If I have learned anything in life, it is that it is often possible to have just as much enjoyment from any hobby with relatively inexpensive kit as it is with the top of the range gear. If you have money to burn and can afford top of the range stuff, fine, but I don't think the average recreational cyclist/photographer/angler/driver/whatever needs to spend a fortune for gear.
Cheap gear needn't be unreliable, there is a lot of very good second hand stuff out there for sensible money. If something was high quality once, it's still high quality so long as the previous owner cared for it. I don't worry about damaging my old Pentax SLR camera, I know people who go around with thousands of pounds worth of camera equipment who are constantly worried about it being damaged/stolen. People with expensive cars are often paranoid about where to park them in case of vandalism, I don't have that worry with my 16 yo Peugeot 205, and I will happily drive it through fields to "play" with it. I doubt the average Ferrari driver would do that and is missing out on fun!
Cheap gear needn't be unreliable, there is a lot of very good second hand stuff out there for sensible money. If something was high quality once, it's still high quality so long as the previous owner cared for it. I don't worry about damaging my old Pentax SLR camera, I know people who go around with thousands of pounds worth of camera equipment who are constantly worried about it being damaged/stolen. People with expensive cars are often paranoid about where to park them in case of vandalism, I don't have that worry with my 16 yo Peugeot 205, and I will happily drive it through fields to "play" with it. I doubt the average Ferrari driver would do that and is missing out on fun!
