Best Bike Buying Advice, EVER!

[redrhodie]

I bought my dream bike at 40. I will still be sexy on it at 50. Sexy is a state of mind.

[tulip]

Hi Smurf, It sounds like your friend was telling you to basically shut up and ride already! That I can appreciate! We do have a tendency to hem and haw and obsess about bike purchases because we want The Perfect Bike. There are plenty of bikes that will work very well for us; I don't believe in The Perfect Anything. That line of thought really limits life, in my opinion, and tends to paralyze us because we are afraid to make a mistake and end up with anything but The Perfect Whatever.

So enjoy life, don't sweat the small stuff, and just ride your bike. It's not about the bike, it's about how we feel when we are out in the wind and sun and thinking about nothing watching the fields and forests whiz by under our own strength and power.

[Triskeliongirl]

Smurf, I am gonna be really frank. In addition to finding the original post offensive, I found some of your language in other posts, for example the use of the words 'cougar' and 'broad' offensive. I am not a 'cougar' or a 'broad', I am a smart, strong, (and yes, sexy) woman. Look, I am not trying to put down youth, enjoy it! But it also sounds like you have a bit of growing up to do.

OK, got that off my chest. Now, about the bike. My advice is get the best bike that you can afford that meets your riding goals. If you want a go fast racing bike but are short on funds, you work in shop so know how to build up a frame, so get a frame and parts on ebay at good prices and do the work yourself. Or consider aluminum w carbon fork and/or stays and put up with a little more harshness to save $. Or maybe the bike you have is fine but you would benefit from new wheels. Or maybe you have diff goals, I don't know, but just be sure the bike matches those goals and you can really afford it.

I bought my Cervelo/Dura-ace, not cuz it looked hot (but sure I like that part, and it blew me away how others perceive me when I ride it), but because it was the nicest bike I ever found that fit me, that would let me improve my performance on club rides, and was on a closeout sale. I did this after paying for 4 years of college for my daughter, and 2/4 for my son, so it wasn't a finanical strain. Just the right bike turning up at the right time.

The important thing is to keep on riding, and you'll look great and feel great for the rest of your life!

[Crankin]

Well said, Trisk.
And lph, my experience has been that the heavy 50 year old guy you saw just might be able to leave you in the dust... mostly because because many who appear that way have left me in the dust while riding a heavy mountain bike on the road!
I don't like when people put labels on us because of the bike we ride. Sure, I have a light carbon road bike. It doesn't mean I don't deserve it or that I have to be a racer to enjoy it. We all spend our money differently.

[Biciclista]

I'll bet your friend who owns a bike shop in Portland tells the older women the same story, only turns it around.

"sorry for the delay. my advice.. ride what you can while you're alive, it's not like you can have a bike like that in your next life. look, you're probably as good looking as you'll ever be so buy a really sexy bike that you love and love riding.
having a hot ride now is something that you can look back on and be proud of. any 25 yr old woman can walk into a shop and wiggle her hips to get attention, but you can afford any bike in this shop - and you know you'll look great on it. it's either your time or it is someone else's....
i wouldn't spend mine deliberating..."

sounds like the sales con of the week. And I would be insulted at any age to hear it.

[Zen]

oh,cougar...

[jobob]

The shop where I bought my dream bike doesn't take American Express.

[SadieKate]

The owner of a LBS, huh? In Portland, huh? Pray, tell us the name . . . .


so we can avoid it.

The message of "shut up and ride" is most excellent. He should listen to it before continuing to spew forth on women and his idea of sexiness. And broad and cougar? Broad doesn't bother me in the right context. Richard Burton used it as a compliment about Elizabeth Taylor. But "cougar" refers specifically to older women dating (as in preying on) younger men in a derogative way. Assuming that older women on a race team are cougars is crass in and of itself. Just because a new word seems trendy and hip, doesn't mean it is polite or to be used in any global sense.

[smurfalicious]

I guess I'm smack in the middle between the right age to buy a "hot, sexy bike" and the right age to afford one

Ugh, yep, I feel ya there. Life was simpler when the greatest toy ever was Lego's. It makes sense that most of the gals I end up riding horses with are old enough to be my mom or damn near. Kids are off at school, and they're living the dream. I don't know they do it, they strangely seem to enjoy riding the same trail every weekend a walk. Buuuut, they're also financially stable enough to have sweet pickup trucks with bun warmers in the seats that I looooove on a cold morning. I just want a purdy bike while I'm still young and dumb enough to see just how fast and how tight I can lay it into corners until I get roadrash.

eta: I felt much the same way when I was browsing for a road bike, and a guy in his 50s, very overweight, came into the store, glanced around and casually walked out ten minutes later with the beeyoootifulll shiny sexy sleek red road bike I'd been lusting for but couldn't afford. Sure, I should have been thinking "woohoo, good for him, getting out there and getting into shape!" But I just kept thinking "waaahhh - that bike would've looked so much better going home with me!"

Funny related story. I was in a local shop a while back and they had just special ordered a Colnago for a customer. Total retail after they blinged it out came to over $10k. I was in shock especially since they said the guy didn't ride. His logic was that if he spent a good chunk of change, he'd be more motivated to ride it. My question was, "Did he get a 52cm and should I watch Craig's List in a month?" I've done similar things though. Thus why next bike muuuust be pretty, it must call out to me "come ride me!!!"

Coworker just got someone's old team issue GF ProCaliber in pink and grey, not fair. It has an awesome carbon flat bar on it but all the guys keep telling her flat bars suck (really? loved mine) she's decided to replace it after a very small handful of rides. RAR! Not worthy!

Meh, you're only young once, and while sometimes I want to slap whoever started that vicious rumor that your 20's are so great, might as well have fun toys. Don't know when I'll have the chance to only worry about myself and the puppies again so if it means subsisting on ramen noodles for a bit then so be it. I did it when I bought Pony my old hardtail and I can do it again.

I can promise you none of you meet the description of the 50 year old with an Amex in her wallet. You all rock, you know that because you like bikes and I'm sure he'd gladly roll out a few choice for anyone of you to try out until you found the one that made you feel like fastest chica in your zip code. His thing is the people who buy just because they can afford it, not because they care. Like a few years back when he had a beautiful beyond compare Titus Motolite in metallic baby blue, 14" frame. It was blinged out beyond compare with pink pedals, pink spoke nipples, LE Chris King pink hubs and headset, etc. At the time it was $5k but with prices now it would probably be $7k. A gal came in wanting to buy it for her 13 year old son because "it might fit him." Yeah, for a week until he out grows it or gets beaten up.

BTW my grandma lovingly calls herself an "old broad" all the time, thus why I put it in quotes. She's busted her tookus on horses all her life, gone to quarter horse worlds more times than I know, so she can call herself whatever she pleases in my book.

[jobob]

BTW my grandma lovingly calls herself an "old broad" all the time, thus why I put it in quotes. She's busted her tookus on horses all her life, gone to quarter horse worlds more times than I know, so she can call herself whatever she pleases in my book.

But if a perfect stranger referred to her as an old broad, and in an unkind and insulting way, wouldn't you take offense??

[Biciclista]

But if a perfect stranger referred to her as an old broad, and in an unkind and insulting way, wouldn't you take offense??

+++

[SadieKate]

+++++++++++++++++++++++++

I can call myself an old broad. I have a friend who calls herself an old broad. She jokingly calls me the older broad. Any one else? It depends on who and in what context and how good a friend.

[Veronica]

Plus when one is writing, one needs to think about his/her audience. That doesn't mean always being absolutely PC, but a writer needs to think about what message he/she is sending with his/her word choice.

Veronica

[Triskeliongirl]

You know, I think we can turn this around into an interesting discussion of aging, and whether we perceive ourselves aging differently as athletic females vs our sedentary counterparts. I know the women older than me in our bike club are such models and inspirations to me of healthy aging.

I wouldn't be being honest if I didn't admit that on the most superficial of levels, youth is very physically attractive. But, as I have aged, I have also gotten fitter and healthier, and I even think about the signs of aging as badges of honor. For example, even though I am now lean and healthy, I have some loose skin over my belly from bearing two strong healthy children. That is my badge of honor that I had that life experience. Knowledge of life, accomplishment in life, are also very attractive in a person. So, I think its important for young people to be furthering their education and aspire to do great things. That's what you need to do to get beyond the superficial definition of an attractive person.

Words are important, because before we can think differently we have to act differently. So how we talk about aging effects how we think about it.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I can promise you none of you meet the description of the 50 year old with an Amex in her wallet.

Since the description said "any 50 year old woman", I think a lot of us do.

Here's your homework:
over 50...
Pop quiz on Friday.