Bike Price

[rockyrider]

Originally Posted by mimbresman

You guys are sounding like a bunch of socialists!

If someone wants to wear a $10,000 watch that's their choice. If someone wants to ride a $10,000 bike, that's okay too...he/she just better know how to ride or catch s**t at the trailhead.

and if you're going to catch s**t you can use the $10,000 carbon fiber toilet...



while playing a tune on your $10,000 your carbon fiber violin...

[50 Mission Cap]

Originally Posted by mimbresman

You guys are sounding like a bunch of socialists!

If someone wants to wear a $10,000 watch that's their choice. If someone wants to ride a $10,000 bike, that's okay too...he/she just better know how to ride or catch s**t at the trailhead.

Very true.

In terms of arabs, I meant dirt poor afghani's and pakistani's. Not the kind that play tennis on top of that building in Dubai.

[rockyrider]

Originally Posted by 50 Mission Cap

Very true.

In terms of arabs, I meant dirt poor afghani's and pakistani's. Not the kind that play tennis on top of that building in Dubai.

Afghanis and Pakistanis aren't actually Arabs. They might be Muslims, but not Arabs. Even Iranians aren't actually Arabs, they're Persians.

[mimbresman]

This guy I know in New Mexico is fairly new cycling. He is in his 50's, has a successful construction business, and went whole hog two years ago when he spent $14000+ on a Ti/carbonfiber custom road bike from a California builder. Awesome bike. Fortunately, he's pretty good at riding it too. Way faster than I am.

I figure...if one has the cash and want to spend it on something, then a bicycle is way more beautiful than a motorcycle.

If Scott or whatever company think they can sell bikes for $8,000 then they know more about the market than we do.

A friend who works in a shop in Rio Rancho (across the river from Albuquerque), last fall rang up a single $16,000 sale for two top tier Specialized to a husband and wife. His and her bikes. Each bike was in that $8000 category. My friend, Steiner, was jazzed...it was the largest sale he's ever made. He was top dog at the shop for a while after that one.

Edit: No offense...but a $4000 - $5000 Ti bike is much more fun to ride than a Trek 4200. I tried...I couldn't have fun on the 4200. I felt it handled like a pig, was heavy, and just felt dead. I crashed a bunch of times on it. I wanted to have fun on it, but it was a horrible experience.

[RepublicanSS]

Why should a man or woman get shit at the trailhead or on a road ride if they get dropped on a 10k plus bike? That's ridiculous, if they can afford it and choose to spend their money on it who cares? It sounds more like jealousy and envy.

If I'm at a light in my new 09 Volvo with my S3 and Custom Spot 29er or Scott Scale 20 on the roof rack (all paid in full by the way) I don't look down on some guy riding a cheaper mountain bike down the sidewalk. No, I wave and am glad we share something in common.

No one forces a person to buy an expensive bike, it's choice. What ever happened to people being pleased with freedom?! Including freedom of choice.

A few years ago I was ridiculed starting in the parking lot and continuing for the entire ride by a couple of liberal douchebags, it had nothing to do with my bike (I was riding my son's Specialized Stumpjumper) only my beliefs, funny I didn't care about theirs. So, I guess it's disheartening when I hear any advocating of giving someone shit at the trailhead for any reason, bike or political beliefs.

I just don't think anyone purchasing a bike at any price point is a big deal and not any of my business what someone pays, as long as they pay for it themselves and don't use money seized by the government from me for said purchase.

[50 Mission Cap]

Originally Posted by RepublicanSS

Why should a man or woman get shit at the trailhead or on a road ride if they get dropped on a 10k plus bike? That's ridiculous, if they can afford it and choose to spend their money on it who cares? It sounds more like jealousy and envy.

If I'm at a light in my new 09 Volvo with my S3 and Custom Spot 29er or Scott Scale 20 on the roof rack (all paid in full by the way) I don't look down on some guy riding a cheaper mountain bike down the sidewalk. No, I wave and am glad we share something in common.

No one forces a person to buy an expensive bike, it's choice. What ever happened to people being pleased with freedom?! Including freedom of choice.

A few years ago I was ridiculed starting in the parking lot and continuing for the entire ride by a couple of liberal douchebags, it had nothing to do with my bike (I was riding my son's Specialized Stumpjumper) only my beliefs, funny I didn't care about theirs. So, I guess it's disheartening when I hear any advocating of giving someone shit at the trailhead for any reason, bike or political beliefs.

I just don't think anyone purchasing a bike at any price point is a big deal and not any of my business what someone pays, as long as they pay for it themselves and don't use money seized by the government from me for said purchase.

If they cannot ride it, they deserve the ridicule. Afghani's aren't considered arabs? And what about the people in the pakistani mountains?

[mimbresman]

SS you take stuff way to literal and personal. Geez! I would not give a person shit even if they were riding a Huffy studded with emeralds. Its just a figure of speech. All bikes are good...and I don't care what kind of car you drive either.

[wv_bob]

That is just perfect ... imagine an investment banker playing "my heart bleeds for you" on it, while a laid off auto worker listens.

And imagine me knowing how to get the attachment of a crabon fiber violin to paste into this post.

[S. cerevisiae]

Originally Posted by RepublicanSS

Why should a man or woman get shit at the trailhead or on a road ride if they get dropped on a 10k plus bike? That's ridiculous, if they can afford it and choose to spend their money on it who cares? It sounds more like jealousy and envy.

If I'm at a light in my new 09 Volvo with my S3 and Custom Spot 29er or Scott Scale 20 on the roof rack (all paid in full by the way) I don't look down on some guy riding a cheaper mountain bike down the sidewalk. No, I wave and am glad we share something in common.

No one forces a person to buy an expensive bike, it's choice. What ever happened to people being pleased with freedom?! Including freedom of choice.

A few years ago I was ridiculed starting in the parking lot and continuing for the entire ride by a couple of liberal douchebags, it had nothing to do with my bike (I was riding my son's Specialized Stumpjumper) only my beliefs, funny I didn't care about theirs. So, I guess it's disheartening when I hear any advocating of giving someone shit at the trailhead for any reason, bike or political beliefs.

I just don't think anyone purchasing a bike at any price point is a big deal and not any of my business what someone pays, as long as they pay for it themselves and don't use money seized by the government from me for said purchase.

You kind of missed the point. One would presumably only give another some shit for not being able to ride in accordance with their high $$$ bike.

Personally I never give anyone shit when they are riding. Maybe afterward if they're drinking crappy Natural Light, and then only for their beer choice.

And I don't care what car you drive either.

[Opie]

Originally Posted by RepublicanSS

If I'm at a light in my new 09 Volvo with my S3 and Custom Spot 29er or Scott Scale 20 on the roof rack (all paid in full by the way) I don't look down on some guy riding a cheaper mountain bike down the sidewalk. No, I wave and am glad we share something in common.

You brand-name drop as almost as much as that guy that knew the Klunkers guy.

I would likely be lusting after any of those bikes if I saw them — not caring what you drove unless these were in the bed of a '48 Chevy truck, then I'd ogle the vehicle. I'd only ridicule you if you were listening to your IPod® Touch™ headphones while driving — because you should be paying attention to traffic and/or all the people you think are looking at you with envy.

[BrevCampagnolo]

Don't blame the bike companies, they're just responding to market pressures and following the cardinal rule of free market economics: charge what the market will bear. It's your fellow cyclists who are the cause of skyrocketing prices.

Remember people bitching about $4 gasoline? It's now, what, $2.25-$2.50? Know why they're not still charging $4? Because sales plummeted at that price. If you only sell half as much gas at $4 as you did at $3, heft mark-up or no, you're losing money hand over fist.

If no one bought these expensive bikes, the manufacturers would have no choice but to lower the price or sell less expensive bikes. And if it weren't for bike companies responding to market pressures, we'd still be riding 50-lb single speeds with rat trap pedals and solid rubber tires.

[S. cerevisiae]

Originally Posted by BrevCampagnolo

50-lb single speeds with rat trap pedals and solid rubber tires.

I'm getting a little...misty for the good ol' days.

[PutAwayWet]

If I were to get my math on and come up with some sort of visual curve to represent "Bang for the Buck", I would imagine something resembling a bell shaped curve. At the low end, you get what you pay for - not much. At the upper end, you also get what you pay for - bragging rights to say you paid more for your bike than I did. But somewhere in the middle, you get the benefit of trickle down technology from the previous years' über cutting edge, mixed with just enough 'production priced' stuff to give you "something that does what I want it to well, without having every last bell and whistle". I suppose that optimum balance is different for everyone. For a long time I was more towards the less expensive end of that curve. But in recent years I've been spoiled with 853 steel frames on my rigid bikes, and managed to get a smokn' deal on a higher-end full suspension (frame, fork, and shock anyway) bike. Could I go back to my On-One 4130 and be happy? I'll always be happy so long as I'm in the woods on a bike, but if it's available and you can afford it - a more capable machine can give you back that little extra that can make a noticeable difference.

Are bikes wicked expensive in my opinion? Yes. Are they worth it to me? Up to a point, and that point changes depending on my income and need. I spent ~$3K (less if I can sell my frame ) on my new FS this year, and so far it's worked out to about 4¢/smile

[mimbresman]

Originally Posted by S. cerevisiae

I'm getting a little...misty for the good ol' days.

Remember the Lyotard platform pedals? I had a set on my Raleigh Super Grand Prix that was stolen in 1981. Never got another pair.

[rockyrider]

...and despite many claims to the contrary, quality light weight bike stuff makes a discernible difference in the way the bike rides, and that can make a major difference in the ability to ride that bike by pushing the limits. And not just extreme limits, but all the limits... I am just knocked out by the handling precision of the carbon hardtail. It provides more choices for lines through sections, more ability to change your mind and adjust your lines, it climbs faster, and it rewards those efforts with big s**t eating grins. I really like riding a $5K hardtail.