Do you tell your partner everything....

[xpc316e]

I bought my last bike from an obliging LBS that specialises in the creation of spouse receipts. These can be carefully crafted to reflect the amount of agreed spend, and can then be left lying on the nightstand.

I also have so many bikes that she has literally lost count: I recently posted on FB some pictures of a bike I had just finished fettling, and was falsely accused of acquiring yet another bike. I explained that it was one bought last year (true) and that we had discussed it (true yet again); she remembered the conversation and proceeded to eat a sizeable portion of humble pie. I hope this will prevent future challenges!

I never question why a woman who already has a wardrobe full of handbags needs yet another one, so I am not worried about my cycling addiction.

 

[Melonfish]

for all my cycling stuff sure. she's happy as long as i'm happy getting it because she know's i'd only buy it if it was absolutely essential.
especially those gold plated dust caps.

 

[Cyclopathic]

If I were feeling vindictive and wanted to watch her trying to pretend to be interested I might bother her with every purchase.
On a more serious note we would both discuss any large purchase with each other, bike related or not because it has an effect on both of us in terms of remaining disposable dosh.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

new bikes are always trialled well in advance, usually with "I'll be selling the green/blue/white one" which while well-intentioned doesn't always happen, major upgrades notified on delivery, consumables and clothing are bought without a second thought to spousal approval.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Well, it all goes through the same accounts. So my lovely wife will always no.

We are not badly off these days so it's neither here nor there what either of us spend.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Of course we share the details of our spending! How can a marriage work other than in an atmosphere of complete honesty, glasnost and frankness?

Similarly, my wife shares all her retail truths with me. All her clothes and shoes and hats cost 'less than you'd think'. All her savings are 'more than you'd think'. That is enough for me.

Facials, manicures and massages take up to an hour and cost up to five ponds. Pricey, but worth it. Sometimes she pays over a fiver for a haircut, particularly if it involves colouring. I think this is money well spent. She looks lovely and it makes her happy.

She knows that I spend absurd amounts of money on shoes (£250 or more) but appreciates that I still regularly wear the ones I wore to our wedding twenty-plus years ago. My favourite veldtschoen are rather older and still going strong on their fourth set of heels and soles. They too cost a small fortune.

I have a big birthday looming and she said she might buy me an old car (Fiat nuova 500) or my dream bicycle. I remarked casually that the car would be cheaper and that was the end of the conversation. I'm getting a holiday instead.

But truly, the price of bicycle things is barmy. My 'best' bicycle cost a smidge over £1,000 four or five years ago. It is a delight of mid-range Campagnolo and mostly alloy bits. I could not love a £7,000 ego polisher any more and would just be afraid of scratching it.

I giggle at the number of threads I see where people ask how to keep bar tape clean or cover scratches... It's a bicycle.

Was that a rant or an essay? Anyway, it's over. Carry on.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Facials, manicures and massages take up to an hour and cost up to five ponds. Pricey, but worth it. Sometimes she pays over a fiver for a haircut, particularly if it involves colouring. I think this is money well spent. She looks lovely and it makes her happy.

Well definitely over a fiver for my Lass. Last time I think Cut/Colour/Highlights and the obligatory bag of "This Really Works" latest products came in at close to £150 - only 3-4 times a year so not too bad I guess.

 

[geo]

Yes/No. I am going to answer in the terms of do I discuss purchases with my partner, rather than do I tell her.

If I need new brake blocks, I need new brake blocks, if I need new tyres, I need new tyres, there is no discussion to be had, I won't invoke a discussion re should I or should I not purchase them, I will just do it, I won't do it secretly, I will do it as and when I feel like it, whether she is sat next to me, or whether I am at work on my lunch break.

If it is a major purchase, I may discuss this with my partner and ask her opinion. But she doesn't allow/disallow the purchases.

Exactly this for me too

 

[Hip Priest]

I wouldn't buy anything I couldn't afford, really. Currently I can only afford cheap bikes, so that's what I ride. If I went into thousands of pounds of debt for the sake of a flash road bike then she'd kick my arse and rightly so.

 

[ayceejay]

As we are trying real hard not to be totally sexist I'll up the ante and say that of the two (bikes and marriage) marriage is waay more expensive when you add up the cost of the curtains you had to buy because the old ones don't match the new carpet that you had to buy because the pattern on the old one was soo yesterday, etc.
But when it comes to riding I guess it's 50/50.

 

[Gary E]

As long as my next bike is a grey coloured Giant I've got nothing to worry about! I rode a Giant Escape flat barred Hybrid with a Garmin Edge 705 for a year and then bought a Giant FCR Road bike with drop handlebars and a Garmin Edge 800. It wasn't until after quite a few rides when we'd pulled up for a pub stop that my girlfriend said "it's funny, I'd always thought your bike was light grey, it's darker than I though" Priceless

 

[compo]

I ordered one of these supposedly super dupa bike lights last night as recommended by a number of people on here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200855315142?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649 I haven't mentioned anything to my other half yet, but then she hasn't mentioned the new coat she bought last week that I am not supposed to have noticed

 

[sabian92]

SWMBO in my house notices (and has in the past bought me jerseys and the like!) but she doesn't really know what stuff costs, and she doesn't have the inclination to go and find out (plus I just say I get all my stuff from Wiggle so I can use the "But I get British Cycling discount so it was cheaper plus it was on sale and there was only 2 left so I had to get it but it's not on sale anymore" line ).

I wouldn't go and buy an expensive bit of kit without telling her (or at least discussing it) as she'd go f**king mental if I spent 500 quid on a GPS or 1k on a new bike. Contrary to popular belief, she DOES notice if something is a different colour. She even notices when I change bar tape! I can't afford expensive kit anyway. I'm a student who's unemployed....

She does think my clipless pedals/shoes purchase was a waste though as she watched me potter down the road on my first attempt only for me to fall over after 30 feet. I got the "They're bloody useless you're stuck to the pedals so you fall over what if you forget to twist your foot and a bus runs you over" line. Needless to say due to the weather round here I haven't had a lot of chance to practice but still, It's my money so she can bugger off!

 

[theclaud]

As we are trying real hard not to be totally sexist

I hadn't noticed...

 

[compo]

Play the ladies at their own game. Never ever tell them how much something cost. Tell them how much you have saved buying the item now. "Look at my new cycling jacket, (fishing rod, mobile, or whatever), and I saved £25 in the sale".

Sorry ladies!