mid vs Highend Mid vs High end vs Ultra High end

[Bub Marley]

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.

Cannondales aluminium offerings are so much value for money and they’re really light as well.

 

If I recall correctly the difference in weight with the CAAD13 vs Lstest Supersix is around 150g or so. So much value there.

[Underachiever]

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. 

Agree fully....

  

2011 Giant Aluxx XtC Frame (26er). 2009 XTR 9x3 and XTR wheelset, 2010 Reba fork. All in all 10.6kg

 

Pretty competitive for single day races and Sani2C in our age group.

 

I would say for our results, and the cost of the bike, I'm off the charts in value for money.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

A way to own a high end bike on a budget is to do that, budget

Set a goal that suits you budget and buy one part every month - no matter how small. In dec 2019 I had little spare and bought Ti screws. A tax refund paid for the fork so that was a bonus month

Look not everyone has spare money these days - but with sacrifice and a goal you can build a great bike to suit your budget

 

My superbike won’t give me a great return per buck vs a 35k bike and it won’t make me faster than someone who trains harder

 

Whatever your income or circumstances just set a target and be prepared to sacrifice

 

If you make babies, don’t bother trying, that’s you done but maybe your kid turns into Elon Musk and you can get a great Ebike in 30 years

 

 

****or become a roadie because you can get great bikes cheap if you’re used to spending on mountain bikes

Edited September 2, 2020 by Waynemol

[DJuice]

A way to own a high end bike on a budget is to do that,

If you make babies, don’t bother trying, that’s you done but maybe your kid turns into Elon Musk and you can get a great Ebike in 30 years

 

 

 

This is me, our second child is a month old!

My best bet at owning a new bike is to win that Titan Racing Cypher.

 

Second son has a family name, would like to have named him Elia, dis not get approval, so it is Tom, atleast still a cyclist name.

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

A way to own a high end bike on a budget is to do that, budget

Set a goal that suits you budget and buy one part every month - no matter how small. In dec 2019 I had little spare and bought Ti screws. A tax refund paid for the fork so that was a bonus month

Look not everyone has spare money these days - but with sacrifice and a goal you can build a great bike to suit your budget

 

My superbike won’t give me a great return per buck vs a 35k bike and it won’t make me faster than someone who trains harder

 

Whatever your income or circumstances just set a target and be prepared to sacrifice

 

If you make babies, don’t bother trying, that’s you done but maybe your kid turns into Elon Musk and you can get a great Ebike in 30 years

 

 

****or become a roadie because you can get great bikes cheap if you’re used to spending on mountain bikes

 

Pretty well summed up....

Edited September 3, 2020 by Steven Knoetze (sk27)

[DR ◣◢]

In my case. 

 

Superbike 1

Kids 0

 

I really don't know how people have kids and any sort of disposable income for hobbies etc. 

Edited September 3, 2020 by Mr Dampf

[Grease_Monkey]

In my case.

 

Superbike 1

Kids 0

 

I really don't know how people have kinds and any sort of disposable income for hobbies etc.

Study hard, work hard at varsity, land a good job.

 

I know not everyone has the same opportunities, but those that make use of them...

[Jewbacca]

In my case. 

 

Superbike 1

Kids 0

 

I really don't know how people have kinds and any sort of disposable income for hobbies etc. 

My spawn is just over a year old.

 

With Corona, I no longer drive my Land Rover, so all the money I spent on oil, diesel and repairs has now become free money..... 

 

But no, Grease, we aren't paying school fees, feeding a teenager or doing any of the hard feeding yet. Don't be too quick to hand out advice until your kid is at least 14.

 

I'm well aware that the expenses pile up faster than oil stains in my driveway

[Underachiever]

My spawn is just over a year old.

 

With Corona, I no longer drive my Land Rover, so all the money I spent on oil, diesel and repairs has now become free money..... 

 

But no, Grease, we aren't paying school fees, feeding a teenager or doing any of the hard feeding yet. Don't be too quick to hand out advice until your kid is at least 14.

 

I'm well aware that the expenses pile up faster than oil stains in my driveway

I relate so well with this...

 

My son just turned 23.  Post Grad studies with a nice bursary. I only cover the accommodation

 

After 23 years of diaper/clothing/food fees, private school fees and uni fees, this year feels like a financial holiday!!! Cashflow is great!!

[HOEKVLAG]

Study hard, work hard at varsity, land a good job.

 

I know not everyone has the same opportunities, but those that make use of them...

 

This ^

 

Having kids doesn't ruin your opportunities to have a hobby or enjoy life. Both my wife and myself have normal jobs at a mining company, so nothing extraordinary. We've got 2 kids, one is 1st year Varsity (Tuks) and the other is grade 4 - yes, they are that far apart.

 

We started our financial planning when we got married, bought a small townhouse, paid it off as quick as possible, upgraded to a bigger one, paid it off, no unnecessary debt, etc. Normal stuff.

 

I can honestly not say that I feel my kids are holding me back in any way what so ever, financially or otherwise, and I have all the cycling stuff I need - and even get some more stuff ever so often.

[Long Wheel Base]

A way to own a high end bike on a budget is to do that, budget

Set a goal that suits you budget and buy one part every month - no matter how small. In dec 2019 I had little spare and bought Ti screws. A tax refund paid for the fork so that was a bonus month

Look not everyone has spare money these days - but with sacrifice and a goal you can build a great bike to suit your budget

 

My superbike won’t give me a great return per buck vs a 35k bike and it won’t make me faster than someone who trains harder

 

Whatever your income or circumstances just set a target and be prepared to sacrifice

 

If you make babies, don’t bother trying, that’s you done but maybe your kid turns into Elon Musk and you can get a great Ebike in 30 years

 

 

****or become a roadie because you can get great bikes cheap if you’re used to spending on mountain bikes

LOL funniest thing I have read today. So with my 3 boys I am stuffed. I remember growing up my Dad always had old bikes, yet me and my boet would get a brand new bike from time to time. Only once we moved out did he buy a brand new bike and then he sommer buys 2 within a year! He also bought 2 tandems, 2nd hand but good condition. Now I know why my Dad did that for us. My Dad also recently bought my 3 boys brand new bikes, the twins are too small to pedal them but they do try. They can only keep the cranks level and do a small little up down kinda thing and they are able to go but they don't stop or steer so well yet. So the only new bikes I will see for a few years will be something my lighties get.

[TNT1]

This ^

 

Having kids doesn't ruin your opportunities to have a hobby or enjoy life. Both my wife and myself have normal jobs at a mining company, so nothing extraordinary. We've got 2 kids, one is 1st year Varsity (Tuks) and the other is grade 4 - yes, they are that far apart.

 

We started our financial planning when we got married, bought a small townhouse, paid it off as quick as possible, upgraded to a bigger one, paid it off, no unnecessary debt, etc. Normal stuff.

 

I can honestly not say that I feel my kids are holding me back in any way what so ever, financially or otherwise, and I have all the cycling stuff I need - and even get some more stuff ever so often.

Hell yeah. I couldn't agree more.

 

I have ex wives and kids and maintenance payments and houses and cars to pay for and I still afford nice bikes and whatever.

 

You can be grown up and budget and plan and work hard. It's not a choice between kids or a hobby. 

[The Ouzo]

Study hard, work hard at varsity, land a good job.

 

I know not everyone has the same opportunities, but those that make use of them...

But occasionally you make the wrong life choices or get a tough break and all of a sudden you go from middle middle class to lower struggling middle class and take what ever job you can find.

Thats life, you do what you can to keep going and keep giving the kids the best you can, even if that means sacrificing your own "wants".

[Butterbean]

But occasionally you make the wrong life choices or get a tough break and all of a sudden you go from middle middle class to lower struggling middle class and take what ever job you can find.

Thats life, you do what you can to keep going and keep giving the kids the best you can, even if that means sacrificing your own "wants".

Yeah, I can't remember who said it, but there's the hold line that if earning was equivalent to hard work, African Women would be the wealthiest people in the world.

[Slowbee]

Yeah, I can't remember who said it, but there's the hold line that if earning was equivalent to hard work, African Women would be the wealthiest people in the world.

aint that the truth!

 

Our small compliment of staff (2), put the rest of us to shame.

[DieselnDust]

My spawn is just over a year old.

 

With Corona, I no longer drive my Land Rover, so all the money I spent on oil, diesel and repairs has now become free money..... 

 

But no, Grease, we aren't paying school fees, feeding a teenager or doing any of the hard feeding yet. Don't be too quick to hand out advice until your kid is at least 14.

 

I'm well aware that the expenses pile up faster than oil stains in my driveway

 

 

The expenses don't stop there...

University fees..., Lekker R20k bill due end of September and ten next year will cost me a New carbon MTB while I probably have to get a third car

Don't have kids.

So now I keep my bikes going, buy new parts and when something breaks lean on SANTAM. I pay them enough money to cover everything and they do.

Don't have kids.