There are some brands of bicycles that can cost more than the down payment on a car. Why? Surely making a bike lightweight and reliable isn’t so difficult that it warrants that price? Is it just the brand name or maybe it has to do with customization options?
One of my favorite episode of Top Gear was when the boys went to Africa and brought used cars for a thousand pound [UK] then drove them across the continent without many mishaps. They pointed out that there were people in London / New York City who brought high end SUVs to handle six inches of snow on a paved road.
Pavement princess
I live in a neighborhood full of them. The funniest thing is when there’s a heavy snowfall and you see the same beast buried and unmoving for weeks.
That’s something of a point, but they’re also followed around by a literal caravan of assistants for their show, including mechanics and a van full of parts, just in case anything goes wrong.
Did they encounter 6 inches of snow in Africa?
No, just a thin salt crust over deep mud:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear:_Botswana_Special
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makgadikgadi_Pan