Quote:
Originally Posted by serialk11r
A Trek 1400 is not a low end model in my book LOL.
Do they not sell super cheap Asian brand bikes in Australia? Well I suppose it's low end wheels that you need not a low end bike, although if the bike is low end enough you can just buy a new bike instead of buying new wheels. Strange how the economics works out sometimes.
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For many who ride daily, the extra cost is more than justified for the quality of the vehicle, and you won't get that with department store bikes. I went with a pretty low end "bike store quality" bike- the Specialized Globe Work 1- at about $500 plus fenders/racks/tires (and believe me, I could build myself a $2000 commuter real quickly if I wanted to).
I will attest to the wearing scenario, too. I took delivery of my commuter in, I believe, late January or early February this year and immediately put it into daily service. The front (rim) brake pads took about seven months to wear down to the metal. The $50 set of cyclocross tires I run for comfort, speed and traction are reaching the end of their lives after ten months. I've lost one tube to a pinch flat and one tail light to a Chevy Sonic. The original chain wore out so on went a $20 (seven speed) replacement. Thankfully the rims still have good life left, though I plan to swap to drum brakes and tubeless rims/tires before they wear out. Even when buying a $500 bike, though, the derailleur sometimes comes out of adjustment. I'd hate to know what would have happened had I bought a $100 Pacific bike.
A lot of that happened because I ride in the Michigan road salt, which I swear is about one electron away from industrial acid. But when you use a bike daily, there tend to be associated costs. Fewer costs than my automobiles, though. Add up the oil and filter, a fuel pump, gas, insurance and other expenses and it easily gets into the thousands of dollars every year.
/tangent