How much $ and why (Page 3)

3-5% faster?  that's like 3min in a 56mi ride.  6min in an IM distance.  If you're vying for a podium spot- I'd say that could be worth a few grand more. 

But, to answer the original question.  I spent $1700 on my road bike that I got last year.  After sitting on the bottom step of a couple podiums (smaller races), I just sprung $3600 on a proper TT bike.  That's more than I ever had intended to spend on a bike- but 1.  I can afford it, and 2.  I don't spend money on anything else for myself.  It was one of those few treats in life.

Heck- just the entry fees, travel and such for my last HIM cost me $1200.  Boy was that a hoot of a time tho'.

Sometimes a question is just a question.  People are actually curious what drives people to buy a $9000 bike and have no alternative motive behind it.  Maybe they don't have that kind of money and can't fathom it and just want to understand.  Might be nothing bad behind the question at all.  We encourage kids to be curious but apprently not adults.  Course, maybe the OP is jealous.   Not really enough into if the original question for me to negatively judge that person though

How much should you spend on a bike?  N+$1 where N is every cent of disposable income I have.  If I execute my plan perfectly, my bank account will reach $0 on the same day I die.  I guess that means the real question for me is not "how much" to spend on the bike, but rather, when to spend it. 

exactly.  Its all relative.  I ride a bike that retailed for about $4000 that I got for 1/2 price on sale with some nice race wheels.  No guilt.  I AODRE my bike.  Does it make a lot of difference in my performance.........well I am MUCH more comfortable.  Loosing 30# would probably help me more but this is about what you can afford.  

IE:  I took a LOT of slack for what I paid for a condo for IMFL because you absoulutely can get  better deal somewhere else BUT I willing pay for a very NICE place (which is important to me ) AT THE VENUE, which is also important with 4 70+ year olds in tow.   I make a nice living.  The conferences I HAVE to go to I routinely drop MORE than TWICE what I pay per night for the IMFL condo for a HOTEL ROOM.   I have limited vacation and IMFL is VACATION for me.  I'd much rather pay a bit more (which is actually relatively cheep) for NICE, and CONVIENT.  If you want to stay in a crappy place to save money God bless you but don't give me  hard time about what I want to do and can afford to do.  Same thing on the bike. 

I upgraded to a Trek Speed Concept last year and spent what some people may term as a ridiculous amount for a bike, in addition to new Enve wheels . Why - many reasons  it was time to upgrade, it was not out of my budget, I race several events a year and it has improved my bike times, I work hard and deserve it, married no kids and Ironman is my lifestyle, it is a comfortable ride, it fulfills my need for speed, and I am counting on using this bike to qualify for Race Across America.

My road bike is a $1200 Trek raced my first Ironman on it, and brought home hardware at races wit it too ! The difference between the two bikes was taking 20 minutes off of a 4 hour ride on my new bike and that puts me on the podium.

As a marketing guy I think this is a pretty interesting thread. I've studied some ways to push people's buy buttons. It's funny though, even though I know what goes into this sort of thing, I'm not immune.

That being said, I'm not the target market for a $9k bike. Certainly right now I can't afford one. If I was a gazillionaire would I get one? I don't think so.I would geel like a turd on a bike like that, just as I would feel like a turd swinging eight grand worth of golf clubs - they would be wasted at my talent level. I think in real terms I would probably end up with about $1500(ish) for a bike. I if had some serious surprise income I would probably max out around $3k.

Now with THAT being said - I've never ridden a 9k bike. It's theoretically possible that I would get warm and fuzzy enough to purchase it if it was within my means. It's like clothes - I used to think that $150 jeans were outrageous, and they kinda are. However once I lost 90 pounds I tried on a pair just to see what I looked like. There is a difference between good clothes and great clothes. Good clothes make you look great. Great clothes make you feel amazing. I would guess that's about the same difference between a $5k bike and a $9k bike.

This thread is almost dumb.  As I said, I've got $6000.00 in my bike.  I'm 52 years old, well past established in my career, house almost paid for, basically no debt on a family income well into 6 figures. 

Gimme a break.....I'm gonna spend my money on something.... might as well be a fairly cool/fast bike that I enjoy riding.  If you can't afford it, keep working, it's almost an after thought here.  I don't say that to be flippant..... I worked my arse off to be able to spend money on my toys. 

Additionally, I worked my arse off for over 3 decades to be able to compete decently when I do race.

Good luck passing me....you best be hard at it most of the year, and for most of your life.

I wish you the same.

Nicely said.

Definately the RED

I'm Green w/ envy but mostly of my friend who's backpacking thru South America right now  

Yeah, basically I was wondering what motivates folks to spend all that jack on something.  Having been raised by children of the depression, I'm tight as Dick's hatband.  It has been a fun thread ya gotta admit.

The difference between a $9K tri bike and a $1.5K tri bike I doubt would make you 5% faster unless your position was significantly different and you had a lot of drag.

I like my bikes and buy what we can afford.

But, wait!  My IM bike was 394 minutes long.  5% faster is 19 minutes, right?  Which would get me in right under my not-so-secret goal of an under-13 IM!!

WHERE was this bike?!?

http://www.bikeradar.com/road/news/article/10000-bikes-whats-the-point-32350

Good article I read not too long ago.  It talks about it more from a bike manufacturer's perspective, but it's sort of interesting nonetheless. 

Ah, but it will make you 100% more awesome walking through transition....