My mates new bike

georgio15
georgio15 Posts: 77
edited April 2009 in Commuting chat
my mate just got this bike: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016471

i have an ancient in comparison trek (10 years old i think), i bought it second hand.

cycling round london, where we both live, i absolutely destroy him, i am monstorously faster. however, when we get out into the country and do long flat rides he is comfortably faster as you would expect.

my question is, who is the better rider, and is it worth paying that much for a bike?
i want one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cinel ... orus~Eurus)_2009/5360040482/

Comments

  • sarajoy
    sarajoy Posts: 1,675
    Well, why not, if he likes it?

    Though I gather that kind of price is probably about the lowest going rate for a new road bike - so if that's what he wanted, it's not really extortionate...

    As for being the better rider, is it all about speed? :P
    4537512329_a78cc710e6_o.gif4537512331_ec1ef42fea_o.gif
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    I think Georgio wants us to say it's definitely him because he's on an older bike... to quote Gershwin 'it ain't necessarily so...'

    Oh and I voted option c
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • itboffin
    itboffin Posts: 20,064
    I still find cycling too expensive, yes yes I know :oops:
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  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    that isn't a lot on a bike, not by a long shot as the fine ladies have already said. i spent close on that getting my old bike sorted last year some time.
  • NGale
    NGale Posts: 1,866
    That isn't expensive to be honest, not even my bike at £575 would be considered expensive.

    now £4,000 which a friend spent on for his bike is expensive! my car is worth less!! :shock:
    Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    NGale wrote:
    That isn't expensive to be honest, not even my bike at £575 would be considered expensive.

    now £4,000 which a friend spent on for his bike is expensive! my car is worth less!! :shock:

    well my car i got free from my granddad a few years back so *all* of my bikes have cost more than that.
  • NGale
    NGale Posts: 1,866
    roger merriman wrote:
    NGale wrote:
    That isn't expensive to be honest, not even my bike at £575 would be considered expensive.

    now £4,000 which a friend spent on for his bike is expensive! my car is worth less!! :shock:

    well my car i got free from my granddad a few years back so *all* of my bikes have cost more than that.

    what annoyed me the most was that in the same week he brought a four grand bike he also took delivery of a Merc SLK!

    some people, too much money. here's me driving around in a beaten up Fiat Punto and a bike in better condition :lol:
    Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    Whoa whoa whoa, the £ hasn't become that bad has it? Have we become so delusioned when it comes to expense? Lets get some perspective...

    £500 is a lot of money. Some peoples mortgage or shared rent isn't £500 or that much over £500. Lets get some perspective £500 is a lot of money for a bike. Sure, it wouldn't get much in the car market but that's a car. Think about all the items you could get for £500 in the house.

    Given that the purpose of the bike is commuting and not outright racing £500 should provide a bike more than capable of doing the job. It won't be top of range but again this is commuting.

    Oh an my car has a different colour bonnet to the body (well the paint has peeled off), all my bikes are worth more than my car at the moment.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • NGale
    NGale Posts: 1,866
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Whoa whoa whoa, the £ hasn't become that bad has it? Have we become so delusioned when it comes to expense? Lets get some perspective...

    £500 is a lot of money. Some peoples mortgage or shared rent isn't £500 or that much over £500. Lets get some perspective £500 is a lot of money for a bike. Sure, it wouldn't get much in the car market but that's a car. Think about all the items you could get for £500 in the house.

    Given that the purpose of the bike is commuting and not outright racing £500 should provide a bike more than capable of doing the job. It won't be top of range but again this is commuting.

    Oh an my car has a different colour bonnet to the body (well the paint has peeled off), all my bikes are worth more than my car at the moment.

    but lets face it most of us spend in excess of £500 on our bikes because we know we will be getting something which will last and will be up to the punishment we will give them
    Officers don't run, it's undignified and panics the men
  • gb155
    gb155 Posts: 2,048
    Thats not that expensive, If I were to replace my GT with the 09 model I think its close to 800 quid now, So with prices on the up and up its not all that bad, I vote "C"
    On a Mission to lose 20 stone..Get My Life Back

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  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    NGale wrote:
    DonDaddyD wrote:
    Whoa whoa whoa, the £ hasn't become that bad has it? Have we become so delusioned when it comes to expense? Lets get some perspective...

    £500 is a lot of money. Some peoples mortgage or shared rent isn't £500 or that much over £500. Lets get some perspective £500 is a lot of money for a bike. Sure, it wouldn't get much in the car market but that's a car. Think about all the items you could get for £500 in the house.

    Given that the purpose of the bike is commuting and not outright racing £500 should provide a bike more than capable of doing the job. It won't be top of range but again this is commuting.

    Oh an my car has a different colour bonnet to the body (well the paint has peeled off), all my bikes are worth more than my car at the moment.

    but lets face it most of us spend in excess of £500 on our bikes because we know we will be getting something which will last and will be up to the punishment we will give them

    If someone came to me with between £200 and £300 for a bike I'd point them to a Carrera 2, Ridgeback something or Giant M2 they aren't cheap rubbish bikes they're decent in their own rights.

    I think there are three main reasons why a person would spend so much on a bike.

    (i) Because the bikes are given premium prices - it makes me wonder how much of it is profit and strategic pricing.
    (ii) Because they can afford to.
    (iii) Cycle scheme and credit has made it more possible.

    Yes, if the need goes beyond commuting then spending closer to or beyond £1500 may be necessary (such as my hopefully soon to be purchased carbon baby) but it doesn't make spending £500 on a bike for commuting not expensive. £500 can get you a top range hybrid (Giant M1, Pinnacle Meanstreak, Trek Soho etc), a mid range front suspension bike or decent single speed or tourer. It will also get you a bottom of the range road bike and full suspension mountain bike.

    On two occasions I haven't spent £500.

    My Giant M2 = £350 (2007/08)
    My Giant SCR3 = £350 (2008)

    Both have handled cycling perfectly. I don't need to spend over £500, I want to because I want a better bike.

    Lastly if you've got the money fair play, if you don't fair play.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • DonDaddyD
    DonDaddyD Posts: 12,689
    georgio15 wrote:
    my mate just got this bike: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016471

    i have an ancient in comparison trek (10 years old i think), i bought it second hand.

    cycling round london, where we both live, i absolutely destroy him, i am monstorously faster. however, when we get out into the country and do long flat rides he is comfortably faster as you would expect.

    my question is, who is the better rider, and is it worth paying that much for a bike?

    Assuming you both have road bikes:

    You're not necessarily faster than your friend. What you're better at is traffic light to traffic light sprinting. I live in London too! You may also be better at hill (not really a feature in London) climbing.

    By the sounds of it your friend is better at long distance where he is ultiamtely faster than you in that department. On a long stretch of road unhindered by traffic lights is your friend able to catch you up and potentially overtake you?

    Best way to solve who is faster is to jointly enter a sportive and compare your times at the end of the sportive.

    As for the price. £500 is mostly the entry price point for road bikes. Its not that its a lot of money (to me as long as £500 can buy any item in my flat it will always be a lot of money) its just how much you pay for a decent entry level road bike.
    Food Chain number = 4

    A true scalp is not only overtaking someone but leaving them stopped at a set of lights. As you, who have clearly beaten the lights, pummels nothing but the open air ahead. ~ 'DondaddyD'. Player of the Unspoken Game
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    yes one can get a half decent bike for less but £500 is still not expensive.
  • georgio15
    georgio15 Posts: 77
    i apologise for any confusion, the bikes looked the same to me last night, however after consulting him he says it is this one: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016768

    and this is the same frame and rough set up of mine, though my handlebars have been cut down and i don't have those things on the pedals: http://homepage2.nifty.com/84/goods/image/trek.jpg
    i want one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cinel ... orus~Eurus)_2009/5360040482/
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    georgio15 wrote:
    i apologise for any confusion, the bikes looked the same to me last night, however after consulting him he says it is this one: http://www.evanscycles.com/products/tre ... e-ec016768

    lol!!! That certainly puts a slightly different complexion on the thread! :lol:
    Faster than a tent.......
  • roger_merriman
    roger_merriman Posts: 6,165
    yup that a expensive bike.
  • schlepcycling
    schlepcycling Posts: 1,614
    roger merriman wrote:
    yup that a expensive bike.

    +1
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  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    It's interesting that that bike is £5k with off-the-peg sizing... I know somewhere that'll hand-build you a CF bike to your weight, power, sizing, specific geometry etc etc for less...
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • jonginge
    jonginge Posts: 5,945
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    It's interesting that that bike is £5k with off-the-peg sizing... I know somewhere that'll hand-build you a CF bike to your weight, power, sizing, specific geometry etc etc for less...
    T minus 4 days and counting... :D
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  • biondino
    biondino Posts: 5,990
    Hahaha! I think the thread was more interesting when he had a Trek 1.2. If I had the Madone I'd certainly be a lot more careful when commuting on it than I would with OP's hack!
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  • georgio15
    georgio15 Posts: 77
    biondino wrote:
    OP's hack!

    it may be a hack, but the whole thing including new cranks and gear mechs cost me £60.
    i want one: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Cinel ... orus~Eurus)_2009/5360040482/
  • lost_in_thought
    lost_in_thought Posts: 10,563
    JonGinge wrote:
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    It's interesting that that bike is £5k with off-the-peg sizing... I know somewhere that'll hand-build you a CF bike to your weight, power, sizing, specific geometry etc etc for less...
    T minus 4 days and counting... :D

    Counting? Me? Don't know what you're talking about :oops: :wink:
    FCN 7/1
    Viner Maxima, Tifosi CK7, Giant Bowery, Old commuter.
  • Christophe3967
    Christophe3967 Posts: 1,200
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    It's interesting that that bike is £5k with off-the-peg sizing... I know somewhere that'll hand-build you a CF bike to your weight, power, sizing, specific geometry etc etc for less...

    Exactly. You can have some serious fun at that price range and be sure that nobody else will have the same bike. Mine is from a limited run of 100 (and was half that price) but I've still seen two others on the road. For that money I'd want something unique.
    Bike1
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3258551288/
    Bike 2
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N ... otostream/
    New Bike
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/35118936@N07/3479300346/
  • andy83
    andy83 Posts: 1,558
    ive just purchased the trek, unfortunately not the madone and £500 is loads to me as my disposable income is around £120 a month which isnt a lot

    good job getting it on the c2w scheme, think i may bump up the price to a grand jsut to get some nice new shiny stuff
  • benno68
    benno68 Posts: 1,689
    lost_in_thought wrote:
    It's interesting that that bike is £5k with off-the-peg sizing... I know somewhere that'll hand-build you a CF bike to your weight, power, sizing, specific geometry etc etc for less...

    Good shout LiT. For that money I'd want something extra special and a custom fit bike would be the way to go!

    I voted C too. I'm happy enough with my Defy 2 to get me back on the road, personally I reckon £2000 would probably get me my dream bike - maybe some day :roll:
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