Hiding it from the wife

chuckcork

OK, I don't, I'm up front and honest with her, but does anyone else out there done the sums of their favourite sport and means of getting to work, and uttered an expletive?

I've just added up what I've spent since the start of November last year, and with money spent in Euro added to £ at a conversion rate of 1.25 , I get what seems an extremely high figure of €3,066, and thats not including £800 spent on a new bike! At a total of 10,000 km since them it works out at around 30c/km, compared to 16c/km for the bus.

OK, some of that "minor expenditure" was big hit items, like the €700 or so spent on the hub dynamo and Schmidt lights, more on a Brookes saddle, work stand, books,club gear etc. And I've lost around 8kg in the process and sleep well at night, and I can explain a lot of the expense away as one off costs, but its like an architect explaing why his design is 30% more expensive than industry standard, and not sounding all that convincing in the process.

Is it just me and my spendthrift approach, a desire to have the best, or the consequence of becoming a reasonably long distance commuter at 28 miles a day, plus club cycling, and having a high level of setup cost as a result?

girv73

Most of your costs there look to be setup costs that won't be repeated. Maybe you should look at what your annual spend likely to be, excluding big hits like new bikes ? Or calculate an average annual cost over the next five years possibly including a new bike.

How does your spend compare to getting started in other sports or even non-sporty hobbies? Is 3000EUR really so bad?

How much fuel / transport costs have been (or will be) saved?

Can you put a price on the fun and fitness you've gained ?

I've had some costs recently to get set up for commuting (new bike, accessories, clothes) which have worried me much like I think you're worried, but now I'm established there's little else to buy. I'm looking at the average spend over the long term and I find it much easier to swallow that way.

Bassjunkieuk

I have the same thing, the wife often reminds me that I'm always wanting for something for the bike :-) As girv73 said tho most of these items I want (I say need!) are setup items.
I think the wife worked out that the total cost's for my bike and the accessories over the last year have come to £400-500 and this accounts for the fact that my parents paid £250 of the £325 price for my bike last December!

The expensive items so far have been new tyres (£38 for 2 Schwalbe Marathon +'s is a bargain - the old one's where puncturing regularly), some decent Pearl Izumi cycle shorts,mainly brought in preparation for my 60 mile charity ride as they had better padding then the halfords bargain ones! Also got a new cycle computer and various tools for maintanance. I haven't tried asking about the new wheels I'd like yet and still have a service to pay for!

At the end of the day tho for me the saving's on commuting are off put by the fact that I can get my car mileage and bus/train fare back from my employer so I'm not really saving any money by cycle commuting vs. car or PT. What I do save tho is time and huge stress levels, which for me makes all the expense worth it!

BigJimmyB

The 16c per mile on the bus won't get you fit and out doing what you obviously enjoy.

That would be justification enough, but as has also been said, a lot of set-up costs there.

The first year is always the most expensive (unless you get a new bike every year!)

karl j

Compared to OH's expenditure on shoes and hairdo's (how can anyone spend £60 on a haircut ? :shock: ) my cycling costs pale into insignificance.

DonDaddyD

My expenses (rounded up but not including delivery costs etc) since August 2008 (basically a MONTH!):

£370 on Giant SCR 3

£30 on Limar 575 helmet

£31 on Gloves, cycle top, padded shorts

£75 on Shimano R085 SPD-SL shoes and Shimano 105 pedals

£20 on Floor/track pump

£30 on innertubes (oh yes before I bought the tyres below, the tyres that came with the bike would puncture daily!)

£75 on GP4000s tyres

£32 on second cycle top and shorts

£32 on Northwave Jersey

£15 on Catseye back light - the light scrolls like the light on Knightrider a must have....

£40 in Lidl on Cycle computer, cycle pants, top and coat

Cost of enjoying the ride to and from work and scalping all other commuters in my way? PRICELESS

il_principe

I'm far too ashamed to post my expenditure for the last 12 months - that time includes 2 new bikes for starters. Still cheaper than owning and running a car though.

ride_whenever

God, the last year,

456: 1500
Scott: 350
Pompino: 250 (got some extras)
Orange P7 for GF: 350
selaskins: 40
tyres+tubes: 100
pump: 30
saddle bag: 15
tools: 20
bag: 40
Pedals: 75


£2770 :shock:

But i couldn't care less! Money well spent

2wheelzgood

oH jees. no I am not addin git up.
I am selling my mtb as I've just bought another new bike just under 2 years after the mtb.

Busses must be cheap in Cork, fella. £4 a day here so it's even cheaper to go by car.

As has been said though, cycling daily esp the miles you do, cuts down on time and money needing (?) to be spent on gyms and other sports... as long as you like having a disproportionately fit lower body vs top half!

At the end of the day, I find that I end up spending my "spare" cash. So if I spend it on something I love and helps me a bit to keep fit, it's all good.
It helps that my gf loves bikes too (and that we don't have a joint account.. yet)

Littigator

errrrm,
one Specialized Allez road bike
one carbon frame, full dura ace fit out and fulcrum 3 wheels
one single speed bike
replacement saddles x2 switching from factory ones (n.b. one Spec Gel Toupe for sale make me an offer)
x3 shorts
x3 jerseys
track pump
misc tools
x4 Mich Pro3s
many many many inner tubes until I switched to pro 3s, but will switch over to GP4000s for the winter

The list goes on and on, but still apart from the big bike purchases, generally a consistent trickle which still beats paying over £100 a month for a travelcard and sitting on the tube with my face in someone else's armpit

lost_in_thought

Actually, until some mofo stole me bike and all the kit on it, I was doing pretty well!


1x Gollum bike = £269.50
1x pannier rack = £25
2x pannier bags = £50
1x set of SPD pedals = £13
1x brake = £25
1x brake lever = £22

And I cunningly don't count my sports gear other than

2x cycling shorts £30.


Total: £460

But now I have to buy it all (apart from the bags and the shorts) again

:evil:

il_principe

Littigator wrote:

The list goes on and on, but still apart from the big bike purchases, generally a consistent trickle which still beats paying over £100 a month for a travelcard and sitting on the tube with my face in someone else's armpit

It is though isn't it! My colleagues are always commenting as I seem to receive at least 2 cycling realted packages a week... This week has seen a set of GP4000S Force /Attack tyres, Swrve jeans and shorts, a cap and some bar plugs. New chainring on order as well as some new wheels and a rather lovely ENO 16T freewheel. I just cannot stop. In fact between this and my last post I have won an ebay auction for some Pinarello socks to go with my pinarello bibs, jersey and gloves... now all I need is a white or red or black Pinarello cap.

Arrgghhhh I have a problem; at least I can admit to it though... :oops:

Littigator

JB you really are quite liderally pinarello bonkers mate!

Bike-tastic!

lost_in_thought

http://www.prendas.co.uk/details.asp?ID=1906

My god, it's a whole site filled with jashburnham-style caps!

DonDaddyD

lost_in_thought wrote:

Actually, until some mofo stole me bike and all the kit on it, I was doing pretty well!


1x Gollum bike = £269.50
1x pannier rack = £25
2x pannier bags = £50
1x set of SPD pedals = £13
1x brake = £25
1x brake lever = £22

And I cunningly don't count my sports gear other than

2x cycling shorts £30.


Total: £460

But now I have to buy it all (apart from the bags and the shorts) again

:evil:

Oh my god you PAID for the Gollum bike???

I always thought it was given to you or came into your possession somehow... seriously.

chuckcork

I try and use the justification of "setup costs" but even I'm not totally convincing myself...somehow the missus buys it.

Just doing my winter shop now, so the past week has seen me buy:

£30 - 10x1m Scotchlite to cover the bike and everything else with reflective bits (no street lighting for 14km of my cycle home and the nights are drawing in)
£117 - a new Gore Phantom jacket, summer gloves and arm warmers
£360 - new helmet to replace my 3 year old one
£20 - new winter gloces, coz the old ones were cr@p
£28 - new hood, because at -1C the head gets cold and balaclava's aren't any good
£20 - new warm hat when it gets below 10C, to give me a spare for the wash
£18 - chain wear checker, because its cheaper to replace a chain but not that cheap to do when it doesn't need to be done
£14 - extension bracket becuase there's neverenough room on the bars.

I also have in my collection....
1 pair SPD shoes
1 pair SPD winter boots
2 pair shoe covers (winter and summer)
1 cycle jacket (warm to 4C in the rain/sleet)
2 pair padded shorts
2 pair bib shorts
11 jerseys of various colour and age
2 pair amfib tights (v. good in winter in the rain)
2 pair leg warmers (barely used)
2 pair arm warmers (barely used but that will change)
winter gloves (no gel pads, barely used)
2 pair summer gloves
more bike tools than I can count, including a repair stand
more pumps than I can find
old wheels that have been replaced since by newer ones. Still some life in them though
dynamo hub wheel with cermic rims, 2 schmidt e6 lights and tailight
numerous battery powered LED lights
numerous cycle computers
Brookes saddle for longer rides
Minoura bottle holders for longer rides to get me 4 bottles on bike
Brookes saddlebag for food etc on Audax rides (useful for carrying clothing in)
Spare tyre
Numerous spare tubes with various numbers of patches
Carridice panniers (not be used at present)
Vaude backpack for commuting

and of course:

1 audax bike - steel frame (v.nice)
1 road bike - aluminium (bit rough on the local roads but have been using it for commuting)
1 folding bike - for when the train comes next year
1 city bike - haven't ridden since moving to Ireland

I think that just about covers it.

Problem is in cycling every day I need at least 2 of everything just so I can get one set in the wash/drying out without having to dry it to wear it next day, and riding and wearing and washing at the rate I do I just wear things out, plus its nice to have nice gear for comfort alone if nothing else.

And the look upon people's faces when I tell them I cycle 14 miles each way to work....INCREDULOUS.

biondino

In any calculation of this kind you can basically write off the amount it would cost to join your local gym, just over £40/month in my case. So that's £1,000 over 2 years that you can with all justification take off your spend. Unless, of course, you're a member of a gym as well.

chuckcork

biondino wrote:

In any calculation of this kind you can basically write off the amount it would cost to join your local gym, just over £40/month in my case. So that's £1,000 over 2 years that you can with all justification take off your spend. Unless, of course, you're a member of a gym as well.

Not having to join a gym that I won't go to in any event is a key part of my excuse, even my non-cycling missus recites it as one benefit of cycling.

On the downside I had a visit to Lidl recently and had to do a non-cycle spend on a hole punch that could go through leather...I was losing enough weight my belts had no notches left to tighten them and the trousers were getting too loose and heading south ! :oops:

pst88

Well just checking Wiggle shows I've spend £698.61 with them in the last year. I've spend £350 on one bike and £300 on another, plus several hundred in my LBS so I reckon I've spent a good £1800+ in the past year. The mrs has no idea it's this much. She caught a glimpse of my credit card bill the other day and was amazed i'd spent £100 in one trip to the LBS. Lucky she didn't see the other few hundred I'd spent there and on Wiggle on the same bill. It's my money, I do what I want!

Although I save £600 on travel a year by taking the bike so that helps towards the total expenditure. I can't use the argument I save money not going to the local gym because I'm a member of that too!

squired

Thankfully I don't have a wife so there is no-one to justify any expenditure to anyone. Of course any woman will spend money on cosmetics, shoes and handbags, plus the latest horrific fashion item and will probably put most male bike expenditure to shame.

SmellTheGlove

chuckcork wrote:

1 folding bike - for when the train comes next year

Am I reading the Cork railway timetable here..?

I thought the Tube was bad.

chuckcork

SmellTheGlove wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

1 folding bike - for when the train comes next year

Am I reading the Cork railway timetable here..?

I thought the Tube was bad.

Link to the rail company website http://www.irishrail.ie/projects/glount ... ailway.asp , its a rebuild of an old line that had been left to rot for the last 20 years.

The parent company is CIE which hates bikes for some reason, they state that they only allow folders on their trains, and only bikes in bags on their buses (bikes not in bags incur a €11 fee).

Should have held out for a Dahon Speed Pro (would have been interesting to see the faces on a sunday club ride!) but have a Speed TR Instead, will use it on the really crap days in winter when I don't feel up to battling the weather for an hour each way.

chuckcork

I think I've found the way of measureing my expenditure, which is to set the rate of expense against my leisure rides.

Allowing for riding to work to be an offset against what would otherwise be the bus, I've worked out that my leisure riding (that I've logged) comes in at €53.54 a ride.

If I reduce that rate then the health and fitness aspect is getting cheaper all the time.... :P

dafruk

That all sounds rather technical. I worked out a perfect way of working it out.

Money in > money out, fine
Money out > money in, spending too much on bikes.

singlespeedexplosif

I've spent over 3k on cycling in the past 10 days. And it was all because my mrs said I should. genius.
I can only assume that she's either having an affair or there's a stash of Jimmy Choos somewhere in the house that I don't know about.

jedster

£360 - new helmet to replace my 3 year old one

Well booger me! What does a helmet do for £360 quid? Does it have a head up display, integral video camera and a spare brain? We should be told!

J

snooks

Bassjunkieuk wrote:

At the end of the day tho for me the saving's on commuting are off put by the fact that I can get my car mileage and bus/train fare back from my employer so I'm not really saving any money by cycle commuting vs. car or PT.

You can claim back 20p/mile....the Tax man says so...

http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/senew/SE31240.htm

SCOTT325SE

I dont put a financial value on my commuting! I ride back and forth to work on my favourite bike....
Giant TCR Carbon
SRAM Red/Force mix
Zipp 404 Tubs
Tufo Tyres,
Carbon seatpost etc etc etc.
The bike is £4k worth but riding keeps me healthy.
I could spend trebble what my bike costs and I still wouldnt regret it - You cant put a price tag on your well-being.

Dustine

Well, i sold my car in February, and it had been MOT and insurance-less for the 18 months prior to that. Given that the RAC reckon to a car costing £8500 per year to run (including depreciation), and more realistically, my car costing £3500+ per year to run, im quids in after 5 years of daily commuting, even with the spending on bikes and bits. Plus all those other things that have been mentioned, including weight loss and a de-stressing at the end of every day...

m0scs

Ok here goes

Spec Epic
Lupine headlight
Cateye rear light
3 different sets of tyres
2 pumps big and small
2 long sleeve tops
3 summer tops
4 pairs of lycra shorts
3 pairs of lycra leggings
2 waterproof jackets
4 different types of gloves.
2 water bottles
camalbak
Pollar HRM
3 different sets of peddles
2 pairs of clipless shoes
Various tools
other stuff I cant even remember.
2 helmets
3 different pairs of sunglasses

OUCH!

If I put a price on this lot I would have a heart attack. Well actually I wouldnt cos my heart is so fit from all the cycling I do.