Does a More Expensive Bike Make a Faster Cyclist?

 
As a follow up to the first post I put up here at Cycling Shorts, I thought I’d continue along the same theme and pose another question to you all. Does a More Expensive Bike Make a Faster Cyclist?

You’re out riding, and you see a guy (or girl) on a pimped out $6,000 road bike… what’s the first thing that goes through your head? Probably a few different things (and feel free to let me know what those things are with a comment below), but one possible thought is “man, this person must be a really good cyclist to have a bike like that”.

Possibly… but it could also just mean that he or she has a lot of money available to sink into a bike.

Okay, so lets flip it and put a really good cyclist on a cheap no-name road bike….what happens? A lot of discomfort, perhaps… but I’m thinking that they’re still going to kick my butt as

long as it’s in good working condition.

There is no doubt that buying a good quality bike is worth the money and will alleviate a lifetime of unnecessary repairs and grief.  But once you buy a good quality bike, what is the increased performance/amount spent graph look like?

I debate this question quite often. Maybe I use it as a way to justify the thought of me walking into a bike shop and dropping a few thousand on a bike, so that I can upgrade to a new one. Maybe it really would help with my performance. It’s a tough call. I’d be very interested in hearing your thoughts on this one.

What I do know, is that Canadians are buying less bikes, but ones of better quality. Momentum Magazine has listed that:

Companies that supply bicycles to independent Canadian bike shops have reported an increase in overall sales for 2009, but a decrease in the number of bikes sold. Combined with a 23 per cent spike in the average price of bikes that were sold to retailers, the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) says this indicates a trend towards consumers buying higher quality bikes in the independent bike shop sector.

It looks like Canadians have got the first part right, and realize that it makes good sense to buy quality… now where are the studies showing me performance vs price?  Let’s have you decide it…..does a more expensive bike improve performance and speed, or is it simply up to the rider to deliver this?