Fifty Plus (50+) - It's a big black hole that sucks money

And I love it! :D

Mrs S and I took a trip to our local REI today to get a pair of Keens but, no, it never stops there, does it?

Picked up a Park Tool chain whip and FS-5 lock ring tool.
Even if I don't swap out my cassette (which I have no doubt I will) they're nice to have in case I need to replace a spoke or whatever...

Also got some chain lube and a Park chain wear tool.
My chains are fine. I didn't know how good that would feel to know.

And I pair of PI tights. Nice. Very nice. Mrs S approves ;)
Cold weather won't be an excuse now (not that it ever was)
But no bibs.

Now... for that cassette.

In equipment, clothing, maintenance and repairs, parts, and other expenses, what is you current cost per mile?

Good question. I've never worked it out. Hm....

I figure total costs so far for all bike, clothing, equipment, maintenance, etc., for my four bikes and about $3,700 over 9.5 years with about 32,000 miles or so. so about 11 cents per mile, or about $400 per year

Hmmm, about $2100 in just over a year, and about 1900 miles...that's about $1.10 per mile...but the more I ride the cheaper it gets. I think I'm about done buying the big stuff. :rolleyes:

I'm sure Mrs. Road Fan would say our cars are cheaper, but she'd be forgetting in 3 years around $5k has gone to her pair of bikes with kit. But being in our 50s and feeling we can move better than in our 40s? Priceless.

Road Fan

How I hate this question...
lets see...
Bike one was 700 and bike 2 was 1000 and bike 3 was 1500 and....
s..t this is adding up
now divide it by the number of Ks per year...
Wow that not as bad as I thought it would be
$0:33 per K
Lucky I do 6000 to 8000 ks a year

Not paying for home oxygen delivery......Priceless

Some of us have almost paid the ultimate price. Several years ago, after a long week of hard riding I found myself suffering from (temporary) n.d.-- probably from the Mundialita saddle I was forcing myself to like. (Covered in authentic bull's hide it advertized-- at least, bull-something.) Anyway, too embarassed to explain to my date, I hemmed and hawed myself out of what would otherwise have been a climactic evening. Let's hear no weinie talk of lost money or sore knees. There are higher prices we cyclists (male) might pay.

Not paying for home oxygen delivery......Priceless

+1,000.

Worst. Thread. Ever. :mad:

:D

Hmmm, about $2100 in just over a year, and about 1900 miles...that's about $1.10 per mile...but the more I ride the cheaper it gets. I think I'm about done buying the big stuff. :rolleyes:

I said that 26 years and $40,000 ago! :)

In equipment, clothing, maintenance and repairs, parts, and other expenses, what is you current cost per mile?

Dnvr----answering this question would be analogous to figuring out what the cost is, per pound of meat, for the hunters.

I'm afraid the answer would make me sad. Best to not go there!

When I quit drinking and took up cycling it was a good thing. However it may have been less expensive to be an alcholic. Add to my 2008 goals: spend less money on cycling.

Dnvr----answering this question would be analogous to figuring out what the cost is, per pound of meat, for the hunters.

I'm afraid the answer would make me sad. Best to not go there!

Now, read my post again. I didn't say there was anything wrong in spending money on bicycling - but some folks just assumed that. Quite the contrary. I can't think of a nicer, more healthy way to spend one's money. I was just curious about how our various costs add up!!

1000 for the bike in 1991 - sunk cost. Perform bike maintenance myself - 300 yr for parts. Avg approx. 10,000 miles/yr. Avg cost. $.03/mile. Savings from zero automobile cost... a lot of $$. Savings from the great health (physical and mental) that comes from bicycling - $$$$.

In equipment, clothing, maintenance and repairs, parts, and other expenses, what is you current cost per mile?

Maintenance, repairs and parts have been very low since my bikes are fairly new. I've spent $4700 purchasing 3 bikes since late 2004. We won't even discuss how much I've spent on clothing and other equipment. After all, I love to shop. The cycling clothes are taking over my closets and the bike equipment has expanded from one shelf in the garage to four shelves:eek:

I don't regret spending one penny on the bikes....cycling has been a lifesaver for me.

I haven't figured out the $$$ (or the $$$/mi) but since Mrs S bought me the Kaitai plus accessories I have bought:

Front light
Rear light
Clipless pedals X 3
MTB shorts X 3
Cannondale shorts
PI shorts X 2
PI tights
PI jersey
GoreTex jersey
Grateful Dead jerseys X 2
Amgen ToC jersey
50+ jersey (if it ever gets here :lol:)
Specialized Roubaix tires for the LeMond
Oh! The LeMond (plus accessories)
Wet weather jacket
Couple of tire pumps, patch kits, spare tubes and mini tools
Gloves, Gloves, Gloves (and a hat)
PI road shoes (on sale!)
Park Tools bike stand, pedal wrench, chain whip, lock ring tool, and chain wear indicator

Ohhh... I almost forgot my Brooks B-17N!

Maybe I shouldn't have put this list together :lol:

DO NOT ever calculate cost per mile, that way leads madness. Mine would be the same as having a driver drive me around. The real calculations should be the reduction in Health Club fees, Greenhouse gas reductions (if you commute), etc.
Cycling is as expensive as you want to make, millions of riders in China make do with a heavy steel bike and the bike is their only transportation.
If you think cycling is expensive try boats, horses, vintage cars, skiiing, flying. My total biking expenses for the year (including new bike) would not even cover my brother's ski club membership fees!

I went to a restaurant a few months ago and invited the rest of the family to come with me- 6 Adults all earning a wage and I volunteered to drive so no Drink for me. For some reason- The only fully sober person finished up paying the bill of just over £200. Now that is what I estimate I spend at my LBS in a month. And that is without the new bikes that seem to appear every now and then. My milage is not a great deal nowadays but- Shorts wear out- Chains need replacing- Helmets break and Wives sit on the cycling Glasses. It does not take long to spend £2,500 in a year on a hobby that I enjoy.

Far better than spending the same amount on getting the family Drunk.

I do not begrudge spending money on the bike(s). Without them I would not be a happy person- I would probably not be as healthy as I am- and I would probably have a thick lip from moaning at the rest of the family all the time.

Maintenance, repairs and parts have been very low since my bikes are fairly new. I've spent $4700 purchasing 3 bikes since late 2004. We won't even discuss how much I've spent on clothing and other equipment. After all, I love to shop. The cycling clothes are taking over my closets and the bike equipment has expanded from one shelf in the garage to four shelves:eek:

I don't regret spending one penny on the bikes....cycling has been a lifesaver for me.

You and Mrs Road Fan are two peas in a pod.

"Just sort of standing by, hijacking a post now and then! Take care".

Sorry, couldn't resist it. :)

When I quit drinking and took up cycling it was a good thing. However it may have been less expensive to be an alcholic. Add to my 2008 goals: spend less money on cycling.

:lol::lol::lol::roflmao:

I never keep track of cycling expenditures. I don't want to know what it adds up to. I DO know that I'm in much better shape than most guys my age, and my doctor tells me to keep doing what I'm doing.

It varies. When I moved to Little Rock, I was on a free bike, but I bought new fenders and a rear rack and slapped on a three year old headlight and a blinkie. I rode that for two years and only had to repair one flat(a patch) and had the wheel trued, ($15). No fancy clothes, just T-shirts and I did get a couple of pairs of Target khaki slacks for commuting. That's two years of riding for a little over $100.00. But I paid off my debts.

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/BikeParked.jpg

Now I got the Bacchetta. That was $1,600 in a twinkle, plus a new floor pump, a camelbak, good lights, a safety vest, backpack, etc. But you know. It was all paid for in cash. So I'm not too worried. :)

http://www.pointhappy.com/gcf/BacchettaSm.jpg

I never keep track of cycling expenditures. I don't want to know what it adds up to. I DO know that I'm in much better shape than most guys my age, and my doctor tells me to keep doing what I'm doing.

+1

"Just sort of standing by, hijacking a post now and then! Take care".

Sorry, couldn't resist it. :)

And I thought the thread

"It's a big black hole that sucks money "

was about spending money on bicycles and equipment. Forgive me!

OK, swan652 took his turn in harassing DnvrFox, whose up next on the rotation?

"Just sort of standing by, hijacking a post now and then! Take care".

Sorry, couldn't resist it. :)

I must be dense. I don't see how he did that.

I must be dense. I don't see how he did that.

I must be dense. I don't see how he did that.

Kind of like that. Simple text formatting. Hit "reply with quote" to see it.

Use the Advanced controls and play with the font controls.

After about 3 years I now have 5 road bikes (4 Brooks saddles), 6 each of sleeveless jerseys, short sleeve jerseys, long sleeve jersesys, and shorts. I have 2 tights 2 bib shorts, 4 jackets, 4 or 5 socks, 4 helmets, 3 road shoes, one sandal, 3 MTB shoes, one MTB winter boot, and one road winter boot. I have a stockpile of parts, tools, and tires. I have blinkies, a dinotte tail light, Garmin 305, airzound, bells, aero bars, camlebacks, etc. etc.

Everything was bought on sales, with coupons, kickbacks, etc. Over the last year I've flipped a couple dozen bikes that helped pay for a lot of the pricier stuff (including the Paramount).

I'd say it still sucked up a lot of funds - but I'm sure many other hobbies cost more with far fewer benefits. I can count about 3500 miles of car costs saved by commuting.

"Just sort of standing by, hijacking a post now and then! Take care".

Sorry, couldn't resist it. :)


Err - tell me again just who it was who hijacked this thread?

Err - tell me again just who it was who hijacked this thread?

Denver,

Fahgettabout it. I don't think he meant it in a mean-spirited way.

To me it was more of a flip remark. You know, one of those thoughts that pop up in my brain and cause me to put my foot in my mouth. It's not worth getting uptight about.

I don't think the OP was real clear on the subject. Personally, I took his post to mean that REI was a big black hole that sucked money. I wasn't sure at first.

Going to an analysis of cost per mile from the emotional celebration of enjoying getting things for his bike did seem to be a bit of a non sequiter to me. But then again, I've NEVER ever made a non sequiter post. :rolleyes:

My thread is lost to me now :( ;)

Sorry for the confusion, there, Mr Artkansas. I meant bikes -cycling- is a big black hole that sucks money what with all the accessories, tools, etc. There's always something you can buy to "further the cause".

Or, I meant REI was a big black hole that sucks money. Your choice.

When I quit drinking and took up cycling it was a good thing. However it may have been less expensive to be an alcholic. Add to my 2008 goals: spend less money on cycling.
When I was drinking I spent every penny I had at bars and liquor stores, never had money left before payday. Cycling is MUCH cheaper.
I rode motorcycles in the dirt for 10 years, this was a much bigger money pit than cycling could ever be.
Tried a little boating/fishing...$$$$$! Boating and motorcycles also involve filling the truck and mc/boat with gasoline every time. There's several hundred dollars per month just for gas.
As far as sport/hobbies go, cycling doesn't cost that much, especially if you don't go crazy with stuff.
Oh, and I tried divorce, too. That's not cheap!

My thread is lost to me now :( ;)

Sorry for the confusion, there, Mr Artkansas. I meant bikes -cycling- is a big black hole that sucks money what with all the accessories, tools, etc. There's always something you can buy to "further the cause".

Or, I meant REI was a big black hole that sucks money. Your choice.

I guess its all the same. Everything is connected!

I understand. After biking so parsimoniously for so long to pay up my debts after a divorce, it was fun for me to have a chance to go out and spend freely on my bike once I was out of debt. :D I understand the feeling.

Let's talk about prostates

DnvrFox, I didn't mean to insult. As Artkansas pointed out, it was a flippant remark. I just got a kick out of the way your question evolved (IMO) into it's own (for better words) thread as more comments were directed at your question than the original post. Again, if I offended it was not intentional as I was only trying to point out what I thought was humerous. My appologies to you and anyone else I may have upset. Steve

Let's talk about prostates

No thanks- Have a big hole where mine used to be.

When I quit drinking and took up cycling it was a good thing. However it may have been less expensive to be an alcholic. Add to my 2008 goals: spend less money on cycling.

Coulda done what I did--branch out into cocaine. Cycling is WAY cheaper than that!

2,654 days, done one day a time.

No thanks- Have a big hole where mine used to be.

Same here. Better than the alternative, though... :)

Coulda done what I did--branch out into cocaine. Cycling is WAY cheaper than that!

2,654 days, done one day a time.

Congrats on that one tsl...not that you're counting though eh? :D 16 years on November 21 for me.

I finally looked at this thread - and I thought it was about the New York State Government!

Congrats on that one tsl...not that you're counting though eh? :D 16 years on November 21 for me.

And I hope I'm never done counting.

Congrats on yours too!