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When do you buy a 'new' bike?


nox1111

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Hey guys and girls;

 

I have been trying to figure out when the "right" time is to change bikes.  How and why do you choose to trade in your current (faithful) machine that still rides like new but is 3-something years old, for a new showpony just to keep up with the times?

 

What is your current machine - and does your current setup cost (roughly) and do you regret spending that much/little money on your bike?

What level are you riding at (skills wise, and competitively) - and did this influence your buying decision and justification to yourself and your family?

How often do you change bikes and how much do your ride?

Do you buy new exclusively or do you check out secondhand bikes and parts and mix-match to build your bike?

 

My question is based on: If your bike is not holding you back - my current rig is a full carbon Trance Advanced 26'er, full XTR M980 with Tricon Wheels, Fox Doss Dropper and all in weighs around 12.5kg's. Sure I'll get rolling eyes whenever I do a big race and everyone is on their 29'ers, but that does not bother me; as I have no 26er insecurities (not dissing other wheelsizes - I just don't feel everyone needs to be on 27.5 or 29), I climb as fast as loads of guys on 29er carbon hardtails, and I can hold my own on singletrack, jumps, drops and fast decents.  I'm also not blind to its faults - as I do spin out on top speed when other guys still have speed left, and over rocks, roots and ruts I do get shaken and not stirred - more-so than guys with bigger wheels.

Also, I'm a trail rider, not a racer. I like to ride my bike hard, but rather than going flat out, I like to find the lines with jumps or wall rides, manual sections, and flowy singletrack.

The reality is - my bike is a top end machine albeit from a couple years back, and for comparative builds in new bikes you are looking at serious money.

 

What's responsible spending in buying a new rig - money wise? It feels like any decent quality bike is in excess of R50k - that is a lot of money by any standards, and if you commit to buying a machine of that value - are you happy to do it?  Finance the machine or save and buy cash? Insurance is a given - but do you pay it with a smile or with hate in your eyes?

What is your personal buying ceiling when it comes to bikes and how did you come up with it?

 

Do you have other hobbies, and what are they - what kind of money do they require, and also how much of your time?

I started thinking about this after chatting to an old school friend that just bought a new Spez Carbon with all the bells and whistles and he only started riding in August last year - this already being his second bike now.

 

I know a lot of response will be along the lines of :'just don't tell your wife', or 'just do it', 'life is short - buy nice toys' and 26'ers are so yesterday, 29ers just make the world better' so try to spare me those, but do please lend me some insight in your thinking.

 

chers

nox

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I got home the other day and my wife told me to buy a new bike. She even found one for me. I love my wife.

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If you are happy with your bike, you enjoy riding it and racing it and you don't feel disadvantaged, keep it! The manufacturers of all kinds of durable products, including cars and bikes, would like us to believe their marketing nonsense and buy every new year model, which is often just the old one dressed up with some frilly garnishing! Don't fall for it, use your money for better things than to be duped into trying to keep up with the proverbial Joneses. :)

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Guest notmyname

I got home the other day and my wife told me to buy a new bike. She even found one for me. I love my wife.

 

Cant we just clone her. This could mean the end to war.

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In my case - only when circumstance took my pride and joy away from me. 

 

If there's something that is making you not enjoy your bike anymore, or there's something inherently WRONG with it, or you get a serious chubby when you see a particular bike, then maybe it's time to start courting a new bike. 

 

As for the trance - it's a seriously capable machine, and if you stick a 140mm pike / 34 / MRP / X fusion / whatever on the front, it transforms into a gnar eating monster trail bike as if that's what it wanted from the beginning.

 

I feel that unless there's something MORE you want from your bike, or there's something it just doesn't do for you, and there's no way to get it to do that thing for you, or it's not the right geometry / size for you, then there's no reason to upgrade to a new bike. 

 

But that's just me...

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OP, I get the sense that you want the bikehub massive to validate your decision to keep your current bike. 

 

If you're happy with your bike and it puts a smile on your mug, then keep it and enjoy it. 

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im with DJR .....don't believe buying new shinning stuff will make you a better rider....

its the man not the bike :ph34r:

if you feel inadequate on your bike its cause YOU are ...not the bike :whistling: and a fancy new one wont change that

so just get out there and enjoy the one you have :w00t:

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Agree with Myles. That 26er Trance is still a very capable bike. You will have to spend a LOT of money just to get something else to do the same thing. Your guess of R50 000 for a new one with the same XTR level specs is probably close to right. Also, it won't be much lighter if at all.

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Agree with Myles. That 26er Trance is still a very capable bike. You will have to spend a LOT of money just to get something else to do the same thing. Your guess of R50 000 for a new one with the same XTR level specs is probably close to right. Also, it won't be much lighter if at all.

Good luck with that... 

 

Trance Advanced 0 (equiv spec) is $ 7,700

 

Pike RCT3, XX1, Carbon wheelset (slight upgrade) Dropper etc... 

 

You won't get the same spec for less than 85k. 

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My road bike heavy weight 8spd entry level I rode for 10 years (still riding it, commute with it this morning), I only upgraded last year to second hand 7kg Carbon bike. Although I rode a lot in the past it is only the last 2 years that I actually started to put more effort into my riding and going for 'gold'. I improved a lot over the last 2 years and needed a faster bike. So only upgrade if you deserve it by doing everything else right, training, nutrition, commitment etc.

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OP, I get the sense that you want the bikehub massive to validate your decision to keep your current bike. 

 

If you're happy with your bike and it puts a smile on your mug, then keep it and enjoy it. 

haha, more like me trying to figure out if I'm cheap or content...

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I got home the other day and my wife told me to buy a new bike. She even found one for me. I love my wife.

That's a good buy! ;)

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Amusing that whenever I walk into a bikeshop looking for a tyre or a service - they give you the look - you know the look - and then say: "Have you seen the new (points to closest 29'er and read the name on the frame) this is what you need". haha

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Amusing that whenever I walk into a bikeshop looking for a tyre or a service - they give you the look - you know the look - and then say: "Have you seen the new (points to closest 29'er and read the name on the frame) this is what you need". haha

and 90% of the time, they don't know what they're talking about... 

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