I have always enjoyed cycling. Casually, I’m not a pro or anything. Recently purchased a Trek Domane AL4. It was $1800 with tax out the door. For me, that’s a lot of money. I can’t tell if I’m actually having buyers remorse or just sticker shock, but I haven’t touched the bike since I bought it a week ago. I have 30 days to return it….but I kinda don’t want to to. But I’d love to have $1800 back. But I also know I’d love it and actually ride it. I’ve experienced this with several hobby’s now. Maybe I’m just a cranky, poor old man? Could I get some insight from people who may have experienced a similar issue? 😔
by 937TO651
38 Comments
There is a saying when you ride your bike “ride your pace” which simply means don’t push yourself to be like everyone else and end up getting burnt.
In your case, if it’s too much, return it and either get a cheaper bike or look for something used.
The reason we purchase bikes is to get something that we will want to ride. If you continually think damn this was too expensive and don’t ride the bike, then it defeats the purpose of purchasing it.
My .02.
Bikes like these are priced for (upper) middle class market who are happily paying 1.8k as it motivates them to exercise after a day at the office and who also appreciate the status symbol that a shiny new bicycle is with all the latest tech. If you don’t feel like this, I honestly don’t think you made the right choice with your bike, you can get the same exercise and experience of riding a bicycle with a 500 dollar used and refurbished bike.
OTOH, in 12 months you probably won’t even think about it.
The best motivation comes from putting one foot in front of the other. Stop thinking about riding and just go ride. When you get back you’ll probably know what you want to do next.
I like setting the goal to make it cheaper than your car costs per mile. According to [This](https://www.moneygeek.com/insurance/auto/analysis/costs-of-car-ownership/) $ 0.72 per mile is average.. So that would make it 2500 mile for your bike to be cheaper per mile. If you ride 25 or more mile a week, you can reach it in less than 2 years, and still have a relatively new bike!
Can you plan in 25 miles a week? (or 100 a month?)
My tips to reach 25 miles: find a nice route and make this your routine ride: no need for planning, just get your bike and go. Additionally plan regularly some nice things to break the routine. Take time to find the right thing for you. The more regularly you ride, the easier it is.
Finally if it’s not for you you can sell your bike. You lose some money but not all of it!
If $1800 is too much, talk to the people at the bike shop. I’m sure they can help you find a suitable solution that’s less expensive. They’d much rather make a $900 sale than no sale at all.
I started assembling a bicycle from scratch three or four months ago. I am combining parts as I find them, some new, some used. I bought a bunch of tools that are necessary and that I didn’t have. So far, I’ve spent a little over $1,000, and for that amount, I could have bought a used bike for half the price, or I could have bought a new but lower-quality one for the same money.
However, I really enjoy learning about the components, geometry, levers, physics, friction, compatibility, aerodynamics… so I don’t regret spending the money at all. It’s important to me that I’m satisfied.
And I think that’s the point! There will always be situations where someone gets a better or worse deal for the same thing, and I believe it’s not worth wasting energy on those things.
Decide and don’t regret it!
Get the first dent and you’ll ride fine. Usually
I was in a similar situation 5 years ago, I bought a bike for 1300€ which was an insane amount of money for me, and I definitely had regrets like you do now, but 5 years later and it was absolutely the best money I’ve spent in long time. My next bicycle was 2500 and I didn’t think twice about spending that much, because ot brought me so much joy.
I get it if you need the money for groceries or rent, but if you can live without it for a while (you’ll earn it back I assume), I don’t think you’ll regret it in a couple of months and especially years.
Just go ride that thing!!
Return it and go shopping on the 2nd hand market. Its flooded right now.
See it as an investment for you health. The health benefits of regularly bicycling are tremendous. 1800$ for health is nothing (in America).
It’s only a waste if u don’t use it. If this was me, I’d return it and then use the 1800 for a used nicer bike.
Beautiful bike that’ll last a long time. Ride ride ride! You’ll realize you didn’t make a mistake once you feel the wind in your face
Rider it
You bought a nice bike, go ride it.
Without knowing your budget, your income and expenses, etc. it’s hard to say what you need or what’s overkill. What did you ride before? Why did you choose this model? Too many unknowns about you and your situation.
What I can say is that it’s possible to get an equally good bike for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost if you shop used and don’t mind a few paint chips and older tech (less likely to find disc brakes on a used road bike, but odds are you don’t really need them). The downside with buying used is the obvious availability (restricted to what someone else is selling) and you are less likely to get the proper size. Used bikes are a bit of a lottery… you could buy something that’s in dire need of replacing all the components which can quickly exceed the price paid and makes buying new a better option. On the other hand, you could end up buying a bike that was ridden twice and is practically new but with a steep discount.
The risk in keeping this bike, if you haven’t already been riding before purchasing it… is that you could end up being the person who sells a bike they only rode twice, at a steep discount. But if you think you’ll stick with it, and if you can afford the cost already paid, then it’s a fine bike.
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If you’ve had it a week and haven’t ridden it, return it. When I got my new bike last year, I was on it every day and looking for excuses to ride it.
Stop procrastinating and go ride it???
what are you gonna do with the money? if you have a real need return it! otherwise ride the damn bike and get over it. you only live once.
Before you make a decision, ask yourself why you bought it in the first place, what is preventing you from riding it, how much did you REALLY want to spend, and do you really want to ride, or just toodle around from time to time. If you do return it, and decide to buy another one, knowing those answers may help prevent you from making a similar mistake. There’s no point torturing yourself; it’s meant to be enjoyable.
Go out there and be a Trek Star
Life is for living dude, you ain’t taking it with you, enjoy it
It seems like you are having buyers remorse. I rode my new bike as soon as we got home. But then again I ride 3-5k miles every year.
If you don’t have a good riding record, return the bike. Shop around for a good used bike locally or purchase a more budget friendly model.
It is definitely a nice bike. The doubt tells me return it.
Sounds like the money back is more useful than riding this specific bike.
No shame riding what you can afford if riding a bike is as simple as riding a bike.
If you can create a goal for a new bike like this down the road maybe that is the path.
The Domane has not changed dramatically in the past several years 🙂
Then return and buy a used bike.
That’s a nice Domane!
When I first started getting in to biking I wanted to get a really expensive Giant (Propel I think? IDK this was 10 years ago) but I was freaking out over the price and the guy at my local bike shop talked me out of it. He was telling me that unless I plan on racing it, there’s nothing I would get out of that $2k+ bike that I wouldn’t get out of a ~$900 bike. The ~$900 bike will get me 90% of the way there, and all the extra components and features of the $2k+ bike would help me squeeze out that extra 10%. After a test ride I realized he was absolutely right! Ended up going with a Giant Anyroad and saved over a grand and couldn’t be happier with my purchase.
Beautiful bike! The thing is… you could return it and buy something cheaper. But then you’ll start to feel regret for returning it after you buy the cheaper bike. Then you’ll feel the itch to upgrade that bike to be closer to the bike you returned. Then you start ordering parts. And more parts. Then you’ll have spent more on the cheaper bike than just keeping the better bike. It’s a trap. I’ve fallen for it more than once. lol
If it doesn’t get you in financial trouble … like not being able to pay your mortgage, rent, keep food on the table… then keep it. Ride it and enjoy it!
Go to a used bike shop ! You can spend $300 on a great older bike and upgrade it for a few hundred more and maybe $500-600 all in !
Now a new bike is just a. Bike but a used bike only you will know it’s used ! A bike is a bike at the end and you are suppose to love it !
https://preview.redd.it/krl5xmqqm74d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4810779ee32b3feacee179abc6622d541504046a
I just purchased a Domane frame in the same color. I love everything about this bike. Before you take yours back, you owe it to yourself to take it for a ride or two. If you still feel it is too expensive, then return it and get something within your budget. Bikes should not bring stress to your life. They should bring joy!
My first bike was a Domane. Loved that thing, good bike and very forgiving for how fast you can go on it.
Trade it back in for a gravel bike. The adventure will heal your spirit.
Just go ride the bloody thing
>But I also know I’d love it and actually ride it.
If this is how you honestly think it’ll go down, I say keep the bike and ride it. The money I’ve spent on my bikes is usually a good incentive to put some miles on them. I feel like then I’m getting money out of my investment.
Sometimes it’s hard to let ourselves enjoy things we like. Hobbies and whatnot. But hey, just remember, life is short and time spent doing things we enjoy is (almost) never time wasted. I’d rather bum around on a bike I maybe don’t “need” by the strictest sense of that word than save the money and have nothing to do. Enjoy your bike, homie.
Ride the damn bike!
Buy an annuity.
Perhaps you should go ride the bike first