Thrifty vs. Cheap!

tyrslider

tyrslider

New Member
Thrifty is recognizing price to value ratio (which may require a little more down payment).

Cheap is just that (lowest price).

Thrifty spends $ on brakes (good equipment in general) rather than doctor bills! Cheap?

Thrifty recognises that a good IPA may go further than a Pabst. Cheap wouldn't know (never had an IPA)

Thrifty knows how to find TopShelf on craigslist; cheap is always looking at the bottom.

Definately both schools of thought here. I'm curious to hear others input. I know that many here profess to be cheap and are actually thrifty and I've not seen it but probably the reverse is true.

I'd be interested to hear from both camps!
 
BTW it's obvious which camp "I think" I'm in and I know that there're reasons why others are in the other.

Just can't find the logic!

forgot to mention that there are obviously times when it is thrifty to be cheap.

All joking and sarcasm aside, I see a lot of posts where cost is the only concern and I might be sticking my neck out but it really concerns me to see folks put price before anything else. I know that others know what I'm talking about and some may not. I'd like to hear what others think and if I'm off base for bringing it up then so be it but if not it's up for discussion!
brnot
 
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Tyrslider,

I totally agree with your thought on this subject. Too many folks will risk their safety and sense of true value by going for the most inexpensive build components and pay double later to right bad initial decisions.

That said, sometimes a good deal happens and you get something worthy for vey little costs. Sometimes.

To me, the motorized bicycle costs are low because of the very things that we complain about; cheap components of low quality (China made); inferior safety issues, i.e., rag joints, non-sealed hubs, single walled wheels, etc. To build with quality & safety in mind costs are going to be a factor; you will get what you pay for.
 
When there isn't much in your wallet you have to figure where best to put your money. Cost is certainly an issue when you live on social security as I do. I try not to compromise on the frame, rims and tires as that is the foundation. I want the basic bike to be solid. The engine is usually a crap shoot since what I can afford is a China Girl 2 stroke and for the most part they are pretty much the same. Vendors may be different in support, etc., but the motors are very similar. Going with such a motor is viewed by some as thrifty and others as cheap and a waste of money. I see it as thrifty since the first motor is still running strong after more than a thousand miles. For what some call junk, I would say it has served me pretty well. Some think a coaster brake is junk. I like them, especially on vintage bikes. Add a front brake, ride sensibly and you're good to go. When you have good financial resources you tend to think of the best stuff... sure I'd like a shift kit and an sbp exhaust, a pk-8o maxed out, etc. But I can't afford it. So I do a little porting, adapt a pocket bike exhaust, use the best oil and spark plug I can within my budget. From my point of view that is being thrifty. We all want to think we are thrifty and not just cheap. I make my own gas tanks, head lights, tail and brake lights, rebuild vintage seats, strip and repaint all on a tight budget. Is a rattle can paint job "cheap"? It is compared to what a professional shop can do with a powder job. Doing almost everything yourself is what I call being thrifty, what others call being cheap since I'm not a professional at any of this. So, I don't know how exactly to respond to this thread. Cheap vs. thrifty is partly a point of view from where you are on the economic ladder and an expression of values. It is also a kind of balancing act doing what we can within the limitations of our financial resources. It doesn't matter if a four stroke with a shift kit is better than a china girl if you can only afford the China Girl. The person with money thinks you are being cheap and unwise, the person with only enough for the China Girl is thankful they are cheap and affordable else there would be no motor at all.
SB
 
I agree silver ;)

To put it another way;

Thrifty may include those that have the cash or not - but choose carefully what they spend it on, including parting with the hard-earned pennies for something of higher quality if they can't better it themselves. Cheap is always looking for the least expensive no matter what - to the detriment of the project.

Thrifty entails far more work & research, while always keeping the long term in mind as "cost" is more than just the now - cheap is doing the least for the least with only the now in mind...

The messed up thing is "cheap" always costs more in the long run o_O
 
While you may not be able to afford to do it right the first time, you will always find a way to do it over the second.


You may not always get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get.
 
I all think we are on the same page; price is not the dominate factor. I too live on a fixed income and appreciate the value of good & safe products at a attainable price.

Nothing wrong with inexpensive, as long as it is safe and will keep you from paying double later to right a bad decision, which isn't good economic sense. Beleive me, I have made such decisions and learning from mistakes.

I love 4 stroke set ups for the long haul, but I also love the look, options available & cost of the 2stroke. Making as many parts/components ourselves is one of the joys of the build & pride of doing it yourself. Money isn't the driving factor for this thread, just a food for thought when you are thinking about cutting corners that could get you seriously injured or worse.
 
Yeah, if you have to scrimp, I think the power dept is a good place.

Another point is this: cheap new MallWart bikes may look very similar to the bikes you see in a bike shop or even 20 yr old mid grade bikes (cheap on c'list), but they're not. It's what you don't see that's the problem; crappy bearings, weak stamped steel, low grade components, and brakes (oh my!) etc.

I feel a lot better about pickin' up a late 80's early 90's trek or specialized etc for $20 on c'list than any $100-$200 dept store bike!

Good to see some common sense. Also good to see that it doesn't seem hat I've heard of too many accidents since I started (considering the inherant dangers).

Cheers!
 
silverbear said:
So I do a little porting, adapt a pocket bike exhaust, use the best oil and spark plug I can within my budget. From my point of view that is being thrifty. We all want to think we are thrifty and not just cheap. I make my own gas tanks, head lights, tail and brake lights, rebuild vintage seats, strip and repaint all on a tight budget. SB
Click to expand...

A little ingenuity goes a long way, SB, Thats what I find so fun about this hobby. I start by using what I have in my supplies. Maybe its harder in the long run, but when it clicks theres a sense of pride in what you've accomplished. I want to do it all myself. Learn and do. The man who comes to you and drops $$$ on what you've built will have a solid end product, but no appreciation for the thought, love and work that went into it. Anyone can drop cash and assemble a bike from shelf parts. Not everyone can see a pile of scrap and engineer and build it into something that works. Not "Thrify or Cheap", but RESOURCEFUL.

Not that I'm broke and bitter about it....
...maybe a little...
:-||
 
It would appear that all of us are on the same page here. The whole thought process is just being spoken differently by each other. I agree with SB and Badax. There is a certain Pride that goes with building our rides there is no question about that, but there is a certain amount of "special pride" that stems from (Recycling if you will) creating something form junk. So that kinda goes with being both thrifty and cheap. If you have the funds there would be no need to be thrifty/cheap. On the other hand there is a real sense of "special pride" that stems from finding that diamond in the rough. Paying $20.00 for a 1920s era Indian. A wise man once said Money won is twice as sweet as money earned.

So the whole Thrifty vs. Cheap thing really boils down to Funds and Pride. At least it does in my Eyes but then again I am shortsighted. =)
 
I like to think of myself as thrifty, as I'm always looking for a "cheaper" price on a good deal.

I traded my son's old laptop for a 2006 Whizzer in good condition.dance1

Most of my project bikes are either Giant or Diamondback, for which I've paid $100, $125 and $160.

I bought a 1976 Huffy bike with non-running BikeBug engine for $35.

For cheap, you most times get what you pay for, or less.

For thrifty, you almost always get many times what you pay for.
 
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