Parents against spending £££s on a MTB ?
ElvisPresley
Posts: 37
I told my parents that i am going to purchase a MTB. I have been told that i am stupid for even considering spending money on a bike.
I am just wondering if anyone else on here has come up against this type of resistance from their parents or from anyone else?
ThankYouVeryMuch
I am just wondering if anyone else on here has come up against this type of resistance from their parents or from anyone else?
ThankYouVeryMuch
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Comments
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Get it all the time.
I just tell them it is my money and will never forgive them if they don't let me get it.
If that doesn't work then I tell them I NEED it and if that doesn't work then I just keep pestering them untill they give in.
Now I just need to say, I need you to order me something, where is it and have you got the money
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I remember getting a skateboard in 1989, I think it was - I'm 31 now! I got it for Christmas, but it wasn't the one I wanted. The one I wanted was 'too expensive for a phase that 'd grow out of in a few months...'
I'm yet to grow out of that phase, and I still want that skateboard. Ha. Only I would have to pay 5 times the price for it now, being a collectors item 'n' all.0 -
Hell yes, I'm 29 and I still get the "HOW much money have you spent?" business!
I don't think it ever ends, a friend of mine turned 50 this year, and he STILL gets it off his mum for buying gadgets, motorcycles and so on!0 -
yeehaamcgee wrote:Hell yes, I'm 29 and I still get the "HOW much money have you spent?" business!
I don't think it ever ends, a friend of mine turned 50 this year, and he STILL gets it off his mum for buying gadgets, motorcycles and so on!
That's very true. I had endless lectures from my mother when I bought the car I have now. And I have to find the best angle to tell the GF what I'm buying for my bike, and explain repeatedly the necessity of it...0 -
if you give a bit money to mum, to go towards shopping each week it usually helps 0
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peter413
If I had kids like you I'd lock them in the cellar
At the end of the day, it depends whose money it is. If it's money that they've given you to save for uni etc then fair enough. But if you're working and paying a bit of rent then you can do what you want. Parents will always err on the side of saving though, it's their job to be sensible 0 -
easiest tactic is to get the mum / wife / GF / etc into the hobby in question
with both my expensive gearhead hobbies (MTB & archery) ive got my wife into them as well so when stuff ive mysteriously ordered is delivered she knows what it is and understands what it does - thats half the battle against the 'you spent how much on that ?!? ' question won
(the other half is to buy her something shiny for her bike / bow every so often to keep things sweet)
heehee
slainte rob 0 -
There's a lot worse things to "waste" money on than something you really enjoy. People who don't understand that probably don't have hobbies themselves.0
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asdfhjkl wrote:There's a lot worse things to "waste" money on than something you really enjoy. People who don't understand that probably don't have hobbies themselves.
Aye. Tell them you're spending all your money on drugs and half your mates are doing heroin. They'll soon buy you a bike themselves.
..or lock you in your room.0 -
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bigbenj_08 wrote:Explain to them that its either a MTB or knives/asbo's/alcohol/drugs.
why is that an either or?"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
nicklouse wrote:bigbenj_08 wrote:Explain to them that its either a MTB or knives/asbo's/alcohol/drugs.
why is that an either or?
lol very true.0 -
mine just let me buy what i want as i earned the money from paper round. they don't mind as i don't spend it on knives, alchocol, drugs etc.
when wanting to buy mtb protection say e.g with goggles "do you want me half blind for the rest of my life" or with body protection "do you want me to have organ problems" etc. etc.0 -
bigbenj_08 wrote:nicklouse wrote:bigbenj_08 wrote:Explain to them that its either a MTB or knives/asbo's/alcohol/drugs.
why is that an either or?
lol very true.
just dont tell them about the knives, drugs and alcohol."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
With my first getting back into MTB (I was 30 though) it was more a case of 'Are you sure, it's a lot to spend if you don't keep doing it..' now it's a case of 'Stop worring about it, if you want it get it you don't have to justify it, you pay your way and have the money etc..' Oh and the fact my healthier lifestyle is far better than the 'party' lifestyle I had helps.
The ex gf on the other hand was a different story, hence the 'ex'. :roll:
If it's your own money and you don't have anyone else to support, then just do it anyway.-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_
Mongoose Teocali
Giant STP0
Why are MTB economics; spend twice as much as you intended, but only half as much as you wish you could afford? :roll:0 -
Once it's your own money, it's a different matter, but most parents willl recoil at some of the prices of decent kit at first.
I have three sons and a daughter, my daughter is not remotely interested, but my sons may well be when they get older. I am prepared for an expensive layout if they are, but I would sooner have them investing their time and energy into something worthwhile, which is also health beneficial, than lots of other possible alternatives they could be considering. If not, and they want to pursue other sporting interests, then that is also fine.
That said, my eldest son is leaning more towards football, which I don't really have an interest in, but if that's what he wants to do then I will fully support him. If your children show an interest in sport rather than loitering on street corners etc., then I think it should be encouraged.
Try to explain to your parents the healthy lifestyle benefits of the sport as well as it being an interest that will make you happy and keep you out of mischief . Offer to contribute to the costs by doing chores etc. around the house to show them how keen you are (bloody hell, I've turned into an old man!).
And, as a general rule, most of the people involved in cycling turn out to be pretty decent people. We're not a bad group as a rule, and you'll discover that great camaraderie exists within the sport.
I am also so lucky to have the wife that I have because she fully encourages me regarding the biking, and she always has. I've built two bikes this year, and she's already asked me what I'm building next :shock: . Mind you, I gave her the last bike I built, so perhaps she's after another!
We've all been there and done the partying to excessive degress, but I very rarely drink at all nowadays, and I'd sooner be spending a few quid on the kids, and biking, than beer (here comes the old man again). She knows it's my interest and she fully encourages me...to go out on the bike for hours on end (wait a minute! :? ).0 -
still get some grief - but overall lots of support from wife & parents
Worst one was buying a westfield with aero screen - the wife & parents were together on hating it!0 -
I'm pretty fortunate that my dad had been riding for 15 years before I started so mtbing has always been in the family. My rents bought my first bike then helped me with a few things on my first custom build. Now I'm earning money and starting a gap year in July they pretty much said I can do what the hell I want with the money I earn. If it's your money they can disaprove but not really stop you.0
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ElvisPresley wrote:I told my parents that i am going to purchase a MTB. I have been told that i am stupid for even considering spending money on a bike.
I am just wondering if anyone else on here has come up against this type of resistance from their parents or from anyone else?
ThankYouVeryMuch
dude, my folks still rag me for the money I spend on bikes ... I'm 40Everything in moderation ... except beer
Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer
If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
... or being punched by it, depending on the day0 -
I needed a little extra to get mine so my dad coughed up. Get it, look after it, use it to get fit and healthy. Argument over.
My rents were just glad I had stopped drinking my savings.0 -
I am 39 and my mum is glad that I got back into mtbing 2 years ago but she goes on abit about the cost of it all. I made the mistake of taking my new good bike with me on a visit and she looked at it the said something along the lines of "thats not the same one as last year". I waited, but there wasnt a tut tut. and she did get me a camelbak Mayhem for xmas
fly like a mouse, run like a cushion be the small bookcase!0 -
My dad is fine with it, he knows it's not a cheap sport and is interested himself.
My mum knows I spend money on MTB stuff but I don't tell her how much When I told her I have just over £450 of parts lying in my bedroom + £600 in the garage she nearly fainted She thinks bikes should cost no more than £100-150.... :roll: 0 -
And I though it was just me (at 32) that got 'how much?!!!' questions off parents when they find out how much I spend on bikes and gear. The fact that I get Wiggle/CRC/Ribble/Rapha et al to deliver to my parents address in bulk just before I'm due a visit back to the UK makes things worse. My dad always insists on opening the boxes 'just to check nothing's damaged'!!
Anyway back to the OP's question. I dropped about 600 quid on a Gary Fisher Aquila in '94. I saved up with my £17.25/day Saturday job wages, so at the end of the day it was my money that I had earnt. My mum and dad were not totally against it but did question spending so much. Seeing as I used my bike to commute into Manchester to do the job and my old Apollo road bike was in need of a new drivetrain, I had a strong case for a good quality, reliable bike and like others have said, my parents were happier seeing me have both a hobby and mobility at 16 rather than drink/drugs/solvents etc. That was 16 years ago and the bike is stil going strong (new front rim, new rear wheel, chains, cassettes, cables etc.over the years) and my dad uses it to commute with now so it's not like it was a waste of money.
Show your parents that you've thought it through. Just make a list of the reasons both for and against (making sure that the 'for' list is longer than the against) And of course, the more you pay by yourself (rather than combining Xmas and Birthday presents for example), the stronger your position, so get out and earn some cash (if you haven't already done so)! 0 -
just tell them if they don't let you get the decent bike you want you'll go down to halfords pick up a halfords special shockwave for £50, then kill yourself doing a black route dh.
my parents are ok with it, they were a bit apprehensive at first when i got my first 'proper' mtb, but now i'm into it at least they understand it's not just a phase i'll grow out of, but when i worked out i had spent over £800 on my bike/upgrades/riding kit/lbs stuff they were a shocked. little bits at a time make it easier to get away with. my sister still doesn't understand why i spend so much money on mtbing, but then again, she doesn't even understand how i get muddy cycling :roll:0 -
Seems to be a lot of blackmailing parent techniques used by the younger members :roll: Fortunatly I never had the issue as only got into riding since I have been earning my own money - always been supported by very understanding gf and my parents and they see the difference in my stress levels after riding
Besides initial cost, I cant see why any parent would not want to see thier off spring partaking in a healthy lifestyale that mtbing is part of - just seems silly0 -
Elvis can you come back to this thread (see what I did there .... :roll: ), and tell us what your parents objections are?
Considering their position might show they have some valid points... The worst you could do is consider their position in a respectful fashion much like they (apparently) didn't to you?
If you choose to go your own way, at least you'll know what your up against.0 -
@Everyone : thanks to everyone for posting. I've had a good laugh reading them !
@antikythera : my parents think its a phase that i will grow out of ( I'm 19). They also think I should be buying a new car for the amount of money the bike i will cost, as they think a bike should not cost more than £100 ( like mrmfilo's parents believe also). They said i will go out on the bike twice and it will lie in the garage and never be used again.
My main reason for getting a bike is to get fit to join the Armed Forces when i hit 21, as i find jogging/gym etc boring.
ThankYouVeryMuch0
