General reasons why higher end parts are chosen?

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by Varaxis, Jan 11, 2015.


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  1. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    Tourney, AceraX, Alivio, Deore, SLX, XT, XTR, XTR Di2, Yumeya...

    The industry likes to come up with a collection of product lines, but what are they associated with exactly? Judging from the price differences, it's clear that some lines are associated with consumer budgets, but this sometimes isn't the case. Even if someone was poor, would there be any reason to tell them to save up for a higher end model, since it's more value for their money in some way, such as long term durability?

    Do you choose to associate yourself with a certain model line, be it DH, AM, XC race, weight weenie SL, steel, Ti, carbon, CNC anodized fancy color, metal/composite, quiet/loud, explosively stiff and responsive, comfortable and easy riding, bright, stealth (drab, low profile), classic and straight shaped, swoopy and tapered, sharp and angular like a stealth fighter, highly adjustable, fit and forget simplicity, etc.?

    I've been observing things for a short while, and I have noticed this one peculiar pattern that I'd like to try and verify.

    - Lower end stuff tends to have more demanding maintenance issues than higher end stuff. You can neglect higher end stuff and get consistently acceptable performance, while lower end stuff might work like high end stuff for a while, and then it needs maintenance, else it becomes dreadfully worse.

    Considering this, I wonder if people subconsciously gravitate to XT level stuff because of the convenience of it needing little to no maintenance and overall reliability in its performance, more than anything else? Perhaps they try to justify the expense by claiming it containing fewer cheap-o plastic parts that will break down in oil and what not? Do they perhaps think SLX and Deore level stuff is a gamble, hoping that XT reliability has trickled down, perhaps recommending it to a beginner with low budget try it out and hoping they don't post bad experiences about it, maybe thinking you can handle the bit of extra TLC it needs to meet your expectations when their time comes to decide between buying SLX and XT?

    That aside, the main topic I'm interested in is that I'm curious of the reasons of people do not choose "mainstream" level stuff (SLX level stuff). I'm sure people have their geeky and vain sides, that demand quality performance and the ability to customize the feel and look of things.

    Personally, my higher end part purchases are affected by my unreasonable favor for UST profile rims due to prior bad tubeless experiences, a general unreasonable attraction composites (carbon, polycarb nylon-reinforced pedal bodies, etc.) due to all the research I did on it, being highly skeptical of cheap unbranded carbon direct from chinese factories, generally believing the pattern I observed above as true (low end parts being maintenance needy), and general curiosity for more knowledge and experience. My curiosity recently led me to try and figure out why some big name brands have such large followings, and ended up being a follower myself, being a fan of things like Maxxis tires, Spec frames, and a number of the latest trends. I'm basically spoiled by good quality stuff, and now I find it's hard to accept less. In hindsight, it probably all started for me when I started visiting demo events at JensonUSA. I had tried a number of demo events before, including a SRAM one that had a mix of bikes from various brands, but it was the Yeti demo event with their SB series bikes, which left me super impressed showing me all that I've been missing, on top of currently having a bike that felt like it was breaking down and needing replacement, just not knowing which would be a good one at the time. I knew Yeti was good from test riding a friend's, confirming it as the best out of the bunch in the SRAM demo, but the SB bikes were truly impressive. Venturing away from Yeti, to other high end brands, I found none really beat it, but the Spec had a personality that stuck to me, and the E29 broke ground into something with huge potential, with its progressive geo.

    I think that's just me though. Generally, if I were to answer this question myself considering everyone else's needs, I think it's most reasonable to go high end when considering what your regular riding buddies are riding. If you're playing catch-up and could use it to hang with them, then it's totally justified I believe. This is actually what I have been recommending beginners do, rather than starting out on entry level and riding at their own pace, slowed down greatly to a comfortable level for their ability, as bad habits gained from solo riding are hard to break. I do worry about them trying to maintain the bike by themselves, without the knowledge of practicing on a less expensive starter bike, but the more reliable parts wouldn't need it and a bike shop service here and there would not be a negative thing.
     
  2. jaime

    jaime Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Corona, ca
    Name:
    jaime
    Current Bike:
    '20 YT Jeffsy carbon 27'5
    Great sunday article, thanks varaxis !
     
  3. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    Wait - what? I am constantly amazed by the inner workings of the brain of he who goes by Varaxis! :wtf:

    What is your question? I think you are asking "Why do you choose the level of components that you do?" I think you answered your own question. Higher end stuff seems to be better functioning and/or more reliable. You also hinted to style (looks) and "impression" factor - as in - I want to impress my friends.

    I would hope that most of us would choose products based on function, price, availability, need, prior experience and trusted friends' advice. However we can't deny the weirdness of human psychology. Brands and models conjure up certain images and feelings that we seek to avoid or emulate. I probably would never buy a Trek, Specialized, Giant or Cannondale because they are everything companies and aren't MtB specialists. Dumb reasoning, I know, but I do not find myself attracted to the biggest, most common bike brands, no matter how good or how accessible their products are. I could rant about their business practices, but that's another matter.

    In MtB most people start with some kind of entry-level bike between $500 and $1500. When you are new, you don't know what you don't know. Once we discover we really like the sport, we are quick to surround ourselves with others who ride better equipment, and to read magazines and websites that feature better bikes. Thus the upgraditis begins. At some point, there's just no way someone will put SLX brakes on their $10,000 Bronson.

    Is that the gist of what you were asking us to opine about?
     
  4. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo
    EASY answer!
    Better parts makes me a better rider, duh! :cool: And of course it looks cool. As everyone knows, in OC image is important.. :lol:

    There are actually multiple reasons.
    It's my only real hobby, so why deny myself.
    Just like a car, upgrading sh*t costs more than getting it with a new bike purchase.
    I buy it so everyone that complains about the high cost of top tier can get the trickle down next year.

    Back in 98 when I started riding, I had XT/deore components on my new Specialized M2 HT.
    They never shifted quite right, had some maintenance issues etc. So swapped the whole shabang over to new XTR ( 952 at that time) and viola!
    No more issues in shifting, durability etc. Except of course the 952 Bottom Bracket was weak. Burned through those every 6 months.

    Been running XTR shifters and RD with the occasional XT part thrown in. Until this new bike. Now I'm on XX1. Why, well like any good lemming I drank the cool-Ade. Love it, and the poor Pivot M5 w/ xtr has been sitting ever since. *( anyone want to buy a '09/10 Pivot M5 w/ xtr?)
     
  5. Black Licorice

    Black Licorice Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    South Orange County
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    Nomad
    I am a car person.
    The car I truly want MSRPs at $130k and can easily go near $200k when you start clicking options.

    I am a bike person.
    The bike I want in its highest form is about $8k.

    Being a bike person is much more realistic. Turns out to be a bit healthier financially and in actual health.

    Nice being in a sport that even the common people can afford what the best of the best ride!

    I have been in the mental trap of wanting to buy an entry level bike and upgrading. However, with my last two bikes spanning 6 years, I just ended up with the top of the line bikes with no need to upgrade parts. Personally, I don't really like changing too much about stuff from the factory. I become a bit of a hypochondriac and enjoy having the comfort that the OEM parts will be quality and hopefully "engineered" for the bike.

    DANIMAL is all about the money! He has an awesome TLD A1 Helmet!
     
  6. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    You only live once, buy the best parts you can or cannot afford.
     
  7. RS VR6

    RS VR6 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Valencia/Simi
    Name:
    Lee
    Current Bike:
    Banshee Shartfire/Chiner 29r
    TL;DR

    The reason high end parts are chosen is because people like to buy nice stuff. A benefit of the nice stuff is that they work better (some marginally) than the lower end stuff.

    I typically buy the mid tier stuff...mixed with some higher end stuff.

    Then you have the guys that just ride and don't overthink things. They don't really care much about what's on the bike...as long as it functions and reliable.
     
  8. Redman

    Redman iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Henderson, Nv
    Name:
    Kevin
    Current Bike:
    SC OG Hightower 29'r
    And, most of them are twice as fast as us.




    I choose parts based off of $,function, and reliability. Pretty much I am in the mid to top of line area. Top of line if I can find a killer price.
     
  9. BigTex

    BigTex Member

    Location:
    Ladera Ranch
    Name:
    Richard
    Current Bike:
    Pivot Les
    Performance and reliability are my priorities (alternating, depending on the part), followed by price and weight. I often avoid the lightest stuff, because of price and replacement frequency. On my most recent bike purchase, I opted for X01 rather than XX1 for those reasons - a few grams wasn't worth the price (and I need lose a few kg off myself before I worry about grams off the bike). Probably would have gone with X1 if it was available at the time.
     
  10. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    Actually, I was reading John Maynard Keynes and... JK JK

    I'm questioning the general thought that mo' money is mo' bettah. I was hoping for less vague accounts of personal experience, that convinced me that higher end was worth it. There's a minority out there that thinks SLX and Deore is good, mainly because they huck, fling, and smash their bikes from great heights, not necessarily in the smoothest of manners, and it's cheaper to replace the lower end part. See this account, for example: <a class="postlink" href="http://www.peterverdone.com/?p=6243" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.peterverdone.com/?p=6243</a>

    There's almost always at least two sides to a story, and wanted to hear from the other side. Perhaps someone bought a SLX shifter and it gummed up on them after 6 months or so, or stopped working well in the winter, and replaced it with XT and had no complaints thereafter. Maybe I could've profiled a group of people who ride, break stuff, downgrade to cheaper lines when they replace it, but if it works without problem they upgrade. If I had to search for a reason why these people do this, I'd say they are the types that like to experience the cutting edge of what they think is possible.

    There's also the side that arbitrarily set budgets for themselves. They spend a crazy amount of time considering options that would fit into the budget, constantly compromising here and there to get what they want in another area, even if they could technically afford to get the more expensive things (things that suited their every want, which they knew they wanted and was on top of their wishlist). People who have never spent over $500 on a similar product straight up without financing, would stress over their decision... you've heard the comparisons to motorcycles and cars, I'm sure, and seen bikes being transported on cars that are worth much less than the bike and vice versa.

    Figuring out how peoples' minds work is not exactly my goal. I simply want to make better informed decisions. I answered my own question, yes, but it's an open question where everyone can have their own answer. You can say it's just me "over-thinking" things, and hoping others have given it some thought too, so their perspective might shed some more light on the topic. It's just me asking why, trying to get the details. I like to know why Fox haters hate Fox, rather than simply accept that there's Fox haters for *some reason*. I like to know why people choose SRAM over Shimano, noting how the one side offers reasons as to why they prefer theirs sometimes contradicts the other sides' claims. I like to know why people pick a wheel size and choose to be a dick about it, but haven't found an answer I liked yet since it's hard conversing with dicks. I'd like to make the decision making process more clear cut, and I guess I'm putting the burden of proof on others to prove just how much better performing their high end parts are over a lower cost product line similar in nature.
     
  11. Torrent77

    Torrent77 Well-Known Member

    Name:
    Dave
    Resale value.

    From my own buying habits, I usually by bikes with SRAM X9 X0 components because I like them and familiar with them and also they tend to sell bikes faster. I'm new to the sport but I've gone through several bikes trying to find one that fits my riding style. Also, my riding style has changed since I've started. I found that the bikes with the higher end components sell faster and at a higher price than those with deore components. I'm a car guy and small details like that make or break a sale. Like selling a lexus on steel rims.

    Functionally, I'm sure they all perform similarly. My buddy has been using the same SRAM attacks shifters since 1999 without any issues or rebuilding.
     
  12. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Function over Fashion.
    I've settled into Shimano XT level equipment. I believe that XT crosses the blend of XTR performance for the everyday rider. I want a light bike but if that was a huge concern, I would eat less and lose weight! I put my life in the hands of my bike so I'm not afraid to pay the price, and cry once. Not into bling, just a solid ride...
     
  13. shawndoh

    shawndoh Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Lake Forest
    Name:
    shawn
    Current Bike:
    I ride all the bikes!
    Good stuff, so much good stuff here.

    I recognize the genisis of my brand preferences, rather by advertising or peer referral, but what sticks with me is by experience. Doing a lot of demos really helped my nailed down what I like. Nothing better than back-to-back comparisons.
     
  14. Danmtchl

    Danmtchl iMTB Rockstah

    Location:
    Bakersfield
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    2020 Trek Fuel EX 9.7
    As a bike shop employee, I buy a lot of parts to try out. Some are great and some are lame. I like to have an educated opinion in what I am selling. My latest test part is a Sunrace CS -MX 10, 11-36 cassette. So far it has been a great product. Only time will tell.
     
  15. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    A peeve I have with lower end and mainstream parts is noise. I'm guessing mfg tolerances are a bit too lax, and all this results in a disturbing cacophony when ridden. I feel a quiet bike is one in fine mechanical working condition. I guess I'll be the first to admit that I do care how parts look, but I don't look at parts as a designer or fashionista, but more from an engineer's perspective. I'd be embarrassed to have rotors laser cut with a fancy design. Lefty suspension struts remind me of aircraft landing gears, which I like. If CNC and brightly colored anodized alloy parts were high end, and mass produced forged, shot peened parts were entry level or mainstream, I'd happily go with the forged, knowing it was made with a method that is known for being stronger.

    Regarding cassettes, I get the impression that Shimano's patent on Hyperglide tooth profiling pretty much leaves a much inferior "second best" solution to SRAM and others (ex Campy, and Sunrace). SRAM's PowerGlide was said to be a bit clunky, but with the XX group they introduced a great counter to overcome Shimano's HG-X, that apparently comes at great cost with their X-Glide design. $200 is as cheap as it gets for a cassette featuring it, since it relies on their "Power Dome" design, where its thin and short teeth are supported at every tooth (every other for lower end pinned ones) to provide rigidity. Chainring options were limited to 26/39 and 28/42 though, due to the timing of how teeth between the rings matched up at the best shift points (don't want the chain to derail during the power stroke). People still argue which is better still. I have a bike with XO1 and XT/XTR, and it feels like the Shimano setup has its chain *stick* in each gear, sitting deep in each gear, but shifting from gear to gear like clockwork. It feels like the XTR shifter has a lever feel and indexing inside like a fine Swiss watch, with the dual release feature being especially handy for 1x. The XO1, on the other hand, seems to have a shifter that has a nonfunctional barrel adjuster, and a chain that rides high on each cog, ready to slip from gear to gear, and an annoying habit of skipping and mis-meshing with the narrow-wide profile of the pulley wheel.
     
  16. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    I dislike Fox (tail) suspension because I bought a top of the line Fox fork with all of the bling and could not get it to work as designed for the life of me. Rebuilt by suspension pros, rebuilt by Fox and still, it would not work as intended. It did however, work as designed - and that's my beef. The design and engineering sucked on a $1000 fork. 60 psi and I used 1/2 its travel. 58 psi and it dove on everything. And no, 59 psi was not "just right." Recommended pressure for me was 80, and with that I used about 75 of its 160mm of travel. Fox forks (36) were notorious for this problem from 2011-2013. My $700 X Fusion Slant was far better. My Marzocchi puts it to shame (although not without its own occasional issues). With all the praise for the new Fox 36, our buddy Knucklebuster is not yet convinced about his.

    My Fox CTD shock with extra bling was merely meh until I sent it to Avalanche and they completely redesigned it. Now it's great, but barely resembles internally what the original was. If Avalanche can make the shocks so much better, why doesn't Fox just do it to begin with? Oh wait, they are with their new super secret and exclusive Penske/Trek partnership. Re:Aktiv indeed!

    Fox (head) clothes don't fit right and fall apart. That's just a personal thing. I do have some Fox elbow pads that work well.

    SRAM derailleurs and shifters feel clunky to me. I can't dial in my XO derailleur on my DH bike no matter what I do, and my extremely talented mechanic can't do it either. It's not the first SRAM I've had. I switched out the SRAM XO on my V-10 and my SRAM XO on two Yetis (303r and 575). Shimano drivetrains with a KNC chain work like butter and a battle-ax combined. Smooth, durable, reliable and easy to adjust. I also like the index finger trigger shifting. Oh, I do prefer Race Face cranks and chainrings (maybe an image thing?). But now that RF are Fox, who knows what will happen.

    People choose to be a dick about wheel sizes because they made a choice and don't want to feel they made the wrong choice, or because they don't want other people having an unfair advantage over them. The dicks are defensive because they feel threatened. I don't like the way a 29er looks, but I haven't ridden one in 6 years, so I can't comment on how the new ones ride (I am guessing some are awesome). I am not threatened by 29ers, so I won't be a dick about your circus bikes.
     
  17. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    I see people buying expensive headsets (Chris King, Cane Creek 110, etc.), ceramic bearings for everything, expensive Thomson stems, superlight RaceFace Next SL cranks, CNC machined flat pedals... I don't understand the reasons behind these either. I will make an educated guess why someone would buy a $200+ Enve stem though.

    Personally, I'm happy with stock headsets, basic quality name brand BBs, basic forged stems. I'm definitely not up for spending $300+ on cranks that come with 1 ring and that's not including the price of the BB (and spider, if it doesn't come with one). I will admit I spent about $100 on a set of fancy flat pedals, but they are forged, already took a serious rock hit that was hard enough to get me to inspect the damage without getting mangled, and my cheap plastic ones make a light click sound on every revolution, which is enough to bother me.

    Regarding suspension, I'm in the "pro-Fox since it came with the bike and worked well, ignorant to others except RockShox" camp. Simply put, Fox fit my riding style well, allowing me to ride fast and aggressive, with good control. RockShox contrasted this by being comfortably plush at low speed, slowly hitting square edges and curbs and making them feel like rounded speed bumps, but when I tried to go fast, down actual mountains, it dove and felt like a noodle, forcing me to ride the brakes, which made control even worse and led me to experience what brake fade (on BB7s) felt like (not pleasant at the end of a ~5 min long chunky descent). Turn up the damping, and it sounded like it was making wine fresh from crushed grapes inside. The Fox made it known why it was called Racing Shox, on the other hand. I'm on a Pike now, and it feels like RockShox finally caught up, ousting its rival at the time, the Fox 34, in performance, aesthetics, was lighter, and wasn't any more expensive; it was revolutionary for RockShox. I still feel the new Fox 36 would be better though, but I'm not gonna shell out cash to find out, as I'm satisfied with the Pike for now, except for its peculiar rebound feel (feels a bit too fast for my tastes).

    As far as rear shocks go, the Boost Valve seems to be a love or hate thing. I like it, as it helps with big hits and makes the shock feel bottomless. People seem to say it spikes and is harsh on repeated hits, deep in the stroke, but I can't think of any sections of trails where I experienced something like that. Perhaps upper Shock Treatment in Mammoth? I hit my CTD lever on a whim, and find that it also switches my mood and riding style as if I had an internal switch, pedaling more aggressively in firmer modes with a firm but accurate hold on the bike, and loosening up in descend mode, ready to float and flow. It's a very lightweight shock that is easy to set up sag for, gets all travel without harsh bottom outs, and seems to be very reliable. I'm ignorant to other shocks, only ever riding a DHX Air 5.0 (didn't like it on the Reign X0, but was okay on the ASR7), Vanilla R coil on the Dawg, and the Monarch briefly in demos. Maybe if I rode 26 wheels more, I'd be more in tune with suspension as they need it, but on a 29er, I'm satisfied by my current suspension. I'd likely go Avalanche before thinking about buying a new shock, like the CCDB Inline, though.
     
  18. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    My CCDB air on my Knolly Podium is fo' real!

    And yes, I can see where 29ers might make the suspension quality a little less important/noticeable. But I hate 29ers and all who ride them (I kid, I kid)!
     
  19. 7Mary3

    7Mary3 Member

    Name:
    Andrew
    Current Bike:
    LaPierre Zesty 427 650b
    Well, I'm a "new"er rider (I used to ride in the mid-80's then real life came by..started up last year) and got my "second"? real bike last year..2005 Kona Coiler Primo. I'm still in awe of the plush travel it has for a bike that is 10 years old (Marz 66/Fox DHX 5) and to be honest it is plenty of bike for me..only thing is its Clydesdale-like personality going up..but coming down..wheeee!

    Regarding components, it has Deore LX and it doesn't shift all that great..but not bad..and figure once I reach the top and I can get it in that high-gear, super accurate clock work-like shifting is that all too important. I'd love to get even XT..but what I have works for me..so far. I am however seeing to getting a lighter AM type bike though, but the price is beyond my comfort zone (Kona Process DL/Abra Cadabra) ..but then the amount of $$ I have saved from not playing golf and photography (both of which I also delved heavily into for many years..for the golfers/photographers here...no need to explain..you know what I'm talking about) probably evens out if I do decide to upgrade..and I get a workout and is healthier.

    Cheers!
     
  20. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    Stop it Herzy! It's my turn to be a dick! :lol:

    I'm still a 26'er and love 26'ers, when I get a new bike it will most likely be a 27.5 with 6 inches of squish cuz it does what I love to do! To each his own I learned the hard way about dropper posts and to stay open minded now about all inovations...

    ...Oh, and by the way, there will never be any dicks on imtbtrails. It's actually in the contract...
    Seriously...it really is. :lol:

    Bike On!
     
  21. RS VR6

    RS VR6 Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Valencia/Simi
    Name:
    Lee
    Current Bike:
    Banshee Shartfire/Chiner 29r
    Not sure you'll really find a consistent answer in why people buy the parts they do.

    People buy based on price, looks, weight, quality, brand name (in no particular order).

    I honestly buy lots of stuff because it looks cool. Does it function just as well as the part that costs 60% less? Probably does. Did I need to swap out my SLX crank for an XX1? Absolutely not...but I did. :mrgreen:

    If people bought stuff for straight up for cost and not bling...Chris King would probably not be in business. Yes...I do have a Chris King BB. :D

    If you want to see some crazy prices look up AX Lightness, THM, Schmolke.

    Its relative to any type of luxury items. Look at women who buy purses. They'll spend 1500 on a purse that holds a bunch of stuff that a 25 dollar purse will hold just fine.
     
  22. Black Licorice

    Black Licorice Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    South Orange County
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    Nomad
    Yup, some people like decorating their bikes in bling bling.

    I have horrible, illogical reasoning when it comes to spending money. I have gotten lucky that the last two bikes that I have purchased have been the top of the line for the model. I always want to say don't settle for less. Then, my frugal illogical self starts to look at entry level builds and then start looking to upgrade prior to a purchase to save money. However, upgrading is hard because I have a hard time paying full price for items. :cry:

    When I was looking at replacing my DH bike and trail bike with a 650 5" or 6" bike, I was entertaining the idea of getting an entry level Intense Tracer for $3000 or so (forgot exact price) at Rock N Road. Then I'd have to get new brakes and a dropper post. So that starts to add money. Next thing I know I am in for close to $4,000 with tax. Then, I was quoted $3300 for a Intense Tracer Expert (demo bike) at another rock n road. That was more appealing as it had higher quality parts. But then for a bit more, I could get the Giant all mountain bike brand new well spec'd. Well, a few hundred more than that bike I could get bike Y which is said to be better than the Giant. Then, once I settle with that price in my mind, I could get Bike Z, because we all know bike Z is one of the hottest bikes out there right now. Next thing I know I am spending twice my originally budget! hahaha

    About the "why do people not like certain companies?" Well, there are certain brands that I would never own because of an ignorant, unsupported bias. There we times that I didn't want to own any FOX clothing because I was an AXO guy! Similar to how people grow up and are either Ford people or Chevy people, Nikon or Canon...
     
  23. herzalot

    herzalot iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    Laguna Beach
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    2020 Revel Rail,Yeti SB 130 LR
    So wait, you bought a "Y" bike? I didn't know Trek was still making those!
     
  24. Danimal

    Danimal iMTB Addict

    Location:
    Mission Viejo
    Name:
    Dan
    Current Bike:
    Epic Evo

    It is such a vicious cycle!

    only a thin mint, just one...
    <a class="postlink" href="http://youtu.be/HJZPzQESq_0" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://youtu.be/HJZPzQESq_0</a>
     
  25. ridinrox

    ridinrox Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Fullerton
    Name:
    Roxanne
    Current Bike:
    '16 Giant Trance Advance
    Do you have a bucket??
     
  26. Black Licorice

    Black Licorice Newbie with Hope!

    Location:
    South Orange County
    Name:
    Chris
    Current Bike:
    Nomad
    haha great clip!
     
  27. Varaxis

    Varaxis Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Perris
    Name:
    Dan Vu
    Current Bike:
    Yeti SB5c ('16 Yellow v1)
    One thing I learned from this is that there is great value to having what would normally be deemed unattainable for whatever personal reasons.
     
  28. Rob S.

    Rob S. Member

    Location:
    La Habra, CA
    Name:
    Rob Skinner
    I get the opportunity to work on a variety of hardware because some of my friends are not as mechanically adept, and they somehow entertain the notion that I like working on such things. Between high-end and mid-range components, I don't think reliability is as much an issue as is tunability. My goal is to tune mechanisms to function perfectly forever. I find this easier to do on high-end equipment. Shifting must be spot-on and quiet. Wheels must be quiet and true. Brakes must be symmetrical and consistent. There must never be a failure on the trail. You get the idea. It's easier to get everything to function properly with high-end components. Lower-end components can be a nightmare, and sometimes they just can't be made to operate good enough.

    Yesterday I finished a friend's bike that sports a lower-end Shimano frond derailleur, shifters, and crank set. It just can't be made good enough. It irks me to have to "settle" for this level of functionality. It reflects poorly on my skill and my attention to detail. On the flip side, more expensive isn't necessarily better. Another friend's bike sports high-zoot Formula brakes. They have flaws of their own, to the point where I would be averse to buying that brand for my own bike.

    So to answer your question, I think that most of the time lower end stuff just doesn't work as well as the expensive stuff.
     
  29. Faust29

    Faust29 Moderator

    Location:
    irgendwo
    Name:
    B. Bunny
    Current Bike:
    I gots some bikes.

    The "replacement frequency" was exactly what went through my mind with my latest purchase... I absolutely loved the Giant hardtail, which had more carbon parts than I can list, and was light as a feather. I might have been slightly faster on that bike, and my financial advisor (wife) was more than willing to spend the $$$. But, the Salsa frame really caught my eye, and the XT parts are a step up from the X7 level on my full suspension. I figured that the X7 had performed quite well for the last couple years, so XT was going to seem like a big jump in itself.
     
  30. Mikie

    Mikie Admin/iMTB Hooligan

    Location:
    NW Arkansas
    Name:
    Mikie Watson
    Current Bike:
    Ibis DV9 / SC Hightower
    I am a die hard fan of Shimano XT. Best bang for the buck!
     
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