road biking is just too expensive!

slowallonian

I now feel bad for treating myself to some new shorts for my first 100 miler, the Pearson 150.

Who gives a stuff if you're slow, fast, kitted up or flapping along in an old football top? Plenty more things to worry about. And cycling will temporarily help you forget those worries.

See you at the top of Ditchling Beacon if you're going!

P_Tucker

spyker wrote:

how do people manage to afford to ride??

i have been a keen cyclist for 4 years now. gradually over the last 2 years i have noticed a significant rise in most cycling products, from inner tubes to clothing. i know everything has gone up in the recession, but cycling products seem to be rising faster than anything! (well to me they do).

i was thinking about racing this year but the cost of entering and everything associated with racing has completely put an end to it.

i have read several comments on previous threads about how cycling is only as expensive as you make it. but its not! its just expensive full stop.

i love sport and i love competing and i was really hoping to race. but i cant see how i can justify spending the money needed to cycle or compete with a mortgage and family. so i think its a return to football (which costs the price of a pair of football boots and shinpads).

sorry for the rant. just wondered if other people felt the same? and how people manage to fund it?

also, (one more rant) why the hell arent the govt investing more money on grants or anything to get more people in to cycling?!!!! the health benefits and environmental benefits surely merit financial investment. the cycle to work schemes seem relatively poor value, so its about time a decent investment was made (NATIONWIDE) just like in holland and across europe!

If you can't afford it you can't afford it. That's life. I can't afford to race vintage cars, but I haven't joined a forum where people do that and whinged about it.

Pseudonym

P_Tucker wrote:

If you can't afford it you can't afford it. That's life. I can't afford to race vintage cars, but I haven't joined a forum where people do that and whinged about it.

http://www.ferrariownersclub.co.uk/

get on there and vent yer speen...

Alibran

Simontheintrepid wrote:

danowat wrote:

pauldavid wrote:

But the problem now gets bigger, because when I am out on a ride I notice other riders looking and then either looking away or smirking because you are riding in trainers and don't have the correct jerseys etc.

TBH I think that says more about your own insecurities than it does about the cycling "community", because in my experiance, its not at all like that.

I agree, besides all you need to do to wipe that tosseriness off their faces is to overtake them. Simple.

And it's even more fun when you're a girl

Anyone who smirks at your "cheap" gear isn't a proper cyclist anyway - they're just a poser on a bike - so they don't count.

Thebigbee

spyker wrote:

how do people manage to afford to ride??

i have been a keen cyclist for 4 years now. gradually over the last 2 years i have noticed a significant rise in most cycling products, from inner tubes to clothing. i know everything has gone up in the recession, but cycling products seem to be rising faster than anything! (well to me they do).

i was thinking about racing this year but the cost of entering and everything associated with racing has completely put an end to it.

i have read several comments on previous threads about how cycling is only as expensive as you make it. but its not! its just expensive full stop.

i love sport and i love competing and i was really hoping to race. but i cant see how i can justify spending the money needed to cycle or compete with a mortgage and family. so i think its a return to football (which costs the price of a pair of football boots and shinpads).

sorry for the rant. just wondered if other people felt the same? and how people manage to fund it?

also, (one more rant) why the hell arent the govt investing more money on grants or anything to get more people in to cycling?!!!! the health benefits and environmental benefits surely merit financial investment. the cycle to work schemes seem relatively poor value, so its about time a decent investment was made (NATIONWIDE) just like in holland and across europe!

Blah blah blah - jeez - quit your whining and take up a sport that is free then. Running, walking, swimming in the sea or rivers.

It is akin to me signing up for the Bugatti owners club website - and then bleating that I can't actually afford one. WTF

I think that you must be, what is known on the internet, as a troll. Plenty more four letter words would probably describe you better.

Well done.

Mr Dog

I don't make assuptions about others based on their kit but I get great pleasure from buying new stuff. It simply keeps me motivated. Maybe its my age but I don't care cos its my cash to spend. 8) and yes it has become trendy and that has helped companies develop better kit. If you have 10K to spend on a bike then lucky you and I hope you enjoy riding it and it makes you happy.

Thebigbee

P_Tucker wrote:

spyker wrote:

how do people manage to afford to ride??

i have been a keen cyclist for 4 years now. gradually over the last 2 years i have noticed a significant rise in most cycling products, from inner tubes to clothing. i know everything has gone up in the recession, but cycling products seem to be rising faster than anything! (well to me they do).

i was thinking about racing this year but the cost of entering and everything associated with racing has completely put an end to it.

i have read several comments on previous threads about how cycling is only as expensive as you make it. but its not! its just expensive full stop.

i love sport and i love competing and i was really hoping to race. but i cant see how i can justify spending the money needed to cycle or compete with a mortgage and family. so i think its a return to football (which costs the price of a pair of football boots and shinpads).

sorry for the rant. just wondered if other people felt the same? and how people manage to fund it?

also, (one more rant) why the hell arent the govt investing more money on grants or anything to get more people in to cycling?!!!! the health benefits and environmental benefits surely merit financial investment. the cycle to work schemes seem relatively poor value, so its about time a decent investment was made (NATIONWIDE) just like in holland and across europe!

If you can't afford it you can't afford it. That's life. I can't afford to race vintage cars, but I haven't joined a forum where people do that and whinged about it.

Lol - only just started going through the posts.

I basically said the same thing as you.

Some people...

Pigtail

I'm relatively new to cycling and was quite taken aback with the costs involved. My employer introduced travel expenses for using a bike several years ago and I didn't really understand why. I think I've got it now though!

Regardless of what I buy my list seems to be getting longer rather than shorter. Nevertheless I'm just working away at it - buying a bit at a time and I'll get there eventually.

tofu21

If you think road ridding is expensive you should try mountain biking!

[Deleted User]

Bike prices, especially for carbon models keep rising way outside inflation over the last few years.

Take the popular boardman bike £1000 last year, then a £300 jump this year. Will It jump another £300 next year.

I honestly don't know who can afford to buy these new and keep demand at such a level that manufactures continue to raise the price at a ridiculous rate.

Will we ever see a price drop, one can only hope.

snickwell

Basic economics isn't it? Huge surge in popularity following 2008 Olympics and Team Sky, leading to massively increased demand. GCSE students could tell us that demand for something will raise its price.

I, like 99.9% of cyclists, have fallen in love with my trusty steed. I've only just clocked 1000 miles in my first year, but already its part of the family. This should apply to any bike you own. I would love to (and hopefully WILL) own the latest and greatest, but I would never dream of whining about something I couldn't have.

Thelittlesthobo

I made the switch you are talking about 3yrs ago. Having got dismayed at the costs of mtb bits i decided to take up footy again. Yes it only costs the price of the boots and shinnys. Was a good decision for me for a couple of years, then i put myself in hospital and couldnt play football ever again.

I have returned to cycling for my rehab and probably for the future now. I have discovered the joys of road cycling and how little maintenance etc you require on your bike. I can maintain a bike myself so labour is free. Unless i crash it will be replace when they wear out. I can ride from my doorstep so no more driving to the trails all th time.

Oh and now that i commute 13mls per day, its saving me on fuel.

All in all, i think road cycling can be made into a rather cost effective past time.

spyker

dawebbo wrote:

Prices seem reasonable to me, given what the organisers have to do.

A "keen" cycling for 4 years but just now deciding it's too expensive to try racing, give me a break...

what are you trying to say???

i can see that most of you believe cycling doesnt really need to be expensive, but what i was trying to say is that compared to other hobbies it quite simply is.

what do you need for football?? boots, pads and thats it.
same for rugby (maybe a mouthguard)
even cricket is cheaper than cycling.

i have been cycling for 4 years (well, 4 summers). in that time i have bought a bike which was £560, numerous innertubes and puncture repair kits, 6 tyres, new wheels (these were not an optional upgrade, the ones which came with the bike were f'd after the second year), 4new chains, 2 new cassettes, 2 pairs of shimano 105 pads, a front derailleur, and im sure there is other things i have forgotton. oh, not to mention the cost of the services on the bike. on top of that is the cost of shorts and a jersey, and shoes. i bought my kit from sports direct and in sales from online cycling stores. but it still adds up.

i would say i have spent in the region of £1000-1100 on everything in the last 4 years. now i know thats not a great sum to some of you, i know that probably most of you on here have a bike which cost more than that, but when you start taking part in tts (even if its only £2 a time) and then maybe enter a race or two the costs just spiral. i mean you then need to look at insurance and 3rd party insurance...right??

even without racing, to spend around £1k+ for 4 summers of riding...well thats £300 a year.
compare that to other sports and you can really see how expensive it is.

im not trying to put people off cycling. it is a great sport. im just trying to voice my experiences/concerns, despite my best efforts to keep costs cheap.

tbh im not going to continue to ride because i can only see the costs continuing to increase. i want to be competing in some form of activity, but like everyone, looking after family comes first.cycling is just too expensive for me...guess its back to football.

sorry for the rant :oops:

danowat

spyker wrote:

i have been cycling for 4 years (well, 4 summers). in that time i have bought a bike which was £560, numerous innertubes and puncture repair kits, 6 tyres, new wheels (these were not an optional upgrade, the ones which came with the bike were f'd after the second year), 4new chains, 2 new cassettes, 2 pairs of shimano 105 pads, a front derailleur, and im sure there is other things i have forgotton.

How many miles would that be then?

Early last year I brought an Allez for £800, in just over a year I have done 4000+ miles on it, TT's, Sportives, Audaxes, Commuting, Training, Crits, pretty much everything you can do on a road bike.

In that time, off the top of my head, I have HAD (not optional upgrades) to replace a pair of tyres, and pair of front brake blocks and a few innertubes, thats it, its still running the same chain and cassette, all the original running gear, and its still going strong.

P_Tucker

Yes. Some things in life are more expensive than others. It's not a basic human right to race a bike. I have a two step plan

1. Build a bridge
2. Get over it

snickwell

spyker wrote:

i have been cycling for 4 years (well, 4 summers). in that time i have bought a bike which was £560, numerous innertubes and puncture repair kits, 6 tyres, new wheels (these were not an optional upgrade, the ones which came with the bike were f'd after the second year), 4new chains, 2 new cassettes, 2 pairs of shimano 105 pads, a front derailleur, and im sure there is other things i have forgotton. oh, not to mention the cost of the services on the bike. on top of that is the cost of shorts and a jersey, and shoes. i bought my kit from sports direct and in sales from online cycling stores. but it still adds up.

i would say i have spent in the region of £1000-1100 on everything in the last 4 years. now i know thats not a great sum to some of you, i know that probably most of you on here have a bike which cost more than that, but when you start taking part in tts (even if its only £2 a time) and then maybe enter a race or two the costs just spiral. i mean you then need to look at insurance and 3rd party insurance...right??

even without racing, to spend around £1k+ for 4 summers of riding...well thats £300 a year.
compare that to other sports and you can really see how expensive it is.

im not trying to put people off cycling. it is a great sport. im just trying to voice my experiences/concerns, despite my best efforts to keep costs cheap.

tbh im not going to continue to ride because i can only see the costs continuing to increase. i want to be competing in some form of activity, but like everyone, looking after family comes first.cycling is just too expensive for me...guess its back to football.

sorry for the rant :oops:

This seems excessive and I really can't imagine how this is possible without the WORST luck in the world. I've had my £750 'first road bike' for 9 months. I've done 1000 miles and spent.... £75 on a bike fit. That's it. I don't know how you can be spending that much money riding solely in summer.

Anonymous

4 new chains and 2 new cassettes?! :shock:

What the heck are you doing to your bikes?!

spyker

P_Tucker wrote:

Yes. Some things in life are more expensive than others. It's not a basic human right to race a bike. I have a two step plan

1. Build a bridge
2. Get over it

build a bridge?? sounds expensive.

i know mate, will do. maybe will return to cycling one day in future if my circumstances change.

i know i will miss it, especially when the tour is on!! but hoping other sports can fill the void

spyker

NapoleonD wrote:

4 new chains and 2 new cassettes?! :shock:

What the heck are you doing to your bikes?!

well the last 2 summers i was doing pretty much nothing but riding. covered about 3-4000 miles. the first 2 summers was about 2-3000.

should the cassettes have last longer? its a shimano tiagra system with 105 brakes and derailleurs btw

Pigtail

Lots of sports are expensive.

My daughter was a club swimmer and we were paying £1000 a year in pool time alone. Costumes were rated for 15-20 hours in contact with the water. She then moved onto hockey, as a goalie, and eventually landed up with close to £1000 of goal-keeping kit.

I seem to always need something else for my bike, and do resent the cost of it, but on a Sunday I can get up, pull on my modest kit and hit the road. I can then be back in the house mid-morning, having done 40 miles and with a buzz that lasts all day.

Anonymous

£1 per 100 miles seems fair enough to me...

Hierotochan

Found this the other day:
http://www.bikester.co.uk/244755.html?_cid=1_3_2_2151_2179_2155_244755_&c=18#short-cycling-jerseys-men-red-cycling-products-teamjersey
For people who want Lidl priced jerseys but with additional logos!

There really are bargains out there daily, you might just have to buy it on Gumtree/eBay rather than say, Sigma Sport.

If you can't afford it don't buy it, but don't begrudge those who can.

I'm struggling to afford the price of a new bike.
But I'm buying the best I can without bankrupting myself & know it'll last me (hopefully until I can save enough to replace/upgrade it!)

meanredspider

It doesn't matter what you do, there's always someone better off than you. As lucky as I am to race old cars, there's plenty of guys with much more expensive and faster cars than me. I don't whinge about it though. I don't have a god-given right to do it. Same goes for bikes - racing bikes or even riding them isn't an essential and there were certainly times when all I could afford was a Costco BSO at 90 quid.

Ultimately, though, if you were determined to do it, you'd find a way.

rolf_f

spyker wrote:

i can see that most of you believe cycling doesnt really need to be expensive, but what i was trying to say is that compared to other hobbies it quite simply is.

what do you need for football?? boots, pads and thats it.
same for rugby (maybe a mouthguard)
even cricket is cheaper than cycling.

You've changed your argument now. Originally the complaint was that prices had gone up (implying that previously costs were acceptable). Now you are saying that cycling is expensive because you need a bike which costs more than a pair of shoes. Which is it?!

My hobby cycling is expensive - I seem to have a carbon habit I just can't break. But my commuting cycling is pretty cheap - vastly cheaper than driving. The one subsidises the other in effect.

spyker

Rolf F wrote:

spyker wrote:

i can see that most of you believe cycling doesnt really need to be expensive, but what i was trying to say is that compared to other hobbies it quite simply is.

what do you need for football?? boots, pads and thats it.
same for rugby (maybe a mouthguard)
even cricket is cheaper than cycling.

You've changed your argument now. Originally the complaint was that prices had gone up (implying that previously costs were acceptable). Now you are saying that cycling is expensive because you need a bike which costs more than a pair of shoes. Which is it?!

My hobby cycling is expensive - I seem to have a carbon habit I just can't break. But my commuting cycling is pretty cheap - vastly cheaper than driving. The one subsidises the other in effect.

ok, to clarify in simple terms for you;
4 years ago i started cycling. at that time i was able to afford to buy the basics to get started.since then i have biked every summer but every summer it has seemed to get more expensive. and, despite what some people are suggesting, its not because of buying unnecessary luxuries, its paying for parts and components which have gone on the bike (whether its a tube, cassette etc).

i agree that there are some bargains out there. my bibshorts from sports direct were just £15. but surely you can see my pov, that cycling is expensive, even at foundation level! and in my opinion if prices keep rising then more people will turn to other sports. look at it this way, for less than £30 you can have everything you need to play for an entire season in football or rugby...the cost of a jersey in cycling terms??

- and before people argue that football and rugby shirts are a ridiculous price (which they are) if you play for a club the kit is provided.

rolf_f

I do see your point of view - I think the counter though is that whilst spending on cycling can suck you in, you don't have to go with it. 30 years ago, there was no such thing as an upgrade. I remember when I got my racer when I was at school, the only things I ever got for it were a bottle cage and bottle, a computer (a thing that mounted on the front dropout, and told you how far you'd gone by means of a peg on a spoke that drove the mileometer) and a saddle bag. I never had specialist clothing nor anything else much. There wasn't actually much available.

These days, you can do much better than that thanks to the likes of Lidl and Aldi and it only needs to cost a lot if you want it too. Especially if you buy an old school bike that can be run on a shoestring.

It's a general reflection on things as much as anything. If people spend more on cycling now, they spend far more on cars. People didn't buy a new car every 2 or 3 years in the 70s. Now it seems to be the norm to waste 15k every couple of years on something that is no better at doing what it does than a few year old car for a tenth of the price. It's up to you if you want to join in with the sheep or not. I do with bikes, I would never do so with cars.

diploid

It's not that retailers are taking the proverbial, it's more to do with the currency having lost 30% of its value and certain commodity prices having risen in dollar terms. Eventually, those price differentials work through.

tri-sexual

its only money
you cant take it with you

unixnerd

My tourer is cheap as chips to run. Done about 7-8000 miles. Costs have been one set of tyres, set of brake pads, one chain and cassette :-)

Thebigbee

Deleted

Less of the personal abuse please. - Admin