More money than sense...

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
...is often a term used by those folks who can't get their head around how much others would spend on a bicycle. I'm generally of the opinion of that if you have it spend it, but then I find this.

Le Flaneur Sportif d'Hermes bicycle

le-flaneur-sportif-d-hermes-bicycle--2020037%2063-front-1-300-0-1920-1920-q40.jpg

And I struggle to understand why anyone would spend $13,200 on this bike. :wacko:




 
...is often a term used by those folks who can't get their head around how much others would spend on a bicycle. I'm generally of the opinion of that if you have it spend it, but then I find this.

Le Flaneur Sportif d'Hermes bicycle

View attachment 395007

And I struggle to understand why anyone would spend $13,200 on this bike. :wacko:


I dropped $4k on a Thorn 11 years ago and still hate myself for it......except when I ride it.
 

PaulSB

Legendary Member
Well I wouldn’t buy it as I don’t like the look of it - bikes have to be beautiful as well as a great spec. Beauty being in the eye of the beholder.

HOWEVER if I truly could afford it, lottery win etc. my first luxury would be a bespoke bike built specifically for me regardless of cost. I’d simply drop in to my LBS and start the project there. It won’t happen. :sad:
 

Fonze

Totally obsessive , cool by nature
Location
Bradwell
I have friends that smoke like a trooper and drink like a fish .. I do neither .. I'd be interested in what they've spent over a period of say three years ..
Cars houses motorbikes bikes holidays, it's only a case of spend what you,can afford ..
£15000 on a bike say is only relative to your expendable cash, not necessarily a perverse figure of money to spend ..
 

Fonze

Totally obsessive , cool by nature
Location
Bradwell
Quite right I would ..
I'm not into cars or motorbikes, in my life had few nice cars but have a real passion for bikes now and have no problem spending what I can on a lovely bike ..
 

hoopdriver

Guru
Location
East Sussex
I can well understand someone spending serious money on a bicycle. But spending that kind of money on a bicycle designed by a fashion house? That seems odd. That is more bicycle-as-fashion-accessory than passion-for-cycling. As a cyclist that is something I cannot understand. The spending of serious money on a dream bike - sure!
 

bpsmith

Veteran
It doesn’t do it for me, but it might for someone else.

Just because it’s come from a fashion house doesn’t mean it’s any better or worse than from a big brand traditional cycling company.

If someone likes the idea of it being a fashion accessory then what’s the big deal? What categorises them as not being cyclists?

Let’s be fair, a lot of the discussions on here are about how a bike looks. If it didn’t matter, all of the bikes would be one colour and have the same shaped standard tubing.
 

hoopdriver

Guru
Location
East Sussex
It doesn’t do it for me, but it might for someone else.

Just because it’s come from a fashion house doesn’t mean it’s any better or worse than from a big brand traditional cycling company.

If someone likes the idea of it being a fashion accessory then what’s the big deal? What categorises them as not being cyclists?

Let’s be fair, a lot of the discussions on here are about how a bike looks. If it didn’t matter, all of the bikes would be one colour and have the same shaped standard tubing.
True. It may be a brilliant frame made by a top of the line maker. But the fashion house won’t be lending its name to the bike for free. You will be paying a hefty premium for having the Hermes name on the frame, no matter how good a frame it might actually be. That’s what I don’t really get - paying the premium simply to have the name of a fashion house on your bike. I don’t object to anyone doing that. It’s their money. I just don’t understand it.

And I certainly don’t mean to suggest they aren’t “cyclists”whatever that means. Just that this premium on fashion suggests a different relationship to bicycles and cycling than that which is usually expressed by people spending big on their dream bikes.
 
Parlee custom carbon frames go for about $7000. The build may be $3k with rohloff and fancy wheels. Can you really spend over $10k even if you wanted?
 

bpsmith

Veteran
True. It may be a brilliant frame made by a top of the line maker. But the fashion house won’t be lending its name to the bike for free. You will be paying a hefty premium for having the Hermes name on the frame, no matter how good a frame it might actually be. That’s what I don’t really get - paying the premium simply to have the name of a fashion house on your bike. I don’t object to anyone doing that. It’s their money. I just don’t understand it.
I do get your point on not understanding it.

I think it boils down to what we all like the look of and also what we value based on the heritage of the brand. There’s an element of individuality to add into the mix and also a consideration as to what said person earns too.

Some people could argue that slapping Bianchi on a frame does exactly the same thing. I pick Bianchi as that is a brand that I like, rather than trying to offend anyone else.
 
Top Bottom