mid vs Highend Mid vs High end vs Ultra High end

[The Ouzo]

Have to laugh,

I bought a luggage scale the other day as a way to weigh my bikes. Its cheap, but it does the job.

 

I've left it here at the office, I weighed my bike in commuter trim, i.e. lights, garmin, saddle bag, sealant etc. and it came in at 9.6kg (yes very much on the heavy end of the scale for a modern road bike).

 

Today I wondered into the workshop with my scale and asked the technician there that cycles to work if we can weigh his bike. He left the normal bike at home (an old Bianchi) and is on his sons Ralleigh, I weigh that, 9.9kg. 

Granted my bike is a disc bike, one size bigger frame and I had all my lights etc. on it, but I fully expected his bike to be mid 10's.

 

Is it worth the extra ? Well from my old Scott to the new Giant there is a world of difference to everything from how the bike rolls to comfort to how it feels when you put the power down.

[Jbr]

Have to laugh,

I bought a luggage scale the other day as a way to weigh my bikes. Its cheap, but it does the job.

 

I've left it here at the office, I weighed my bike in commuter trim, i.e. lights, garmin, saddle bag, sealant etc. and it came in at 9.6kg (yes very much on the heavy end of the scale for a modern road bike).

 

Today I wondered into the workshop with my scale and asked the technician there that cycles to work if we can weigh his bike. He left the normal bike at home (an old Bianchi) and is on his sons Ralleigh, I weigh that, 9.9kg. 

Granted my bike is a disc bike, one size bigger frame and I had all my lights etc. on it, but I fully expected his bike to be mid 10's.

 

Is it worth the extra ? Well from my old Scott to the new Giant there is a world of difference to everything from how the bike rolls to comfort to how it feels when you put the power down.

weight isn't everything, both my 2015 swift uvox and my 2020 TCR pro disc weigh 8 kg ready to ride, with similar deep section carbon wheels, pedals, garmin mount, bottle cages etc, but the recent one is muuuuuuch stiffer than the old one and therefore must faster on sprints and climbing despite being maybe a little less aero (at least it looks less aero)

 

Also new bikes are made to match UCI limits with all the top components when before some bikes were built to be as light as possible and then they would ad weights to match UCI limits, therefore an old bike with mid range components could be lighter than a new bike with mid range components.

[TNT1]

 

 

Also new bikes are made to match 

They are hey.

 

You gotta see the sticker on it before you can tell one from the other. It's sad really.

[Wimmas]

My short answer is if you are not a pro or compete competitively, there is no need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bike. I have a 2018 Scott Scale 960 which I paid just over R14k for brand new and I have not come across anything which I cannot face, and I am happy with the shifting, fork performance etc.

 

Obviously a R50k dual sus bike would be a better ride, but I do not need it.

 

Cycling has become a rich man's sport over the years and many buy certain expensive bikes for bragging rights, not ability or reliability.

 

Buy whatever fits your pocket.

Edited September 1, 2020 by Wimmas

[DR ◣◢]

My short answer is if you are not a pro or compete competitively, there is no need to spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bike. I have a 2018 Scott Scale 960 which I paid just over R14k for brand new and I have not come across anything which I cannot face, and I am happy with the shifting, fork performance etc.

 

Obviously a R50k dual sus bike would be a better ride, but I do not need it.

 

Cycling has become a rich man's sport over the years and many buy certain expensive bikes for bragging rights, not ability or reliability.

 

Buy whatever fits your pocket.

You don’t have to be a pro to ride a ridiculously expensive bike either.

 

I work my ass off and I can afford what I ride. So i bought it and I enjoy it.

 

It’s not about what I spent, it’s about how much I enjoy the ride.

[bullet77]

Well said.

[Wimmas]

You don’t have to be a pro to ride a ridiculously expensive bike either.

 

I work my ass off and I can afford what I ride. So i bought it and I enjoy it.

 

It’s not about what I spent, it’s about how much I enjoy the ride.

Hence I said buy whatever fits your pocket. You are obviously fortunate and it is a privilege to afford and ride an expensive bike. However, it is certainly not a necessity and mid range bikes are also very capable and reliable. No hate from my side and I wish I can ride an expensive fully specc'd dual sus bike. Edited September 1, 2020 by Wimmas

[DR ◣◢]

Hence I said buy whatever fits your pocket. You are obviously fortunate and it is a privilege to afford and ride an expensive bike. However, it is certainly not a necessity and mid range bikes are also very capable and reliable. No hate from my side and I wish I can ride an expensive fully specc'd dual sus bike.

It definitely isn’t privilege or fortune. It’s a lot of serious late nights, weekends and even more hard work. Nothing else.

[Wimmas]

It definitely isn’t privilege or fortune. It’s a lot of serious late nights, weekends and even more hard work. Nothing else.

Not going to get into a d**k measuring contest and my intention is not to derail the thread. There are a lot of people who bust their ass and do not earn a seven figure salary and cannot afford expensive bikes. If you are a Havard Law grad working 60 hour weeks and earning big bucks and can afford a R200k bike, then well done and I mean it. For the peasants like me, we get by just fine on our low budget bikes. My point was just a mid range bike is fully capable and reliable. If you are not a pro where every split second counts, then there is no need to indebt yourself and get an expensive bike.

 

As for the OP, I think your question has been answered and you can draw your own conclusions. Some are of the opinion it is a marketing gimick, others believe the price warrants the spec. It all comes down to the latest, lightest, stiffest and toughest. That is the "marketing mix" of what dictates price.

[Jewbacca]

Whoa.. Let's reign it in fellas.

 

I think what the OP is asking is not whether buying a super bike can be justified, but rather 'is it necessary' or can one get not quite as good performance but close to, from a mid range bike these days.

 

So I would say yes. The 2020/2021 tech is all so good that the gaps between mid range and high end stuff is getting smaller and smaller.

 

Well that's how I see the thread anyway.

 

A 35k bike gets you way more than 50% of the performance of a 90k bike these days, which wasn't always the case.

 

But let's not begrudge people who like nice toys and can afford them. I think it's awesome that people are as into bikes as I am. I just can't afford the top end stuff so just drool at things like Wayne's build thread etc.

[Monark]

I just run a Ryder 900 front light. Lasts 2 mornings before charging again. Its on a little mount from my kids bike that has a rubber strap around the light and then at 90 degrees, another one around the bar.

 

I actually have the barfly so can run the right in the centre, just not gotten round to it, also normally leave the centre for the gopro but due to it being winter have not run it in a while.

I have the same light - love how you have fitted yours.

[TheoG]

I say if you have it spend it, why not!  If you don't, like me, just be sensible, you can still buy a pretty awesome bike on a much lower budget.

[Pure Savage]

I have the same light - love how you have fitted yours.

I drilled the holes at the back a little bigger and loop my garmin strap into it so if hit a massive bump the light just dangles next to the head tube

[DieselnDust]

Whoa.. Let's reign it in fellas.

 

I think what the OP is asking is not whether buying a super bike can be justified, but rather 'is it necessary' or can one get not quite as good performance but close to, from a mid range bike these days.

 

So I would say yes. The 2020/2021 tech is all so good that the gaps between mid range and high end stuff is getting smaller and smaller.

 

Well that's how I see the thread anyway.

 

A 35k bike gets you way more than 50% of the performance of a 90k bike these days, which wasn't always the case.

 

But let's not begrudge people who like nice toys and can afford them. I think it's awesome that people are as into bikes as I am. I just can't afford the top end stuff so just drool at things like Wayne's build thread etc.

 

 

Anything from a reputable brand with an Alloy frame and SRAM GX or Shimano SLX and up is more than enough bike for 95% of the cycling population.

even alloy wheels can be pretty light and stiff, carbon isn't a need and the performance benefit is really about marginal gains than outright better performance.

Ally frames can be just as stiff as carbon frames too without giving much weight away. Stock alloy bikes are always specced with cheap as chips wheels with heavy hubs and cranks.

As long as I can get a bike to 11kg or less I'm happy to race the crap out of it.

 

even for road bikes. Cannondale's CAAD12 and 13 give away very little performance to the Ballistec carbon bikes. Only the Hi-Mod versions have a distinctly different ride feel and even then i'll bet its lost on 95% of the cycling population in a blind test.

 

Buy the bike you can afford and bling the **** out of it

that would be my advice. 

Edited September 2, 2020 by DieselnDust

[Kom]

Looking forward to an update (with pics) of your new ride James - your fellow hubbers deserve some reward for all the keyboard and coffee on this thread! 

What Is the difference between High end bike and the Ultra high end bike? More on the trail and XC side of things
I know that going from entry level to mid level there can be loads of changed like better group sets, lighter  carbon seat/seatpost, lighter handelbars etc but once what makes a MTB go to R70k plus? 

Trying to wrap my head around what makes them cost so much. 

[The Ouzo]

Have to laugh,

I bought a luggage scale the other day as a way to weigh my bikes. Its cheap, but it does the job.

 

I've left it here at the office, I weighed my bike in commuter trim, i.e. lights, garmin, saddle bag, sealant etc. and it came in at 9.6kg (yes very much on the heavy end of the scale for a modern road bike).

 

Today I wondered into the workshop with my scale and asked the technician there that cycles to work if we can weigh his bike. He left the normal bike at home (an old Bianchi) and is on his sons Ralleigh, I weigh that, 9.9kg. 

Granted my bike is a disc bike, one size bigger frame and I had all my lights etc. on it, but I fully expected his bike to be mid 10's.

 

Is it worth the extra ? Well from my old Scott to the new Giant there is a world of difference to everything from how the bike rolls to comfort to how it feels when you put the power down.

oh boy, I'm going to have to put my Giant on diet.

I just weighed his Bianchi, 8.6kg.