On Mon, 14 Mar 2005 11:07:25 -0600, Pat Lamb
wrote:

jj wrote:
On Sat, 12 Mar 2005 16:19:24 GMT, TomP wrote:


Decide the maximum you want to spend. Then take 20% from that figure.
With the 80% figure, go to the L.B.S. and have them show you what they have
in YOUR price range. Then buy the bike that speaks to you and fits you
well. Just about anything you buy these days for a grand or more will be
more than adequate for your needs.


I'm curious as to where you get this 20% subtraction?

Makes sense to me on two fronts. First, you probably need some other
stuff -- bike shorts, gloves, jerseys, pedals and/or shoes. May as well
budget for them. Second, even if you don't need that other stuff, the
bike shop staff will show you what more you could get for only a little
bit more, and there's a good chance the buyer will bite. Go in with a
lowball!

Pat

Though I see the 'sense' in what you say, I don't think most people go into
a bike shop and think about 'bike plus accessories'. They typically have a
bike budget and try to get the best buy for that amount and then try to
talk the price down fifty bucks. The 'accessories' (except maybe for pedals
and shoes) are usually not figured in at all. If they're spending 2K bucks
on a bike, they probably have the accessories already, don't you think?

I don't pick a bike based on price except for in a very general sense. I
pick a bike based on certain minimums. I want to avoid picking a bike below
the price point/value point, for instance not picking Sora components
(which are not upgradeable), or paying a few extra bucks for carbon fork or
a lighter bike.

Just found it odd that someone would recommend going with 80% of the
person's probably carefully chosen budget. I don't dispute that your logic
makes sense.

jj