Road Cycling - Road bike total cost of ownership?

Hello,

I'm new to this forum, and like what I've seen so far. I am planning to purchase a Trek 1500 road bike, and was wondering which parts of the bike I could expect to have to replace regularly. My initial thoughts are tires, innertubes, and the chain. What about the other more costly parts, like parts of the drivetrain, etc? I plan to average 50 miles a week or so on this bike.

At 50 miles per week, there will not be much wear and tear.

A good tire may last 2,000 - 3,000 miles or more, if not damaged by glass or other road debris. Tubes will last just as long or longer as long as they are not damaged.

A Specialized Armadillo is a good tire if you have a lot of glass and debris.

A well cleaned and lubricated chain should be checked for wear about every 1,000 miles, and the chain replaced if needed, most likely at about 2,000 mile intervals. It should be lubricated just about every time you ride the bike - especially if there was a lot of dirt on the road, and the chain should be cleaned regularly. Your LBS has a simple tool that measures chain "stretch."

The chain is the weak spot. If it is allowed to wear and "stretch", or if it is dirty, it will significantly damage the chain rings and/or the cassette, and replacement will be costly.

Incidentally, with the quality of the bike you are buying, I sincerely doubt that you will be riding only 50 miles per week. Most folks fall in love with biking, and ride about 150 miles per week or more, esepcially during non-winter months.

Given all of the above, I have a Lemond Road bike with 7,500 miles, and I do not have the time to provide much upkeep. While I do lube it each time, or almost each time I ride it, I am admittedly negligent in regularly cleaning my chain. However, I am pretty good at getting the chain checked for stretch at the LBS quite regularly, and with about 7,500 miles on the bike, I have had the chain replaced 4-5 times with little wear on my chain rings and cassette.

Be sure to use a high quality lubricant such as white lightning or Pedro's. Ask your LBS.

Have fun. I predict that you will be riding MUCH MORE than 50 miles per week.

The 1500 is a fine road bike, I purchased one myself in December. At 50 miles per week, you will not have to worry about any significant parts replacement for awhile. If the chain and drive train is cleaned and lubed regularly it will last at least a few years.

You’ll have to have your bike adjusted occasionally. Some bike shops offer free tune ups, if not, you’ll have pay for this service.

Other optional expenses would include upgrades such as clipless pedals and shoes, a computer, etc.

I guess the question should really be: are you OCD?

If you're not, then the upkeep is minimal and cycling is a relatively inexpensive sport once you own the basics.

If you are OCD...look out! Like the rest of us, you will spend inordinate amounts of time and cash feeding your obsession. It NEVER stops.

Good luck.

55/Rad

Air,lube,tires 2-3000,chain-1500 to5000 if keep cleaned and lubed,brake pads-2-3000.Better you take care,longer it will last,like sex.

At 50 mi/wk, don't worry about it. The bike will outlast you!

Fixer,i have to call you out. You lie like a dead dog and i can back that up.

Fixer,i have to call you out. You lie like a dead dog and i can back that up.ok...sorry....

Look out your window,it does rain in so cal,LOL.

Look out your window,it does rain in so cal,LOL.
Including myself, even with the slightest hint of rain, SoCal cyclists don't go riding. I didn't see a single cyclist out there this morning. Just like the motorists here, we can't handle the rain! Therefore, I'm dedicating this entire day to tinkering instead. I think I'll butcher another stock Brooks saddle to make it look sleek.

George

I went to supergo to look around and decided the specialized roubaix comp isnt a bad looking bike at all.

Cost of a road bike? Well it starts with maintaince. A tube here a tire there, no big deal. Then you start doing club riding and meet a bunch of nice folks to ride with. Next thing you know your doing century rides. Yeah, a few bucks here for entries, no big deal. Then you start doing week long trips like say Ragbrai. Hmmm. Boy that trip to France for the TDF sounds pretty good. Maybe I should do that january ride in Mallorca Spain. No the bike itself won't cost you too much. Its the adventures it gets you into that runs into a stack of cash. But thats okay, better to ride and live then sit on your butt and die.

Jim

I recall reading somewhere. Maybe, Bicycling Mag. that it costs no more than 1/2 cent to ride a bike a mile, where a car is like .40 cents(minus insurance).
My oldest road bike has over 60,000 miles on it.. A '94 Scott model 520. I have changed both rims(complete wheel sets ) 3 times. A new rim costs (Velocities) costs about $100. I have totally replaced the drive train once(minus the front crank). Put on one set of STI index shifters. About $100.
Routine maintenance like cables, tires, tubes, brake pads, chains ;that is pretty inconsequential. Drive train probably about $250. Headset once. About $30.
If you are not handy or don't take the time to maintain your bike , I suggest you have an annual tune up. $25-75, depending on how complicated an overhaul you want..
That does not include the re-lacing job I had to have done after British Air beat the hell out of my spokes and handlebars.
Over 60.000 miles on my oldest bike. Rides great. Bet that is under 1/2 cent a mile.
Saving on costs. stock up ahead. Like I recommend Armadillo Tires by Specialized..Full price you pay like $39. look for sales and stock up for the next replacement. Seems on sale I have gotten them for $23.

Nice bike! went to Treks site to see it; looks good. You might want to put your efforts into keeping the drive on the bike clean and well lubed, it makes things last longer and operate smooth. I'm just somewhat extreem in that area. Was going to replace the Ultegra chain just because I was told they don't last much longer that tires, but found that not to be true. LBS measured it and said the gauge showed it was the same as a new one. Do maintenance....... ;)

DNVR has it right. About the only things that you will have to replace are tubes $3, tires $30, and chains $25. Tubes you replace when punctured unless you patch them. Tires last 2000-3000 miles and chains last 2000-5000+ miles depending on how clean you keep them. If you never clean your chain 2000. If you clean it when it gets even a little grit build up 5000+. Oh and brake pads and look pedal cleats if you use that system. At 50 miles per week, replacing chain and tires would be an annual thing. So you are looking at $60 per year or so. Cheap thrills.

After about 20000 miles some of your components will start wearing out but not many. However most components are good for over 400000 miles.

At 50 miles per week, if you do routine adequate maintenance, you will not have to worry about replacing components for about a decade.

I earlier mentioned all the money I have put into my oldest Road bike...I am not complaining at all. 60,000 miles. What $600..I use this bike to put on the plane for them to abuse..Bike originally cost almost $1,000.Do the math that is about 1 cent a mile for maintenance.
Plus I like having a spare bike about should the other be in the shop or out of commission for a couple days.Plus, I still sort of like the feel of steel to compare with an aluminum ride.

You've got some good info so far, especially the part about not riding that much at first and getting hooked into going many more miles. Most magazines and LBS wrenches will recommend changing the cassette when you put on a new chain, because they wear together. They will recommend changing the chain when it has 1/8" of wear. A guy in my club explained that by letting the chain get that much wear, it causes most of the wear on the cassette, due to the change in amount of tooth contact between the chain and the teeth. He changes his chain out before it gets to 1/16" of wear, and it rides like designed with more contact surface on the teeth. This has given him a cassette that still looks good at 20,000 miles. He cleans and lubes his bike regularly. You can do this yourself easily with a chain cleaning tool and Simple Green or Orange Klean. You'll need a simple work stand or a friend to hold the bike while you do this.
The Trek 1500s I've seen on rides are very nice bikes, and you will get hours of enjoyment from it.

You've got some good info so far, especially the part about not riding that much at first and getting hooked into going many more miles. Most magazines and LBS wrenches will recommend changing the cassette when you put on a new chain, because they wear together. They will recommend changing the chain when it has 1/8" of wear. A guy in my club explained that by letting the chain get that much wear, it causes most of the wear on the cassette, due to the change in amount of tooth contact between the chain and the teeth. He changes his chain out before it gets to 1/16" of wear, and it rides like designed with more contact surface on the teeth. This has given him a cassette that still looks good at 20,000 miles. He cleans and lubes his bike regularly. You can do this yourself easily with a chain cleaning tool and Simple Green or Orange Klean. You'll need a simple work stand or a friend to hold the bike while you do this.
The Trek 1500s I've seen on rides are very nice bikes, and you will get hours of enjoyment from it.

Changing your chain at every 3.000 miles is a lot cheaper than changing the chain and casette at every 10.000 miles.
I change my at 1/8" wear, no matter what.

Including myself, even with the slightest hint of rain, SoCal cyclists don't go riding. I didn't see a single cyclist out there this morning. Just like the motorists here, we can't handle the rain!

ngateguy and I rode together during the last STP. He also had his brother and his brother's friend come up from San Diego and join us. At one point (okay so at many points) it started to rain. At one of the rest stops a heavy rain began to fall. His brother's friend simply pulled up a chair, plunked down in it and refused to move. We must have stopped for a good half-hour before we were able to convince him that there were lines and lines of squall moving across and it wouldn't really let up so we should just bite the bullet (or rather droplets) and continue on. Luckily it stopped raining once we hit the Oregon border.

ngateguy and I rode together during the last STP. He also had his brother and his brother's friend come up from San Diego and join us. At one point (okay so at many points) it started to rain. At one of the rest stops a heavy rain began to fall. His brother's friend simply pulled up a chair, plunked down in it and refused to move. We must have stopped for a good half-hour before we were able to convince him that there were lines and lines of squall moving across and it wouldn't really let up so we should just bite the bullet (or rather droplets) and continue on. Luckily it stopped raining once we hit the Oregon border.
We San Diegans are a stubborn breed. Rain, what is that. Rideable.?

The total Cost of owning a road bike?
Anything rubber will wear down and have to be replaced.
The cables and chain will stretch. and at some point will have to be replaced.
If you want a smooth ride you will need to keep all the moving parts lubed and some parts will need to be taken apart and clean. You will need tools for the things you can do. you will also need tools for the road.
you dont want to be 50 miles from your car/home and something breaks (can be a long walk pushing a bike).
Then there is the jersey and shorts. helmit, shoes and so on.
I guess what I'm trying to say it that its gonna cost you to play. But you are spending money on number 1. So get the best you can afford and have fun..
I hope to see ya out there!

K

total cost of owning a rode bike?
a slower resting heart rate.
stronger lungs.
better looking legs.
way to release stress.
crazy looking tan.
I could go on and on!!

K

Oh, don't forget the cool looking hair when you take your helmet off.

I dunno, still spending money on it....

Oh, don't forget the cool looking hair when you take your helmet off.

My helmet hair usurps Flock of Seagulls Hair anyday!

http://www.neebu.net/~khuon/images/cycling/rr/UW-16Jul2001/Image22.jpg

My helmet hair usurps Flock of Seagulls Hair anyday!



oh c'mon khuon, we all now your hair grows funny... :D (just kidding)

I don't think anyone has fully emphasized the indirect bicycle costs, if you will. Sure, you have your bike stuff for maintenance, etc. But, if you're wanting to look at TOTAL cost of ownership, you have to include bike shorts from the start (trust me, if you dont' have any, get some). Helmet is wise (but it's your head). Gloves make your hands happier by far. Then you'll move to wicking jerseys. Then you'll start doing more and more of your own maintenance. Next thing you know, on top of riding 200 miles a week in the summer, you've got a truing stand and everything short of a headset press as far as tools go, on top of enough different bike shorts (they're all different, you know) to outfit an army of all sizes, spare wheelsets, enough spare parts to build up a new bike and at least one more bike at the ready.

Damn it's fun!

... Next thing you know, on top of riding 200 miles a week in the summer, you've got a truing stand and everything short of a headset press as far as tools go...


No headset press??

;)

And then you have to build an extra garage to hold all your bikes! Or buy a house with a 3 car garage - that's what we did!

It does add up in devious ways!

I don't think anyone has fully emphasized the indirect bicycle costs, if you will. Sure, you have your bike stuff for maintenance, etc. But, if you're wanting to look at TOTAL cost of ownership, you have to include bike shorts from the start (trust me, if you dont' have any, get some). Helmet is wise (but it's your head). Gloves make your hands happier by far. Then you'll move to wicking jerseys. Then you'll start doing more and more of your own maintenance. Next thing you know, on top of riding 200 miles a week in the summer, you've got a truing stand and everything short of a headset press as far as tools go, on top of enough different bike shorts (they're all different, you know) to outfit an army of all sizes, spare wheelsets, enough spare parts to build up a new bike and at least one more bike at the ready.

Damn it's fun!

Whenever anyone (not a cyclist) expresses amazement at how much money I spend on cycling I point out the cost of other hobbies/diversions. There's a guy here at work who owns a power boat that he uses maybe four times a year. Cost him about $20,000. It costs $100 to fill the damn thing with gas. I know people with jet skis that cost about $5,000. Someone who's into photography will think nothing about plunking down $1,000 for a lens. Don't get me started on golf!

All in all, I think that cycling is very economical.

Whenever anyone (not a cyclist) expresses amazement at how much money I spend on cycling I point out the cost of other hobbies/diversions. There's a guy here at work who owns a power boat that he uses maybe four times a year. Cost him about $20,000. It costs $100 to fill the damn thing with gas. I know people with jet skis that cost about $5,000. Someone who's into photography will think nothing about plunking down $1,000 for a lens. Don't get me started on golf!

All in all, I think that cycling is very economical.

I'm not sayin' that it's not economical, just that there are a lot more expenses than most realize. I'm also into cars, but I don't spend money on them because I get more bang for the buck tweaking a bike.

I'll have to agree with Isits. My other major vices are scuba diving and model railroading. Biking by comparison is rather inexpensive once you purchase your bike. As I stated earlier in this thread, its the big trips that run into cashola. But thats okay. Biking is an activity where you really draw out alot for what you invest into it.