[Article] You Pay For What You Get?

[ectolo]

In the majority of cases this true, digging a little deeper into your pocket may save you a lot in the long run; however this is no reason to make it a rule. I have read various opinions about how much people should pay for a variety of aftermarket upgrades, some of them I agree with and others I would delete had I the power. To set down a “be all end all” protocol for spending money means that no matter where you look, the set of rules must make sense and keep you right.

More often than not this is not the case. People (most frequently young riders) can spend far too much money on parts which are not needed, neglecting certain upgrades that could have an extra penny here and there. Of course I could be wrong when even the style of riding with which you are involved with could change what is a necessity and what is a desire. Deception is a devil waiting to infiltrate the youthful minds of today’s society. For example the presentation of a frame often deceives the buyer, if marketed in a particular manor more people are more inclined to buy, the same can be said for other items, a Land Rover Discovery was once was shown on TV sitting on top of mount Rushmore and of course soon to follow an increase in sales. What I am trying to get across is that is to be wise with your money, too many times have I seen “Check out my new *expensive part*” when they have really had no need for it, they have bought the image rather than the performance.

I had a look on a few BMX websites whilst writing this article, wanting to find a few good examples of when to pay more and when not to. I think I have done quite well, however I do not want what I am saying to be interrupted as a rule, for I have neither the experience of expertise to set one out.

One of the best examples there are of needless spending are pedals. Pedals have prices ranging from around £10 right up to £75+. Why I ask, why, the Ruben pedals from fly are absolutely beautiful I must admit, but that little bit of sticky sandpaper in the middle is not going to make you icepick a 10 set hand-rail, and on the flip side for some of the more skill riders a set of welgo’s cost around £20 are not going to stop you from doing so. As a final note I would like to add: Be careful with you money, if you good and very harsh with your bike by all means spend an extra £30 here and there for extra strength, otherwise stick with what you need, nothing pains me more than to see a 14 year old riding a £600 bike doing nothing more than carving a flatbank.

[Butter_Nutts]

sticky!

[theclarity]

ya definately a sticky. i totally agree

[ReturnToSender]

so true. i hate people who have a lot of money and brag about their bike even though they suck.

[zacaroo]

very good point

nice article

[Scottehrm]

i agree

[moes]

comletely true (ya i think this should b sticky 2)

[grix]

Good post. :clap:

I am guilty of constantly thinking I need an upgrade on my bike. When I just need to get out and ride more often.

[bj hocking]

Good post. :clap:

I am guilty of constantly thinking I need an upgrade on my bike. When I just need to get out and ride more often.

me to... but it feels sooo good to spend money on my bike

[KyleD]

Good stuff!

I lol'd at the very last point, i'm spending all my 18th birthday money on a DK 4 pack and i cant really do anything yet.. im learning though and want to learn alot more. I just think buying a good bike is a good thing coz it gives you confidence and it means no need to upgrade when i get better.

[bj hocking]

true.....

[bmxflat]

hmm... i found some off the wall brand pedals for 120 in dans comp (sorry, but at least ive never heard of them) definatly not worth it.

[Vert Street 1202]

Dude... u r the man... cudnt say it better myself, i prolly cudnt even say it that good :)

[Louis K]

ok hmm. i kinda agree with the "you get what you pay for" but most expensive stuff has little added good shit. if that makes any sense. like to me the ruben pedals feel alot better then the odysseys or animals...

[DraStiK]

Way beyond true...Good article...Alot of good information for all of us, which is indeed true...

Yea lets sticky it people come on!

- DraStiK

[ectolo]

i would put money on that extra "feel good" extra being 90% down to the price. Certainly they will be better than the ody's and animals, the bearings will be cut to a slightly higher accuracy, the finish on them will be slightly nicer. However you do have to remember that these are pedals and the bearings are going to get bashed, the finish is going to get scored within the first week, and even with those points rubens are definately not £50 better. The nice feel you get from them i think is your mind going "wow" i own £80 pedals.

would be nice to have a sticky, thank you for the positive feedback people! Is much appreciated!

[Erresen]

good stuff and i agree, but i love spending money on my bike and making it look sweet even if it does nothing to improve the performance

[Erresen]

also i run shitty old welgo pedals and i no what u mean, although better ones have replacable studs which would be nice cos mine are f*cked. but i wouldn't want to pay more than about 25 quid for a new set

[bettley661]

I have been riding for about half a year & my bike is now pretty much a complete custom (no stock parts)
So my bikes pretty decent, wheras im probably not as good as alot of other riders, but does that mean im not allowed to by parts for my bike?
I find some of the joy of BMX'ing is upgrading your bike. It makes me feel good. No idea why but im not going to stop doing it.

[asd]

Moral of the story is "do some research. Is it really worth the extra money?"

Pedals, Mosh Step for $25. Lasted me a year so far, and still going strong.

Don't go and buy the cheapest thing, but then again, don't go and buy the most expensive thing and think that just because its $50 more it will last longer, and be better than anything else.

Using that logic, Ti Grim Reapers would sell, right? Geuss what? a 200 pound rider goes and 180s a 8 set. He's out $1300.

[ectolo]

Are esthetics measured in pounds and dollars? No. Parts that have more than decent spec and amazing craftsmanship can often be bought for much less than "the latest and best". I understand that most people here will want their bike to look well, however appearance is the wrong reason to be spending money.

[dave cronin]

i agree but i have a different problem, i bought a dk 6 pack and spent bout €300 on parts, i love bikes and can do some tricks but coz of the weather where i live and lack of time i never get to ride my bike

[PhoenixBMX]

ok..and id also like to add a quote from that guy who runs bmxbasics(you might remember him as the guy who did that awesome bunnyhop howto)

"It is better to have a $400 bike and ride 20+ hours a week than to have a $1200 bike and ride 5 hours a week."*

a.k.a good parts are no substitute for skill..so dont work your ass off to buy super awesome parts when you could be spending that time riding.

*disclaimer: this is not exactly what he said, i cant find the exact quote, but it was along those lines

[PhoenixBMX]

wtf, i cant edit my post...

anyway here's the real quote:
" Twenty hours a week on a two-hundred-dollar bike is better than two hours a week on a thousand-dollar one."

there

[ectolo]

i don't think the amount of time spent riding is that biog a factor personally, i feel it is simply to do with what you do on your bike when riding. Does 10 hours carving a mini-ramp compare to one beautifully executed tail-whip at the weekend? Of course if the person carving the mini-ramp is having the time of his life then it makes this point irrelevant, but i still feel that you should buy what you need, not what you want.

[720 TAilwhip]

i smell a sticky

[sentaafEQpovar]

theres the other side of the story.. Im ehlllla cheap and hate to waste money on my bike... Ive spent well over 40 hours on my computer just sitting there talking to people on aim, looking at tech section of forums and jsut wasting time.... if i had spetn that time working or something, Id have no problem blowing that money off on any random ass$300 dollar frame instead of trying to find the ultimate deal for 100 bucks

[FAHQ REDEMPTION]

Sticky sticky sticky

nothing pains me more than to see a 14 year old riding a £600 bike doing nothing more than carving a flatbank

Enough Said^^

[ballpoint]

I wouldnt pay more than £15 for pedals.

my rubbish stock haro ones are probably fairly light, and have stood up to all the abuse. so meh.

[ectolo]

Sticky would be nice, thanks very much for the comments, nice to know i can contribute to the community

[Justin]

Good article. I have Wellgo pedals. I like 'em.
There's nothing wrong with spending money on your bike, it's just not good practice to make the spending the hobby rather than the riding. I say replace as you break, ride as long as it stays fun.
Evaluate your parts when they break. Would a titanium spindle benefit me if I broke a chromoly one? Probably not. If I crack my frame at the headtube, maybe I should get something that is gusseted in that spot. Its about function, not what's new and exciting.
A sticky for this would definitly be great.

[band aid]

very good :) :ohyeah:

[ectolo]

Good article. I have Wellgo pedals. I like 'em.
There's nothing wrong with spending money on your bike, it's just not good practice to make the spending the hobby rather than the riding. I say replace as you break, ride as long as it stays fun.
Evaluate your parts when they break. Would a titanium spindle benefit me if I broke a chromoly one? Probably not. If I crack my frame at the headtube, maybe I should get something that is gusseted in that spot. Its about function, not what's new and exciting.
A sticky for this would definitly be great.

You are on the exact same line as me, i forgot to mention evaluating what was broke in the main article, thank you for putting forward the concept. a funny way of thinking of it sometimes is how much it cost you per hour/day. With a game i always think of it in this way, take final fantasy compared to need for speed for example, both cost around £30 to £40 when they came out. Final fantasy however averages out at around 100 hours to complete, where as need for speed can be done in 15 hours or less. Thats the same as saying final fantasy cost me 40p per hour of enjoyment and need for speed cost me £2.60 odds per hour of fun. Think of how long a part will last in relation to what it is costing you and you won't go to far wrong. No point in dishing out over a grand for that eastern titanium frame for a couple of months of riding where as a good fly frame for £220 would last 2 years or more.

PS ~ Thanks again for the positive feedback on my article, nice to know it's safe to stick your neck out around here.

[flowerpower]

i am 13 but i can 360 on flat but also %100 agree with you
i bought the 2008 fit team trail because of the sealed bearings, strong rims and nice feel to it
but i have 200 pounds sitting at home waiting for something to spend it with but with the pedals bit i have bent the spindle on a set of welgo's a good bike is not going to make you better at riding.
but also if you have no life what are you gonna spend it on
i think ppl who spend too much are soo stupid but i dont think though you can't stop them life in todays society is
pretty much who's bike looks better who's bike is stronger and who who can get the most populartiy with it
and it is not just in bmx it is in houses cars food.

[phillll]

good point it like when you see a old man in a ferrari driving it like its a nissan micra.

personally i think my bikes better then my skill level but it's lightish and strong and i plan to pour in alot more money into when i have a job.

alot of kids just buy for the colour

[DANCLOSH]

I dont agree with the "I hate people with nice bikes that cant really do much" comments

I for example, have a nice bike (not bragging, but i think its rather bloody nice), and i am no where near rich.
Does my skill level mean i am not allowed to own nice parts?
Bullshit, I just strongly believe in making a Long-Term-Investment

Of course, you can say it when you just see a person rock up in a $100,000 car, wearing $500 worth of clothes and bragging non-stop about how much their bike is worth, clearly being stuck up
But it doesnt apply to everyone.

[steezboi]

I dont agree with the "I hate people with nice bikes that cant really do much" comments

I for example, have a nice bike (not bragging, but i think its rather bloody nice), and i am no where near rich.
Does my skill level mean i am not allowed to own nice parts?
Bullshit, I just strongly believe in making a Long-Term-Investment

Of course, you can say it when you just see a person rock up in a $100,000 car, wearing $500 worth of clothes and bragging non-stop about how much their bike is worth, clearly being stuck up
But it doesnt apply to everyone.

yeah, i agree with you. people call me spoiled and rich for riding a bike thats nicer than theirs when i only do grinds and easy stuff, but who really wants to upgrade a crappy bike whenever they "need" the new parts?
i don't want to wait for shipping to bring me new rims or whatever when i can be riding my solid, more expensive bike.

[Dylan]

I only hate those people who buy customs worth 1200+ then ride once..give up then sell it for like 200-400 quid to some kid whos gonna just ride around and make a nuisance of himself.

[steezboi]

I only hate those people who buy customs worth 1200+ then ride once..give up then sell it for like 200-400 quid to some kid whos gonna just ride around and make a nuisance of himself.

well my friend had a $1200 bike, someone stole it, and sold it to some noob for $70.
but the private detectives didn't have enough "evidence" to get the bike back...

[Marcelwk]

I have a way too nice bike for my riding level..
I had a Haro F2 and then the rims starting bending and I decided to sell it for a better one..
I now ride wethepeople beyond 07 with a freecoaster and some other updates while I can do bunnyhops, disasters and 180 and halfcabs.. I pretty much suck, but I spend a lot of time in school and doing homework, so I just don't have time to get much better. I do work 2 nights a week and a lot of the money I make there goes straight into my bike. I admit that I buy new parts when it's not really necessary to replace them.. I bought a new freecoaster wheel while the old cassette hub was running perfect.. I just like my bike a bit trendy:P but because I dont have time to ride it, my (skill):(bike quality)ratio is like 1:10:P
If people want to spend a lot of money on their bike while they actually aren't that good, then I'm not going to hate them. I try to place myself in their situation and see if I can understand them..
If your dad would offer you a full custom bike worth 1200$ and you could only do bunnyhops, would you refuse?

[Air-Ox]

people can carve on flatbanks now!?!?!

[bmxkills]

I agree 100%. I'm tired of seeing kids with $800USD+ bikes, who can only 180 and whatnot.

[BeneathTheSky]

This thread is sad. While some of you have some valid points. These $1200 bikes being sold to kids who can't ride help the sport. The more money spent on bmx the better off we are. The better bikes become. The more people that are drawn into bmx. Sales = GOOD! Who cares whose buying it and whose not. The more bikes that are bought the cheaper shit gets. Support these people. If they wanna pay $2500 for a bike let them, it's not hurting you, if anything in the long run it will benefit you!

[ectolo]

Whenever you started would you honestly have wanted to been given that advice. Also the article wasn't entirely about kids spending too much, it was questioning the value of certain parts primarily, I feel you missed the point here. A few kids buying expensive bikes will help no one except the shops/mail order sites from which they were bought.

[Big Rob LOL]

so true. i hate people who have a lot of money and brag about their bike even though they suck.


just like a friend of mine... MATT THE WRONGEN

[bike ryder]

well im pretty good (not close to pro) and i still dont think i need top of the line parts. bikes are about personal preference (not the most expensive parts on the market). the only parts that need to be "upgraded" are broken parts or parts that bent.. you can still ride with bent parts.

[Marcus Poopy]

let people buy what they want...when they suck u can just make fun of them. but dont let your friends buy shit they dont need. gotta look out for you homies, home-boy


I agree 100%. I'm tired of seeing kids with $800USD+ bikes, who can only 180 and whatnot.

800USD is not alot for a custom bike....

[bike ryder]

customs usually go for $1000 + (usd) .. dont they ?

[fancyabum]

just like a friend of mine... MATT THE WRONGEN
YOu nailed it Rob. damn straight dude