this post was submitted on 17 Apr 2025
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E: Let's all talk about what bikes should or shoudn't cost

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[–] [email protected] 109 points 1 week ago (10 children)

I refuse to believe hobbyists are spending $10K on bikes, or commuters are spending $1K.

I can barely accept that the going rate for used bikes is over $200.

[–] [email protected] 39 points 1 week ago (6 children)

I couldn't believe it either, so I went to the Trek.com site.

I hate this decade.

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[–] [email protected] 23 points 1 week ago (6 children)

If you want an electric bike, the price goes up fast.

If you want one with a belt so that it won't take crazy maintenance not to degrade over the winter, it goes up faster still.

If you want storage for your purse and whatnot, a bit more expensive still. A good large basket is more expensive than you'd think.

[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago (3 children)

I can easily believe a commuter ebike hits a grand.

I just never assume anything with a motor when I encounter the word "bicycle".

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (5 children)

Where I live, 1k gets you a decent commuter bike without a motor. Doesn't even matter much if used or new. Then you spend ~200 on parts every year. It's outside 24/7, I don't have a garage.

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[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

1k for a new high quality bike has been normal for 10-15 years. Anything beyond that has hugely diminishing returns.

If you want everything for a full shimano 105 set, that alone will cost you like 600$ or more. Then you still need a frame and wheels and saddle etc

Buying used is really the best play with bikes.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago

I don't think I ever had that much disposable income to spend on a bike at the same time as living where I could commute to work on a bike.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Hey, those belong to people!

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

You could get a used budget bike for that much like

Even a couple decades ago they started at hundreds of dollars new, unless you're talking about poorly assembled bike shaped objects made from sketchy parts.

Also, there are single bikes that cost well over 10 grand. Rich enthusiasts may have entire garages full of high end bikes that cost more than your average car.

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[–] [email protected] 27 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (11 children)

As someone that has a $11k bike I can clarify some things.

I have a Wilier Granturismo SLR. About ~90% of the components are carbon fiber. Carbon Fiber, especially high end carbon fiber isn’t cheap. Besides the bike; my wheels, pedals, parts of the cranks, handlebars, saddle, saddle post, and probably some other things are carbon fiber.

I always hear people talk about getting carbon fiber components for cheaper because you have a shit tin of Chinese companies come in and steal these bike companies IP and make shit frames. Look at Chinorellos, shit ton of Chinese companies steal frame designs and re-make them with shit metal and the bike falls apart after a year.

Another thing…why does any give a fuck how much my bike costs? My dad is an audiophile guy and my bike costs as much as 1 (not a pair) of his speakers, and he has a mid-range system. Cycling is something that I love, I ride almost everyday and will spend hours and hours on the bike. I’d gladly pay less than $11k on my next bike but when you get into the higher end market you’re going to pay more, that’s true across almost ALL sports or hobby activities

[–] [email protected] 22 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

Yeah, it's just a silly meme. I would spend a lot of money on a bike if it was my hobby. But here I am getting shamed for spending as much as 1k for a bike, which I thought was the bare minimum for a daily driver.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (3 children)

Sorry I didnt mean to come off as abrasive towards you. If someone is giving you shit about the cost of you’re bike then tell them to fuck off. I’ve been cycling and competing for 7 years now, and cycling culture is about the ride, not the bike the rider is on. Some bikes cost $15k, others $1k, and all these expensive components can help you get faster, but at the end of the day, what really makes you faster isn’t the bike, it’s the rider.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (4 children)

Yeah no worries! Just a bit of bike drama ITT

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[–] [email protected] 19 points 1 week ago (2 children)

You and your dad have extravagant hobbies and live in a world most people cannot relate to. The vast majority of people on earth will never enjoy spending so much money and free time on their hobbies.

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[–] [email protected] 25 points 1 week ago

I'm living in Denmark. When You walk out the door, you have to watch Your step, not to trip on a bike. When it's windy, the bikes roll around the streets like tumbleweed.

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think you're both idiots wasting money when you can get a perfectly good bike for like $200?

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago

If you are doing any serious distance and/or are older there is a noticeable difference in comfort and efficiency over $1k. I rode shitty bikes my entire life. When I hopped on a $1500 bike I couldn't believe how much faster I could go and how comfortable it was. The transfer of energy into forward motion was wild. That being said I bought my bike for $100 off of Craigslist 10 years ago.

[–] [email protected] 16 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

My bike was like 50 bucks. It’s shitty but it gets me there. And no one tries to steal it.

It’s definitely not as fast as a fancy road bike though lol.

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago (9 children)

I think a bike should cost $100

Mine cost like $200

Fixed speed, it's ok i guess

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago

You don’t ever have to wonder if someone ~~is vegan~~rides a fixie…

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[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

either of those cost more than my motorcycle.

why the fuck are you guys paying so much for pedal bikes.

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago

I knew I'd be a summer casual rider so bought a 2nd hand road bike for €300 18yrs back.

Still have it, can't justify getting a new one as it just.. works

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (2 children)

I have a fixed gear from state that cost a bit over $500 3 years ago.

It's my beer and dinner fetching machine. I ride it everyday (the longway) to my local store for ingredients for dinner

3 years and 3000 miles later

I have had to replace 2 chains, 3 rear hubs (my own mistakes... check your lockring or blow up a hub), saddle, grips, cog, lockring, Pedals (went from flats to cages and am now on SPD), replaced original brakes with Shimano brakes and have gone through A LOT of tires.

I think I am in it at like $1500... Tools I don't want to calculate but building and truing wheels is a very relaxing thing to do

Here's a picture of it loaded up. I think that I was getting ready for a party

Its pretty anti-fixie

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (3 children)

Pro-tip: buy a £350 bike every 3 years, if you live in the city.

Cons:

  • slightly ratchet

Pros:

  • can leave it anywhere and it won't get stolen
  • can treat it like shit and it will still keep going
  • still beat more than half the spandex babies commuting because they're afraid to accelerate in case it stretches their chain.
  • not afraid to scratch it or take turns at extreme angles.
  • no stress when it eventually falls apart
[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 week ago (1 children)

can leave it anywhere and it won’t get stolen

Sadly a £350 bike will also get stolen. Happend to me twice for bikes worth even less 😢

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 week ago (1 children)

See, your mistake was treating your bike well. The secret is to cover it in grime and piss to the point that even you're not sure if you want to ride it

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Most cities I've lived in any bike not locked up will be stolen pretty quickly.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (9 children)

Pro-tip: buy a bike once. It's not as if they expire or something! There is no good reason a bike shouldn't last decades and decades, as long as you keep it maintained. My utility bike was manufactured circa 1990, and it works just fine.

(Well, unless it has an aluminum frame, anyway -- those really do wear out eventually because aluminum has no fatigue limit.)

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[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 week ago (1 children)

My approach to laptop computers

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

I dropped 10k building out my forever touring/commuter bike, but only 1600 of it was the frame. The rest was all higher end components.

Then it got folded around the front end of a car, along with myself. Now it's over 12k since I had to replace the frame and few other bits and bobs. Thankfully I had good insurance, otherwise after the hospital stay and recovery it'd be closer to $500,000 because America.

But fast it aint. Pretty though.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I just wish I could bike to work. Not really feasible for me to bike 50km each way. Can't afford to move closer either

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Have you considered starting your morning routine 6-7 hours earlier?

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[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 week ago* (last edited 1 week ago) (1 children)

why am I still faster than u

I dunno, mostly strength, endurance, lung capacity, heart strength, blood pressure, weight, general outlook on life…

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago (2 children)

I actually think throwing a lot of money into a bike isn’t a bad idea. They easily last a life time; and if having a really nice bike incentives one to use it more; it’s totally worth it. Whatever it takes to keep you out of a car is good in my eyes

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago (1 children)

The only problem preventing it lasting a life time is that they easily get stolen.

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[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 week ago

I somehow managed to end up buying two used bikes from 1988 and 1990, and after upgrading them with microshift components, I've spent only about $400 total.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

10k? 1k? What??? 😂

When I arrived in that country, I bought a 2nd hand bike, for daily commute. I overpaid. A lot.

That bike cost me 300 😅

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 week ago

I commute on a 10 year old bike that cost $400 at the time.

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 week ago (1 children)

Both camps are right!

Cheap bikes just don't ride nowhere as nicely nor do they last as expensive bikes do.

BUT! The worst thing about owning an expensive bike is owning an expensive bike.

It's a thief magnet and source of envy of other riders.

You really need to find a sweet spot between a quality bike and being able to leave it locked in the city without having pangs of anxiety of it being stolen.

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (1 children)

1k ?? In france i would pay about 300€, what is so expensive ?

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Bandwagoning for my little community for cyclists https://feddit.uk/c/casual_cycle_uk

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Used to purchase used old Schwinns for ~$60 but after having 3 stolen in my current city I’ve given up on cycling for now. I’ve learned to enjoy walking.

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