Damn this sport,......'Tis eating my Cash !!

zak3737

Is it just me, or am I simply another victim ?

I came back to cycling this summer, after some 6yrs of not-riding at all, and even then, it was MTB'ing that had been my bag, so Baggy shorts were of no use at all.......

So, I buy a 2nd hand Trek, for £350, lovely bike, and I'm set up. Not wanting to look a complete tw@t in my old MTB'ing gear, I buy a few things from Decathlon to get me up & running, and for the most part, its pretty good gear in all honesty. Another £100+ dissapears......

A new saddle follows, a lovely Romin Expert Gel, after being fitted at a local Spesh store. Bye bye £85.

Then, I realise my lovely Trek is slightly too 'aggressively' set up for me after the first few rides, such is my limited knowledge, so I sell it fortunately, and find myself a lovely 2nd hand Roubaix, for £690.
Perfect, much better, and I decide to also lavish it with one of the Spesh CG-R seatposts too, @ £130.

The Roubaix came without Pedals, so some road spd's follow, and Road shoes too.....wallet emptied again.

So, .....alls good ......and the late summer brings some longer rides and a smile to my face.

However, the saddle proves less than comfortable, and its moved on, recovering £55, and a £25 Charge Spoon replaces it, which quite frankly, is unbeleivably better.

So all's good again.......right ?

Well, - yes, until the first few less than perfect days on the road appear, and I realise that the HiViz waterproof jacket from Decathlon, whilst being great value, is rather less than functional and breathes about as well as a Latex all-in-one !

Good buddy tells me that what I need is a good Merino Base layer and a good Breathable & Waterproof Jacket, - which from early searches, looks like I can kiss goodbye to another £100+ soon again !

Oh, and last Saturdays purchase of some Mudguards too - its bleedin me dry and bleedin' expensive !!

Now, just need to stop looking at new shiny bikes for spring.......

*shakes head*

homers_double

Totaly agree with that, but it's better than sitting at home twiddling your thumbs.

ps, top tip - have online purchases delivered to your office so the wife doesn't see things arrive!

buckmulligan

Don't worry, there's enough kit involved in cycling that when you think you've finally got everything you need, you'll *need* to start upgrading or replacing things.

It's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge, when you get the end you just start over again, may as well get used to it!

zak3737

homers double wrote:

ps, top tip - have online purchases delivered to your office so the wife doesn't see things arrive!

One of the advantages of working from home is that while she's at work, the Postie can deliver !

whoof

Buying new bits is about choice I take it the Roubaix came with a seat-post that held the saddle in the frame and you chose to replace it with another one for £130. Someone people are always need to buy whatever is new whether that's bikes, cars, phones whilst others make do and mend with the same stuff for decades. Most people sit somewhere in between.
I save about £1000 a year that I would otherwise spend on petrol by riding to work. If there is a net cost to cycling it's my hobby and it's cheaper than fags/beer/attending premiership football....

markhewitt1978

I've only just lost my Wiggle platinum discount as I failed to spend £500 in a years period like I did last year, this year it was less than half that, I guess that counts as progress? Or is it that I've just bought stuff from Evans instead?

schlepcycling

Wait until you start adding to your bike collection and N+1 kicks in, you'll soon discover how many other bikes you 'need' that's when the serious spending starts.

veronese68

BuckMulligan wrote:

It's like painting the Golden Gate Bridge, when you get the end you just start over again, may as well get used to it!

This is plainly utter codswallop. What do you mean "when you get to the end"? I don't think it's possible to reach the end. You may make a little bit of progress, but then you realise that you missed a bit and you go back to just do that bit better. So it's two steps forward and one step back.
Or is it just me? :oops:

fudgey

Just dont tell the wife. i have had to get rather creative with the truth on many occasions...

i have done just over 1500 miles on my bike in the 6 months i have had it.
that is 3x tanks of diesel saved!

except where i have cycled i wouldnt have driven! (ie just going out for a ride, not just commuting...)

reformedfatty

In my experience there is no material on earth that breathes well enough to keep me dry when cycling (the most shiny things available can breath well enough to keep me dry if I sit still and do nothing).

So for me waterproofs are just to keep me warm enough, if i'm out for > 10 mins i'm going to be wet anyway, it's just a choice of getting wet from the inside out or outside in.

mpatts

it's a slippery slope - my current wheels cost more than my first road bike. all good fun though.

mrbrightside

schlepcycling wrote:

Wait until you start adding to your bike collection and N+1 kicks in, you'll soon discover how many other bikes you 'need' that's when the serious spending starts.

Oh dear - I've gone platinum with Wiggle and only 'odds and sods' from them!

Anonymous

Platinum is a doddle, they really need at least one more level to make it a bit exclusive.
Do not remember the last time I used my platinum discount. Its rare I ever buy anything from them that is not already discounted by more than 12%.

6wheels

i have done just over 1500 miles on my bike in the 6 months i have had it.
that is 3x tanks of diesel saved!

Have a look in What Car and see how much your car costs per mile to run.

Then see how much you've really saved!!

pinno

I don't shop at Rapha. I rarely buy new stuff. I often sell old stuff. I still spend too much.

Once you have bought your winter bike, you'll need a commuter bike and your collection will not be complete without a retro build. Seems to me, you have barely started and you haven't got the lid of the metaphorical pot of paint for the FORTH BRIDGE*.

*I'm keeping things local.

norvernrob

Zak3737 wrote:

Is it just me, or am I simply another victim ?

I came back to cycling this summer, after some 6yrs of not-riding at all, and even then, it was MTB'ing that had been my bag, so Baggy shorts were of no use at all.......

So, I buy a 2nd hand Trek, for £350, lovely bike, and I'm set up. Not wanting to look a complete tw@t in my old MTB'ing gear, I buy a few things from Decathlon to get me up & running, and for the most part, its pretty good gear in all honesty. Another £100+ dissapears......

A new saddle follows, a lovely Romin Expert Gel, after being fitted at a local Spesh store. Bye bye £85.

Then, I realise my lovely Trek is slightly too 'aggressively' set up for me after the first few rides, such is my limited knowledge, so I sell it fortunately, and find myself a lovely 2nd hand Roubaix, for £690.
Perfect, much better, and I decide to also lavish it with one of the Spesh CG-R seatposts too, @ £130.

The Roubaix came without Pedals, so some road spd's follow, and Road shoes too.....wallet emptied again.

So, .....alls good ......and the late summer brings some longer rides and a smile to my face.

However, the saddle proves less than comfortable, and its moved on, recovering £55, and a £25 Charge Spoon replaces it, which quite frankly, is unbeleivably better.

So all's good again.......right ?

Well, - yes, until the first few less than perfect days on the road appear, and I realise that the HiViz waterproof jacket from Decathlon, whilst being great value, is rather less than functional and breathes about as well as a Latex all-in-one !

Good buddy tells me that what I need is a good Merino Base layer and a good Breathable & Waterproof Jacket, - which from early searches, looks like I can kiss goodbye to another £100+ soon again !

Oh, and last Saturdays purchase of some Mudguards too - its bleedin me dry and bleedin' expensive !!

Now, just need to stop looking at new shiny bikes for spring.......

*shakes head*

It's ridiculous, I thought this was a cheap hobby when I took it up again at the beginning of this year. I don't know exactly what I've spent, but there are brand new cars available for less. :oops:

simon_masterson

It doesn't have to be expensive - seatposts don't have to cost £130! And a couple of rides is too soon to decide that the bike's geometry is definitely wrong for you, particularly if you are new to road cycling.

But the roads are free to use, so it's cheaper than golf at least...

team47b

pinarello001 wrote:

your collection will not be complete without a retro build.

And then you'll need a retro build with strange carbon bars...

fudgey

6wheels wrote:

i have done just over 1500 miles on my bike in the 6 months i have had it.
that is 3x tanks of diesel saved!

Have a look in What Car and see how much your car costs per mile to run.

Then see how much you've really saved!!

Much less than the subaru impreza i sold before hand lol. That would do 21 mpg if i was lucky.
The A3 diesel quattro i have now will do 40mpg so i am saving a lot there, but the car is just soooo boring! But what i save on fuel, I just spend it on the bike...

pinno

team47b wrote:

pinarello001 wrote:

your collection will not be complete without a retro build.

And then you'll need a retro build with strange carbon bars...

No-one has mentioned man cave's and a Cycle Ops (vista Magic CXP 5000 turbo with wide screen HD and built in climate control, heart rate monitor and OH/sproggs alert settings), a Hi Fi system with very expensive German speakers to listen above the racket made by ^ , a fridge, a workbench, truing stand, exotic wooden handled track pump, workstand, toolbox, rear stay straightener, spare parts box, wheel and bike racks, leather sofa, playstation 3, vinyl collection, a Campagnolo corkscrew and of course - a wine collection. Nearly forgot, a rowing machine, some dumbbells, an incline bench and the walls covered with glass framed autographed jerseys of long gone cyclists with names like Giuseppe, Lance* and Francesco.

*Sorry.

zak3737

Simon Masterson wrote:

It doesn't have to be expensive - seatposts don't have to cost £130! And a couple of rides is too soon to decide that the bike's geometry is definitely wrong for you, particularly if you are new to road cycling.

But the roads are free to use, so it's cheaper than golf at least...

No, Seatposts dont 'have to' cost £130, but having tried a new Roubaix fitted with one, I immediately knew the benefits !!

Re Wrong Geometry: errr......yes, a few rides IS enough to know that its wrong for 'me', especially again, after trying said Roubaix above. Simples.

Ever heard of sarcasm ?

As far as Golf.....dont get me started on that, my 2015 Subs Invoice has just arrived too.......

prhymeate

If you have any weight to lose, be prepared to buy all the clothing again in a years time. It's all part of the fun.

JackPozzi

Prhymeate wrote:

If you have any weight to lose, be prepared to buy all the clothing again in a years time. It's all part of the fun.

Top tip, if you do find your kit is too big for you, wash it at a higher than recommended temperature. If you're lucky it might shrink to more appropriate dimensions. If not, well, it was no good anyway...

pinno

I'd like a pair of those Carbon compression Assos possum fur lined winter bib tights with heated padding and auto chamois cream dispenser connected to Garmin with free software downloads - now on sale for less than a grand (a month with their instalment plan).

Am I in the right thread?

on-yer-bike

pinarello001 wrote:

team47b wrote:

pinarello001 wrote:

your collection will not be complete without a retro build.

And then you'll need a retro build with strange carbon bars...

No-one has mentioned man cave's and a Cycle Ops (vista Magic CXP 5000 turbo with wide screen HD and built in climate control, heart rate monitor and OH/sproggs alert settings), a Hi Fi system with very expensive German speakers to listen above the racket made by ^ , a fridge, a workbench, truing stand, exotic wooden handled track pump, workstand, toolbox, rear stay straightener, spare parts box, wheel and bike racks, leather sofa, playstation 3, vinyl collection, a Campagnolo corkscrew and of course - a wine collection. Nearly forgot, a rowing machine, some dumbbells, an incline bench and the walls covered with glass framed autographed jerseys of long gone cyclists with names like Giuseppe, Lance* and Francesco.

*Sorry.

You forgot the coffee machine and the Chris King coffee tamper.

simon_masterson

Zak3737 wrote:

Simon Masterson wrote:

It doesn't have to be expensive - seatposts don't have to cost £130! And a couple of rides is too soon to decide that the bike's geometry is definitely wrong for you, particularly if you are new to road cycling.

But the roads are free to use, so it's cheaper than golf at least...

No, Seatposts dont 'have to' cost £130, but having tried a new Roubaix fitted with one, I immediately knew the benefits !!

Re Wrong Geometry: errr......yes, a few rides IS enough to know that its wrong for 'me', especially again, after trying said Roubaix above. Simples.

Ever heard of sarcasm ?

As far as Golf.....dont get me started on that, my 2015 Subs Invoice has just arrived too.......

It does take more than a few rides. None of us was born with a saddle between our legs (except perhaps Merckx and Hinault). Even seasoned road cyclists can take weeks to adapt to minor changes to their setup, but many new road cyclists take weeks and even months to get used to the body positioning.

ai_1

reformedfatty wrote:

In my experience there is no material on earth that breathes well enough to keep me dry when cycling (the most shiny things available can breath well enough to keep me dry if I sit still and do nothing).

So for me waterproofs are just to keep me warm enough, if i'm out for > 10 mins i'm going to be wet anyway, it's just a choice of getting wet from the inside out or outside in.

Absolutely agree. Find a base layer that's comfortable when wet and don't worry about breath-ability. It's for summer gear nit for raincoats. I recommend Helly Hansen lifa baselayers. If you're looking at merino I'd try and find somewhere with a discount on Helly Hansen Warm Ice or Warm freeze or whatever they're called. It's their cold weather baselayer made with a synthetic underlayer "lifa" and merino outerlayer which gives the best of both worlds.

type:epyt

£130 seatpost on a £690 bike? An FSA carbon pin is only £25 ... Sure you can buy some comfort but 'get on with it' costs nothing other than that ... My £140 saddle is no comfier than the £45 one on my other bike, it just looks nicer ...

pinno

type:epyt wrote:

£130 seatpost on a £690 bike? An FSA carbon pin is only £25 ... Sure you can buy some comfort but 'get on with it' costs nothing other than that ... My £140 saddle is no comfier than the £45 one on my other bike, it just looks nicer ...

That £140 saddle must make your Apollo look right lovely though.

simon_masterson

Ouch

But in fairness, the RRP on my Mike Burrows post on the TT bike was £99 or so and that was a few years ago... I just didn't pay that for it.

cal_stewart

Love this,

Cashed out savings a month back to pay off car and thought about not doing it and buying in a MCip RB1000 in Camo for about 4 days, still regret not getting the bike.

Checked my wiggle account and can't believe how much i've spent in the last 12 months. Defo need an extra level.

About to buy a Wahoo wanting till boxing day to see if any are in the sales. Conned the family into needing a mini mac just so I can use it with trainer road.

It goes on and on and on.

Reached a point now where I thought I'm happy with the bike and then turbo man cave, powermeter kicks in and you're back to square one!

Could be worse my bro's into hifi he got a valve tester enough said.

Don't ever switch to tubs or you'll spend hours looking for bargain tubs to age and con yourself into thinking FMB tubs are ok priced.