On May 31, 6:03 am, Steven Frederick <stl...@gmail.com> wrote: > It's interesting how people prioritize bike build budget money. Lot's of > Riv's proudly roll with fairly low-mid range yet functional parts, Sugino > cranks, 105 derailers, Tektro brakes. And I see a lot of Surly's with CK > headsets and various high-end bits. "Bike Bling."
I think a lot depends on how much you ride. 105 parts will be more expensive than Ultegra in the long run, if you ride more than 2000 miles a year. Quality components offer better durability and/or improved performance - for example, a high-end crank with narrower tread (Q factor) and harder-wearing chainrings will be more enjoyable and not much more expensive in the long-run than a cheap Sugino crank with soft chainrings. I learned this early-on. My mid-range Peugeot 10-speed ended up being the most expensive bike I ever owned, per mile. Once I started riding seriously, it needed repairs and replacements almost weekly. When I switched to a custom frame with Campagnolo components, which cost three times as much to buy, my per-mile cost went way down. At the same time, my enjoyment of cycling went way up. It can be a win-win situation, once you get over the sticker shock. Jan Heine Editor Bicycle Quarterly http://www.bikequarterly.com Follow our blog at http://janheine.wordpress.com/ -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To post to this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rbw-owners-bunch?hl=en.
