Insanely expensive bikes

[mpemburn]

I will be the first to admit that I’m pretty cheap—I go for used stuff before I’ll buy something new. Thus, my current, entirely satisfactory ride cost a fraction of a similar new bike.

Now, I live in a pretty affluent part of the U.S. (Maryland), and ride with a lot of people who are either well heeled, or think they are. Since getting back into to road cycling, I’ve been flabbergasted at the amount of money some people are willing to pay for a two-wheeler. One of my friends, who is a strong rider but seldom races, spent nearly $10,000 (~ 7,400 GBP) on a Specialized with the SRAM electronic shifting system. Another friend has several bikes in that range. What do you think is the most a recreational cyclist should spend on a bike?

 

[JhnBssll]

Whatever they want to is surely the only answer?

People prioritise things differently, live and let live

 

[fossyant]

Their money... I think it's daft to keep buying expensive bikes/any bike, then decide you don't like it, lose a load of money then buy another.

 

[fossyant]

I have a very expensive road bike, custom built for me, but I've had it over 30 years - no expense spared at the time.

 

[Elybazza61]

Whatever they can afford.

 

[Oldhippy]

Horses for courses, but if I'm going to spend any large sum I would want a bike that does it all, daily running about, touring, day pottering, shopping, trailer towing. I have one though and it was nowhere near a grand let alone 10.

 

[ianrauk]

Whatever they want to spend. Its no one else's business.

 

[vickster]

People happily spend a 100k on a car and lose 30-50% in depreciation or spend 00s every month on leasing.
The most they’ll lose on a 10k bike is 10k (and it won’t lose that)

 

[alex_cycles]

I will be the first to admit that I’m pretty cheap—I go for used stuff before I’ll buy something new. Thus, my current, entirely satisfactory ride cost a fraction of a similar new bike.

Now, I live in a pretty affluent part of the U.S. (Maryland), and ride with a lot of people who are either well heeled, or think they are. Since getting back into to road cycling, I’ve been flabbergasted at the amount of money some people are willing to pay for a two-wheeler. One of my friends, who is a strong rider but seldom races, spent nearly $10,000 (~ 7,400 GBP) on a Specialized with the SRAM electronic shifting system. Another friend has several bikes in that range. What do you think is the most a recreational cyclist should spend on a bike?

I can only decide that for myself. If I had unlimited funds, I would probably buy the best I could find because "why not?".
But, since that isn't my reality, I have one expensive bike that I had brand new and any additional bikes are 2nd-hand (for the time being).
I have got the Roubaix down to under 10p a mile now though (purchase price, excluding maintenance), having done almost 15,000 miles on it. I'm hoping it will last for many more years.

Looking at the market as it is now, £1500 doesn't get you a very high-end road bike now, but I still regard it as quite a lot of money. A lot of clubmates have much more expensive bikes, which is good because it means mine is less likely to be nicked next to theirs.

 

[Reynard]

What classes as "expensive" is very much a sliding scale. What might be spendy to me could well be peanuts to someone else.

It's not a straightforward thing though, because there are always other questions to ask prior to splurging on something, like "can I justify it", "will I use it enough" and such like.

There's also a big difference between off-the-shelf and custom built. I'd be more likely to pay for the latter rather than the former, because then it'd be exactly what I needed / wanted, built to fit me exactly, and made to last. Same goes for anything bespoke, really, not just bikes.

 

[Kingfisher101]

My personal view for myself is that I like value for money. I can have whatever I want bike wise but i just cant stand being ripped off or paying over the odds for anything.I don't race and just ride for pleasure so as long as its o.k mechanically and fits me that's all I'm bothered about.
Everyone is different though and as long as the person can afford it I dont see the problem in anyone buying what they want. Its up to the person, different people have different priorities.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Cars, planes or motorcycles are different from Bikes. Their prices reflect performance and build. So if you paid for a Ferrari, people know its value. A bike after a certain price point does not doing anything more. It can't go any faster, it cannot take off. You can't have leather trims. And there are bikes that cost more than a entry level car. Go figure.

Take the recent AbsoluteBlack Oversized pulley wheels farce. Its a dud with false claims of being designed and engineered in England among other things. If I was friend or a colleague, I will tell you if you did not know.

By the way there are good bikes that are worth more than 10K USD. If you tried electronic shifting you would seldom go back. The riding experience is at another level and worth every penny.

 

[cyberknight]

I can only decide that for myself. If I had unlimited funds, I would probably buy the best I could find because "why not?".
But, since that isn't my reality, I have one expensive bike that I had brand new and any additional bikes are 2nd-hand (for the time being).
I have got the Roubaix down to under 10p a mile now though (purchase price, excluding maintenance), having done almost 15,000 miles on it. I'm hoping it will last for many more years.

Looking at the market as it is now, £1500 doesn't get you a very high-end road bike now, but I still regard it as quite a lot of money. A lot of clubmates have much more expensive bikes, which is good because it means mine is less likely to be nicked next to theirs.

im similar, at club rides you can see bikes that are very expensive left unlocked and mine which would be about £1200 now to replace new for old at least has a cafe lock on

 

[Tim Bennet.]

I don't think you can spend 'a lot' of money on a bike, even if you tried.

For comparison if you tear the arse out of you bike purchase, loose all sense of restraint and fall for every bit of bling and smooth salesman's chat in the bike shop, it will still only amount to the same as a 3 year old, basic spec, secondhand Honda Civic in grey which no one would ever claim to be an extravagance.

When younger, I spent a quarter of my annual salary on a custom framed bike. My job at the time came with full board and lodging so I thought that 3 months was the longest I could go without money for a beer, clothing, treats or even putting petrol in the car. Devotion to 'Richards Bicycle Book' ensured that it was perfect in every way and 40 years later I still think it was money well spent.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

They should spend no more on a bike than they would spend on a car.

If you buy a Ferrari you don’t get something faster. You get something that is subject to the same speed limits as all other cars on public roads.