Is the price of parts putting you off?

[Tootyred]

As they were the exotic and exceedingly rare dark chocolate version.....then yes.

 

[benjabbi]

I've foolishly gone through periods of selling everything off and then starting again, and selling full bikes for low prices only to cave, buy another frame and realise i need most of the same bits again.

This is a problem for me!
There's been times when I've probably paid over the odds for something because it's there, I have the money and I've been looking for a while. Impatience/fear of waiting forever for it to appear again takes over and the buy button is hit. I'll justify it by saying I'll offset some of the cost selling the old part, then never do, because I 'might' need it for a future build. There's bits of bike all over the place round here!
P. S. Dark chocolate Hob Nobs are a winner, might have to trot down the shop!

 

[JRGSXR]

Is the price putting me off? …………………..

In one word……. YES!

My buying has virtually stopped. The price is becoming prohibitive to happily married life. On the flip side though, my stuffs worth more. At least that’s what I tell my wife . I’ve bought one item this year (I know it’s early but it was a bargain!) As for the rest of 2022, unless my unicorn rears it’s head I can’t see me buying anything else. Sad but true.

 

[legrandefromage]

I came in here for, er, something but can't remember what it was.

Here is a picture of my cat.

 

[JRGSXR]

Mmmmm well, you know two posts ago I mentioned a unicorn. Well I’ve only gone and bought it! . Please don’t tell my wife! And standby for a build thread in readers bikes. I’m sure this affliction I have must have a name. It’s got to be some sort of disease. I know I shouldn’t but seem unable to stop!!! That was the last one though I promise

 

[CassidyAce]

I came in here for, er, something but can't remember what it was.

Here is a picture of my cat. View attachment 595809

Ah! Cats. I'll come back to them. As for the original question:

Is the cost of parts putting me off what exactly? Retrobike building, retrobike collecting or retrobike riding? There are different reasons people come to this site.

Building constantly and collecting are likely to get expensive. But if you just want to enjoy retrobike riding, it needn’t be an expensive hobby. £200 will get you a good condition, mid-range bike like a Bear Valley that you should be able to enjoy in your local woods or wherever, just as thousands of others have. If you keep it for, say, ten years, you will probably spend less than £100 a year, on average, maintaining it. Overall, then, that would work out at less than £10 per month and for that sum you improve your health, you enjoy the fresh air; you reduce your chances of certain types of cancer, dementia, heart disease, depression; you sleep better and you have better concentration. You even look younger because of the growth hormones going to the skin due to exercise. For less than £10 a month, I would call that a bargain. I spend over four times as much each month on insurance for the cats.

If you cannot enjoy riding a bike like that, the issue is probably you, not the bike. You’ve lost something—zest for life, or whatever—that no dream bike, shiny new build, or collection of rare exotica is likely to restore. If anyone is genuinely upset because they can only afford STX rather than XTR, they don't need a new hobby; they need some perspective. What sad individual was ever tearing down a piece of singletrack thinking, ‘This would be alright if only I had an XTR front mech instead of an STX’?

 

[Woz]

^ Nominate this man for RB representative on the UN council.

 

[Woz]

^ Scratch that. He said nothing about oily rags and government subsidies for WD40. He was talking about actually riding the damn thang!

 

[slackboy]

^ Scratch that. He said nothing about oily rags and government subsidies for WD40. He was talking about actually riding the damn thang!

He's probably never even met a garage queen.

But seriously, wise words and ones we'd all do well to remember

 

[M-Power]

If we didnt have to worry about rampant inflation and more fkin economic woes then peeps would be buying more stuff with less worry about pricing. Its a case of priorities and not being too profligate. I am glad I was fortunate to grab my rare dream bikes in my size when they came up a ~ 5-7yrs ago, as they haven't come up again since. Its easy to think they are like buses but life is short. Im a YOLO type enjoy it while you STILL can