wouldn’t (and haven’t) hesitated to spend my savings on something I will use and use well for many, many years. So in this case, if I were this poster ... $1400 would not be a Lot.

LOL. I am just joking. It is a lot, for me too ... on the other hand, I spent more than that to build up my CF dream bike ... which is about on par with what he bought. For me it wasn’t a question of “a lot” or not ... I knew it might well be the last bike I ever bought or built, so trying to save money didn’t make sense. I didn’t Waste money ... I didn’t get crazy and get hand-crafted titanium everything or $3000 wheels .... but sometimes “adequate’ simply isn’t adequate.

bmthom.gis

You have the bike. As long as you can still pay your bills, don't worry about it! If you want that extra cash, don't get sucked into racing and get another side gig. You already have the bike. Ride it. Be healthy. Smile every time you look at it. Be content that you won't have to buy another road bike for a very, very long time.

Maelochs

What did Jack Handy say? Something like "You're a good person .. . You're Worth it."

BlazingPedals

If we all had to "qualify" for a better bike before we could get it, most of us would be on Huffys. There's absolutely nothing wrong with having a bike that's better then you are. And, you got a great deal on it.

Retro Grouch 

That's what I think too.

If you didn't buy the bike, a year from now you probably won't remember what you did with the money. It's better to be reminded by having a nice bike to ride.