buyers remorse :blink:

[Caerus]

Must be a sore point for Tankman - Also sorry about the thread hijack

[eddy]

You are going to pretty lonesome then, most carbon bikes these days are 10 speed

 

 

And all desireable ones are 11 speed

[Edge_Design]

Let me guess who your dealings was with ... in a PM

 

With ASG Sports taking care of this now - their back-up service is first class and with a smile!

 

As you hint at, the local agent wasn't the best, but I actually dealt with Pinarello in Italy directly. They offered me a new frame for 600 Euro's (Pin. Paris) which I accepted, but when it came to paying for it straight after that, they ignored me for 2 months and then told me the person had left the company and they weren't willing to sell me a frame any longer so I must pay full retail locally instead (I had their offer in writing)...

 

No regrets on Specialized at all, but never had any need to test their service. Judging by the reports, it's pretty good though!

 

Other than that, plenty of remorse on smaller things (like the pair of Assos bib shorts I bought 2 weeks ago, wore once and really didn't fit me well at all).

[Tankman]

Im not riding a piece of crap...

 

Never said that you are riding a piece of crap, read my reply again.

 

Must be a sore point for Tankman - Also sorry about the thread hijack

 

Not sure what you mean, I dont mind getting dropped by the SubVets or A/B bunches or by anyone on a Raleigh with downtube shifters for that matter. But you have to be able to keep up - before you can start dropping!

[AndreZA]

And all desireable ones are 11 speed

 

Both of them?

[LeTurbo]

Both of them?

 

Mampara, you regularly crack me up (though not as much as carbon frame). I'd say LOL or ROTFL if the weren't such irritating phrases. I'll have to use one of the bloody things ...

[Purnjap]

I've learnt the hard way (4th bike in two years). Fit out weighs everything - especially weight and definitely price! Found peace of mind and top speed on 2006 second hand mid specked aluminium bike. Cost under 4000.

 

You are right. For the average biker brand names and top of the range components only come into their own when selling.

Okay, so I am not the only one who prefers my R4000 Trek 3700 over my R20k carbon...

[Clinton - theCOW]

BTW, Specialized is the best thing since sliced bread! Going to be very very sad to see the back of mine next week...

 

NOOOOO.....don't do it....i'm seriously loving my SL2!

[Eldron]

Bicycles - why should there be a link between cost and skill? If you love carbon bling and 11 speed groupset and can afford them then hell - go and buy them. Pride of ownership trumps skill any day of the week.

 

Saying you have to "earn" a high quality bike is like saying you should train up as a racing driver before you buy a luxury car. Or become a brick layer to buy a nice house...

 

I'm all for beginners/recreational riders buying expensive bikes - it means I get to ogle more beautiful bikes at races!

[Eldron]

Okay, so I am not the only one who prefers my R4000 Trek 3700 over my R20k carbon...

 

Prefer is such a relative term - I have an old Raleigh RM9 (complete with vee brakes) that I've turned into a single. I love riding it - makes me feel like a 5 year old kid at xmas.

 

I also own a Dura Ace clad carbon monocoque road machine - I love riding that because I feel like a hard core racer.

 

Opposite ends of the spectrum - same amount of enjoyment!

[Eugene]

Paid R6 500 for a really nice Fuji second hand. Got tail ended by a car. The driver's insurance paid the R13 500 that it cost to repair the Fuji straight into my account. I walked into a bike shop looking for a new bike and there it was, a stunning Specialized Tarmac for R17 500, placed directly in front of the shop door. There and then I bought it. I managed to sell the undamaged parts of my older bike for R4 000 to make up the price difference. So effectively, I managed to get onto my first carbon bike without paying in a cent.

 

Boy, did I feel guilty after that. I had just spent R17 500 on a bicycle. I would never have paid that much ordinarily. I kept thinking that I could have bought a cheaper bike and taken some of the money from the insurance and spent it on something else more important.

 

I got the oportunity to repent 6 months later. Another accident and a shredded Tarmac frame. This time, the replacement frame was R14 000. This time my insurance paid, I used the money to buy a second hand Raleigh frame to replace it and gave the rest of the money to my wife towards her new car. I felt much better, but I miss the Specialized.

[Big J-WP]

I sure that illegal to use the money for something else. but anyway there are probally loads of people doing that these days. Just to get money. Shame.

[Caerus]

Bicycles - why should there be a link between cost and skill? If you love carbon bling and 11 speed groupset and can afford them then hell - go and buy them. Pride of ownership trumps skill any day of the week.

 

Saying you have to "earn" a high quality bike is like saying you should train up as a racing driver before you buy a luxury car. Or become a brick layer to buy a nice house...

 

I'm all for beginners/recreational riders buying expensive bikes - it means I get to ogle more beautiful bikes at races!

 

 

Yeah, watch that someone wrap their super car around a lamp post cause they could afford it, even though they couldnt drive it. Each to there own i suppose

[Caerus]

Paid R6 500 for a really nice Fuji second hand. Got tail ended by a car. The driver's insurance paid the R13 500 that it cost to repair the Fuji straight into my account. I walked into a bike shop looking for a new bike and there it was, a stunning Specialized Tarmac for R17 500, placed directly in front of the shop door. There and then I bought it. I managed to sell the undamaged parts of my older bike for R4 000 to make up the price difference. So effectively, I managed to get onto my first carbon bike without paying in a cent.

 

Boy, did I feel guilty after that. I had just spent R17 500 on a bicycle. I would never have paid that much ordinarily. I kept thinking that I could have bought a cheaper bike and taken some of the money from the insurance and spent it on something else more important.

 

I got the oportunity to repent 6 months later. Another accident and a shredded Tarmac frame. This time, the replacement frame was R14 000. This time my insurance paid, I used the money to buy a second hand Raleigh frame to replace it and gave the rest of the money to my wife towards her new car. I felt much better, but I miss the Specialized.

 

 

Eish - sorry to hear that happened twice - Good on you for helping the wife out too.

[covie]

I went the buy cheap and then upgrade as you go route, which has advantages and disadvantages

 

Bought a silverback reno just to see if MTB is something i would like to be interested in.

 

Then moved to a silverback phoenix and realized I'm kinda loving this whole MTB thing.

 

Now I am picking up my anthem frame tomorrow.

 

Expensive route? maybe, but not as expensive as buying a 40k bike realizing this really isnt for me and then I hanging the pretty bike on my wall.

[GLuvsMtb]

Back to the original question: Buyers remorse?

Only regret I have was listening to a shop assistant with very limited knowledge about bike setup when I bought my road bike. I ended up with one size too big and now I am in a constant battle to ensure that my neck and shoulders don't fall off after a ride. I would enjoy my road bike more if I wasn't in pain for a week after every ride.

 

Do I regret spending R40k on my Zula? No! Its worth every penny. Only regret I have was not ordering the frame when I first saw it in September last year, but I had a wedding to pay.