Buying A Road Bike-Setting A Budget

This is part 3 of the series on buying a new road bike. In part two I discussed how to determine the type of bike that you need based on how you will be using it. Now we will cover one of the most important parts of the entire process- setting, and sticking to, a budget.

Get Real

Once you have made the choice to buy a new bike and determined what bike you will need based on the type of riding you do you need to set a realistic budget. I think all of us would like to have an unlimited amount of money to spend but the reality is that nearly all of us have an upper limit on what we can afford. So, before you even begin to look at or test-ride bikes, set a realistic budget based on your own financial situation. If you don’t, you risk buying something that could do long-term damage to your family’s finances. Bikes are great, but they aren’t worth putting your family in financial hardship. Take a realistic look at your situation and choose a maximum amount that you can spend, and stick to it.

Lots Of Choices

Whatever amount you have to spend, whether it’s $500 or $5000, you will have plenty of choices, it’s just a matter of priorities. There are quality bikes at just about any price. You can get a new bike that will be fine for most rides and can even be used for racing for $500-$700. As you move up in price you get the luxury of more choices along with lighter weight, and (most of the time) longer lasting components.

Everyone Is Different

Everyone’s situation is different so don’t feel pressured to spend more than you can afford. The reality is that if you took two riders who were exactly the same and put one on a quality $1000 bike, and the other on a good $3000 bike they would still be evenly matched in almost all situations. The person on the $3000 bike might have a better “user experience” in terms of smoother shifting, better handling, and a “tighter” feel. But, those are really minor differences in the overall scheme of things.  My personal situation is this: I have been saving for my new bike for the last couple of years and have set an upper limit of $3000. My hope is to spend much less than that. I will be concentrating my search on bikes costing less than $2500. I have a little “wiggle room” if I need it, but I hope not to use it.

Now The Fun Begins

Now that you have set a budget for you next bike you are ready to start the fun part, researching the market to see what is available. That will be the subject of the next part of this series.