I quit ROAD BIKES BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE!

[JTE83]

I quit ROAD BIKES BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE! Yeah, when STI's cost $700, ok, no way... I had enough. I gotta be satisfied with Ultegra SL and kiss high end race stuff goodbye! The only road bike I desired now is a 2009 Trek Madone 5.2, a $3800 bike shop bike [the 5200 in 2002 was a $2400 bike], but at least the Madone 5.2 52cm weighs around 16 lbs 12 oz or so if I remember!

I'm spending my money on great BMX bikes now and I'm gonna go back to BMX Freestyle doing COOL Flatland freestyling tricks! Actually BMX Freestyle was my pastime and sport in High School, back in the 80's! I'm working out now and my goal is that I do a 3 foot high bunnyhop by summer time to look Ultra RAD COOL at Chicago's Lake Shore Drive this summer! This is what a lotta kids did back in the 80's and 90's at Chicago's LSD at Oak Street Beach, the Freestyling Hangout!

I gotta relearn lots of old freestyle tricks I used to know! Front wheel 360's with and without brakes, 180's [front wheel or bunnyhop], rolling backwards, tail whips, side glides, the many variations of an endo, multiple rock walks, front wheels rolls going forwards and backwards, and some rolling tricks! - Fun old school flatland stuff I used to know!

And I'm gonna have fun learning lots of new school tricks too! Got 1 dvd of how to's, and I'm looking for more!

BMX bikes I bought this year!
2006 Haro Sport Classic remake, $495 after tax
2008 GT Performer, just bought today modded with a color matching seat and seatpost for $295 after tax!

Looking to get -
a 2009 Subrosa Novus Street - $609 on the internet!
a custom built bmx ultra lightweight bmx freestyle bike decked out with the best modern 2009 ul;tralightweight parts! [or 2nd lightest stuff for proper color matches or features]

Now I gotta get a great job so I can burn some cash! Gonna sell my 2002 TCR Aero 2 road bike and get rid of spare road bike parts!

So anyone do bmx here?

Are you guys frustrated with road bikes because they are so expensive?

But actually, I did see a nice $500 GT Road Bike at Performance Bike and I freaked out at how light it is! - It had Sora parts but in actuality SORA Shifters aren't bad! - They're just "Campy Style" and their lever position indicator is actually really cool!

I'd still road bike for transportation and weight loss workouts though!

 

[Geoff Vadar]

I just built a road bike for $2700 AUD (give or take). Thats about $48 USD. It weighs 7.1kg. Not great but its ok.

I race at a reasonable standard and its a ball tearer and fast. Its about putting smart money into elements of the build that give you a real return.

I cant be stuffed going into major detail but a good example is cranks. Buy the cheapest you can find. Do not buy carbon cranks and do not worry about weight. At the other end of scale I use SwissStop brake pads. They cost about 4-5 times what the standard pads are but they deliver in terms of performance.

Road bikes are only as expensive as you let them be. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

I think you probably gave up road bikes because you wanted to spend more time in women's clothes.

 

[JTE83]

I'm trying to quit crossdressing, and I'm gonna weightlift so that'll ruin my size 4 figure. Maybe I'll bulk up to a size 6. Actually I'm looking for a chick my height and a size 6 to fit my clothes! Britney Spear's is a perfect match, as this is her size!

 

[jhuskey]

Being married to a woman that likes fashion I know that women's clothes are expensive, especially the damn shoes.I would think you could give up just the yearly underwear buying and swing a Pinarello Prince.
I generally get use out my clothes. I consider each pair of my underwear as a life partner.

 

[dgregory57]

You quit road biking because it is too expensive, then spend over $600 on a single speeed kids bike that has a maximum speed of about 10 mph... It all depends on what you want.

To each their own, but frankly, when you see yourself as having to settle for Ultegra SL (second only to Dura-Ace) so you have to abandon road riding, you sound like an elitist, and you seem to be bringing that same mindset to bmx too. If you changed because you find road riding boring and prefer doing free-style, then I am very happy for you... but if it was cost savings, you just decided to sell a perfectly good road bike for a fraction of retail (as it is all you can sell a used bike for) to buy a new set of bikes... not a wise financial choice.

I see no issue with spending what you want in whatever sport you want... but if your mindset is that you have to have the highest cost bling in whatever sport you pick, then frankly you are always destined to think that whatever you do is too expensive.

However, ignoring your ill conceived rant against road cycling cost, it sounds like you are having a blast in your rediscovery of freestyle!!!! I hope the joy continues for you!

 

[tonyzackery]

I quit ROAD BIKES BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE! Yeah, when STI's cost $700, ok, no way... I had enough. I gotta be satisfied with Ultegra SL and kiss high end race stuff goodbye! The only road bike I desired now is a 2009 Trek Madone 5.2, a $3800 bike shop bike [the 5200 in 2002 was a $2400 bike], but at least the Madone 5.2 52cm weighs around 16 lbs 12 oz or so if I remember!

I'm spending my money on great BMX bikes now and I'm gonna go back to BMX Freestyle doing COOL Flatland freestyling tricks! Actually BMX Freestyle was my pastime and sport in High School, back in the 80's! I'm working out now and my goal is that I do a 3 foot high bunnyhop by summer time to look Ultra RAD COOL at Chicago's Lake Shore Drive this summer! This is what a lotta kids did back in the 80's and 90's at Chicago's LSD at Oak Street Beach, the Freestyling Hangout!

I gotta relearn lots of old freestyle tricks I used to know! Front wheel 360's with and without brakes, 180's [front wheel or bunnyhop], rolling backwards, tail whips, side glides, the many variations of an endo, multiple rock walks, front wheels rolls going forwards and backwards, and some rolling tricks! - Fun old school flatland stuff I used to know!

And I'm gonna have fun learning lots of new school tricks too! Got 1 dvd of how to's, and I'm looking for more!

BMX bikes I bought this year!
2006 Haro Sport Classic remake, $495 after tax
2008 GT Performer, just bought today modded with a color matching seat and seatpost for $295 after tax!

Looking to get -
a 2009 Subrosa Novus Street - $609 on the internet!
a custom built bmx ultra lightweight bmx freestyle bike decked out with the best modern 2009 ul;tralightweight parts! [or 2nd lightest stuff for proper color matches or features]

Now I gotta get a great job so I can burn some cash! Gonna sell my 2002 TCR Aero 2 road bike and get rid of spare road bike parts!

So anyone do bmx here?

Are you guys frustrated with road bikes because they are so expensive?

But actually, I did see a nice $500 GT Road Bike at Performance Bike and I freaked out at how light it is! - It had Sora parts but in actuality SORA Shifters aren't bad! - They're just "Campy Style" and their lever position indicator is actually really cool!

I'd still road bike for transportation and weight loss workouts though!

Adios amigo. See ya' in a decade or two when you mature a bit...you'll come back, I'm sure of it...

 

[alienator]

I gotta agree with dgregory and Zackery. Bikes are a shitty investment, so selling them, expecting to recoup big funds, is stupid at best. Investing in a BMX bike is even less smart. Their resale value is even shittier. Ranting because all you can afford is Ultegra smacks of a 5 year old boy crying because mummy wouldn't buy him a GI Joe. Elitist? Nah. Elitists wouldn't associate with you. Poseur? Definitely. You wear your bike purchases like fashion statements, all in an effort to get more attention. You beg for attention with the things you do and your statements about yourself and what you do. I'll bet you only came out as a cross dresser--if you really are a cross dresser--to get that attention.

Pathetic.

I doubt road cycling or road cyclists will notice your absence.

 

[TrekDedicated]

"Well, see ya later."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3g1KcOw7zas

 

[JTE83]

You quit road biking because it is too expensive, then spend over $600 on a single speeed kids bike that has a maximum speed of about 10 mph... It all depends on what you want.

I put a wireless computer on my modded 2000 Diamondback Venom that has near frictionless SPIN Wheels, - my fastest BMX bike simply because of these wheels! I hit 20 mph easily, maybe I can go faster but I gotta wear gloves and a helmet and get better shoes!

There are great bmx bikes that are classics and appreciate with time! Like my 1987 Haro Master, 2006 Haro Sport [made as a collector's item with 1000 made, I got # 60!], 1983 Hutch Pro modded for freestyle, 1985(?) Hutch Trickstar [one of the most classic and desired 80's vintage freestyle bmx bikes], and my 2000 PK Ripper modded for freestyle.

Like Hutch pedals can go for $600+ on ebay. Try looking at ebay prices for Hutch stuff!

I'm not actually gonna quit road biking as a sport; I'm just never gonna train enough to race; and I won't hardly buy anymore road bikes; my only desire is a 2009 Trek Madone 5.2 with Race X Lites but I can't afford that unless I get a great job again. Money is better spent on cheaper and awesome bmx freestyle bikes to ADORE!

When my collection is modded and complete, I will post a thread of all of my bikes! 8 BMX [1 was stolen, used to be 9], 2 mtn, 7 road bikes.

 

[cyberlegend1994]

I quit ROAD BIKES BECAUSE THEY ARE TOO EXPENSIVE! Yeah, when STI's cost $700, ok, no way... I had enough. I gotta be satisfied with Ultegra SL and kiss high end race stuff goodbye! The only road bike I desired now is a 2009 Trek Madone 5.2, a $3800 bike shop bike [the 5200 in 2002 was a $2400 bike], but at least the Madone 5.2 52cm weighs around 16 lbs 12 oz or so if I remember!

< snip >

I'd still road bike for transportation and weight loss workouts though!

One word dude....

CRAIGSLIST

 

[JTE83]

Yeah, I'm giving Craigslist and cash sales first dibs on selling my stuff! Ebay rips you off with too many fees! Listing fee, final value fee, and Paypal fees! YUCK!

Gonna sell my Mazda MX6, an FSA crank, Michelin Pro Race 2 in Yellow, a 2002 TCR Aero 2, hmmm... what else?

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Yeah, I'm giving Craigslist and cash sales first dibs on selling my stuff! Ebay rips you off with too many fees! Listing fee, final value fee, and Paypal fees! YUCK!

Gonna sell my Mazda MX6, an FSA crank, Michelin Pro Race 2 in Yellow, a 2002 TCR Aero 2, hmmm... what else?

Not exactly what I was implying about CL, but to each their own....

 

[bigpedaler]

Do what you wanna do...quit road bikes, go back to BMX, try mountain, whatever. What you ride -- or even IF you ride -- is your choice.

I turned away from the IDEA of road bikes because of the cost; that, and the pounding I'm sure to take in the low back...it's why I ride FS mountain.

Mountain is where my passion is; if road is where yours is, then stay with it...and realize it's not about the bling. After a certain point, it's nothing but ego.

 

[garage sale GT]

I guess if you want to have one of each of the latest hi-perf gear, then road bikes are too expensive.

As far as the cost goes, though: I think the bike situation has never been better than today and the extra cost is well worth it.

You can get many more frame sizes as well as the blessings of compact geometry and a comfort road frame with a slightly higher headset. More money but a greater value, big time.

You can actually use a cassette hub on the street without breaking the axle in a few months. The sealed hubs add a bit of cost too, but are well worth it.

Index shifting, systems you can shift going uphill, and STI add a great deal to speed, safety, and usability.

All these things may have slowly tripled the cost of a typical bike over early 1980s levels but they are well worth it. Who wishes they could only have a 1978 bike which was too tall, too cramped, had gearing which was a bit too high, a derailleur system which you had to pedal at reduced torque for several feet while shifting, and shifters you don't have to release the bars to use, and don't have to find just the right spot in order to keep the chain from dragging? (plus, what would be the fun of collecting the best stuff if it was mostly just a lot lighter than ordinary stuff?)

 

[JTE83]

Hey guys, I'm doing different workouts this year too! Instead of miles of road biking, I bought a weight set to workout and build up the muscles I use to bunnyhop a bmx bike! I want at least a 3 foot high bunnyhop by summer! - Maybe combine this with a 180 or 360!

Yeah, a totally decked out $1500 ultra high tech bmx bike will give me more pleasure than a 2009 Trek Madone 5.2 [$3800]!

You guys should try some BMX Flatland Freestyle! The safe old school and rolling tricks where you won't break your bones or tear up a bike much! This sport builds up your reflexes and sense of balance [especially the rolling tricks]! I got cat like reflexes from bmx and this helped me lots in my road bike crashes!

Try out a nice $500 bmx freestyle bike guys! - That's cheap to a road biker!

 

[garage sale GT]

Just out of curiosity, what sort of gear would a 6 footer bmx guy ride?

 

[JTE83]

Just out of curiosity, what sort of gear would a 6 footer bmx guy ride?

Uh.. join a bmx forum to find out! Or look at http://www.bikeforums.net/forumdisplay.php?f=13

For retro classic bmx, vintagebmx.com

A 6 footer might need an XL frame bmx bike or a 24" cruiser type. Test ride one in a shop!

If you're so big and tall, you might need one of these! I'm not a 6 footer so I wouldn't know! http://www.vintagebmx.com/community/index.php?showtopic=27007391

Have you guys ever seen the ultra - cool bmx flatland tricks that have been done? Netflix a bmx dvd or do some internet videos of these! They are so radical! But some guys break a lotta bones! I just do the "safe" tricks!

 

[dgregory57]

Back in the dark ages when BMX bikes were first becoming a trend I was already older than most BMX riders, so I will leave the tricks to you youngsters...

I am someone who can enjoy slowly riding along a quiet trail, or gently riding my 105 equipped touring bike along the road or rail trail.

I have no more intertest in bunny hopping a bike 3 feet in the air than I do in bungee jumping off a bridge, but I do enjoy watching others exercise their skills.

Have you considered trial riding? That seems to use some of the similar skills, and would offer you some variety in your activities. Again, a skillset I have no interest in
building for myself, but it sure is fun to watch, and I admire it.

 

[buckybux]

Expensive is a relative term. For me, three years ago we sold a car, and I replaced it with a $2000 US road bike. I spend about $300 a year (ride between 2K to 5K miles per year) to maintain the bike, while the car cost me about $3K US per year, substantially cheaper (and does include the health benefits and that cost savings too). We still have another car, so I don't feel that I gave up a lot in the accessibility to a car.

There a lots of ways to make Road Biking cheaper. I like my STI shifters a lot and feel they have improved my pleasure in riding hills, however, down tube shifters do the same thing for 1/5 the cost. I choose STI's (but then mine are still Ultegra 9 speed which only cost about $150). Frankly, I don't see that much improvement between 8, 9 or 10 speeds; so if it came down to purely the money, I would go cheap, rather than give up road biking.

It is good to change your fitness, because doing the same thing every year can get boring. Change is good!

 

[Richard_Rides]

My STI levers are so expensive I rarely shift them. I may sell my road bike and get into model railroading or ham radio. The high cost of STI shifting has taken the fun out of the sport. Dura-Ace shifters are so so expensive I will probably sell my bike so that I can afford a pair. But I will probably not enjoy them without a bicycle to put them on, so I'll probably sell them and get into a cheaper hobby like bird watching or setting up an ant farm.