[hooples3]

been embarrassed to tell someone how much your bike cost????
well maybe not embarrassed, just hesitant??

I came home from work yesterday by bike and my neighbor is out with his two kids. Apparently he just bought them 2 bikes from Toys-r-us (which is a whole different story) Anyway he looks at my bike and says "Nice bike" then he asks what does something like that run ?? like $300? . I just shyly say a little more than that. he asks $500???? and i just laugh.. I finaly told him I paid like $1600, 8 years ago for it. he looks at me Laughs and says "who would pay so much money for a bike?" You can get them much cheaper in Toys are us!!" ( Thats another story) ... Meanwhile Im thinking Im glad its my old stumpjumper.. Imagine what he would say if he knew I spent $3000 on my heckler!!!

sometimes I feel wierd telling people how much i spend on my bikes, and that I own a few.... its easy to talk to a fellow biker about everything, but to a non-biker its much harder. why do you think that is???

 

[TreeSaw]

been embarrassed to tell someone how much your bike cost????
well maybe not embarrassed, just hesitant??

I came home from work yesterday by bike and my neighbor is out with his two kids. Apparently he just bought them 2 bikes from Toys-r-us (which is a whole different story) Anyway he looks at my bike and says "Nice bike" then he asks what does something like that run ?? like $300? . I just shyly say a little more than that. he asks $500???? and i just laugh.. I finaly told him I paid like $1600, 8 years ago for it. he looks at me Laughs and says "who would pay so much money for a bike?" You can get them much cheaper in Toys are us!!" ( Thats another story) ... Meanwhile Im thinking Im glad its my old stumpjumper.. Imagine what he would say if he knew I spent $3000 on my heckler!!!

sometimes I feel wierd telling people how much i spend on my bikes, and that I own a few.... its easy to talk to a fellow biker about everything, but to a non-biker its much harder. why do you think that is???

I totally know what you mean. My parents really don't know how much we spend on bikes for that reason...it's akward to tell them because I know they couldn't afford to do it and I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable or anything. Plus, they'd think I am nutz.

 

[Mackie]

why do you think that is???

Because to a non-biker, what the extra bucks buys you is not worth the mony.
Why is your $1600 stumpy better than a $100 Huffy?
-More durable
-Shifts better
-Lighter

These are all important, valuable traits for someone who rides a lot & likes their bikes to perform well, particulary off road.
To your average Brooklyn dad with a big rent bill & 2 kids in school, who is not a bike rider, and who will NEVER take a bike off road, those things sound real nice, but not $1500 nice.

 

[hooples3]

I totally know what you mean. My parents really don't know how much we spend on bikes for that reason...it's akward to tell them because I know they couldn't afford to do it and I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable or anything. Plus, they'd think I am nutz.

ok good.. so its not just me.. sometimes i just lie about what something for my bike costs. Its hard to tell someone you paid $400 for a front fork

 

[TreeSaw]

ok good.. so its not just me.. sometimes i just lie about what something for my bike costs. Its hard to tell someone you paid $400 for a front fork

Absolutely! I just tell them it's worth what I paid for it and they seem to believe me (atleast for now)

 

[Instigator]

Plus, they'd think I am nutz.

We all think you are nutz, but that is why we love you :heart:

 

[MudGrrl]

Neighbor?


Try boyfriend.

He was being nice, and asked me what kind of bike I would like....
So, I told him....


and he said "$1500???? "

and apparently went into shock.

 

[I Are Baboon]

It depends on who's asking. For the general populus, I simply say "A lot." For the people I know will not react like assholes, I tell them. I've probably put $3500 into my Titus between the original purchase and upgrades.

 

[Reactor]

been embarrassed to tell someone how much your bike cost???? well maybe not embarrassed, just hesitant??

sometimes I feel wierd telling people how much i spend on my bikes, and that I own a few.... its easy to talk to a fellow biker about everything, but to a non-biker its much harder. why do you think that is???

I know what you mean. Somone asked me how much my road bike cost, when I told them they were like "I could buy a car for that much!!", so I explained thet by bike commuting I avoid a $300 a month car payment, $100 insurance, another $100 in gas, and an unknown amount in maintainence, plus I was healther and happier. So my $2000 road bike didn't seem like such a bad deal. If they smoke I remind them my bike cost about what it cost them to smoke for a year, and it makes me healthier, not sicker.

Someone once asked me what you get when you spend $1500, instead of $150 on a mountain bike. Simple, it doesn't break, it's light and comfortable, and I can actually ride it off road, whereas a $150 bike would break in in five minutes.

If people can have $5000 chistmas ornament or beane bear collections, or spend $10,000 on a model railroad setup, of have a $20,000 hot rod, what the hell right do they have to judge by $2000 bike.

 

[hooples3]

Neighbor?


Try boyfriend.

He was being nice, and asked me what kind of bike I would like....
So, I told him....


and he said "$1500???? "

and apparently went into shock.

lol.. thats funny... My wife is actually letting me get another bike.. she rides but thinks one is enough ( I currently have 3 ) she says mind as well get it now since we have the money.. once the kids come.. thats it..
she also wants me to sell some of the older ones

 

[firetoole]

If anyone ever asks why you pay so much just tell them it's like the difference between a $13,000 KIA and a $40,000 BMW

 

[Morryjg]

It's usually not the amount I spent on one bike, it's the fact that I have 6 bikes in my garage that gets people. Which is nothing compared to bike ho's like Insitigator. I'm just not worthy when compared to him.

 

[hooples3]

It's usually not the amount I spent on one bike, it's the fact that I have 6 bikes in my garage that gets people. Which is nothing compared to bike ho's like Insitigator. I'm just not worthy when compared to him.

6 huh?? I have something to look forward too!!!!!!

 

[DHS]

yea its worse when we pull up to a bar on our late night urban rides. i just got with it was a lot or enough. i'm tired of explaining it. happens a lot.

 

[TreeSaw]

We all think you are nutz, but that is why we love you :heart:

Awww....now I am blushing

 

[hooples3]

yea its worse when we pull up to a bar on our late night urban rides. i just got with it was a lot or enough. i'm tired of explaining it. happens a lot.

thats my whole point.. why should we have to say a lot or enough??? if it was a car we would tell the exact amount without any problem. I think its because people understand the amount and think that the amount is good for a car.. they cant understand a bike being that much money

 

[bluebug32]

The landlord for my new apartment told me I could put my bike in his unlocked shed. I asked where I could lock it to and he looked at me like I was crazy. Then he asked how much mine cost, explaining that his kids had some "REALLY nice mountain bikes" that they splurged and spent $300 on. Needless to say, my bike is now in his shed attached to a chain with a BIG lock on it.

 

[Polandspring88]

I never tell my dad what anything is truly worth. He would kill me if he really knew that I had just dropped between 600 and 700 for parts on my new bike. I just hide it well. When anyone asks I just usually tell them a lot, because no matter how much you try and explain that it rides better, will last longer, blah blah, they will never understand.

 

[McGRP01]

Same boat here. Trying to explain to my wife that the bike I'm hoping to purchase over the winter will be around $3k has been tough.

 

[hooples3]

The landlord for my new apartment told me I could put my bike in his unlocked shed. I asked where I could lock it to and he looked at me like I was crazy. Then he asked how much mine cost, explaining that his kids had some "REALLY nice mountain bikes" that they splurged and spent $300 on. Needless to say, my bike is now in his shed attached to a chain with a BIG lock on it.

In my last apartment my 3 bikes stayed in my apartment and were locked up in there. Now in our condo they have their own room and they would be locked up too if it wasnt for our alarm system

 

[splat]

Nope, I've never been embarassed about it , actually proud!!! When I first graduated college ( almost 20 years ago) , I bought a Car for $800 and a Road Racing Bike for $1200.

It's usually not the amount I spent on one bike, it's the fact that I have 6 bikes in my garage that gets people. Which is nothing compared to bike ho's like Insitigator. I'm just not worthy when compared to him.

Only 6 ? it gets worse when You have a wife and Kids who ride too ! my 8 year old has 5 bikes!!! ( ok so ! he has out grown one big time and 2 others he is going to be growing into but how many 8 year olds have a rocky Mt Vertex and an a Kona Stuff! those are the 2 he is going to be growing into )

and how many 8 year olds have SIDI Road racing shoes ?

 

[NoOnEKnOsMe]

I dont care about what people think when i tell them how much my bike costs because its what i love to do and a better bike allows me to progress more and be more comfortable. Just ask them about their hobbies and how much they spend on them. Mountain biking isnt nearly as expensive as a lot of other hobbies that i know of.

 

[BussaFrame]

I don't tell people how much my bike costs. I typically say that they cost alot. I just like to keep my finances under wraps, no matter what aspect them I am discussing. Although it is more difficult to explain why I have 4 bikes locked up inside my house even though I have a garage.

 

[robdamanii]

I haven't spent nearly the amount of money on biking as i have on my other hobbies.

People do look at you like you're nuts when you comment that you spend 2 large on a paintball gun though...

 

[golgiaparatus]

Jump his bike off a 5' to flat and hand it back to him with bent rims and broken suspension. Also tell him that you bike shifts to the gear you want EVERY time and stays there. Not to mention you should let him know that it weighs about half of what his bike weighs

 

[sanjuro]

Jump his bike off a 5' to flat and hand it back to him with bent rims and broken suspension. Also tell him that you bike shifts to the gear you want EVERY time and stays there. Not to mention you should let him know that it weighs about half of what his bike weighs

Better yet, just manual off the curb, and when his fork breaks, just say, "Well you got your money's worth".

Frankly, anyone who questions the worth of my bikes is an idiot. Conversely, I don't say, "Oooo, you paid X dollars for [item in another hobby or sport]?" I can figure out what other people are doing with their money, even if I don't participate.

 

[sleepinggiant]

Last year in AP Econ I had to present a cost benefit analysis to the class about why my road bike was worth $4k. They were the most shocked when I told them I was riding on a pair of wheels that cost $1600 and were wraped in $200 worth of rubber. (Americal Classic Carbon tublars with Vitoria CX tires)

 

[stinkyboy]

yea its worse when we pull up to a bar on our late night urban rides. i just got with it was a lot or enough. i'm tired of explaining it. happens a lot.

I alway say: "It's not about the price, it's about the ride" and refuse to answer such a stupid question.

 

[dh girlie]

Once I rode my bike over to my grandma's and we were going to go to brunch...and I told my mom I wanted to put the bike inside my grandmas house and she told me to just leave it on the patio. I was like, no WAY, it's super expensive...someone will steal it...she goes how expensive...I said five hundred dollars! If she only knew that's close to what the rear wheel is worth she'd flip...

 

[DRB]

Once I rode my bike over to my grandma's and we were going to go to brunch...and I told my mom I wanted to put the bike inside my grandmas house and she told me to just leave it on the patio. I was like, no WAY, it's super expensive...someone will steal it...she goes how expensive...I said five hundred dollars! If she only knew that's close to what the rear wheel is worth she'd flip...

You won't even tell anyone how much the paint job on the v10 was.

 

[firetoole]

You won't even tell anyone how much the paint job on the v10 was.

when I got hit on my vintage colnago the guy thought I was crazy because I was flipping out about a scratch on my frame

 

[sunny]

Once I rode my bike over to my grandma's and we were going to go to brunch...and I told my mom I wanted to put the bike inside my grandmas house and she told me to just leave it on the patio. I was like, no WAY, it's super expensive...someone will steal it...she goes how expensive...I said five hundred dollars! If she only knew that's close to what the rear wheel is worth she'd flip...

While I've had the same reaction from people (you paid WHAT???), when I tell them I feel really safe doing the things I do on the bike, and ask if they would rather go off-road in a 4WD truck or a Pinto, they understand (a bit).

I've brought my bike into the parish center at church when I didn't want to lock it up outside. The priest and parishoners know I race and that it's an expensive bike, and always ask me about my races when they see it. No one has ever questioned my decision to bring it inside the building, which is really nice.

 

[DHS]

thats my whole point.. why should we have to say a lot or enough??? if it was a car we would tell the exact amount without any problem. I think its because people understand the amount and think that the amount is good for a car.. they cant understand a bike being that much money

no see if i told the random guy outside the bar how much it really cost it may just disappear if i go for a piss or something. or just more of a chance that someone will try and take it.
being i ride my Brooklyn machine works everywhere. i'd rather just not say and ride a long.

 

[dh girlie]

You won't even tell anyone how much the paint job on the v10 was.

I didn't? It was fo fitty...

 

[DRB]

I didn't? It was fo fitty...

I thought you gave someone a "none of their beezwax" and sent them on their way.

 

[OGRipper]

It's usually not the amount I spent on one bike, it's the fact that I have 6 bikes in my garage that gets people.

Yeah that's what really gets the questions rolling. I've got six too, with no redundancy. It's kind of funny to think about the amount of $$ tied up in them. But I usually just kind of mumble something about "too much" or that I'm not really sure, which is pretty much true.

Whatever, I'm blessed to get most of my stuff at cost and hey you gotta feed your jones. It's not like I have six sailboats or something...