pjcampbell

With my wife letting me make my dream to escape NJ and live in the mountains come true, I need to ratchet down the budget. I wonder if you guys have budgets and what are they like? I have MOST of my stuff, so we are basically down to maintenance and wear down items:

USAC license $60
Racing fees - $500? - 1 stage race and a bunch of smaller races
Bike club fee $60
Bike Clothes $150 - 1 new set bibs/jersey
Tires - $200? PBK pricing = $33 for a ProRace 3 - I usually start the season with some almost equally cheap GatorSkins. Front tires seem to hardly ever wear out.
Cassettes - $75x2?
Chains - $40x2?

I only ride maybe 6k a year.

There is usually an unexpected break every year unfortunately--I keep telling myself this will be the year it won't happen

do you guys have budgets.. or do you just spend? what am I forgetting about that is going to come back to bite me.

gsteinb

where you moving to?

Grumpy McTrumpy

I know for a fact that I spend a heck of a lot more than that.

I just did my 2010 race entry fees total yesterday and it was close to a grand (not including service charges).

saratoga

No, I don't budget for bike expenses.

If I had to guess, it would be somewhere between "How much???" and "Holy crap!!!"

Race entry fees only in 2010- 31 races * $32 average entry fee per race.

pjcampbell

we just put an offer on a little place in fayston vt (where the GMSR app gap stage finishes)... but they are taking an awful long time to respond. i think making the 1st offer was the hardest part. except i am having nightmares about putting in offers on dumps and pulling out and losing our earnest money.

mike868y

What about travel expenses (gas, hotel, etc.)?

pjcampbell

this is a good one. I was hoping it would fit in our regular monthly budget for gas but that's probably also wishful thinking. $200 bucks would be like 1600 miles of travel.

gsteinb

If you're moving to VT you no longer need to shave your legs. However you do need a cross bike.

waterrockets 

I don't budget. I just stay frugal with my purchases and buy what's needed. I often line the purchases up with the family budget, but there's not a bike racing line-item in there -- just recreational funds. Some of that can come out of commuting budget too though, as I don't drive to work more than once/month -- allows me to get "free" tires, chains, saddles, gloves, and other wear items

WCroadie

Like WR, I usually only buy things if I need it. I spent about $800 on race fees, the rest just comes out of my monthly expenses. I never totaled it up, I really don't want to know. But I do wish I had more $$ to spend on bike stuff.

pjcampbell

how about a 23 pound mountain bike with a solid fork.

johnybutts

Yeah, how about it?

pjcampbell

I've got one of those already.... for CX... no need to spend more.

graphs

I don't have a budget but probably should. I'm still real new to this sport though and the last year has seen a pretty constant outlay of cash for one thing or another. Kinda looking forward to not spending money on cycling for a couple months!

umd

I try not to think too much about it. For my own sanity.

mattm

No budget here, though I was proud of myself for only buying tires/tubes last year as far as bike crap goes (not counting race/team fees).

Fwiw spent about $700 on road racing this past season, and about $100 on track. Oh and $160 for training races. Made back some of the money in primes & wins, but definitely did not turn a profit by any means.

Hida Yanra

I've got a decent idea of my expenses for this last year and it isn't pretty.
That said, i went from having one, ratty-barely-working bike at this point last year, through 5 variously broken frames, to arrive where I am now... with bikes for all the situations I will need a bike for this next year.

I don't own a car, so the budget is friendlier to bike stuff... and hopefully the budget will be a few grand next year:
1K - kit, consumables
1.25K - entry fees & accomodations
1K - misc... stuff always happens

I'm hoping for no new bikes/PMs/bit ticket items for the next 2ish years, unless I sell other stuff to make it happen.

Hida Yanra

what about that second carbon frame.....?

SalsaPodio

+1

mattm

Somehow I knew you'd remember something I'd bought last year... =]

Still, it was needed as I'd broken the free team frame, and at $200 for frame/fork (Raleigh Supercourse) it was a good deal. So.... besides that, I didn't buy any bike gear! (right?)

Hida Yanra

... suuuure ;-)

you were quite good on the whole, but I can't wait to see what a joint income household with M**** & A**** paychecks can bring to the line next year...
Lightweights on a custom ruegamer?

pjcampbell

I actually have a spare frame, seatposts, saddles and fork with headset. I broke a Record shifter and a ZIPP wheel this year, a Record shifter last year . Can't remember what else. Also spare chain, cables, cassette, tires, tubes. And like 40# of organic maltodextrin.

generally I would not think just spend as necessary but I am trying to really get on top of things since things will be tighter. also i am hoping it means i wont get the "WHAT IS COMING FROM UPS... WHERE IS THAT MONEY COMING FROM!" from my wife "DONT WORRY HONEY, ITS COMING FROM THE BIKE FUND..."

ericm979

I dont' have a bike stuff budget. But we arrange our finances so that our joint expenses (mortgage, house, other stuff "we" own, retirement) is separate from our personal accounts. So any "stuff" that my wife or I get is bought after all "our" expenses are taken care of. That way there's no arguing about it.

grolby

I don't have a budget, but I do keep track of cycling-related expenses in a couple of separate categories, one for bicycles and parts and one for other cycling expenses, including clothing, race entry fees, license fees and so on. The YTD total for both combined this year is a little over two and a half grand, which I think sounds worse than it really is. To put it in perspective, my automotive expenses are a lot more than that, and it's not even close to what it costs to pay rent, bills, and associated necessities of life. It's only about 3x what I've spent just on buying lunch and going to bars and restaurants this year. And something to keep in mind is that, as a grad student, I'm not pulling down an enormous salary compared to many other professionals. You may want to establish a budget, but you'll probably find (unless you're an outlier) that reducing your bike spending is only a small portion of what you can do to save money. Admittedly, I spend a lot less than some BF members, but I also spend a good deal more than some others. I'm guessing that it might be tough to pin down a "typical" level of bicycle-related spending by BF members.

umd

I ordered a bunch of tires and tubes, some shoes and a few other misc stuff through our team order at the end of last year and that has pretty much lasted me all season. I think I bought an extra chain and cassette at some point. It was a good amount of money, but the race fees and travel expenses far outweigh it. Some of the fees were paid/reimbursed by the team.

Oh yeah I also had to buy replacement bars, wheel, and fork.