There's a great thread here wherein a "newbie" asks questions about what bike to purchase, how far he can reasonably expect to be able to ride in x months, etc. Lots of great advice being offered.
Got me to thinking. When I bought my first bike way back when I had the naive assumption that the price of the bike was biggest financial consideration, and that
once I found one in my price range, I was pretty much done with financial outlay.
Silly me!
There's so
much more that goes into it: shoes, pedals, bags, cyclometers or GPS equipment if you want one, racks perhaps, and of course even cycling-related clothing, not to mention spare tubes, basic tools, perhaps lights,
and even pie.
I would love to hear your thoughts on what a new bike
really costs for someone entering the cycling world, with no previously owned gear. Obviously, everyone's mileage will vary, but what should an informed "rookie" include in his/her plans?
For instance, is that $1,200 road bike really a $2,000 investment within a few months? How would you advise a person to budget for all the basics that are normally purchased at the original point of sale or shortly thereafter?