Hmmmm , am I just getting too old ???

[Hedgemonkey]

No, its not a " am I too old to ride thread " its more of a WTF is happening to cycling thread.
I purchased a recent glossy cycling magazine last weekend and was some what mystified by the costs and prices of some of the bikes and kit. A 4 bike review of which the most expensive was nearly 8k, there was shoes at around £250, helmets for around the same, jackets seem to be the norm at over £150 and even a bloody pump for over a £100. People seem to think £35 for a " Sportive" is acceptable to ride around on roads that with a map and bit of common sense are free. Has cycling become so trendy that the related manufacturers have cottoned on that those with high disposable incomes are easy to relieve of their money in the search for looking good on the expensive carbon unobtanium bling fests.

Confused... Or maybe not...

 

[vickster]

Don't buy Cycling Plus...

 

[S-Express]

As above. Issue can be resolved by not purchasing a magazine which panders to the precise audience you refer to.

 

[Yellow Saddle]

Magazines are the cradle of artificial life.

 

[kingrollo]

Ignore.
Jump on your bike on ride. My best bike is 7 years old - sure I pay for expensive kit if I feel the needs (saddles and shorts) - the rest is just mid range stuff.

Actually if you watch the web - I hardly ever pay RRP for anything - just wait for the stuff to be discounted. You can also get some some great kit 2nd hand

 

[Venod]

Has cycling become so trendy that the related manufacturers have cottoned on that those with high disposable incomes are easy to relieve of their money in the search for looking good on the expensive carbon unobtanium bling fests.

Yes.

But you don't have to join the club.

 

[Crackle]

Wasn't Cycling Plus Golf Weekly once?

 

[Apollonius]

You can buy a perfectly decent bike for a few hundred pounds. You can get a slightly better one for ten times that. Be glad that affluent people (who have not got rich by being stupid, by the way) are involved in cycling. They are often influential and cycling needs its rich friends as we are a persecuted minority. Also, we must try not to be jealous of people who are rich and successful, especially if they want to ride bikes.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I'm old and I occasionally read these mags. The £8,000+ bikes are often as not things like "Cav's latest Venge" or "Froome's latest Pinarello". I find it quite interesting to see what professional riders are using, just as F1 fans might read about F1 cars before tootling off in their Mondeos.

If you're worried about what you will have to pay for your next clothing and kit purchases - don't. Aldi are still going.
If you're worried about what other people are willing to pay for clothing and kit - don't. It's none of your business.

 

[lpretro1]

I don't know why people post about this. If someone wants to pay £X for their bike & equipment then that's fine- it is their money and that's what they choose. It seems to me that some cyclists suffer from an inverse snobbery. For example, I buy Rapha shorts - yes they are expensive and no I don't earn very much money - I buy them because they fit me better than any others I have had and I have to save up to do so. I have had comments about 'more money than sense' from one or two cyclists! Be pleased that cycling has become so popular and has shaken off it's "1950s old man" image

 

[Drago]

I've given up with magazines. Financially unattainable products reviewed and tested by people who largely have no formal expertise in the subject at hand.

 

[Fab Foodie]

Ride a bike, any bike, go nice places, do nice things.

 

[Bollo]

Ride a bike, any bike, go nice places, do nice things.

I'm just about to ride to Basingstoke, but hey, two out of three.

 

[jonny jeez]

Ride a bike, any bike, go nice places, do nice things.

Ahem....coffee, cake!

 

[Globalti]

In my mind there have always been two types of cyclist:

Cyclist A who cycles for pleasure and fitness or to commute and because it's cheap, (s)he isn't interested in the latest fads or fashions but just wants value for money kit.

Cyclist B who also enjoys riding but is into the aesthetic side of cycling; either a leisure cyclist or a serious roadie or club rider (s)he wants the newest, flashiest kit and is prepared to spend a fair bit of cash to get the right look and performance.

For my 60th birthday I bought myself an expensive race bike, still far far cheaper than a speedboat or sports car or motorbike or quad bike or any other male menopause toy but I tried it at the Cyclist track day at the Olympic road circuit and fell in love with it. It's brilliant fun to ride and gives me a hell of a lot of pleasure especially as the contrast with my workhorse Roubaix is so great. The quality of the bike is superb so in the year I've owned it, I haven't had to fix or adjust anything at all except to take up the wear in the brake pads. I hope to be able to carry on enjoying this bike for a good many years and I hope it will keep me riding and fit well into my 60s and even 70s. So although it was expensive, I don't think I wasted my money.