Poll: What is the most you would spend on a bike?

[sadlebred]

What is the most you would spend on a bike? Assume that this is something you would realistically buy now with your income/how much you can afford, your interest level, and what you want to do with the bike. (not a pie in the sky bike. mmm...pie.)

[sadlebred]

Probably $4000-4500. I have no problem dropping money on a bike that I will have for 5+ years with as much as I ride.

I hate to pay that much, though. I always try to work a deal, sell off an old bike, ebay other stuff to pay for it.

[joenali]

About $4,000. I'm thinking next year I might buy a new tt bike. I really want one now, but this whole year has been a money suck with training I have no extra money to buy s bike.

[CallingAllAngels]

I am in the market for a new bike, and I am hoping to spend between $700-1000. My goal is to get a $1000 bike for $700 if I can find a great deal.

[kams]

I just got a new bike, and I think when all was said and done we were pretty close to $3000. I would still like a new wheel set, which will likely not happen until next season.

[sadlebred]

Aug 5, 2013 21:34:45 GMT -5 kams said:

I just got a new bike, and I think when all was said and done we were pretty close to $3000. I would still like a new wheel set, which will likely not happen until next season.

Did you tell us what you got? Pictures....I require pictures! :Y:

[katandkevin]

Mine was probably about $2500-$3000 when all was said and done. I got an awesome deal on my bike and without it, I could have easily spent $1000 more.

[kams]

sadlebred A specialized transition elite. Here I am carrying her over the threshold grass on my way to set up my transition on Sunday

Attachment Deleted

[thom]

Right now I'm thinking around $1,000, and I am a major novice. We'll see where this gets me...!

[joenali]

I spent over $2600 on this Specialized Amira Expert. Since then Ive had a fitting, tune up, cages, tire, and aerobars.

[kams]

Aug 5, 2013 22:16:24 GMT -5 joenali said:

I spent over $2600 on this Specialized Amira Expert. Since then Ive had a fitting, tune up, cages, tire, and aerobars.

Ahhh I can't see your pretty hunny

[joenali]

Maybe this will work!!

[al320]

I was hoping to keep it under $800 (since im so new at this) but that was a major fail. After the bike and all the stuff, i spent about $1200.

[Susie]

Hmm. Depends on the bike. Honestly I think if I were in the market for a 2nd bike right now it'd be a steel framed commuter, rather than a sleek and sexy tri bike.  I gave my hybrid to my mom, and I kind of miss being able to ride places, like as transportation.  My road bike I can't really do that with.  The saddle demands cycling shorts, the pedals demand my cycling shoes, the carbon frame shall never see a standard bike lock...  But the budget for that kind of bike would be lower than what I'd spend if I were tri bike shopping.

I think I spent around $2500 on my road bike. I've gone through a couple saddles, and upgraded my wheels, although those were a gift. If I decided having a tri bike was important to me, I would blow $3-4k, easy.  For now I am still happy on my road bike.  If something happened to it, its replacement would run $3k+.

[trigal]

Well, I spent about $6K on my tri bike, but that was "nice price" as DH calls it. Because he is a part time employee of our LBS, they extend employee discounts to me. I'm not sure i would spend much more than that though.

That doesn't include wheels (I borrow or rent race wheels for big races).

[gncorman]

I would spend $4000 on a new mountain bike. DH manages a LBS so we do get discounts. He wants me to get a road bike but not sure if I want to get one nor do I know how much that will cost!

[reginaphalange72]

I could justify 5k for a nice tri bike. My Quintana Roo was $3600 new (and totally worth it), but I got a fantastic deal on it barely used at my LBS ($1600) and couldn't pass that up.

[shorewife]

I'm thinking $2000-3000 total. I'd like to upgrade to a new bike for next season as I'm still riding my entry level road bike.

[naldridge]

Oh my lawd! I would spend at most $250.

[chw57]

I'm toying with the idea of buying a tri bike sometime soon. I don't want to spend more than 2500.

[aurora]

Probably around $7-8k, but my current mountain bike is 9 years old so if my new one lasts that long it doesn't seem so bad. Also, we ride our bikes all the time. Other people go on regular vacations, and we go on mountain bike vacations.

When I first started mountain biking my budget was $300 and I ended up spending $500. Second bike (the 9-year-old) budget was $1500 and I ended up spending about $3500. It's amazing how quickly these expenses go up! But, I think I'm more realistic about how much the bike I want actually costs now.

[joenali]

Aug 6, 2013 10:19:28 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

Well right now with my grad student wages the bike I *really* want is like 4 paychecks...so that's not going to happen


I'd like a road bike at the very least. I have a hybrid now but I maybe want to get into tris eventually, and the road bike would probably go a long way towards that. I probably wouldn't spend more than $1000 right now. There are only a handful of LBS in the area and the prices they charge are exorbitant.

I opted for a road bike over a tt bike, because I thought it would give me more bang for my buck. I live in a very hilly area and tri bikes aren't the best on hills.

I have a lot of friends who have different bikes for different conditions. A rain bike, a tt bike, a hill climbing bike blah, blah, blah. I would love to have options for every condition, but don't have the money for options. So I chose a nice road bike with good components and threw on some aerobars and poof a tt bike... Kind of!!

[Susie]

Aug 6, 2013 10:55:11 GMT -5 joenali said:

Aug 6, 2013 10:19:28 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

Well right now with my grad student wages the bike I *really* want is like 4 paychecks...so that's not going to happen


I'd like a road bike at the very least. I have a hybrid now but I maybe want to get into tris eventually, and the road bike would probably go a long way towards that. I probably wouldn't spend more than $1000 right now. There are only a handful of LBS in the area and the prices they charge are exorbitant.

I opted for a road bike over a tt bike, because I thought it would give me more bang for my buck. I live in a very hilly area and tri bikes aren't the best on hills.

I have a lot of friends who have different bikes for different conditions. A rain bike, a tt bike, a hill climbing bike blah, blah, blah. I would love to have options for every condition, but don't have the money for options. So I chose a nice road bike with good components and threw on some aerobars and poof a tt bike... Kind of!!

That was my approach too, although I haven't added aerobars yet.  I figured I'd get more enjoyment out of spending all of the bike budget on one nice bike with good components, instead splitting the investment between a couple of bikes that I had to cut corners to afford, with less nice components, etc.

[Susie]

Aug 6, 2013 11:13:07 GMT -5 @vtcupcake said:

Aug 6, 2013 10:55:11 GMT -5 joenali said:

I opted for a road bike over a tt bike, because I thought it would give me more bang for my buck. I live in a very hilly area and tri bikes aren't the best on hills.

I have a lot of friends who have different bikes for different conditions. A rain bike, a tt bike, a hill climbing bike blah, blah, blah. I would love to have options for every condition, but don't have the money for options. So I chose a nice road bike with good components and threw on some aerobars and poof a tt bike... Kind of!!

That is kind of comforting!

I think my biggest hangup and possible issue is that I have freakish proportions. Like, a decently long torso for my height (5'2"), but short-ish legs and t-rex arms. I have the smallest SU 1.0 that Trek made and even the fit on that bike isn't optimal. I have no idea how I'd even go about trying out all the bikes out there or how to start narrowing them down.

If you're serious about finding a road bike, I'd probably just start with talking to a bike fitter.  Mine figured out what geometry I needed, and then pointed me in the direction of frames that would work.  Everybody brings a unique combination of proportions, flexibility, etc., they are used to working with that.

[katinthehat]

I really want a track bike. I can get one for like $650-$850 used that would cost over $1K new, so that's probably going to be my birthday present.

I have no desire (at this moment) to buy a tri bike. I have a lot more growing room in my road bike and when I can hold 19+ at a sprint or oly, then I'll look into a tri bike.

I love my bike right now and don't really want to replace her. I would like to drop about $5K on new wheels though, haha.

That being said, if I could find a bike that would be an actual upgrade from my bike, primarily with lighter wheels, we'd spend probably $2K.

[dmxm]

I think if I was placing in races I would consider a new bike, but for now, my 10 year old Specialized Allez that I probably spent $800-$900 on will have to do. I would probably get new tires before I got a new bike. IF I could swing it, I'd go up to $3000 for a new road bike... I don't think I would benefit too much from a tri bike, and I enjoy riding in groups too much. But until I go back to work and start earning my keep, no new bike.

[clseale]

For myself? No much. I'd have to try it out for a bit & really be sure the interest was there.

I just convinced DH to spend a little over $2k for his new mountain bike. He really enjoys it and has been trying to get out & ride more often. He goes out with our neighbor & another group a lot. They all have nice bikes, and it was difficult for him to keep up on the started mountain bike he had.

If he raced regularly like all of you, I'd probably be able to stomach $5k. I don't know. He works really hard & feels guilty spending money on himself. I basically demanded that he take part of his last bonus & buy the mountain bike.

[cinco]

I was planning on spending no more than 1k (including helmet and any accessories) on a hybrid for recreational biking, but somehow we started talking about buying a canoe. Neither are in the budget for 2013.

[clseale]

Aug 6, 2013 13:18:12 GMT -5 cinco said:

I was planning on spending no more than 1k (including helmet and any accessories) on a hybrid for recreational biking, but somehow we started talking about buying a canoe. Neither are in the budget for 2013.

We've been talking about getting a double kayak for the last two years. I'd love to have one to cruise around the intracoastal on. Plus, there's a huge river here. We're so busy with marathon training this summer, the weather will cool off again and this purchase will be pushed back yet another year to next spring. lol

[naldridge]

Aug 6, 2013 13:18:12 GMT -5 cinco said:

I was planning on spending no more than 1k (including helmet and any accessories) on a hybrid for recreational biking, but somehow we started talking about buying a canoe. Neither are in the budget for 2013.

My dad has ALWAYS wanted a kayak and asked for it at every birthday, Christmas, etc. that I can remember. No one ever got it for him, because it just wasn't really something he'd use.

A couple years ago, amidst a midlife crisis, he decided to buy one for himself just months after buying a brand new BMW X3 (see: midlife crisis). Then he discovered that he couldn't get the kayak on top of the car without scratching it up - total fail but good story