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

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Comments

  • Clever Pun
    Clever Pun Posts: 6,778
    be selective about how much you say you spent on it... hide the receipts well.
    Purveyor of sonic doom

    Very Hairy Roadie - FCN 4
    Fixed Pista- FCN 5
    Beared Bromptonite - FCN 14
  • Coriander
    Coriander Posts: 1,326
    This thread is just brilliantly funny.
  • Compton77
    Compton77 Posts: 139
    I pulled a bit of a blinder with my new bike, I "dropped" my old bike off at the LBS for a good old "service", ie I had sold it via gumtree, later that week I had "a call" from the LBS to tell me that they had found a "crack in the frame", I then explained to the gf that as Carbon Fiber can be quite delicate, the frame would need replacing rather than fixing. This was to be done under warranty though i'd been offered an "upgrade" for a measly sum which made more sense financially. I then told her that all the components were being swapped out anyway. All that time I had been speaking to my LBS about a completely new build!! When the bike was in stock I went to pick it up, rode it home, my gf looks it over and says "oh, a completely new bike?" I said "nah, only the frame" she went "hmmm". I went away on business for a few days, on the second day I spoke to her "oh, I was thinking the wheels definitely didn't have red bits before", came my reply "honey, yes they did!! By the way i've bought you a present..." Not a mention since..
    Cervelo RS
  • robbarker
    robbarker Posts: 1,367
    Compton77 wrote:
    later that week I had "a call" from the LBS to tell me that they had found a "crack in the frame"

    Genius. Pure genius.

    Chapeau old boy.
  • dennisn
    dennisn Posts: 10,601
    Compton77 wrote:
    I pulled a bit of a blinder with my new bike, I "dropped" my old bike off at the LBS for a good old "service", ie I had sold it via gumtree, later that week I had "a call" from the LBS to tell me that they had found a "crack in the frame", I then explained to the gf that as Carbon Fiber can be quite delicate, the frame would need replacing rather than fixing. This was to be done under warranty though i'd been offered an "upgrade" for a measly sum which made more sense financially. I then told her that all the components were being swapped out anyway. All that time I had been speaking to my LBS about a completely new build!! When the bike was in stock I went to pick it up, rode it home, my gf looks it over and says "oh, a completely new bike?" I said "nah, only the frame" she went "hmmm". I went away on business for a few days, on the second day I spoke to her "oh, I was thinking the wheels definitely didn't have red bits before", came my reply "honey, yes they did!! By the way i've bought you a present..." Not a mention since..

    I bow the "master". A crack you say. I knew there was a good reason to buy a carbon bike somewhere out there. Convincing my wife that my steel frames have cracks or
    any other things wrong with them is not very easy. Especially when she sees my one
    30+ years old steely on my trainer. But carbon hmmmmm???

    Dennis Noward
  • Compton77
    Compton77 Posts: 139
    robbarker & DennisN - thanks for the comments, believe me i was cr*pping myself when she bought up the colour of the parts of the wheels!! I thought I had no where to hide as the bike sits in the lounge by the back door. I thought that she might start looking it over and googling the items to see how much they actually cost!! Luckily she let it lie and actually mentioned to me on Sunday that my swap must've made sense as "that man had won the Tour of France on your bike". God, I hope I can use the same justification if I ever sneakily buy a Ferrari, i'll just point to Kimi in the papers!!
    Cervelo RS
  • fossyant
    fossyant Posts: 2,549
    I've got away with parts for the PC - as that's easy..

    On the bike, I got away with some ksyriums after it had had aksiums fitted for a 'while'.... those suddenly appeared on the training bike...wheels wear out you know !

    Usual kit changes are just replacements - I've got 3 bikes, all been in my posession for some years, both road bikes are custom builds, so replacing those would be impossible.

    I have plans for another bike in a couple of years - for which I have permission..although the 'cost' hasn't been discussed - I'd better save up first and not mention it. :?
  • claash
    claash Posts: 145
    We've had a thread like this before, and I passed on the tricks of the trade back then!

    You buy it and smuggle it into the house. It should be kept out of sight for approx 4 weeks. (Of course if the coast is clear and it is safe to do so.... you can go and admire/ caress/ take her out for a spin..... I assume such a beautiful bike is female??) 8)

    Then one day your beautiful bike appears...... Questions from your other half: "Is that new? How much did it cost?? When did you get it?? etc etc" :?

    Your answer: "No it isn't new I have had it ages, just haven't used it for a long while. Took it to the LBS recently for an overhaul and respray that's why she is looking so good"
    If you are lucky she hasn't used this one herself!! If she has she can only laugh (I promise you 100% on that!)
    Guys we have been doing this for ages and you never caught on!!!! :D

    Ooops maybe I shouldn't be giving out these trade secrets!! :lol::lol:
  • soy_sauce
    soy_sauce Posts: 987
    1) say you won it from some prize drawing events at work
    2) friend asked you to look after it while he/she is away to another country for a long long time.
    3) say "either I get a new bike or i get a new wife? and i choose the bike cos you can not be replace" ---- it IS really chessy but this type of "cute/lovely" message go all the way


    :lol:
    "It is not impossible, its just improbable"

    Specialized Rockhopper Pro Disc 08
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    just act like nothing has happend is the best....avoid any direct questions, or just claim it was as part of the shop's deal. and you will be using it for parts.. say she can use it anytime she wants (she won't as it will be too aggressive or large)...tra la la....funy thread..excellent

    GmanUK101
    Boardman Comp MTB
  • red dragon
    red dragon Posts: 263
    Just go for the bold approach - and get it. After the first blast out on it, any suffering will be well worth it. Also should fall out be excessive then it might be worth another blast out.
  • synchronicity
    synchronicity Posts: 1,415
    robbarker wrote:
    Compton77 wrote:
    later that week I had "a call" from the LBS to tell me that they had found a "crack in the frame"

    Genius. Pure genius.
    Chapeau old boy.

    That only works if you're buying a replacement bike.
    But what if you're buying an addition to the fleet?
    vertebr.ae | precision braking & shifting
  • Compton77
    Compton77 Posts: 139
    That only works if you're buying a replacement bike.
    But what if you're buying an addition to the fleet?

    Ok, so when are you planning on picking up the new bike?

    Now, tell the spouse that you've entered an online competition to win said bike, then in a couple of weeks "mailfool" yourself with an officialish e-mail stating that you had answered the question of "(insert question of bike related nature") correctly and had been randomly selected to win a Pinarello ...., tell her it's being sent to your office/workplace then go collect.

    One thing, this isn't really covering anything up and is a blatant lie and if it was ever to get found out it may have more repercussions than a bit of a moan. I must have an evil mind. It's also a lot of work, maybe it's time to fess up..
    Cervelo RS
  • wastelander
    wastelander Posts: 557
    My g/f has spotted new saddles, seat pins and even bottle cages so there's no way I could ever sneak anything in. Lord knows what's going to happen wqhen the new '09 DA levers trickles down to Ultegra!

    As for the o/p question - just look at this little red light 8)
  • unclemalc
    unclemalc Posts: 563
    There's no chance...really. Joint accounts, she opens all the mail, including the credit card stuff, so a four-figure sum from my LBS will cause a probable divorce.... :shock:
    AHA - that's it -that's the way to do it.
    Where's the catalogue..... :D
    Spring!
    Singlespeeds in town rule.
  • HungryCol
    HungryCol Posts: 532
    wastelander wrote:
    As for the o/p question - just look at this little red light 8)

    Took me a while but is this a reference to Men In Black?
    Every winner has scars.
  • wastelander
    wastelander Posts: 557
    HungryCol wrote:
    Took me a while but is this a reference to Men In Black?

    Aye - it's about the only way I could ever get anything past the radar. To be completely fair though, she's only once said outright 'No' to something whicht was a TT bike and in fairness was a bit of an 'oooh, that's nice' moment...but even then she thought long and hard.
  • 4kicks
    4kicks Posts: 549
    Ive got so many boys toys, and my wife spends so little, that I must be an expert on this.

    I use three approaches:
    1)Tell her "You know how important you said it is for us to have an honest relationship. Well, Ive done something Im not proud of, and I promise it will never happen again." Once she figures out its a bike and not a mistress she will be so pleased the price wont matter.


    2) Mope around the house, sulk and, if its really expensive, get caught having a W**nk on the sofa. When she asks (finally) whats up tell here "theres this really great new bike I want but it costs so much money, so I may as well just do nothing....." Pathos is always good.

    3) Its better to ask for foregiveness than permission.

    Of course, you know as we all do that the real, boring answer is to treat her like an adult, tell her you know its a lot of money and probably not worth it but you want it and it woudl make you happy. Women understand irrational impulse purchases much better than most men do...
    Fitter....healthier....more productive.....

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