Buying an expensive road bicycle has been described as a more healthy and affordable response to a midlife crisis than buying an expensive sports car.

Ah, Posers then. But yes at least it’s a healthier response. There’s worse things.

That's great

Grown man with expensive bicycle and tight-fitting clothes

Funniest non-vandalism caption (I seem to recall they didn’t like the monkey who masticates while others watch—wasn’t me but suppose would be in the logs from 10-20yr back)

I zipped up my jersey.

I ride fixed distances (25 and 50 miles). Any improvements to the efficiency of my bikes means I'll just get less of a workout each time. Why pay (so much) more just to get less exercise?

I don't see how having a motor to help you out and spending a few grand on a carbon fiber frame are much different.

Some people cycle as a sport, and races don't let you have e-bikes. Plus, putting in all the work to climb a hill under your own power and getting to ride down is rewarding. Sure, getting a carbon fiber bike makes the work a bit lighter, but you're still the one putting in all the work, which isn't the case with e-bikes.

While the people in your example are failing to understand that people habe different motives for cycling, you're doing the exact same thing here.

Are we still talking about bikes?

Yeah it's dumb. I bought my used mountain bike from a entusiaist. The bike was in really good shape with some of the best components money could buy at the time. Out of curiosity i asked him why he would sell the bike. He said he really liked it a lot, but it was just too heavy for long uphill rides. He then showed me the bike he replaced it with. A brand spanking new high end mountain bike. When i was home, i just had to know and compared the specs roughly from what i knew. My calculations said that his new bike was like 50 to 100gramms lighter. The guy wasn't really a featherweight either. Eating less would've saved him like 5k

It absolutely is, but as with any hobby spending money on new things is part of what keeps it fresh. The issue is that cyclists get really insecure about this. I am a commuter who does a solid 200 miles per week and can drop most of our local bike club on my steel commuter bike while wearing a tshirt and baggy shorts. I honestly don't judge though, whatever makes you happy, but I do occasionally run into people who are like "you can't join the group ride without proper equipment" because I don't wear a skin suit or use the clipclop shoes. Whatever bro, let's see if your $800 padded onesie can beat my 8 year old gap Khakis.

It will make you go faster. It only makes any difference at all if you are competing for something, whatever level you are.

But if you like cool bike stuff, great, go get it.

Pros just cheat. See Icarus and all that.

Most amateurs have signifcantly more time they can cut by training better and harder than spending thousands or tens of thousands on better components.

Its a very small list of amateurs who train to the same level as a pro who has a good chance of winning any of the big competitions.

Stick that under 30s pro on a cheap bike geared the same as a midlife crisis amater 45 year old gear head on an ultra expensive bike and guess who wins?

If you want to buy wins enter an amateur car racing event, those are mostly reflective of money spent given a base level of talent and training (which costs far more money per hour than training for cycling).

deglove

You smoke cigarettes and go on 2 day long bicycle rides for fun? That's like being a vegan who will eat meat but only if the animal died in some truly awful way.

This was me when I smoked.

I'm not sure of its the eight years since my last cigarette giving me superpowers or if I'm just eight years older and my body cries at each minor inconvenience but I think I was healthier when I was downing a pack a day of menthols.

Fuck I miss smoking.

Plenty. Olympics is very scientific. That level of sports is where you get shaving your body and wearing spandex to ride faster in the first place they aren't myths.

When I swam in high school, 20+ years ago now, we would wear drag suits to practice, because it made sense, make it harder to swim in practice.

They now wear leggings or bodysuits in practice because they determined that swimming with the extra drag negatively effected your stroke, and that it's better to achieve mechanical perfection through consistent practice.

People study the shit out of this stuff, really takes the fun out of everything.