"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - "Holy Crap!" or your '09 race budget

My wife and I sat down to do our annual budget for 2009 (really for the first time ever) and so I had to determine my annual cycling fund.

I was not supprised to see how much I have spent on cycling, ahem...excluding my bike. That falls under '08 and we're not going there.

here is is in short:

fees: $400
license/s: comped by team:thumb:
09 kit: $419

2 SS jerseys
1 LS jersey
2 bib shorts
1 vest
1 cap

Gas: ~$300???(I hope not)
Hotels: <$200 (I hope)
gel/bars/recovery: $60/month
misc. maint: $200

Grand total: $1900
ok really, $2k

...or $166/mo.

Not too terrible; I prob left something out. :innocent:

How is you '09 budget looking?

any tips for budget minded people?

tell her she is lucky: you dont have any bike builds, general schwag purchases, cyclingpeaks/trainingpeaks, etc.

My budget is $40 whether I like it or not, but I get another $6 every day I ride to work instead of drive and any money I make building wheels or subbing during my prep period goes into that pool. I only buy one team jersey and one team bib. Gels and bars only come along on the longer rides and my energy drink is Gatorade. I avoid races which require a hotel stay and room with family or teammates whenever possible. I race on inexpensive equipment and sell anything I don't use on ebay. This usually allows me 2 races per month from Feb through July.

I don't want to think about it too much, but I figure riding most days instead of driving must be worth something, and she does her own riding and racing (triathlons) to at least somewhat offset mine. I spend more on equipment, but we probably both spend about the same on travel & fees. Have you guys seen how much an Ironman entry fee is?!?

any tips for budget minded people?

Don't add it up...

Pay as you go...

Seems smaller that way...



Mine is going to be huge...

BUMP Series is going to be $100

Mt. Washington $300

Equinox $65

Whiteface $40

Burke $100

I am going to stop there...

It hurts...

I don't even want to total it up cause:

Kits: team
tires: team
Frame: team
converting bikes from campy to sram: Too much
an average 3 hour drive to each race: Way too much
race reimbursement: team
Entry fees/Hotels for any multi day race or back to back days: Way too much
energy bars/gel/drink: team(hopefully)
The stuff you never plan on like crash replacement or broken stuff: Always too much


Total: Poor house

I spent around 4k last year (not including bike upkeep costs). Will be about the same this year.

I just go race. If I don't have the money, i don't go, simple as that.

That said, I've probably spent $5,000 on entry fees, gas, food (after race real food, gels, drinks) tires, tubes, new equipment. I did not buy a bike but I bought/built 3 pairs of wheels

Your wife should be happy you don't race cars or sail

From start of season till may:

Race license: Paid by university
Race fees: paid by university (mostly I hope)
Gas: Paid mostly by university
Hotel fees: Doesn't apply, don't do anything but crits and local RR's during this time.

From may onwards:

Everything is by me unless I get onto the team I want to get on. Really hoping that happens.

Partial sponsorship of GL race team: $1,000

USCF license renewal fee: $60

New bicycle and wheels for 2009: $7,000

15 or so entry fees to various races: Approx $500

Getting yelled at by my own team mates (whose entry fees I actually helped pay) during the races: priceless.

From start of season till may:

Race license: Paid by university
Race fees: paid by university (mostly I hope)
Gas: Paid mostly by university
Hotel fees: Doesn't apply, don't do anything but crits and local RR's during this time.

From may onwards:

Everything is by me unless I get onto the team I want to get on. Really hoping that happens.

what team?

what team?

I want to race on the CCNS squad for the next two seasons. Working to get to a point where Aidan will let me on. Aidan's been a big help so far, and the guys on the team are cool. Plus, they're local to where I go to school and will (probably) work during the summer.

Why, do you know any others in the area?

not up there. the ones i know in the general area are invite only (which i've never fully understood).

Since I'm getting back into this for 2009, I just looked at the WSBA calendar and started planning things out. I'm guessing that I'll do 12-15 races this coming year, so entry fees, gas and general raceday expenses are probably going to be $1000 and then there is the license and WSBA number, tires/chains etc. So I figure $1,500 for operating expenses.

On the capital side, I'd like to get a new set of wheels. Probably $1000-$1500 there.

Do I have to count depreciation? Straight line or accelerated?

You can probably guess that I am a finance geek when I'm not pretending to be an athlete.

I don't like to add it all up. If I did I wouldn't spend as much and as a result I wouldn't be as happy. Sad but true.

Considering I bought a powertap, a cross bike, and a TT frame/build, in addition to team kit, a lot of races, a few big area rides, some travel and overnight.....ugh....I am guess over $10K.

I'll know when I get done doing the books.

I'd like to set a budget this year, but like I said...I would end up sad.

WHat makes it easier is that I basically plan to stick mostly to racing. I pretty much only wear team kit now so easy choice when it comes to clothing...no temptations to buy nice gear for rides I never take.

It's easier to just manage entry fees and transport. I notice when racing I tend to not buy as much crap either...unless it breaks. That should help.

The team I just joined is reported to have a generous race reimbursement policy as long as you do your volunteer hours. I'm not going to complain.

I left a team that had a generous race reimbursement but no clothing allowance for a team that provided kits but no race reimbursement. So far, it's a wash.

Shrug.

No price can be put on my sanity.

Shrug.

Easy for you to say.

No price can be put on my sanity.

Every man has his price.

Every man has his price.

And mine is cheap too.

I don't like to add it all up. If I did I wouldn't spend as much and as a result I wouldn't be as happy. Sad but true.

Considering I bought a powertap, a cross bike, and a TT frame/build, in addition to team kit, a lot of races, a few big area rides, some travel and overnight.....ugh....I am guess over $10K.

I'll know when I get done doing the books.

I'd like to set a budget this year, but like I said...I would end up sad.

WHat makes it easier is that I basically plan to stick mostly to racing. I pretty much only wear team kit now so easy choice when it comes to clothing...no temptations to buy nice gear for rides I never take.

It's easier to just manage entry fees and transport. I notice when racing I tend to not buy as much crap either...unless it breaks. That should help.

I find that after I do a race for a couple of weekends in a row, I totally forget about schwag. When you're racing you KNOW the bike doesn't make a difference and that all you need is tubes and a way of getting there to pay race fees.

I've never looked down at a pair of shifters during a race and thought, man, that last shift just wasn't quick enough. I could have made that break if I'd had DA.

My budget is still going to be high, though...............grrr

Actually I'll be curious to see how many races happen next year. Sponsors are being squeezed big time. Not sure how many companies are going to be willing to sponsor bike races. We had a full calendar last year, but I suspect some events may get cancelled or scaled back.

$1 per 2 miles is my budget

$1 per 2 miles is my budget

You budget slashing genius, they need guys like you in Washington.

im going to spend every dollar i earn on bike racing, since i now have my parents to feed me.

Not much. I think I spent '09, '10, '11 and '12s budget this year...

I find that after I do a race for a couple of weekends in a row, I totally forget about schwag. When you're racing you KNOW the bike doesn't make a difference and that all you need is tubes and a way of getting there to pay race fees.

I've never looked down at a pair of shifters during a race and thought, man, that last shift just wasn't quick enough. I could have made that break if I'd had DA.

My budget is still going to be high, though...............grrr

Seriously....I'm laughing while reading this. That's soooooo it. The only time I care is times like when you're digging into a corner faster than you would normally ever take that corner and you feel the tires hold and you think...."thank god that's a nice tire."

....but I never think "you know....this seatpost is really holding me back..."

With this in mind I think I am going back to my "crit" bike I made up for racing last year and only ended up using in one crit. It's not that I don't love racing my Giant, but the thought of having to replace it is just killing me.

...but the cirt bike is all campy so that all will have to go....The team is sponsored by SRAM now so maybe a new Rival group.....

....see...that's how this kind of crap starts....

I plan on spending much more than last year. Getting race fees, overnight rooms, and gas payed still left me only paying for bike repairs and food last year. This year is going to be expensive. :-\

You can't ignore a multi thousand dollar annual expense -- that is the $5000 gorilla in the room. Well, that is unless your debt to income is nominally small. I want spend money on other things...like kids and tuition someday.

The $2k this year is good compared to last years ($2k + $3k bike + roof rack) budget. Next year, after I upgrade, I want a team bike and a PT, so I think that perhaps a multiyear average makes more sense.

Say, including my expenses for 08, 09 and 10 my 3 year average will be about $3.?k or $300-350 per month.

By not budgeting for this, I'll be perpetually in debt and crunching stuff I don't want to. If I do it right, I can afford this effing sport and the stuff I want.

Seriously....I'm laughing while reading this. That's soooooo it. The only time I care is times like when you're digging into a corner faster than you would normally ever take that corner and you feel the tires hold and you think...."thank god that's a nice tire."

....but I never think "you know....this seatpost is really holding me back..."

With this in mind I think I am going back to my "crit" bike I made up for racing last year and only ended up using in one crit. It's not that I don't love racing my Giant, but the thought of having to replace it is just killing me.

...but the cirt bike is all campy so that all will have to go....The team is sponsored by SRAM now so maybe a new Rival group.....

....see...that's how this kind of crap starts....

yep...I'm looking at that team offer for next year. My SystemSix con Force is really nice and a bit too nice...

We run on a tight ship, which allows us to live on one of our two salaries. The rest is saved and used for debt retirement. If you want to get ahead, you have got to have a budget and stick to it -- otherwise you end up like our federal government.

Aside from a new bike (which happens about every 5-6 years - often enough to take advantage of genuine technological advances) and the occasional birthday or Christmas gift, I get $160/month for parts, repairs, maintenance, clothing, helmets, etc. Racing license and registration fees come from that, but not travel to the races since we often turn them into vacations. And if I don't spend the whole $160 in a month, it accumulates in an account. That means that any expenditure definitely involves foregoing something else now or in the future (true for any expenditure, but this makes it something that I and I alone will forgo, and hence makes me much more careful with the purchases).

And my wife and I discuss each race in terms of cost to both our budget and our family time.

misc. maint: $200


Just chains and tires have to add up to more than that in a year. Not to mention anything that breaks- I average one wheel rebuilt each year, then there's headsets, BBs, etc etc all of which eventually go bad.

I do all my own work except wheelbuilding and I'd guess that I spend more like $4-600 a year on maintenance. That's on two bikes and I'll ride a total of about 550 hours this year.

More money than I currently have. Considering I'm in debt to my parents pretty heavily, and about to ask for another loan to cover me until I start working again next summer between semesters.

School pays entry fees, I already bought kit/bike, all I have coming up is food/housing/travel. We carpool so gas isn't too terrible, although we do drive a long way sometimes. I eat cheap food, cheapest carbs I can get. Usually bagels and pasta (plain) and such. Housing, we usually stay with someone from the host school, or occasionally stuff a bunch of people into a seedy motel room.

It's nice racing with college kids, because we're all in the same boat. None of us have any extra money to be spending, so we're all trying to save as much as possible.

That being said, I splurged and bought two kits.

Just chains and tires have to add up to more than that in a year.

You're supposed to win tire primes :rolleyes:

2009 may be the first season in a LONG while where I actually have to pay for stuff. This could be a bit of a shock to the system. I may even start patching tubes.:D

You're supposed to win tire primes :rolleyes:

Being a skinny climber who doesn't race crits and can't sprint, the chances of that are essentially zero.

Your wife should be happy you don't race cars or sail
I keep reminding my wife of that. I used to race cars. She used to sail.


No price can be put on my sanity.
I keep reminding my wife of that, too. :D

Being a skinny climber who doesn't race crits and can't sprint, the chances of that are essentially zero.

Sounds like you've pigeon holed yourself.

I hope you win a lot of races, otherwise the "skinny climber" moniker is useless.

Here's mine:
Bikes = free
Parts = free
Clothing = free
Entry fees = we're still waiting on cash sponsors to make up their minds.

Despite the uncertain team budget, we had everyone who was asked to race for the team sign on again for this season. Even if I have to pay entry fees from time to time, I'm still making $$$ every weekend, and having a blast doing it.

Now that I've thought about this for a while, I figured that I race an average of once a week, race March thru november, its 36 weeks, 36 races. If races average $25 a pop, thats $900. Lets round up and say $1000 in entry fees.

Gas lets say $25 a weekend, so again about $1,000.
After Race meals $500
Occasional hotels $500
UCI License $150
Monthly Massage $720 (wish it was weekly)
Total: $3,870

I'm sure I spend $2000+ on equipment, supplies nutrition a year.

Partial sponsorship of GL race team: $1,000

USCF license renewal fee: $60

New bicycle and wheels for 2009: $7,000

15 or so entry fees to various races: Approx $500

Getting yelled at by my own team mates (whose entry fees I actually helped pay) during the races: priceless.

So you only spent 500 bucks on racing?

Just chains and tires have to add up to more than that in a year. Not to mention anything that breaks- I average one wheel rebuilt each year, then there's headsets, BBs, etc etc all of which eventually go bad.

I do all my own work except wheelbuilding and I'd guess that I spend more like $4-600 a year on maintenance. That's on two bikes and I'll ride a total of about 550 hours this year.

yeah, good point. didn't consider the other general stuff as my bike was new in July 08, so nothing needed then. Luckily that is only another $17 per month. ugh.


Here's mine:
Bikes = free
Parts = free
Clothing = free
Entry fees = we're still waiting on cash sponsors to make up their minds.

Despite the uncertain team budget, we had everyone who was asked to race for the team sign on again for this season. Even if I have to pay entry fees from time to time, I'm still making $$$ every weekend, and having a blast doing it.

nice. very nice.

Here's mine:
Bikes = free
Parts = free
Clothing = free
Entry fees = we're still waiting on cash sponsors to make up their minds.

Despite the uncertain team budget, we had everyone who was asked to race for the team sign on again for this season. Even if I have to pay entry fees from time to time, I'm still making $$$ every weekend, and having a blast doing it.
I didn't know people that talented wasted their time here on BF.

I didn't know people that talented wasted their time here on BF.

I'm not particularly fast.

I do my job, for my team, and I am compensated for my meager contributions. I took myself out of the money at all but one SuperWeek race, because I was simply not at a level necessary to RACE and help my team. I wasn't going to steal from them, when I never sniffed the front of the race.

Come race against me. You'll feel better.

Well I bought a bike a couple weeks ago so that really skews my $ for the year.

But no, I don't keep track of it; I did exactly 2 races this years that required a hotel stay; mostly I did Tuesday nighters which I pedal to and they cost $10 for entry.

A few tires, chain, cassette and a few other entry fees / gas / food, but absent the new bike I think I'm spending less than a lot of guys here.

And it's the first new bike since '02 so it's not like I'm a compulsive upgrader or anything.

hey guys, when you're totaling up gas $, do you include the days that you drive to a training ride start?

and is it just gas $ or a loaded depreciation factor on the car?