Many cycling enthusiasts spare no expense to build a set of professional riding gear. Some do it for the cool factor, but more often, as they grow familiar with the sport and their technical needs evolve, they continuously upgrade their bicycles. Wheelsets, gear-shifting systems, handlebars, frames, brakes... When top-tier components produced by world-leading manufacturers are assembled into one bike, it’s not unusual for the retail price to reach around 100,000 yuan.
Different Bikes
Different Styles
Beijing’s cycling community is divided into many clubs: mountain biking, downhill racing, road cycling—the type of riding determines the bike configuration.
Wang Mian is an avid mountain biker. In 2003, guided by a friend, he spent 5,000 yuan on his first mountain bike. “Back then, many people thought I was just trying to look cool. Non-cyclists thought I was showing off or wasting money. My family didn’t mind—it’s better to spend money on a bike than in an internet café. At least if the bike costs more, I’ll ride every day, which is good for my health,” Wang Mian said. At the time, he was purely curious and didn’t know much about bikes. As a teacher at a training school, he usually gave calm, composed lectures to students—but once on the bike, he became a completely different person.
“The friend who got me into this scene has always been into mountain biking, and I’ve stuck with it ever since. There’s a saying in the cycling world: you’re influenced by the company you keep. What your friends ride, you’re likely to ride too.” Since getting into cycling, Wang Mian has never strayed from mountain biking. They call those who ride mountain bikes on roads “mountain horses”—a joking term referring to using a mountain bike on pavement. This tongue-in-cheek phrase reflects their riding style: pure mountain off-road, meaning only riding mountain bikes in hills, dirt, or rugged terrain. “The better the mountain bike, the more advanced the suspension system—including frame rigidity, tire grip, pedals, and brakes—all designed for off-road use. Riding a mountain bike on the road doesn’t bring out any of its features—it’s a waste.”
Since joining the cycling scene, Wang Mian has been immersed in the mountain biking world for ten years. Over the decade, his bike has undergone constant upgrades: today a new wheelset, tomorrow a new crankset. With improving skills, his demands on the bike have grown. His current ride is valued at around 50,000 yuan. “Speed isn’t my main goal. I focus on technique—like tackling steep slopes, sharp turns, and continuous jumps over rough patches. That’s why my bike needs are different.” Every now and then, he also joins amateur races, but for him, competing is more about enjoying the thrill of cycling.
Wang Mian often visits the Cannondale bike shop at the southeast corner of Hongmiao intersection. This American brand sells GT and Cannondale bikes. The shop also attracts road cycling enthusiasts. Like Wang Mian with mountain biking, road bikers also find joy in the ride.
Out of Passion
Comes a Career
Chen Chao works at the TREK bike store in R&F City. Two years ago, he joined the cycling community and fell in love with road riding. Chen Chao leads a simple life. At 27, he maintains a healthy, regular routine—home, the shop, and the gym. Cycling and fitness are his two passions. “Three bottles of milk, two eggs, breakfast around 8 a.m., then I ride from Wangfujing to the shop in Shuangjing. Around 8 p.m., I hit the gym until 10, then ride home and sleep before 11.” Thanks to long-term road cycling and workouts, Chen Chao has well-developed muscles, though his lean, elongated physique makes him appear somewhat thin.
Chen Chao earns about 3,000 yuan a month. Since he lives with his parents, his salary serves as pocket money—and 99% of it goes to cycling. From gear to bike modifications, when his own funds run short, he asks his family for help. His parents fully support him. His first serious cycling bike cost around 5,000 yuan.
“At the beginning, there’s no need to buy an expensive bike. If you crash, it hurts more—and besides, you don’t need all the fancy features yet. Your standards for bikes gradually get higher.” Aside from the bike itself, Chen Chao also has a full set of cycling gear: helmets over a thousand yuan, cycling jerseys, shorts, and shoes ranging from 3,000 to 5,000 yuan, plus eyewear. His complete gear set costs around 10,000 yuan. “If you’re into downhill or serious mountain biking, your gear might be even more and pricier. But the bikes themselves are similarly priced. When we ride, we always wear helmets. In case of an accident, protecting your head is crucial—it helps you stay conscious, and even if you can’t move, you can still talk.”
Too Nice to Ride
On the Streets
“Many of us cyclists own two or three bikes. The one for our main discipline is the most expensive and best quality. The others are for fun, casual rides, or commuting. The bike I use for races? I’d never dare ride it on the road. It’s way too dangerous—not to mention how easily it gets scratched. No one wants that.” Lao An, a veteran road cyclist, told us. He once rode his race bike on the street and repeatedly got “ambushed” by electric scooters or wrong-way vehicles. Once on Chang’an Avenue, an elderly woman on a scooter clipped him, snapping a 5,000-yuan wheel.
“She didn’t mean it, and I can’t ask her to pay. But it’s just so annoying—some people swerve near you and might scratch your bike.” Lao An said gear damage is at least fixable, but injuries aren’t something money can fix. “That’s why our riding is fundamentally different from normal commuting. We often test or train in quiet areas or dedicated training grounds, even for speed trials.”
“With mountain bikes, you often ride on rough terrain, so falling is common—sometimes you don’t even remember how you broke a bone. But with road bikes, you’re usually on smoother roads, so falls are rarer. But when they happen, they’re usually accidents or just reckless riding.” Lao An said beginners are often cautious, but once they gain some skill, some get overconfident. “The fastest I’ve gone was down a huge slope in Fangshan. I hit around 70 km/h. But that’s after over a decade of riding. A few times, I went out with club friends, and some newbies tried to chase me. I struggle uphill, but my downhill skills are solid. Those kids ended up crashing from taking turns too fast. Luckily, trees lined the trail or it could’ve been really bad.”
The Heart of the Bike
Is the Frame
Wang Peng from the TREK bike shop explained that many bikes are made overseas. Labor abroad is more expensive, and these brands are reluctant to share core tech with China. Add tariffs, and bikes with foreign core tech are pricey. Cheaper bikes and parts are often made in Chinese factories.
“The bike’s core is the frame—aluminum, steel, carbon… Among these, carbon frames are usually the most expensive because most are handmade. How strong they are depends on the brand’s craftsmanship.” Wang Peng said domestic brands can make carbon and carbon-fiber parts, but often can’t match the strength or design of foreign products. The priciest domestic frames range between 80,000 and 100,000 yuan.
“Beyond materials, differences mostly come down to design—what angles suit different riders, crank size, brake systems (oil or cable)—foreign brands have more experience balancing these factors. Over time, that shows in comfort and energy efficiency, especially for skilled riders. Everyday bikes don’t need such high-end specs. Add tariffs and brand value, and you get bikes costing over a hundred thousand yuan.”
Wang Peng said a more expensive bike isn’t always better. For commuting or casual riding, there are plenty of great options. If you develop specific needs later, you can invest in pricier gear or bikes.
Wang Peng said that buying an expensive bike isn’t necessarily the right choice. For commuting or casual riding, there are plenty of options, and if you gradually develop more specialized needs, it’s not too late to consider purchasing higher-end accessories or bikes.