Flash Bike slow rider!

cjaty

Likes Dirt
Been riding MTB since about 92 and appreciate a good bike,but the older I get the more aware I am of youger generation staring at me at the top of the down hill track thinking to themselves "Who is this chubby middle aged fool sitting on this top of the line DH bike".Not that it will stop me from buying a new M9 but Ive done the hard yards the kids are growing up and I can afford one.Just wondering if anyone else seems to feel like this.
 

cam-o

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Nope - As long as you take said flash bike and rip it up to the best of your ability it's all good.
 

nevdog

Likes Bikes
just do it ,buy what u want ,who care about any one else ,buy that bike bro ,if you have been rideing for that long you have earned it,every time you hop on your new m9 it will be like a dream it is a great feeling,i just got a v10 and have been dreaming of this moment for a long time,just pin it,go hard or stay home, npeace
 

harmonix1234

Eats Squid
You should get up there with a yellow stack hat and just shred the trails. show em!

I'm in my thirties and take my XC hardtail down to the skatepark on my way home from a big ride sometimes, decked out in lycra and do a few really lame-trickless jumps and then scoot off and I couldn't give a damn what the kids think. I know they're laughing though haha. Ride cause you love it and no-one has anything on you. Just own your time on the bike, and if your'e grinnin' then it don't matter.
 

houli77

Likes Dirt
"You've got way too much money c%nt!"

was yelled at me by some kid on my race run @ Illinbah last race there

poor kid was probably upset cause his arse hurt from riding his hardtail.... :)

i get what you mean though, us older guys generally have more money to spend and our riding may not reflect our expensive machines.

just gotta ignore it though, we work hard for our $, payed our dues, still ride hard for our age and our burdens and what ifs of life like mortgages, kids, wife etc..

thinking about it we are probably the first or second mainstream generation of older DH riders here in Aus? ? the sport hasn't been around that long. so there'll probably be more and more of us all the time.

so we are like pioneers of old age and expensive bikes.

go forth, buy and enjoy! :p
 
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gregb

Likes Dirt
For the most part I agree it's your cash spend it how you like. There is a tipping point, like the tubby bloke riding $15K worth of Pinarello roadie at low cruise speeds up the Pacific Hwy to Pie in The Sky.
 

Monks

Likes Dirt
I suppose sometimes I feel guilty that I can afford something better than most, and I'm not as good as that younger guy who rips on something less flash than mine.

But then I feel justified that I've worked hard and paid my dues.

I've made a few purchases like that this year, $10K watch, new car, bicycles (on road and off), skateboards (long and short), dj equipment, snow skis.

I buy it because I love it, even if I'm shit at it, and damn what anyone else thinks (well I do get pissed off when people bag my stuff, but I get over that), mainly because they're jealous of how cool all my stuff is, even if I can't use it properly.

I reckon thats what pisses them off the most, they see a hack like me with all the gear and no idea. I reckon I'd get pretty pissed off and make jokes if I were them.
 

John U

MTB Precision
You ride what you can afford. Same goes for the young and the old.

Back in the day when I used to ride a bit quicker and didn't have as good a bike I really enjoyed passing people on flash rides (on the rare occasion it happened).

Now that I'm a bit older and ride something fairly decent I love getting passed by someone riding something cheap and heavy, and giving it heaps. It's great to see.
 

ezrider

Likes Bikes
I remember going into the corner candy shop ,but only being able to afford one or two lollies ..........
How good is it now I am forty and can buy the whole building with all the lollies in it if I want.
My new ride is a legend mkii , sure I will never ride it as fast as it could go ,but f..k i am having fun on her no matter what anyone thinks.
 

Hugor

Likes Dirt
I'm in the same position as most of you.
I ride 2 quality bikes in my sig that far outweigh my skills and abilities.
I don't think I need to justify that to anyone.
I like good stuff and I've worked very hard in my life to now be able to afford toys like these. Its the payback your parents always told you would come if you kept studying.
Its not about the bike after all its about the ride.
What I'd give to be 16 again but with my present toy budget.
That would be something special!
 

Cypher

Likes Dirt
Just wondering if anyone else seems to feel like this.
In some ways this is a very cool thing - being emotionally healthy enough to go your own way and have fun.

But I see the downside of this sort of thinking as being self entitlement and over consumption.

We have such a problem with a 'disposable' culture: people buy things because they think they deserve the next new thing. Think about all the phones you have had - did you really need to throw them out? Look at Apple products; designed with planned obsolescence (or as Richard Glover put it succinctly initial uselessness).

Most companies, including bike companies, have a yearly release schedule. They have to put out something new each year to stay relevant. Do you really need that new bike, just because it is new and you have money burning a hole in your pocket?

It is easy to convince yourself that you deserve something - for whatever reason. Why not say that you want something and go from there - a pleasant but unnecessary addendum.

Things we deserve (because we are people)...
  • Clean air and water
  • safety
  • nationality - or a place to live
  • access to food

Pretty much everything else is a want.

Would you care if someone was on a crappy old bike? Would you snigger?
 
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JP

Likes Dirt
One of the benefits of being "mature" is the extra wisdoom we have over punk kids, and also the ability to have more expensive toys. Well most people do, not I (on both counts).
 

PSYCHO-T

Likes Dirt
You're looking at this all wrong!

your 'x'years old, and have obviously been working AND riding for a long time, and can afford a nice bike.

But your getting flack from these kids that not even 10 years ago had their training wheels removed who are "reppin" expensive bikes?

Excuse me but they can go fuck themselves.
You are not relying on the good grace of mummy and daddies credit card. And you can Afford these bikes. You really have nothing to worry about.

Ride them hard an proud, you deserve nice things when you can afford them
 

Chuckie

Likes Bikes and Dirt
ride what you want mate..you worked hard for it

those kids wont be riding anyway in a few years, usually discover cars and gals, and go MIA. Only to pull up next to you at the lights in their Hyundai with P Plates, and stick their head out and say "Nice car"
 

Nerf Herder

Wheel size expert
I don't know about you others, but I've put up with some nice, but not so fancy rigs in my time and well ... frigit ... I deserve a new rig, can afford it and it makes me faster ... if not in reality then in my head. :p

If I wasn't improving, I think I'd struggle to personally justify a new purchase ... so thank goodness I sucked from the start and can improve from a low base :cool:
 

retro racer

Likes Dirt
Hey cj,
most of the time we pay for the pups rides anyway dude. At my age and i have 2 sons who have good rides that i funded, i deserve what i get mate. I work for it, so who cares what others think mate....this is me....
"all the gear and no f$$$$$ idea":cool::)
ask yourself." will the pups be riding at 47":rolleyes::confused:
They will repeating this exact question me thinks..
 

Beechie

Banned
$$$$$$$$

Six MTB's two newies cost over 10K each. Kerry Packer would love to have your problem and he had more $$$$$ than all of us.
As long as they are not collecting dust then no issue exists.(mind you if they are then no one sees them or you)
 

Steve_N

Likes Dirt
For me I only make a purchase once every 4-5 years so sod it, I'm going to buy something nice. Over consumption... Not me really, because I look after what I got knowing that it's got to last, and generally I've found that quality tends to last... with the exception of SRAM XO, not going there again.... :mad:
 
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