How much for a decent bike?

[Cours]

#Vorpal, and many, many others.

I'll leeve it to your contemplation to wonder why?

[mattsccm]

It has all turned a bit pointless hasn't it? This thread that is. What is a good bike ? What ever you want. End! Nowt wrong with spending 10k if you want. Don't knock those who do or those who spend 100 quid.
Baer in mind that every time you criticise some one who criticises, you are the same. So calling someone a bike snob puts you in the same light etc.
Consider that most bikes are bought for fun, especially those of any value. If its fun you can't judge. We all want different things. My priorty is fun to ride, stuff economy, reliability or trendiness. If it breaks down I get another out of the shed and mend the first.
I contend that the original question cannot have a definitive answer and those who try to create such a thing have missed the point.

[thelawnet]

It has all turned a bit pointless hasn't it? This thread that is. What is a good bike ? What ever you want. End! Nowt wrong with spending 10k if you want. Don't knock those who do or those who spend 100 quid.
Baer in mind that every time you criticise some one who criticises, you are the same. So calling someone a bike snob puts you in the same light etc.
Consider that most bikes are bought for fun, especially those of any value. If its fun you can't judge. We all want different things. My priorty is fun to ride, stuff economy, reliability or trendiness. If it breaks down I get another out of the shed and mend the first.
I contend that the original question cannot have a definitive answer and those who try to create such a thing have missed the point.

What has spending 10k possibly got to do with the question of 'how much for a decent bike'?

The question posed OP does not indicate spending 1k, let alone 10k

"So, how much (if price is a general guide) should you have to pay for a bike of a particular type (MTB, road etc) assuming it's not for anything specialized and/or is not going to get very heavy usage."

If it's not going to get much usage you don't need to spend very much at all, and if it's just for general riding but nothing specialised, then it only needs to be suited for the purpose you are using it for, e.g. going out on Sunday on a club run, or riding to work or whatever. So it needs to have a certain sort of form for the given function and then it needs to be reasonably reliable and comfortable to use. None of which necessitates spending large amounts of money - £500 is sufficient.

If you want to spend more, go ahead, and indeed spending more may be more enjoyable in and of itself, beyond any merits of the better componentry, because you perceive that you have a 'nice bike', and derive some inherent pleasure from that ownership of a shiny thing, but to argue that you have to pay more is just wrong.

[reohn2]

It has all turned a bit pointless hasn't it? This thread that is. What is a good bike ? What ever you want. End! Nowt wrong with spending 10k if you want. Don't knock those who do or those who spend 100 quid.
Baer in mind that every time you criticise some one who criticises, you are the same. So calling someone a bike snob puts you in the same light etc.
Consider that most bikes are bought for fun, especially those of any value. If its fun you can't judge. We all want different things. My priorty is fun to ride, stuff economy, reliability or trendiness. If it breaks down I get another out of the shed and mend the first.
I contend that the original question cannot have a definitive answer and those who try to create such a thing have missed the point.

OK I'll bite and say IMO anyone who spends even half of that on a bicycle has been well and truly ripped off
These are bicycles we're discussing and there is no bike on the planet worth that kind of money,
I'll take whatever flak hurled my way if anyone can give good reason why they need spend so much to enjoy a bike ride.

[drossall]

However maybe thirty years ago folk used to turn up on certain winter training runs locally (which normally attracted members from several local clubs) with all kinds of bikes, varying from one-time racing machines with mudguards nailed on somehow, through to various grotty heaps which had been touring bikes in a former life, even cx bikes or MTBs with slick tyres. No-one really cared what bike you rode as long as it didn't break too often, didn't shower everyone else with crud, and was ridden safely enough so that wheels could be followed. Some runs were carried out in darkness, so lights were obligatory. Fixed gears, hub gears, 1x, 2x, 3x derailleurs, side pull brakes, hub brakes, centre pull brakes, cantis, almost anything would do (*). If you turned up on something really odd, you might get folk asking about it but mostly because they were interested in it, very rarely in a judgemental fashion.

I find Audaxes still like this, but not many other places in organised cycling. (Except the mudguards bit - a lot of Audax riders don't have those now). Some bikes will be carbon bling, draped with Dura Ace. Others will be real steel classics. Fixed is quite common. And the occasional hand cycle, trike or EliptiGO. Every now and then someone rides something deliberately unsuitable, such as a Brompton.

But I do think you need carbon to be taken seriously in some places.

[Vorpal]

OK I'll bite and say IMO anyone who spends even half of that on a bicycle has been well and truly ripped off
These are bicycles we're discussing and there is no bike on the planet worth that kind of money,
I'll take whatever flak hurled my way if anyone can give good reason why they need spend so much to enjoy a bike ride.

I wouldn't spend that much money on a bike, but I don't have a problem with someone else doing so, even if they wanted for nothing more than to hang it on a wall.

Maybe I inherited a few milllions or something, after I'd paid off my mortgage & my dad's, and had a few things done to the house, I might consider something like that. I can think of worse things to spend my money on.

If oyu want to see what your money would get you... https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/g2 ... /?slide=26

p.s. I can imagine my club mates having a go, if I turned up on a gold plated bike!

[reohn2]

OK I'll bite and say IMO anyone who spends even half of that on a bicycle has been well and truly ripped off
These are bicycles we're discussing and there is no bike on the planet worth that kind of money,
I'll take whatever flak hurled my way if anyone can give good reason why they need spend so much to enjoy a bike ride.

I wouldn't spend that much money on a bike, but I don't have a problem with someone else doing so, even if they wanted for nothing more than to hang it on a wall.

Maybe I inherited a few milllions or something, after I'd paid off my mortgage & my dad's, and had a few things done to the house, I might consider something like that. I can think of worse things to spend my money on.

If oyu want to see what your money would get you... https://www.bicycling.com/bikes-gear/g2 ... /?slide=26

p.s. I can imagine my club mates having a go, if I turned up on a gold plated bike!

I can think of a lot better

EDIT,to add that upward of £2.5K there is no intristic betterment of the bicycle itself merely a quest for personal ego and some sort of kudos within a fraternity.
The day I begin to hang bikes on walls for art sake will be the day I'll know I've taken leave of my senses and become unable to ride them

[PH]

EDIT,to add that upward of £2.5K there is no intristic betterment of the bicycle itself merely a quest for personal ego and some sort of kudos within a fraternity.

Everybody says the same, the only difference is where they put the price point. Two of my bikes break yours, but I'm sure you have bikes that will break others ...

[reohn2]

EDIT,to add that upward of £2.5K there is no intristic betterment of the bicycle itself merely a quest for personal ego and some sort of kudos within a fraternity.

Everybody says the same, the only difference is where they put the price point. Two of my bikes break yours, but I'm sure you have bikes that will break others ...

I'm sure you're right but there comes a point where it all becomes ridiculous and that not criticism of your bikes as I'm sure they've been carefully chosen,what tipped the balance over the £2.5k that makes them ride better?

[Brucey]

its worth mentioning the effect of 'special bits' on bike prices. In this category I would include such things as Rohloff hubs and S&S couplings; things that are selected on their special merits and are otherwise not closely related to the bike's specification/cost/ride qualities. Tandems are 'special' too; so is any custom work for fit or luggage purposes. If you set an arbitrary price cap -for sake of argument £2K- then you might find yourself riding a bike that, without the 'special parts', is otherwise a £500 bike or something .

Hence my earlier comment, that when riding a bike you might (say) be hard pushed to tell the difference between a £1K road bike and a £2K one. You might well notice the difference when it comes to shipping/maintaining it though...

cheers

[reohn2]

its worth mentioning the effect of 'special bits' on bike prices. In this category I would include such things as Rohloff hubs and S&S couplings; things that are selected on their special merits and are otherwise not closely related to the bike's specification/cost/ride qualities. Tandems are 'special' too; so is any custom work for fit or luggage purposes. If you set an arbitrary price cap -for sake of argument £2K- then you might find yourself riding a bike that, without the 'special parts', is otherwise a £500 bike or something .

Hence my earlier comment, that when riding a bike you might (say) be hard pushed to tell the difference between a £1K road bike and a £2K one. You might well notice the difference when it comes to shipping/maintaining it though...

cheers

I take your point though whilst a Rohloff hub though undoubtedly an expensive purchase initially pays you back in reduced maintenance.
S&S couplings facilitate breaking down the bike for air travel etc which is niche,we've flown quite a few times with the tandem boxes up without the need for couplings,that said,it's a few years ago and size restrictions may have tightened up these days.But for a solo bike in a box I can't see there being any problems.
The speciality of tandems means that effectively you get two bikes for the price of one,that said a £5k tandem is a top drawer bike.BTW I know someone who paid £10k for a Santana Beyond and was bitterly disappointed with their purchase due to the frame breaking twice,before rejecting it and stepping down to £4k steel machine from the same maker.

[PH]

its worth mentioning the effect of 'special bits' on bike prices. In this category I would include such things as Rohloff hubs and S&S couplings; things that are selected on their special merits and are otherwise not closely related to the bike's specification/cost/ride qualities. Tandems are 'special' too; so is any custom work for fit or luggage purposes. If you set an arbitrary price cap -for sake of argument £2K- then you might find yourself riding a bike that, without the 'special parts', is otherwise a £500 bike or something .
Hence my earlier comment, that when riding a bike you might (say) be hard pushed to tell the difference between a £1K road bike and a £2K one. You might well notice the difference when it comes to shipping/maintaining it though...
cheers

I agree with all of that, though as reohn2 points out such special bits are rarely essential. I'm a Rohoff fan (As I might have said before) yet as I said upthread there isn't much of my riding that couldn't have been done on my £250 bike. I can wax lyrical about the advantages of a Rohloff, but was buying a bike that met my none essential criteria any more valid than someone who's criteria is to have the exact same model as their hero? If they think they needed it, I might consider them a little foolish, but who hasn't been?
I understood the original question to be how much anyone needed to spend to get a bike capable of most cycling, I think the answer is a lot less than most enthusiasts spend, but I don't see any need to be critical of that. In another thread I'm looking for a shiny silver hub, thankfully no one has asked me in what way it's going to improve the ride.

[reohn2]

I agree with all of that, though as reohn2 points out such special bits are rarely essential.

But when they as a result of their speciality command a high price,it's then upto the individual to evaluate their worth to them.

I'm a Rohoff fan (As I might have said before) yet as I said upthread there isn't much of my riding that couldn't have been done on my £250 bike. I can wax lyrical about the advantages of a Rohloff, but was buying a bike that met my none essential criteria any more valid than someone who's criteria is to have the exact same model as their hero?

But the Rolhoff has very real physical advantages rather than pseudo mind game advantages

If they think they needed it, I might consider them a little foolish, but who hasn't been?

It depends on whether the need is real or not.Of course anyone who hasn't been foolish in their lives hasn't lived

I understood the original question to be how much anyone needed to spend to get a bike capable of most cycling, I think the answer is a lot less than most enthusiasts spend, but I don't see any need to be critical of that. In another thread I'm looking for a shiny silver hub, thankfully no one has asked me in what way it's going to improve the ride.

But the question is how much is that highly polished hub worth over say a silver anodised XT hub readily available of the shelf at very reasonable outlay.

[The utility cyclist]

It has all turned a bit pointless hasn't it? This thread that is. What is a good bike ? What ever you want. End! Nowt wrong with spending 10k if you want. Don't knock those who do or those who spend 100 quid.
Baer in mind that every time you criticise some one who criticises, you are the same. So calling someone a bike snob puts you in the same light etc.
Consider that most bikes are bought for fun, especially those of any value. If its fun you can't judge. We all want different things. My priorty is fun to ride, stuff economy, reliability or trendiness. If it breaks down I get another out of the shed and mend the first.
I contend that the original question cannot have a definitive answer and those who try to create such a thing have missed the point.

[b]OK I'll bite and say IMO anyone who spends even half of that on a bicycle has been well and truly ripped off[/b]
These are bicycles we're discussing and there is no bike on the planet worth that kind of money,
I'll take whatever flak hurled my way if anyone can give good reason why they need spend so much to enjoy a bike ride.

Why? How is it a rip off, you offer up zero logic behind your opinion, you say there is no bicycle on the planet that's worth that money, do explain how you came to that conclusion?
That's a bit like saying a house worth £500k is a rip off, or a watch that's £500 is a rip off, or a tyre that is £60 is a rip off or a hand-built frame that is over £500 is a rip off and so many thousands of other examples, an ice cream at the seaside over 50p is a rip off

Why is your definition the one that all others should be judged upon, why is spending x amount ruffling yours and others feathers so much you have to make a big deal about it?

[horizon]

It has all turned a bit pointless hasn't it? This thread that is. What is a good bike ? What ever you want. End!
I contend that the original question cannot have a definitive answer and those who try to create such a thing have missed the point.

It's still an interesting question though. People do seem to have strange ideas about what they should pay for a bike - £200 seems a lot to some people*, they are almost resentful at having to pay anything at all. A £1000 bike is going to cost less than one cup of coffee per week over its ten year life. I would say, the more the better but £1000 is an excellent break point. I'm not worried about the people who spend thousands, I'm worried about the people who don't spend enough.

* I'm not talking about people on benefits and low wages here. I buy second-hand but I think a bit of quality is worth going after.