Pick a new bike for someone with LOADS of money (not me!)

littledove44

A friend of mine (yes, I have friends) has been persuaded by my recent purchase of a bike and Lycra to take up road biking.

He's healthy, late fifties and has unlimited time and budget ( the bas***d).

I want to talk him into buying something really expensive, (I did it with boats and that sorted my holidays for several years), but he is no muppet and will want good reasons for every thousand he spends.

What should I pitch him and why?

And yes, this is a serious question......

MichaelW

What Would SirAllen do?
I think he rides a Pinarello, just like Wiggins, Froome and co.

cornerblock

Tell him that he needs to go to Australia to visit Baum for a custom fit, of course as his good friend you'll be only to willing to accompany him and lend him your valued opinion and experience as a cyclist. Once there very discreetly take the guys at Baum to one side and get them to tell your friend that it just so happens he's in luck as they are having a special BOGOFF week, 'Buy One Get One For Friend'. Then just tell them to lump the price together as one. If he's that well off he won't notice.

ugo.santalucia

I think the topic gets discussed weekly in various form "if money was no object then... " but it's all frankly a waste of time for people who should know better than lure at bicycles that cost in excess of cars

cornerblock

Oh well there you go, all a waste of time. Shame, it was good while it lasted but I suppose things do get rehashed after a while. Must get frigging annoying answering the same questions over and over again about say.....wheels for example. Maybe in future all newcomers with unoriginal questions should just refer to search. Or.. or..here's an idea, maybe those that have no interest in a subject and find it all soooo tiresome could just ignore the post and leave the Beginners section to the beginners. And those who aren't so jaded by it all that they don't mind engaging others.

chrisaonabike

ugo.santalucia wrote:

but it's all frankly a waste of time for people who should know better than lure at bicycles that cost in excess of cars

Rubbish. If you can afford the best (I can't), and enjoy the best, and can be gracious about it, very best of luck to you.

Everything else is just envy.

Remember, if there were no rich people, there would be no Rolls Royce cars. There would be no Spitfires flying (did you know they cost over £5000 an hour to operate?). There would never have been a Concorde.

And we would all be the poorer for never having seen them.

Peddle Up!

Sounds like we're in yak leather shoes with aluminium buckles territory here.

littledove44

ugo.santalucia wrote:

I think the topic gets discussed weekly in various form "if money was no object then... " but it's all frankly a waste of time for people who should know better than lure at bicycles that cost in excess of cars

Not a waste of time for him. He has seven cars, four motorbikes and five boats. He wants a nice bike but knows nothing about them. Just looking for some real advice.

This is not a hypothetical "if money was no object". I can see how that must be tiresome.

As to knowing better. Well, that smacks a little of envy. If you can afford a multimillion pound boat then a few grand or ten on a bike is hardly a waste. However, all the wealthy people I have met think carefully about what they spend and like to get the best, not the most expensive for the sake of it.

Any more serious answers out there.

ForumNewbie

I think if I was him I would go to a good bike shop and look at a carbon road bike in about the £2k range ask to test one and see how it goes. Although he could probably afford an absolute top of range pro bike, I think it would be silly to buy that as a first bike. If he really likes cycling, he can easily afford to upgrade, although a £2k bike would be more than adequate.

simonhead

Go and get a custom bike from wyndymilla with an awesome paint job, then he can hang it on his wall as art when he gets fed up of it.

FatTed

ForumNewbie wrote:

I think if I was him I would go to a good bike shop and look at a carbon road bike in about the £2k range ask to test one and see how it goes. Although he could probably afford an absolute top of range pro bike, I think it would be silly to buy that as a first bike. If he really likes cycling, he can easily afford to upgrade, although a £2k bike would be more than adequate.

Then I would buy a custom bike, if Steel from Llewellyn, if Carbon from Parlee, if Titanium I don't know.
Also should read http://www.bookdepository.com/Its-All-A ... 0141043791

kwozzymodo

If you are looking at off-the-shelf

Cannondale Evo Red
Roubaix SL4 Di2
Focus Cayo Evo Ultimate
Cube Super HPC black

The prices range from £3.6k to around £8k for that little lot.

There will be other suggestions for Colnago, Pinarello, BMC, Giant, et. etc.

If your friend can be bothered to get a full fitting (a la bespoke suit), there are some quality bike builders out there who will build something unique, if that's what he wants.

Buy a good frame and then stick some top-of-the range kit on, to be a little more 'individual'.

What about spending £3-£4k to start with, and if he likes pedalling his backside off every weekend, then he can take a closer look at the bespoke option, or upgrading the bike he ends up buying.

Just some thoughts...

supermurph09

Get him to give you the £10k, buy a Triban 3, have it resprayed, put Pinarello stickers on and then act like you can't keep up. Just send me 10% of the balance.

ForumNewbie

If he really has 7 cars, 4 motorbikes and 5 boats, I'd be surprised if he is going to have much time to ride the bike. I suspect that he might want a top of the range bike, but even with that I think the novelty might wear off quite quickly when the need for another new toy arises.

desweller

If I was in his shoes I would be undertaking an arduous summer trip to Italy to pay a visit to Tommasini or Pegoretti.

jezzpalmer

ForumNewbie wrote:

If he really has 7 cars, 4 motorbikes and 5 boats, I'd be surprised if he is going to have much time to ride the bike. I suspect that he might want a top of the range bike, but even with that I think the novelty might wear off quite quickly when the need for another new toy arises.

Does that matter?
There are probably people on car and boat forums saying the same thing.

littledove44

jezzpalmer wrote:

ForumNewbie wrote:

If he really has 7 cars, 4 motorbikes and 5 boats, I'd be surprised if he is going to have much time to ride the bike. I suspect that he might want a top of the range bike, but even with that I think the novelty might wear off quite quickly when the need for another new toy arises.

Does that matter?
There are probably people on car and boat forums saying the same thing.

Can't speak for the car ones, but it can for the boat ones. It's just the same there as here.

He has seven cars, but he only drives one at a time, and probably only does 20k miles a year across the fleet including motorbikes. I guess it's just about having what you want when you want it. Some days you want a convertible on a coast road, other days you want a Smart car to squeeze into a London parking space.

I think I shall tell him to spend £4k on a carbon bike, ride it for 1000 miles then have a custom build once his body and cycling routine has settled down. The Italian holiday sounds good.

slowandsteady

Cervelo RCA or a Scapin Etika RC ghost.

why not get both?

Pross

If money is no object then going to a knowledgeable custom frame designer and getting something made to measure would be my suggestion. The most important thing is having a bike that fits and this is the ultimate way to achieve that for those fortunate to be able to do so whether that is a top of the range steel frame from a UK bespoke builder or a carbon frame from someone like Legend. It's then a case of kitting it out with all the blingiest bits you can find (this will be totally subjective but for me would probably be a Super Record EPS groupset) and a high quality set of hand built wheels.

Schoie81

littledove44 wrote:

However, all the wealthy people I have met think carefully about what they spend

Too right they do! Probably the wealthiest person I know steams stamps off envelopes and sticks whist stickers over the address so they can save money be re-using the envelope!! :shock: You don't get rich by wasting money and throwing it away!

giant_man

totally ridiculous thread ....

littledove44

giant man wrote:

totally ridiculous thread ....

You may think so, but the person who I asked the question is reading the replies and told me he appreciates the advice of the serious answers and enjoys the humour of the others.

Each to his own I guess.

CiB

For money no object it makes sense to just head straight to the top of the big manufacturers ranges like Pinarello, BMC etc and see what they've got that stands out as nice. Have a look at the bikes with electronic gear sets - Campag and Shimano both have the facility to relieve you of a lot of money in exchange for some very nice tech. Remember too that low-spec [relatively speaking] wheels are not uncommon on top spec bikes for the same reason that pedals don't come as standard, so do don't be backward about upgrading the wheels from the set that come on the bike.

Wirral_paul

Schoie81 wrote:

littledove44 wrote:

However, all the wealthy people I have met think carefully about what they spend

Too right they do! Probably the wealthiest person I know steams stamps off envelopes and sticks whist stickers over the address so they can save money be re-using the envelope!! :shock:

Ah but is he so wealthy that he even has his own "chap" to ask questions on t'internet for him?? Only the true wealthy have the means to employ someone to do that!!

diamonddog

Tell him to get a Factor Vis Vires, it's probably the only one he will ever see.

greasedscotsman

littledove44 wrote:

A friend of mine (yes, I have friends) has been persuaded by my recent purchase of a bike and Lycra to take up road biking.

Does this guy have a bike already? I'm not sure I would pitch a very expensive, top end road bike at a novice. The handling might be too quick/nervous for him. He might very well hate it. I would go for something alot mroe basic. Ride that for 6 months and if he's still keen, then get something really expensive.

desweller

greasedscotsman wrote:

littledove44 wrote:

A friend of mine (yes, I have friends) has been persuaded by my recent purchase of a bike and Lycra to take up road biking.

Does this guy have a bike already? I'm not sure I would pitch a very expensive, top end road bike at a novice. The handling might be too quick/nervous for him. He might very well hate it. I would go for something alot mroe basic. Ride that for 6 months and if he's still keen, then get something really expensive.

You're not seeing the bigger picture! The OP can then buy the really expensive bike at a bargain price, citing really poor resale values...or something.

greasedscotsman

DesWeller wrote:

You're not seeing the bigger picture! The OP can then buy the really expensive bike at a bargain price, citing really poor resale values...or something.

Oh right. But then a custom bike (as suggested by others) would be a waste of time as well!

rubertoe

Canyon.

Rich people dont waste their money and are always looking for bargins. that is why they are rich The Canyon Aeroad CF is what I would be getting

littledove44

Well, he has done it.

He bought a Bianchi Infinito for when it's wet or dirty and an S-WORKS TARMAC SL4 Di2 for when the sun shines,
And a mountain bike, and a hybrid.

I hate him.

ugo.santalucia

littledove44 wrote:

I hate him.

Both envy and hate are mortal sins... I wouldn't bother, most likely he will never use them and you can get them for 20% of the price as a friend