Long Run Nick

Bought a Trek 7.3 FX on 5/5/10 ($600) and have spent more than twice what the bike cost me. Have ridden more than 1,300 miles in that time frame. Cost per mile still over $1 per mile. Running is a lot cheaper for sure.

Lights: Exposure Toro-- handlebar/Joy Stick(helmet)--2 red Eyes. Dinotte 400 tailight. MS900--handlebar and a SP flasher. Edison would wet his pants if he saw the display. Awesome in the dark and very noticeable during the day(flash mode). Animals cower. A snake was crossing the road a few early mornings ago (0500) saw the lights and shed its' skin!

Bike gear: pedals/'puter/seat bag/handlebar grips/shoes.

Clothing: Several Primal jerseys and shorts. Pearl I PRO shorts. Some more bike Jerseys. A couple of helmets--you know match the outfit. Numerous pairs of bike gloves--match the outfit. I already have a Garmin 305 HR monitor from my running as well as head sweats,socks etc.
I am glad I didn't buy a $2-3K + bike. God knows what I would have to spend. Nick

FlatSix911

Welcome the world of cycling ... it's a slippery slope ...

wahoonc

I ALWAYS spend more on accessories than I spend on the bike....but I buy inexpensive used bikes. Last go around I paid ~$90 for a Raleigh Twenty, I already have over $400 in upgrades on it. In fact is seems the less I spent on the purchase the more I spend on stuff for it.

Aaron

shouldberiding

2x? No. I'm on my way to matching the original value in accessories and upgrades though.

bkaapcke

Wait 'til the upgrading components bug hits you. That's when it will start to cost. Of course, It's worth it; You learn a lot from installing/tuning, your bike gets better all the time and on and on. bk

You'll know it's time for a new bike when there's nothing left to upgrade.

JPMacG

Yes... $500 for a bike and $1000+ for accessories and maintenance. Brooks saddle, tires, tubes, chains, spokes and wheel truing, cluster, bar ends, mirrors, lights, rack, trunk bag, helmet, high vis shirts and jackets, power grips, computer, pumps, multi tool, etc, etc, etc. Fortunately, over time, you accumulate all the stuff you need and the bleeding will slow down.

dcrowell

My first "real" bike was $225, and I spent over $1000 in upgrades and accessories. It was a learning experience. If you can avoid the N+1 syndrome, your costs will go down, as you don't need as much stuff. I now down to two bikes (for now)

dedhed

When you buy bikes inexpensively, it's not hard to do.
My workhorse 88 Trek 1000 I paid 2 cases of beer for that I got from a Miller employee at employee price. I now have put over 10K on that bike. Just bought a $100 magic shine

Robert Foster

It would seem that if you bought a $3500.00 -$6000.00 CF bike with the wheels and components you like in the first place it would have been harder to spend twice as much for lights and cloths. You would still have to spend the same amount it just wouldn't be more than the bike.

Machka 

Nothing wrong with spending lots of money on cycling ... after all, you've got to spend your money on something.

wahoonc

"I spent most of my money on liquor and women...the rest I just wasted" (probably on bicycle parts)

Aaron

cehowardGS

Through the length my years, I have learn a few things, and you can write them in stone..

One of them is "you can't take the money with you"..

spend it, enjoy it, we only passing this way one time!!

congrats on the new gear..

dynodonn 

Accessorizing/customizing my Winter commuter to fit my needs ended up being 3 1/2 times the initial cost of the bike. I did buy the bike new at the LBS, but it was an entry level bike.

AndrewP

The high quality accessories you bought for your current bike can transferred to your next better bike.

no motor?

I don't think I can remember back to when I was back at the 2x mark.

wahoonc

Unless you subscribe to the N+1=perfect number of bikes, in which case you will be constantly buying new stuff for other bikes

Aaron

Mr. Beanz

Tandem $2100
Roadie $1800
Roadie $1100
Roadie $2800
Roadie $1000
MTB $1100


5 of our 7 bikes, I'd be a fool to spend 2x on accessories!

Good thing about cycling is once you've got it, it's there. I used an Ultegra hub that I had and built this rear wheel for $15. Previous wheel lasted over 20,000 miles. How many pair of shoes would it take run 20,000 miles?

I've already got about 4,000 on this $15 wheel.

calamarichris

I'm not giving details, but yes, I do have an SRM with PC6. I'd do it again though--I'm addicted to my trainer workouts anymore.
Also, I spent $1100 getting my Masi repainted/chromed/decaled, which is almost exactly what I paid for the frame back in 1988. And the NOS components cost at least that much, but I enjoyed building it up, and now I enjoy looking at it and riding it on zero-percent humidity days. The neat thing is that the guys who refurbished it looked it up on the Masi registry and told me my frame was made by Masi back in 1984 right here in Carlsbad, just up the street from where I live now.

Sucker? Moi? (Probably, yeah.)

SunnyFlorida

Maybe not 2x but definitely 1x. I have two bikes.

My beloved Sun trike has gotten a makeover: 3 gears, new saddle, better tubes and a bike mirror. Upgrades were well worth putting on and didn't exceed the original cost of the trike.

My new Sun Streamway 7 will proably get: a suspension seat post, better saddle, tougher tubes, bike mirror,bike rack, touring bag and bell. I may replace the handlebars to handlebars that look more like my trike for a more comfortable reach. And this bike is new!!!!

I think I'm slowing making my Streamway look like my trike (minus the third wheel). I love that step through frame. Couldn't find a bike that featured that low a step, which is why I think it's worth upgrading. I'll be having this one for a long time.

If I do all the upgrades on this one, I'll probably exceed the cost of the bike but I don't think I'll be reaching 2x.

And of course there is all the odd and ends: helmet, wicking shorts and t-shirts, backpack, bike wrenches, tube/tire patch kit, under seat bag, bike cleaner/grease, etc. Oh lord! If you counted all of this, it would put me over the 2x limit, especially for the trike since I didn't have most of this stuff until I dusted off my trike and started to ride it.

However, I do use the wicking shorts/t-shirts and backpack for other things. The bike tools, helmet, etc. - not really.

Artkansas 

It was a freebie, how could I not spend more than 2x that when adding fenders, lights, rack?

operator

Most people seem to think a 'big ticket' bike purchase is what keeps a bike shop afloat. Nope. It's one of the lowest margin items that we sell. Accessories are where the margins are to be had.

wahoonc

There and the service department!

Aaron

idiotekniQues

gary fisher kaitai $650


kryptonite chain, cable & u-lock $120
blaze & superflash lights - $60
computer - $30
topeak rack and mtx bag - $120
new seat - $40
floor pump and frame pump - $50
bar ends and pedals - $40
insulated stainless water bottle - $30
extra rear light for clothing while city riding - $10
helmet - $60
reflective tape/lube/various small stuff - $40
=$600

so essentially the same cost.


at this point have no interest in any other accessories.

cyclist2000

No cycling specific clothing? That is the big ticket item for me.

travelmama

More like triple the amount as I have 9 bikes and don't like to interchange all gear and tools.