webike4fun

I got a huge break today! My wife went to lunch with an old friend who's husband is an "avid" golfer....After hearing of the all the expenses in green fees, golf clubs, clothes, 18 hole weekends, gambling, 19th hole partying, golf vacations where she never see's him except at night where all he talks about is golf, golf and more golf, etc. she actually said she is glad to see me into cycling.....AND actually said, "bikes are much cooler than golf clubs" She has never really expressed any resentment or hostility towards my obsession, I mean, hobby......but after hearing the golf "horror" stories she prefers the bikes! .And doesn't care how many bikes I have "because Kelli's hubby has tons of golf clubs!". Is this the green light to go over the edge and start smokin' the bike crack pipe! (By the way, how many bikes must I collect before it is officially an obsession not a hobby? I now have 6 "keepers" and 3 more on the "free agent" list.......Is one more OK? Just a Paramount.....and a vintage Sumpjumper.....thats it then I'll quit....I swear it.....

Are there support groups for people like you and me? Or do we do this forever? Has anyone OD'ed? that you know of.....Is my wife now enabling me? .....Back to Craig'slist........I think I saw a Colnago

luker

one more is always okay.

DavidW56

Now that you mention it -- there are bicycle enthusiasts here who are also into restoring vintage cars or motorcycles, or collecting vintage audio components, or classic guitars, and plenty other interesting hobbies -- is there anyone here who is also an avid golfer? And would you bike with your golf bag to the golf course?

gnome

+1

mkeller234

+1 N+1

Even running can get expensive if you want it to!

gerald_g 

In an attempt to help my wife understand, I just read her your story. She says you're already on the list... and so am I.

The Golden Boy 

I've played guitar and bass in rock and roll bands for the past 25 years. At various points I've been a major "gear *****," had stacks of guitars, an apartment full of amps, traded and dealed guitars every week... It's an expensive but fulfilling and fun hobby. I suppose if you do it right, you can make all your money back and actually *make* money- but I'm still a few dozen thousand dollars in the hole...

I got the bike bug this summer.

While I don't have a lot of money to throw at this- I actually have now bought a bike off the Ebays- I've somehow managed to NOT buy a guitar or amp or pedal off the Ebays, but I saw a bike that caught my fancy... The time I used to spend practicing or tweaking stuff or time on gear/musician forums is now spent on messing with bikes, lusting after bikes on the internets, reading about bikes... and riding. Now that it's dark when I get off work, I'm going to have to figure out something to do...

There's some really interesting parallels between bike stuff and guitar stuff.

webike4fun

OK If you had to get rid of one: TRICK Question-read all before answering:
(A)1985 Holland steel w/ campy 8 ergo (local frame builder)
(B)1985 Rob Roberson w/ Campy SR (local frame builder)
(C)late 80's Guerciotti w/ Shimano Dura-ace 7 (non-Sti)
(D)1984-1985 Trek 660 Suntour Cyclone/Modolo, etc-with a new shifter cable that had to routed through the rear chain stay!!!!!!!
(E)Seven Odonata w/ Campy Record 10 ($700.00 local buy OMG!!! Could not pass this one!)
(F)Bianchi Veloce w/ Campy Veloce 9 (celeste)
(G)1985ish Trek 830 Antelope (free!!)
(H)1960 Schwinn (panther I think)
(I) None of the above
(J) All of the above and donate the money to a big Wall street firm that has received TARP money
(K) Buy a few more so that you that the number of bikes you have is equal to or greater than 1/2 your age...
(L) # of bikes is equal to 10 or multiples of ten....

jet sanchEz

One of my closest friends is really into Porsches. I was hemming and hawing about buying a used set of Campy wheels for $150 and he laughed and said that he wished anything for his Porsche obsession cost only $150.

Oregon Southpaw

I like both, but certainly a bike addiction seems a little healthier overall. Who even walks 18 anymore?

Moreover. A good glimpse at what bicycling does to the body.

And your average Golfer physique:



Note: bicycling (hopefully) will not transform you into a hipster, and golfing (hopefully) will not transform you into morbid obesity. But you see the idea.

PS - the more I think about it, the more I realize that bicycling is as one other BF member noted, "the most expensive form of eating disorder I can think of". Also, golf is all about getting out and away (from your spouse).

So really:
The healthiest, most expensive eating disorder vs. emotional affair.
Easy choice!

The Golden Boy 

Bicycling will not turn me into a cool and fashionable hipster? I was wondering why my clothes still looked the same...

KtotheF

if we're comparing cycling to golf, I don't think the golfer mentioned in the original post and a CV-er is a fair comparison. I would compare him to some of the Masters guys I know on my local club team-- you know, the guys who new $5,000 wonder bikes every year, and are currently lobbying the team to set up a group order of Quarq powermeters...

caloso

Woohoo! I've been dressing exactly that way (501s, boat shoes, plaid shirts) since 1984. I knew they'd finally come back into style!

The Golden Boy 

Now you're cool and hip and fashionable... Again.

For a few more months, then you gotta wait a couple more decades.

GV27

The real problem with those guys in the picture is the contraptions on top of the hill. If you actually WALK the course and carry your own bag, it's a decent amount of exercise. Play 3 or 4 rounds a week like that and it'll get you into reasonably good shape. I'm not saying it's the same as putting 100 miles a week in on the bike, but if you're so friggin' lazy that you think plunking down $50 so you can drive around the golf course rather than walking is worthwhile then you deserve to be a fat pig!

GV27

Dang - and here I thought a Goodwill wool sweater and a pair of nylon cargo shorts was fashionable....drat!

treebound 

I used to be an avid golfer, or rather an avid duffer. Stop on the way home from work and play a quick 9 holes in the summer. I've also thought of different ways to carry golf clubs on a bicycle, and one of the first thoughts I had when I first saw a Surly Pugsley was that someone finally came up with a bicycle that could be used on a golf course. I've got more than one complete sets of clubs and an assortment of woods and putters at home. But when the cost to play went above a buck a hole, and when it's now around two bucks a hole to play a course walking, I pretty much gave it up and haven't played a round of golf in several years. (Why does this suddenly sound like a Golfaholics meeting???)

To the OP of this thread: I would suggest picking up a used putter, preferrably a Bullseye which doubles nicely as a walking cane) and squirrel it away in a back corner of the garage or bike shed. If your spouse ever begins to complain about the bikes then say nothing and simply retrieve the putter and start tapping a ball around the yard or living room. Bonus effects if you use fine china coffee cups turned on their sides as putting targets.

Let's see, this week I found two bicycles that I bought at a thrift shop and one shallow faced graphite shafted titanium head driver that I also bought at a thrift shop. Bicycles win this week, and expenses are still below $50 for the week.

It's probably good that I gave up snow skiing back in the 1970's when that too got too costly. I never could afford to get that 911T Porsche I've always wanted.

Rabid Koala

When I was growing up, all I heard was golf golf golf golf.......ad nauseum.

My older brother was totally into it, and so was my dad. I never had any interest in golf, have always been obsessed with bikes.

Rabid "bikes are WAY better" Koala

caloso

I don't dislike golf. It's a fine game, and I plan to take it up more seriously when I get too old to do anything strenuous.

But seriously, I find it a lot more enjoyable to just take a 9-iron and a bucket of balls out to the park and chip at a target. I just don't have the patience to spend all day out on the course.

Sluggo

[QUOTE=The Golden Boy;9993712].... Now that it's dark when I get off work, I'm going to have to figure out something to do... ...
QUOTE]

You have not discovered the joys of obsessing about lights and dynohubs...

CMC SanDiego

I vote that you get rid of at least one of the above, your choice.....and sell it at a very good price to a local bike enthusiast with initials CMC.

socalrider

here is the breakdown on how expensive golf can be:

Golf really does cost a lot more than people think, an avid golfer that play 3 rounds a week.

40.00 for green fees per round
10.00 Lunch or Beverages per round
10.00 Sleeve of Premium Balls

So playing 3 rounds per week, not counting range balls, gloves - bag - new clubs will cost over $9300.00 per year.. If you count practice balls, clubs etc, this could be as much at $11,000-12,000 per year.. If you where golf courses are 50+, this could go as high as 15k per year..

I use to play quite a bit and now play about 4x month with some friends.. Cycling after your initial investment is much cheaper in the long run..

I have a couple bikes that are 10-20 years old that I still ride.. I do not have any golf clubs that are more than a couple of years old..