Is it possible to hide a new bike from your spouse? <help

synchronicity

I just put down a deposit on a new bike yesterday... it was calling to me from the local bike shop window for well over 6 months... my exact size, my preffered colour, discounted, you know how it is! I couldn't resist!!

Although the bad news is I've got this terrible feeling of dread for when by partner finds out. I bought it for £1730, so not cheap (but some people spend waaaaay more!! :P)

I'm wondering if my partner notices my bikes enough to know what brand + colours they all are. What's the take on this by other members? Do non-cyclists recognise individual bikes, or do they all look the same? The letters: P I N A R E L L O aren't exactly very understated.

I'm contemplating exiting the back-door for a few months once I get the bike, at the very least, when it enters the household, I'll have to sneek it in.

synchronicity

Oh... I forgot option #8:

reluctant submission: if you discover that she responds with something like option #7 & there's no way in the world you're allowed to keep it - flog it on ebay.

robmanic1

She'll know, they just do!

My mrs noticed I'd fitted some new grips the other week :shock: , I never knew she was taking an interest (I think she just likes to let me know she knows I've been spending).

I take it you don't smoke, or drink to excess, or visit the bookies everyday? This is the basis of you case for the defence.


Just front it, what's the worst that can happen (copyright Dr,Peppers 2006)?

ride_whenever

distract her with something shiney...

robmanic1

Tell her it was in the sale and you're actually saving money by buying it, this will confuse her enough to make good your escape.

robmanic1

.....or, tell her you bought it for her and when she finds it's too big for her to ride tell her that the shop operates a no-return policy so you'll have to keep it.

APIII

Unfortunately, years spent forcing my wife to sit through hours of tour de france, spring classics, etc. on eurosport, she is now fully clued up on the bikes they ride, so I have no chance of sneaking a new one through My last bike took four months to arrive - still not enough time for me to come clean about it. When it arrived, I had to hide it in my bike bag for a month before I'd convinced her it was a necessary purchase :oops: . I'm not proud of my actions, but presenting my new bike in xmas week wasn't an option :!:

beverick

My approach is between nonchelant and deceptive.

Providing that the new bike is a similar colour to an existing one she won't notice unless i get them both out at the same time.

The ploy would work.

As recently as June, she tried to get into a Vauxhall Vectra parked near my car "because it was blue, and estate and had "56" in the number plate.

Needless to say I don't have a Vectra......

Bob

will3

Why would you need to hide it? Are you ashamed? Surely not. Stand up for yourself man.

Bikerbaboon

if your married then its uin sickness and in health....... just explain that this is your sickness

ride_whenever

I have a disease...


I'm have chronic bike purchasing

Bronzie

Synchronicity wrote:

Is it possible to hide a new bike from your spouse?

Yes*
http://trekbikesuk.typepad.com/slicktai ... -wags.html

* - but if she finds it, boy are your nuts in peril :oops:

SCR Pedro

Hey there, I say you go on the attack, and attack hard.

If you earned the money, it's entirely up to you how you spend it. It's just that simple.

I know for certain that if I bought a new bike I would be justifying it to nobody. Also, if her indoors starts to nag you, just go out and ride for a couple of hours to get away from her.

Cheers
Pedro

andy_wrx

Bronzie wrote:

http://trekbikesuk.typepad.com/slicktails/2008/02/riders-wags.html

Ooof, the spelling & grammar !

I blaim the teechurs.

James Bushell

LOL, I had a similar dilema..

i Found it easier to buy her one.. Rockhopper PRO.. nice bike though..

at least that way she couldn't argue about my deposit on a Stumpjumper FSR Expert..

Collecting both on Monday. 8) . Cant wait..!!! Sleepless weekend, me thinks..!!

Doobz

pretend you allready have a Pinarello and keep saying - I am going out on my pinarello - when it arrives she will look at the writing and thing "ohh thats what he was going on about"

Unless she knows a tad about bikes and she secretly wants one herself.

You could try the honesty / reverse psychology method.

Sit down next to her and make the scene worse then it is.
Explain how you have done something really bad.. like really bad.. She will have horrible images in her head about you and the secretary at work or something. When you mention the bike she will LOL and go.. "Ohh you silly boy thats okay.. I thought you have been fu*#king Mavis from the office or some cheap hookers.. "

tiny_pens

A guy who I work with has the following plan:

He has been after a new carbon FS mountain bike for his collection. His plan is to give his old FS bike to his wife and ride around on his hard tail for a couple of months only to then declare that he really needs another FS bike so that he can buy the one he has been looking at.

Tiny Pens

giant_man

beverick wrote:

My approach is between nonchelant and deceptive.

Providing that the new bike is a similar colour to an existing one she won't notice unless i get them both out at the same time.

The ploy would work.

As recently as June, she tried to get into a Vauxhall Vectra parked near my car "because it was blue, and estate and had "56" in the number plate.

Needless to say I don't have a Vectra......

Bob

Ha ha! You got to leoove them haven't you? My bird got her Smart car sprayed the brightest pink available cos it's her fave colour ........ good grief!!

attica

How about going for the innocent "Who put THAT there?"
or "I'm looking after it for a friend while he gets his garage/shed rebuilt"

Bronzie

andy_wrx wrote:

Ooof, the spelling & grammar !

Just as well he flogs bikes for a living eh?!

BigG67

SCR Pedro wrote:

Hey there, I say you go on the attack, and attack hard.

If you earned the money, it's entirely up to you how you spend it. It's just that simple.

I know for certain that if I bought a new bike I would be justifying it to nobody. Also, if her indoors starts to nag you, just go out and ride for a couple of hours to get away from her.

Cheers
Pedro

Yep that's exactly what I do......honest.....I do.....I really really do......honest.......BTW anyone seen my knackers anywhere around here.... :shock:

BigG67

One of my mates only ever buys black or dark grey bikes. It usually causes enough confusion to keep him clean.

But lately his Mrs has stopped being tough on the spending, he reckons half the fun's now gone out of buying kit...

tjm

My approach is to agonise over it out loud. Discuss with her at length how you really want the bike, how much you would use it but that you know it is a bit frivolous and you shouldn't really be spending the money. Have all the brochures to hand and discuss in detail the pros and cons of the different bikes and how that affects the cost - act like you think she really cares and can help.

Do this for a few weeks at every opportunity - at the dinner table, when she watching something on the telly etc etc.

it isn't long before she gets fed up with it and lays down the law "do what you damn well like but stop going on about it.."
"Yes dear, whatever you say dear....."

biondino

Do you have any other expensive vices? We're all allowed some treats and luxuries, and if this is yours then I'm not sure she can complain. And if the new bike is even more likely to have you going out and getting fit and sexy, to her advantage, then where's the problem?

Or just lie about the price.

synchronicity

I can see I'm not the only one... all the responses here are just BRILLIANT! I feel that virtual masters are amongst us here.

If only I could somehow combine them all into the PERFECT response...

The trouble is:

- if I say it's for her, even though it's a size too big, she'll acknowledge it's a 'Homer present', take it anyway, thank me for it, then promptly sell it. :x

- all my other steeds are 100% black, this frameset is white.

I still have 2 months to decide... but I think I'll go for the "pretend nothings wrong" attitude. And I'll make sure that my legs are hiding the word "pinarello" when I take it out. *gulp*

Yes, luckily bikes are my only vice, and she wants me to get out & ride more, not less. That's my first or second source of ammunition... although I do have other bikes I could ride...

Let's face it, I'm dead meat.

I'm pretty sure that by hiding it, WHEN she finds out, that'll be two things I've done wrong... I could always say that it's another one of my rental bikes... hehehe...

LangerDan

1) Keep it at a mate's house. When you leave your house, head off on your old bike to your mates and swap. Reverse the swap on the way home.

2) Lie "Is that a new Pinarello?" "What - this old thing?"

3) Tell her you got it at 50% off. Its a widely know fact that anything at 50% off is, in fact, free as you have purchased it with the 50% you've just saved. With this line of logic, you can make a net profit on anything that is reduced below 50%. At 40%, you've saved 60% and you pay for the item with part of that 60% and still have 20% spare to buy more things.

Nuggs

My wife cycles so there's no way I could get away with it.

When I bought my bike, I bought her one too. That way everyone's a winner!

CHRISNOIR

Bronzie wrote:

Yes*
http://trekbikesuk.typepad.com/slicktai ... -wags.html

* - but if she finds it, boy are your nuts in peril :oops:

That's brilliant! Good effort, Bronzie, Sir!

ricadus

synchronicity wrote:

- all my other steeds are 100% black, this frameset is white.

Tell her you've had a near miss with a car recently and this white one is to ensure maximum visiblity during the dark winter mornings...

fast as fupp

a good beating is in order for an uppity wife-youll be doing her a favour

dennisn

My experience is that after many years of marriage I have somehow given over "ALL"
of "OUR" finances to the wife. While this may sound like a very bad idea, it is probably
for the best because she is able to actually save money, whereas I an an idiot in that
respect. If it was all up to me I'd have tons of bikes and no money for anything else.
With the wife doing it we have a few spare dollars for vacations and the like. I have
two bikes and 4 sets of wheels and I'm finding that it's enough. Can only ride one at a time. And I do like our ski vacations.

Dennis Noward