Why can this hobby be so damn expensive......

[Fifelad]

My excuse is our diverse weather and the clothing needed to cover winter, spring/autumn, and summer. For example did a sportive on Saturday and decided not to wear overboots as although chilly, thought they might make things too warm later and then no place to store them as they are bulky..but didnt have lighter overboots for spring type conditions so went without, then got cold feet... afterwards, I duly ordered a pair of toe warmers.I think you need 2 of everything one on one in the wash.I need another pair of 3/4 bib shorts and another mesh underlayer and that should be me done... You also find you need new things as you go along my seat pack is ok for 2 inner tubes and tyre levers but not a multi tool too...so bigger one needed and so it goes on.....

 

[Matthew_T]

I dont have any money to spend on my bike. But I seem to be spending it anyway (parents arent too happy). I am getting student finances in september so will have a bit more money to splash out on a nice shiny carbon commuter.

 

[Boris Bajic]

It's expensive for the same reason as most sports. People with more money than sense who are willing to pay these stupidly extortionate prices. As long as people want to pay the money the shops will continue to push up prices. I paid £2:50 today for two little round plastic plugs to go into the ends of my new handlebars. A more sensible value should have been somewhere around 25p each. Because I paid it the shop will feel justified charging it. If enough people refused to pay the prices then what would happen?

Then they'd all be riding around without bar-end plugs.

On a serious note, I use the old ones when I re-tape, so even though I'm tight enough to re-use tape where possible, I still have billions of bar-end plugs in a nice assortment of colours.

It doesn't need saying here that matching, co-ordinated or team-colour bar-end plugs are a bad thing.

I also have squillions of thos short lengths they put in the box to go round the lever bottoms. My taping 'method' does without that little snippet, so in about another six years I'll have enough of them for a whole set of bars....

 

[Graham1426]

I know where your coming from, i purchased my new Cube Agree GTC in Feb this year, and upgraded the wheels in April.So i reckon with clothing, accessories ect ect i have had my wallet relieved to the tune of 2 grand +

But so much enjoyment from this "Addiction" i wouldn't care if i had spent double.

 

[RAYMOND]

Look at it like this :- some idiots i mean people spend
£50 plus every week just to watch men kick a football around

 

[flying start]

Yes it's so dam expensive I spent £2000 last month on upgrading a bike that cost me £1300 to buy new but it's what sport I'm into
And now looking to buy a giant rapid so that's another £600 plus upgrades BUT I'm having fun, I don't smoke ,have no kids and don't need to pay for car insurance! Just don't think about it lol!

 

[jdtate101]

Just got my Dogma, so I've just had a major walletectomy. Still I won't end up paying for this, rather the silly driver who pulled out on me and caused my last bike to be a write off, will. I know what you mean though, it's damn addictive this cycling lark.

 

[Trembler49]

OK I know it doesn't have to be and you can get by on a budget but I just seem to be forever spending out.

It really seems that not a week goes by where I don't spend out on something cycling related even if it just something totally innoccuous such as £2 in the pint jug to help pay for the tea and cake at the club house, a cycling magazine, water bottle or an energy bar right the way through to a new bike for another purpose such as a MTB or a commuter.

Just this very morning I have purchased some clip on aero bars.

I have been cycling over two years and you would have thought that by now I would have most bases covered but no my wish list seems to expand not contract. I have lost a lot of weight cycling and now my cycling apparel rivals in number my normal apparel. I have a thermal under layer and am now looking at a short sleeve and a long sleeve version. I own more than enough cycling tops and shorts to last me quite a while, why am I considering club kit. What is that all about.

Is it just me? am I marketing man mutton? am I trying to make up for a lack of love in my childhood?

Will it ever end???

To be blunt, no. There is no escape (other than death, serious injury or abject poverty).

 

[DCLane]

Oddly, when I last rode a bike properly in 1992-1996 I never spent on the bike, except to buy it s/hand at £50 and then another at £80 in 1996 which I hardly then used. I can't remember a puncture or any sort of maintenance since all it was was a commuter for a 2 mile each way ride on a path.

This time

Purchase of bike. Purchase of clothing. More clothing. More parts. Maintenance and servicing. More bikes. New wheels. More clothing. More servicing. etc. etc. etc.

 

[GetAGrip]

Oddly, when I last rode a bike properly in 1992-1996 I never spent on the bike, except to buy it s/hand at £50 and then another at £80 in 1996 which I hardly then used. I can't remember a puncture or any sort of maintenance since all it was was a commuter for a 2 mile each way ride on a path.

This time

Purchase of bike. Purchase of clothing. More clothing. More parts. Maintenance and servicing. More bikes. New wheels. More clothing. More servicing. etc. etc. etc.

So true! So true! We bought the bikes, we rode the bikes....occasionally, we bedded the bikes down in the garage to rest....a lot.
Apart from an enthusiastic wash and blow dry when new, I don't remember any of the love ins that go on in the privacy of our own garage now

 

[IanT]

you have confused a hobby with an addiction. Train spotting is a hobby, cycling is an addiction.

I knew it was an addiction for me when my mate asked me to help him find a decent MTB for under a grand..........and I did.......and then I bought one for myself to replace my old one.......which was to become a 'commuter'.......alongside my old Carerra Road bike 'commuter'!!!

The wife was beginning to notice the increased cycle-related expenditure.......until she too became an addict (it's easily done). One new MTB and a new roadie later, she comes home with cycling mags and whenever we pass a bike shop we both end up inside it looking for 'essentials' - such as new Gore Bib Shorts / new Altura Night Vision Jackets / Sunglasses....... the list goes on!!

But, hey, as addictions go, it's undoubtedly one of the very best.

 

[defy-one]

i have just spent near enough £50 at Stows - bought lock on grips, bottle carrier/bottle, and some padded gloves - nearly went for a cycling jersey (my first), but thought better of it. Dangerous place to be when you take up a old/new hobby :-)
there and back - 9.4 miles - happy? - you bet!!

 

[Xiorell]

I think some of it makes a difference. Since getting a half decent road bike to replace my "just starting out" hybrid, spending a few quid on cycling kit has made the experience much more enjoyable than if I'd spent an extra few hundred on a higher end bike (I say after now having tried out some much more expensive bikes).
Just all my kit matching my bikes colour scheme makes me feel good, having proper, well fitting jerseys and shorts etc.

Doesn't mean I'm not constantly looking at additional kit but deep down I know 90% of it will make 0% difference now to the overall package

 

[MattHB]

If you love it and can afford it, then do it youd spend everything you can on the love of your life... No one should judge you if that love is 2 wheeled

 

[SoloCyclist]

I reckon I save about £5 each day I cycle to work. So by my reasoning my cycling is almost self financing. I don't drink too often, don't go to the football, don't smoke, don't have gym fees. But I do have a terrible addiction for shiny things and must haves. I tend to see the value in everything.

p.s I almost never pay rrp. If I see something I really want I'll wait till I get it for a bargain. My Sidi shoes this week are great and I only paid £150 (30 commutes). I've wanted them for ages. Almost too nice to wear outside.