Lets play numberwang!
1 bike per year at 1.5k
Resale value of £700
net loss over five years = 4k
1 expensive bike every 2.5 years at 5k
Resale value of 2.5k *
Net loss over 5 years = 5k
So, not much in it financially over a 5 year period.
*May not be an accurate figure, but you get the idea
the way I look at it, I like mountain biking i.e. the activity. The bike is the tool that allows me to do that. I like a nice bit of kit as much as the next guy, but for me owning a dream bike (Yeti 5.5C for me) would hamper my mountain biking as I'd be too worried damaging the bike. I'd much rather have a cheaper bike that I'm not going to cry over every time I pick up a new scratch, paint chip or worry about if I do drop the bike. I've upgraded componentry but basically my philosophy is don't ride anything you can't afford to break and replace.
Except i've only sold 2 bikes (i think) in the last 15 years........So, not much in it financially over a 5 year period.
yak & mcnulty kind of +1. cheaper bikes, sold not very often
I was riding a Deore equipped Ariel for a few years. Deore is so good now that I really didn't feel it was much of a compromise; the main difference was the weight in that timeframe. I should add that I have had a few XT and XTR equipped bikes too.
That said, I would spend cash on good wheels, assuming you can move them onto new frames.
Hate changing bikes, like to find a bike that ticks all my boxes and stick with it for as long as the standards allow. I spent £1950 on an aluminium Turner frame back in 2000 and only retired it in 2015 so I think I got my monies worth.
Currently got two perfect 26" bikes and enough decent tyres and rims to see me through the next 5 years hopefully.
I know what I like riding, and what bikes suit me. Don't like the current trend for longer (slacker and lower I've got covered already), nor for bigger wheels - it doesn't suit where or how I ride so no urge to change.
I also don't really like the disposable approach to buying stuff but these days I'm pragmatic enough to realise that it's a drop in the ocean really.
I know what I like riding, and what bikes suit me. Don't like the current trend for longer (slacker and lower I've got covered already), nor for bigger wheels - it doesn't suit where or how I ride so no urge to change.
So where's that exactly? sounds like a bmx track to me 😉
I know what I like riding, and what bikes suit me.
It takes a long time to get used to a new bike and get the best out of it. So whilst you might be happy with your current bikes, this is great - I doubt that you would be unhappy with a more modern one if you had to ride one.
I like holding onto my kit - And so when I purchase a dream frameset - which I hope will be a rigid custom steel - I'll be more than happy to hold onto it forever - keeping up with the latest standards in axles and diameters etc doesn't interest me in the slightest . But if i knew i was someone who always craved a change in kit I wouldn't bother building a dream bike ..
My current bike (bizango) will be my dream bike by the time i've finished upgrading every single piece of it, just the frame (stanton sherpa probably), fork (still deciding) and drivetrain to go. oh and brakes.
In the meantime i'll keep riding it as it is - perfectly fine for everything I do, but I have a "posh" steel frame itch, and it just seems wrong to build something like that up with entry-level suntour kit.
But then the plan is to keep that bike forever, and spend my cash on riding it in amazing places.
I had a dream bike but it became obsolete after about 5 years - well not obsolete but changing standards etc. I was saving for a Solaris 29er but by the time I'd got to 2.5k I just couldn't pull the trigger as I knew I'd want something else in a year or so. Ended up with an older model Bianchi 27.5, carbon frame, XT etc for £1200 Stuck on some old XTR brakes and upgraded the wheels to Hope. Enjoying it immensely along with the Nintendo and new lawn mower I bought at the same time with the money I saved.
Cheaper bikes, not that often - I don't really believe the hype around a lot of wonderbikes (it kind of applies to expensive niche HT's too).
Also I don't want to be too worried about binning it. And things change - look at the 26er wonderbikes from 5 or so years ago.
So something I can chuck at rocks with gay abandon and not cry too much at - until I'm flush enough that a wonderbike doesn't require saving up I'll steer clear.
Number Wang doesn't work if you batter it off a rock (of which there are many on MTB trail) and stick a ding in it ...... Now it's only worth 75pence
1 bike per year at 1.5k
Resale value of £700
net loss over five years = 4k1 expensive bike every 2.5 years at 5k
Resale value of 2.5k *
Net loss over 5 years = 5kSo, not much in it financially over a 5 year period.
I'd argue this doesn't take into account consumables and servicing.
The 1 year old bike likely will have the same drivetrain and not have needed a suspension service. However the same could'nt be said for the 2.5 year old bike.
And it's more like buy at £1.5k, sell at £1k IME
And it's more like buy at £1.5k, sell at £1k IME
This. I'm not seeing many 1-year old £1.5k full-suss bikes for sale for £700, unfortunately!
same predicament, although i've just bought my dream bike frame, got 25% off for last years colour, got all the bits and I just have the wheels to buy, do i go SC Reserve carbon £££s, 6th_element ££s or some bog standard Hope pro4 £s.
carbon are lifetime guarantee, but is my skill upto such wheels, will i be judged on my wheel choice, 'that blokes got more money than sense (and skill)',
cant decide what to do, i could buy another bike with the change.
Do you really dream about a [i]bike[/i], or are you really dreaming about the cycling you will do?
Something better will be available as soon as you buy a "dream" bike, so I'd say spend your money on whatever gives you the best cycling value.
do i go SC Reserve carbon £££s, 6th_element ££s or some bog standard Hope pro4 £s.carbon are lifetime guarantee, but is my skill upto such wheels, will i be judged on my wheel choice, 'that blokes got more money than sense (and skill)',
cant decide what to do, i could buy another bike with the change.
Handbuilt DT Swiss alu rims on your hubs of choice, XM481 or EX471 on Hope Pro 4s can be had under £500.
This. I'm not seeing many 1-year old £1.5k full-suss bikes for sale for £700, unfortunately!
Well than the same could be said for the expensive bike then. They were only rough geustimate figures but I think expensive bikes hold their value better than cheap ones.
Not necessarily always the case - some 'new' versions have lower spec equipment, in order to keep within a certain price band (in the face of inflation)
But my 'dream bike' wouldn't have any compromises as its a 'cost no barrier' option
The issue I see is that if I bought a 6 k bike with aim of having it for say six years, instead of 3 new bikes every 2 years costing 2 k each, by the time the 6th year came round I'd be riding a really outdated bike that would probably be worse than the newer 2 k bike I could have been riding
ie A 2011 top of the range Carbon Spesh Enduro (my dream bike at the time) would probably be not as good as the 2k trance I'm currently riding that I bought last year.
They were only rough geustimate figures but I think expensive bikes hold their value better than cheap ones.
Some do (orange and santa cruz spring to mind), others not so much (carbon bikes from Spesh, Trek & Giant).
Dream bike:
too much number crunching and the "dream" is over.
But my 'dream bike' wouldn't have any compromises as its a 'cost no barrier' option
Even a 6K bike is subject to inflation
But my 'dream bike' wouldn't have any compromises as its a 'cost no barrier' option
Even a 6K bike is subject to inflation
I'm more mid range and change every couple of years. I've no desire for a single dream bike.
