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Post by Humph on May 18, 2021 8:11:47 GMT
If you were lucky and didn't overindulge.
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Post by dixinormus on May 18, 2021 8:22:52 GMT
You’re kinda right WDB, although travel and accommodation costs are often lower over here with the mountain being less than 5 hours drive away.
Just seems that most of my hobbies have dried up over the past 18 months... motoring, overseas holidays, the pub....! But I can’t think of any new hobby where I would spend thousands up front on gear/equipment. The wife wouldn’t let me anyway..!
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Post by dixinormus on May 18, 2021 8:24:36 GMT
SWMBO says we want a swim spa in the yard. GBP£20 grand. That’s me told then...😬🤣
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Post by Humph on May 18, 2021 8:27:58 GMT
I suspect a lot of expensive bikes are bought on tick. My friends isn't, but he has the means. It's not at all unusual, in fact quite common, to see 2 or more five grand bikes on top of, or strapped to the back of two grand cars. People making life choices I guess.
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Post by Humph on May 18, 2021 8:32:21 GMT
It's also the lifespan of modern bikes that blows my mind. My "main" bike is four years old and technologically it is so out of date. Very easy to get caught up in the mindset that you need to keep upgrading.
Very easy to forget that you're doing it for fun sometimes.
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Post by Alanović on May 18, 2021 9:23:34 GMT
To me my ski trips aren't ski trips. They're holidays with some skiing in them. Also, we choose to go on these holidays in places where we are visiting relatives also, and using some of the least expensive ski resorts in Europe. We go where the locals go, we don't go to dedicated expensive fancy tourist trap places in France, Austria etc, we go to smaller mountains outside of traditional "resorts". So everything we spend skiing would be spent on a holiday or visit to family in any case, and we don't pay prices marked up with the intention of ripping off foreigners.
£7k for a bike is way outside anything I consider reasonable, but in Humph's friend's case, why not? Up to him. I hope he's got good insurance.
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Post by Humph on May 18, 2021 9:30:24 GMT
Leaving aside the mental leap of spending that sort of money on a mountain bike, my issue frankly would be the worry of damaging it. By default, if you're half enthusiastic about the pastime, you are going to drop it or bash it fairly regularly. I can live with my current bikes permanently looking a bit tatty because that's kind of what they are for. If I'd paid that sort of money, I might, ironically, not push it as as hard for fear of expensive damage.
An analogy might be buying a brand new Range Rover and taking it greenlaning.
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WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on May 18, 2021 9:38:04 GMT
It's also the lifespan of modern bikes that blows my mind. My "main" bike is four years old and technologically it is so out of date. Very easy to get caught up in the mindset that you need to keep upgrading. Very easy to forget that you're doing it for fun sometimes. Yes. That bit doesn't bother me too much in bike terms but I see it in other areas. The Fuji mirrorless cameras I use for my digital stuff are constantly evolving new features and 'film simulations', and none of the three I have is less than a generation old; one is three behind. When I catch myself fretting about that, I stick a roll of Fujichrome 100F into a 1970s Pentax and try to remember that where you are and what you do matter more than the equipment.
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Post by Humph on May 18, 2021 9:42:27 GMT
Aye, everything has its time. Some of my life's best adventures were in the company of a Mk1 Panda with a steel framed, rim braked clunker of a mountain bike or some second hand skis strapped to the roof.
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Post by Humph on Jun 29, 2021 8:00:49 GMT
Well, getting the bits to fix my bike is proving difficult to impossible. And that one is nearing the end of its useful life anyway It's the one that has been taken to France as a holiday hack for a few years and the one that gets used for long days out as opposed to the more technical trails. When parts can be sourced, I will do it up to keep as a spare, but it leaves a gap in my shed for a do anything, ride it all day, cross country hardtail.
Then, there's the problem of getting any new bikes that you'd want at the moment. Everything is on back order for months.
But, after a painful few hours of interwebby tapping and peering, countless fruitless phone calls to find that websites hadn't been updated and no, sorry, they didn't have anything to fit my brief, I eventually found a bike I can live with. Not top end at all, not bad though, and an honest enough thing in truth that will be upgradeable if I want.
It's a Trek X Caliber 8 in Lithium for anyone who's vaguely interested. Decent fork and running gear, 29" wheels and internal cable routing. Could do with a dropper post but I can add that later.
Anyway, I'm picking it up later today.
New bike day!
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Post by Alanović on Jun 29, 2021 8:24:58 GMT
I have no idea what one of those is but I hope you'll be very happy with it. Would one of those Carrera jobs from Halfords which you've recommended to me have done the job? Are they in short supply too? New toy day is always a good day. EDIT: OMG just seen they're over a grand. That's 10x bike money/1x car money to me!
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Post by Humph on Jun 29, 2021 8:37:38 GMT
I know it might seem a lot to someone who's not into these things, but really it's not. More or less entry level for any useable example of the genre. The one I'd really been after was an Orbea Laufey LTD but they are like hens teeth.
Anyway, I'm getting nerdy and boring now so I'll stop !
😉
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WDB
Full Member
Posts: 7,352
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Post by WDB on Jun 29, 2021 8:56:12 GMT
A dropper post, Vić, is a quick-release device that can rapidly move the saddle downwards. Can be useful on bumpy or rutted tracks, on which the whole bike, saddle and all, will sometimes move rapidly upwards only to stop suddenly and painfully when it reaches human flesh.
Looks nice, Humph. I note they make an XXL that would fit me — if I could get one. It’s remarkably long — 45mm longer TTH than my Portobello. That’s a good thing. I like to stretch out a bit, and straight bars can feel a bit close if you’re more used to riding drops.
Doesn’t matter of course, because I don’t need one, and nobody will have that size in stock anyway.
Have fun with it!
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Post by Humph on Jun 29, 2021 9:07:21 GMT
Yeah, it should be nice enough, I've paid a £50 refundable deposit on it and I'll make my mind up fully when I can get a chance to sit on it. However, given the lack of choices at the moment I'll not be too critical. I've got a fairly posh full sus too, but that attracts a bit too much unwanted attention if left parked outside the bank. The Trek looks "ordinary" enough to use to pop into town as well as its main role as a day out trail bike.
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Post by Humph on Jun 29, 2021 10:55:16 GMT
Oh now then, I've just had a text to say it's ready. It's about an hour away so let's see how we get on. Taking my son with me as technical advisor. That may prove expensive.
My wife won't come because she still looks like she's headbutted a rockery. Which of course she has in a way.
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