General Cycling Discussion - Do you pay for your cycling hobby?

I was wondering if you guys have to pay for your own bikes, or if your parents support you (for the younger riders), or if you are sponsered.

Before I was sponsered to race I had to buy everything on my own. My dad isn't a cyclist so he believes no one should need more than a C$300 bike. Thankfully I'm sponsered now!

I pay my own way, but I don't buy that much. :D One day I'll have a Sugar Daddy - and he'll pay for me. That's when I'll get my new road bike. :beer:

I need a Sugar Girl to pay my way when I'm not sponsered anymore.

I think the correct term is Sugar Momma. :D

Well, technically speaking I pay. However, there are times I wonder if my cycling hobby pays for me. Think about this - my cycling hobby has effectively meant that I don't need a car. This probably saves me between $5,000 and $10,000 per annum (probably more if you factor in my weekend trips to the mountains). So I spend a bit on the bike, big deal. I still come out way in front.

I pay, but than I'm not a pro, so not much of an expense. Whatever I spend I save on gasoline and medical bills.

I pay for mine and my son!:D

Well...I have some sponsorship through my club/training group/personal. My parents pay for some, and I pay for some, also.

I'm with Chris L. I think that cycling pays me. God only knows what it's doing to my life expectancy. I take fewer meds now than at any time in the past seven years (for chronic medical conditions). I don't eat out at lunch because I'm riding. I don't even think about wasting $$$ on computer stuff any more.

I donate to a local man who fixes hundreds of bikes a year for poor kids, thus lowering my tax burden.

I could go on and on...

Lou

I pay my own way...no sponsors but I brake parts easily. I don't even care to become good enough to get sponsored. I already work all the time I don't need my fun time to become a job too. :)

Originally posted by christine
I pay my own way, but I don't buy that much. :D One day I'll have a Sugar Daddy - and he'll pay for me. That's when I'll get my new road bike. :beer:
that is cool Christine, tell me if you do find one, I will apply also:D :D :D :D, what I mean I will accept a "sugar mommy" :D :D :D

I pay for my bike, and bike upgrade, as for my son I also pay for his bike

hobby? it's a hobby?

and all along, i thought it was a way of life... how could i have been so wrong...

:)

Pay? HAHA, have to wait long for that. Erm, maybe I did pay, with a couple of injuries here and there.

I pay every time I crash. :beer::D

Slainte

Originally posted by uciflylow
I pay for mine and my son!:D

Same here and it's been very expensive this year! The shop is full of bikes and bike parts. I think I might have to have a garage sale.

My mom is 79 so she doesnt pay for much anymore but when i buy my toys,home theater stuff,coins,bikes and stuff,its cash i have saved away from reg. house money.Never a check or visa.

christine, I'll be your sugar daddy, with my recently aquired student loan check, I'm a one thousandaire!

Naw,I send my kids out to bootleg cheap whiskey.That is, what I don't drink first.

My son bought me clipless pedals and shoes to match, a heart rate monitor, bike computer with altitude, Cateye EL300 light. He also got me a deal on the bike I now ride. However I do a lot of fixing on his bikes.

I pay my way, I have a job at the LBS but somehow that doesnt seem to cover it all. Hmmm

do i pay?

in more ways than one.

monetarily
physically
mentally
socially
time

I thought we all have to pay to get through life... That is a fact.
Since nothing is free, my biking way of life makes the other annoying bills seem less annoying.. God, without my cycling way of life worrying about bills would really be a bummer.
Let see for starters. I cycle to work once a week. So 52 times a year. That would be about 2900 miles saved on my car a year.
The US government caluclates the cost of driving a car per mile is .37 cents...
So that equals almost $1100 US.. I have commute to work going on three years. that has saved almost 10,000 miles on my car and $3,000, according to the US govenment..
That pays for a good part of my cost of my bikes.. Plus the mental and physical benefits.. Better investment than a gym membership.. Don't have to renew the gym membership next year- my bikes are out in the garage and available for years to come..

I have to buy all the upgrades that I make and the materials, my parents pay the labor, so I'm sorta sposored by my parents.

How do I get a sponsorship?

Paying for the this you want? thats life
sponsored riders paid a lot of training and time to qualify
If I only have more money to spend, I'm very much willing to spend more than what I am spending now. Why? because I love it.

Supposedly there is no such thing as a Free Lunch..
Should you acquire a sponsor don't they require you to sign a contract, saying your life belongs to me! . You are a pro- about 42 weeks of the year, you are in their employ? Probably World IRC is not at that stage of sponsorship? But this still is not a free lunch...
What a life. To me, that almost bestows celebrity status in a life endeavor, most of would love.. To be able to climb the Alps/Pyreenees as a pro. Might even consider being a mule, if I had the ability. How important is money, to experience what Eddie Mercyx experienced..?
I would turn in my work boots for their 'Look' shoes in an instant.... At least for one year... But, World IRC would you do it for Mule wages..? Would not have to worry about domestic concerns preventing your from riding..

"Cycling isnt a free lunch, its a lunch you get paid to eat"
My riding is not a hobby, just a way of getting around. Id have to pay to get around otherwise, so it saves me cash. I use the same equipment to have fun at the weekends, all for free.

I've been car-less since last August, when my daughter took my car to school in Virginia. She has to drive 30 miles round trip per day to and from school. So, since August, I've used my bike for everything -- work, shopping, post office, doctor appointments, Wal-mart, you name it. I even go to my stockbroker's office on my bike. The time saving and money saving results have amazed me. I can get to my doctor's office in 11 minutes. It takes me at least 15 minutes by car, by the time I've found a scarce parking slot. I even take my bike into my doc's waiting room, and enjoy watching the stares of the other patients. I can see the day coming when my wife's car is the only one we'll own, and this will be my justification for buying a new Fondreist! :D Once in a while, I'll take her to work and use her car for the day. But these instances are getting fewer and far between. I'm a believer!

TR. I think it more important to own the Likes of a Colgagno or probably Litespeed than a top line car.. When doing errands about town, I get impatient. Cars are big and bulky and seems they just sit there in the way and don't move.. Where on my bike the mobility.. Seems faster.
Only problems.. Places like Wall Mart... Not making arrangements for parking bikes.. They do not care for our needs. Heah, we are consumers with money to spend like others.. And sometimes, without really good locks-our bikes get stolen.. happended to a friend at Sports Authority.. Some punks have tools they need to break a lock quickly apparently.
Only thing about running errands on bike. We can smell.. When going into stores- I try to leave some reseamblence of a cyclists- to explain my odor...

I'm too old for parents and too slow for sponsors. I pay for my own biking.

How much I pay is a mystery. This year I started a new column in my bike log, and I am going to log all the biking costs. So far I'm almost up to $200 (and it's only January 20). :eek:

At Walmart, I take my bike into the store and lock it to a wall fixture behind the shopping carts. The "greeting lady" is always glad to watch it for me, and I've never had a problem.

Mike.. I usually find my mileage log convenient to keep track of maintenance issues. Like when New tires were put on or whatever.. Cost not so much a factor. Cheaper than a car.
TR.. Have to try Walmart with my bike. Like the thought of being able to lock it up within the store.. Outside, with locks usually the bike is OK.. But, sometimes I hear of reports that lights or whatever accessories might be taken.. Hopefully safer within the store.. When stores don't make it convenient for us- we should let them know, we will spend our money elsewhere..
I once had to do that at a Big 5 Sports store. Plenty of inside space, nothing outside to lock my bike too.. So I bought my sleeping bag matress pad elsewhere.. and told them so. Just a grumpy new manager.. I know it means nothing to them..