[Closed] "How much did yer bike cost?"

Nope, I just ride off.

Silent type!?

In the last year I have had two random shouts of "nice bike mate". Both in town. One is a ten year old full susser, the other a twenty two year old hard tail (the bike, not the person). My immediate and unworthy thoughts were that they were thinking they might nick it later, but who knows. I think bikes appeal to some inner child / race memory for a lot of people. By "people" I mean men. The price they paid for their first bike tends to stick in their minds and when they hear that you can pay over £1000 for a bike these days it is an object of strange morbid fascination, like watching one of those Youtube videos of awful driving in Russia.

Once had a guy get really narked that I wouldn’t tell him, was on a busy train, he said:

‘nice bike, how much was it?’

‘Cheers, I’d rather not say’

*huffs* ‘oh don’t be like that, come on, how much?’

’ok, £500’ (the wheels alone were 3 times that)

’bloody hell, you’ve more money than sense...’

my standard response now is ‘enough’

Or is it a conversation starter that I don’t get.

^ Probably this.

Disclaimer: I'm a natural yet paradoxical optimist and normally found treading the shallow eddies between harsh jagged rocks of extreme cynicism - and balmy beaches of boundless naivety.

When I do decide to strike out and swim in the depths of my conviction it can be impressive.  I'd slap the saddle with a hearty thwack and laughingly enthuse:

What? This? This modest machine cost me 'enough', my man.  Cost me 'enough'!  I wager you're itching to take it off some sweet jumps??  As you wish!  Lead the way, stout fellow, and we shall jump this beast within an inch of it's life!  And maybe your life too!!!  <--- (BOOMING-GUFFAW here)

I shout "Thanks!" and keep going

I got this one for free, which in reality is true as crc gave it to me....

"Oh, it looks more expensive than it was."

Cynical maybe, but I assume that their train of thought is trying to ascertain whether it's worth their while trying to bop me on the head for it.

I have gotten "thats my bike" shouted at me a few times by some skinny, shirtless I can safely assume jobless guys with more tracksuits than teeth. When I occasionally ride through town.

I assume they think someone will tackle me and he can get away with my bike.

I would say it depends on who is asking the question whether they are thinking about stealing it or just curious as to what you can get for your money. It is more likely they think "that looks expensive" and ask to satisfy their curiosity.

"Nuffin' ....I've just nicked it!"

No idea, pinched it.  Ever notice how you don't see Boris Johnson on a bike any more?

Depends on who's asking to be honest. Because I'm ferociously judgmental. If it's a pikey looking type then I'll come up with some hilarious riposte (read: I'll say something vague). If it's someone who looks like they know vaguely what it is/they're well turned out/another cyclist then I'm more likely to give an answer vaguely closer to reality.

[pointless anecdote]

Was riding into London a couple of years ago on the 'nice' bike (Chinese carbon frame, but Dura Ace di2, carbon wheels etc). Flatbed lorry pulls up along side at some lights, window goes down, passenger says "oi mate, nice bike, how much was that?"

me: "thanks, err, too much really"

passenger: "my mate here (motions to driver) reckons that's about £5k worth, he's not right is he?"

me: "actually, yeah he probably is"

passenger: "well it looks awesome, but it's dead light, good on ya"

Made me smile.[/pointless anecdote]

I tell them that all the money I save commuting by bike has paid for it 10 times over. 😉

“How much did yer bike cost?”

Less per ride than your mother!

We arrived at the doors of a bothy once to find it pretty full of folk in trackies and caps. I hate to be judgemental (just because they weren't all dressed in this season's Haaglof and Icebreaker...) but obviously my guard was up, especially when as we were all saying hello one of them came straight up and started asking about my Arcteryx jacket (a much prized 30th birthday present from the folks)

"Is that Arcteryx? How much did it cost?" etc. etc.

Spent the rest of the night sitting on said jacket never letting it or any of my other possessions out of my sight.

Of course it turned out I needen't have worried, the guys were diamond and loved their bothies, the guy with the questions obviously just REALLY liked Arcteryx gear...

edit: following on from Njee20's post, I spend a lot of time pointing out the cost of bikes we see when driving, just so my wife knows how lucky she is that mine are so cheap! (relatively...) Don't think it works...

more than your mum

just tell em you got it for xmas

More than you can afford pal, Colnago.

My marriage.

Quite like this at 9'25"

You just know he's going to snatch it out of Danny's hands and pedal off into the sunset - the wee rascal.

I've always just taken it as the start of a friendly conversation. But I'm big and ugly and you'd have to be a mentalist to consider me first choice for bit of light theft from.

I always say £500 (to strangers anyway) it's enough for most non-riders to think I'm daft, but not so much to cause a nasty beating and theft, well I hope anyway.

I've been asked a few times, usually it's innocent enough, I think most people know/assume you can spend 'silly money' on a bike, and it's interesting I guess.

108 hours of hard labour

"In the last year I have had two random shouts of “nice bike mate”. Both in town. One is a ten year old full susser, the other a twenty two year old hard tail (the bike, not the person). My immediate and unworthy thoughts were that they were thinking they might nick it later, but who knows".

I've had that a fair bit, and always around town locations. Also one at home on seeing me unload from the car, and been really paranoid since. Vary careful now about who's about.

Or they could have been just honestly impressed at the bike, maybe a rider themselves.

I've had some I've chatted with in various places who've engaged me in a conversation and turns out they're a rider, have something similar or know someone who does etc. Also interesting chat with an old guy who's really struggling to walk, had got off and let him pass by and he started with a life story about bikes he used to ride and was fascinated by my bike, and modern bikes, carbon, suspension and all the fancy colours on them these days. Lovely chap 😀

“How much did yer bike cost?”

A question that i've never, ever been asked  when i'm on my fatbike.

They all want to know how big the tyres are.

It can back fire sometimes.

Watching the Tour de France and the missus spots all the Dura Ace logo's on the bikes. "That's what you've got on your bike isn't it ?"  Busted.

Fortunately, that bike was bought 5 years before I got married. Still got it 28 years later (the bike that is, and the wife).

I tend to say I don't really know as it's made from second hand parts. Partly true, partly in denial...

A question that i’ve never, ever been asked  when i’m on my fatbike.

They all want to know how big the tyres are.

A lefty has a similar effect - no one cares how much they cost as they're clearly not strong enough and you must be some kind of loon to use it.

‘A lot more than I told my wife’ is my default (and truthful) reply to such questions.

My missus used to live nr moss side, the chav kids always used to ask you the time if you walked past. I think it was to see if you had a watch worth mugging you for....

Depends who's asking.

Either 'Got it cheap off eaby' or 'six month's wages'

Last weekend's answer to the slightly suspicous person asking what it was worth was 'not much now, silly expensive when it was new but it's ten years old'

"Watching the Tour de France and the missus spots all the Dura Ace logo’s on the bikes. “That’s what you’ve got on your bike isn’t it ?”  Busted.

lol

"Millions mate, touch it and I'll cut yer bollocks off." 😆

My missus used to live nr moss side, the chav kids always used to ask you the time if you walked past. I think it was to see if you had a watch worth mugging you for….

Maybe, if it was a long while ago. Some years back it all changed because youngsters when asked the time would just get their phone out, which is what the scrotes were after.

My normal response for the trike is "I built it!". I get asked a LOT of times.

I tend to say I don’t really know as it’s made from second hand parts. Partly true, partly in denial…

This.  I genuinely didn't know how much my bike was worth until we switched insurance and I had to price up how much a replacement would be.  Originally a 2011 Superlight then upgraded second hand wheels then brake change then drive chain upgrade then dropper then replacement fork then frame swap for a 2012 Rocket...  Still got the original cranks though! Let's just say I couldn't justify replacing it if it got nicked and insurance didn't pay out.