RANT

[Arch]

Why do some cyclists have such an issue with how much a bike costs.

Because some other cyclists do, the other way, and look down their noses at anything that isn't top end and made of unobtanium. Once you've been made to feel small for being economical, you tend to develop a feeling the other way in self defence.

And no, you don't have to live in sackcloth. Unless sack cloth is all you can afford, in which case you learn to make do with it, and having someone come along and be superior because of it doesn't help.

Obviously, not all the cyclists who spend top end money are snobs*, but there's always one who spoils it....

*I have a mate who has more bikes and trikes than I can remember, and each one of them probably worth more than all mine put together, but he doesn't rub it in.

 

[addictfreak]

I have to admit my winter bike has Ultegra and carbon forks! But it certainly did not cost £1500, (it was £700 new) and it was not bought as a winter bike. I just kept it to use in bad weather when I bought my addict.
The wife wanted me to sell it, so I played along for a little while then when she got bored.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

the new expensive stuff has never appealed to me anyway. My favourite possessions - bikes, guitars, whatever - are those which no one else uses (my cheap 1960s Japanese guitars) or those which I've put together myself or modified (two of my electric guitars, my 1970s Dawes Galaxy, my Raleigh Twenty fixed wheel project). Going out and buying a £1500 bike - for anyreason - would do nothing at all for me. If other people want to do this, that's great - my dad rides a two grand Trek - but I don't want anyone looking down their nose at me.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Oh, and £1500 for a winter hack is absolutely ridiculous, whichever way you look at it. Part of the reason I stopped buying C+ is that they gradually shifted the emphasis from "build your own dynamo lights" or "how to true wheels" to "here's some more expensive kit. Buy it. Buy it NOW!". Sounds like CW is going the same way.

 

[RATCHET]

Agree with your comments.Anyone reading CW would look to other cheaper sports.cw to sportive focused in my opinion The reports seem to indicate they are more like a road race and not for mere mortals

 

[Fab Foodie]

CW's target market is now predominately sportive riders probably coming into cycling in their 30s, 40s or older with large disposable incomes and larger midlife crises.

That should be me, almost 47, mid-life crisis finished, but hang-on... where's the large disposable income?






.... ah, kids...

 

[gavintc]

I am in the 40s midlife crisis and i have a wife , kid and a mortgage, my bike was £80 odd quid off ebay .They need to get in contact with the real world, same goes for cycling plus

CW is not building a BSO but a bike for winter training. A cassette, chain, some brake blocks and a couple of tyres will not leave you much change from £100, so your comparison fails once you do even the basic service.

I just get a little irritated by some people attitudes on here. Not everyone wants to 'get by' with a clapped out old hack. Some people earn a reasonable salary, do not smoke, drink excessively and for them this is their hobby/sport. I agree that £1500 is a tad high, but cost out a build (at today's prices) and I think you would be a little surprised at the actual costs.

 

[ttcycle]

A cheaper bike is not necessarily a BSO.

I have a range of bikes that cost different amounts - some more than others but it's the elitism of cycling which often is unhelpful for getting more people cycling.

Why do you think there is a great trade in stolen bikes? Some are just so expensive and outprice a lot of people.

Sure enough,I'm not against good top bikes and building a good bike but it's no way the norm to have a winter hack for that cost. Is CW pitching that bike at it's readership or just pushing merchandise onto people?

 

[gavintc]

I presume you have not bought CW or read the article. The headline is "We build the ultimate winter bike". By definition, this is not a normal everyday bike, but an excellent winter bike. They intend to examine whether spending more can save money in the long run.

 

[marinyork]

I presume you have not bought CW or read the article. The headline is "We build the ultimate winter bike". By definition, this is not a normal everyday bike, but an excellent winter bike. They intend to examine whether spending more can save money in the long run.

Indeed, but the point isn't really any less valid generally. It's top gear for bikes and plenty here are perfectly willing to say how silly that is.

I'm afraid bike snobbery is rife. I find it deeply amusing that one of my bikes that has done many thousands of miles is looked down upon or joked by so many people, even members of this forum who I would say are a better bunch than cyclists generally.

 

[ttcycle]

Sure, it isn't normal or everyday but actually is there a point to it? Did they decide that the ultimate winter bike was ulitimate in its cash saving - you see for a lot of people £1500 is too much to spend on their best bike let alone a winter bike- upgrading and replacing components when needed is vital- regardless of whether your bike is £200 or £5000 - a pointless article in a lot of respects- just lifestylism and there is this cycle where high end stuff is promoted and people want it -many can't afford it. Cycling is not the most inclusive sport/way to get around - consider the many reasons why this is?

I haven't read the article - my club jokingly refers to the CW as the comic but I still stand by my point, I'm not going to judge people by what they ride unless it's in a bad way or they ride badly/dangerously.

BTW - I do own a bike over the value of the article hack bike but it doesn't make me a bike snob.

 

[GrasB]

So you spend £1500 on a winter bike, fine so what exactly was the build aims of that bike; A decent road bike which you'll use in winter to rack up the miles & save your multi-grand best bike but also can step into its shoes if something catastrophic happens to it 2 days before a race/TT? Or are we talking a hack bike that gets you from A to B in the winter & come the summer get pushed to the back of the shed & forgotten about until next winter?

 

[ttcycle]

GrasB that bike would be well beyond decent with expenditure of that kind and those components.

A decent hack should be multi functional in my books - I would use it more multi functionally ie commuter bike and wouldn't be sad to use it as a back up in a race - in fact my commuter was a £75 Giant road bike purchased from a kind soul on here, it's a fantastic bike. We all have different aim and budgets, it's just a bit dissapointing that cycling mags are moving more towards just pushing top end gear without fully taking into account the different needs and budgets people have.

 

[GrasB]

As I said it depends on the build aims & also the budget of the person making those decisions. At the end of the day you need to understand that magazines are seen by corporations as product placement opportunities & so will push articles like this. If you don't like this well then don't buy any printed/published media

 

[ttcycle]

Ah I know Gras, I know very well- i used to work in that industry. Got fed up of it.

Hence why I don't buy magazines anymore unless there's an interesting article in there.