sloar 

Do any of you guys with families ever feel guilty having expensive bikes? I save up a little at a time with spare money that I get, then use that money to build a nice bike. When I'm finished I always feel guilty having a $1,000+ bike. When I here my wife complaining about money, or my kids need something I always feel bad about having expensive bikes. That's why I always end up selling my nice rides, so I can give the money to my wife. Anyone ever feel this way?

gomango

Just a little.

I've sold 8 bikes in the last six months.

Some will never be replaced.

My kids need the money more for school right now though.

Handing my wife and kids thousands of dollars for college takes away any guilt rather quickly.

Wileyone 

Family is always first.

cyclotoine

Don't have kids so... not yet. I only spend big money on mountain bikes. I get a new ~$4000 MTB every 2 to 3 years, but I'll get ~$2000 for the old one so really I'm spending something like $1000/year on mountain bikes.

FBinNY 

I you can buy, build and sell used bikes at break even or close you have a cheap hobby, so your family isn't losing anything. If you're buying and selling at a loss, nobody wins, since your hobby is costing you more than necessary.

Rather than play the guilt game, I'd discuss finances with my wife, and see what is available to support keeping and riding a bike. Then I'd find a way to make it happen, with either a cheaper bike, extra side income, or a sacrifice elsewhere, ie bag lunch vs. buying.

The fact is that cycling can be a very inexpensive hobby, and when you factor the possible utility and health benefits it's money well spent ---- if you keep it simple.

Wildwood 

Never felt guilty or shame, 'cuz other needs for money were equally 'discretionary'. I made sure everyone else had bikes - AND lots of guilt about not riding as often as I did.

edit: these last few years I have moderated costs greatly by appreciating fine old lugged steel with friction6 to complement CF/Ti/newSteel rigs with Campy10 and interchangeable wheelsets. Most of us moderate expenses, as needed, given family rqmts or retired fixed incomes.

beech333

I don't smoke or drink. I pay our mortgage and invest 28% of my income for retirement. After working 70 hour weeks for about a year, I deserved to reward myself and did so.

sloar 

I went for a ride today and moved my newly built Merckx so could grab my trusty Trek 600 that I bought for $100. That got me thinking is all. Thanks for your opinions. My wife never ever mentions my bike habit, because I do use money I've made from selling other bikes and parts. But she is always happy when I hand her a wad of cash. Bikes are expensive but kids are more so, and they are NFS.

billytwosheds 

I'd also consider the fact that you probably don't invest $1k but you do end up with a bike worth something in that range. At that point, the only guilt that might bother you would be around keeping all those bikes if you did need the money to support W+K.

Like others have said, if you flip or refurbish and either break even or make money doing it, it's not a terrible hobby. There are much worse ones.

RobbieTunes

I used to. Then I sold a couple of bikes per semester for my son's tuition and expenses, and ended up with a lot fewer bikes and a less complicated life. I eliminated my bike fund and scrape to get what I want now, on purpose.


Things change. I don't.

sloar 

The last bike I built I got lucky. I traded an Ironman that I bought for $150. I traded that for a 1953 Schwinn Black Phantom. I made $1,100 parting that out and paid for my Merckx.

AZORCH

Yup. This. My bike fund used to be a zero-sum game for me, where each October I would compare what I spent to what I sold. I "won" the game if I came out close to even each year. Somehow, though, I would break even but the herd itself got larger. I backed off of that a couple years ago and began to pass along a lot of bikes, parts, and frames. And RT is right: life is a lot less complicated, especially since I really only ride a couple of those that remain with any degree of regularity.

Responding to the original posting though: I put the periodic sales of parts and bikes into a sock and use the money to travel with my wife in the summer. So while I still have a couple of pricey bikes hanging about in the studio, I feel pretty good about how the bike fund has gotten used.

gomango

I'll be close to this point by spring.

Most of my "extra" bike goodies will be gone and I will actually be down to just riders only.

greg3rd48 

I have no interest in cars, luxury items, fancy clothes etc. so in the realm of hobbies mine is not a costly one. In addition, all of my bikes together probably equal the cost of one decent carbon bike. I have also learnt an incredible amount about bike mechanics and added another level of fitness to my life. My wife prefers that we stay healthy and fit for as long possible and I feel great both physically and mentally because of cycling. That being said if I needed to sell off some of the more valuable bikes for family needs they would go.

andr0id

Bikes and other hobbies come out of money left over after savings and monthly bills and my wife and daughter get everything they need first. I've never had to sell possessions to make ends meet, so I can't say I've ever really been in his situation.

Maybe better financial planning would help?

Chombi

I don't think any of my bikes break the $1K level, but their all worth a million bucks to me, cause I put them all together to exactly what I want them to be.......
No guilt here, at all.......

fender1

I totally get where your coming from. I am down to 1 road bike and 1 mountain bike. (Rivendell & Trek 950). Once I started playing music again, the bike acquisition habit died. I realized that the hunting for, fixing, flipping, excessive posting on bike forums etc, posting were all symptoms of an un-engaged mind.

My work is, work. Its technical and not exciting. Learning about bikes, solving mechanical riddles making things that shouldn't work toghther, work together kept me using a the creative part of my brain when other avenues were not available. I would suggest limiting your bike acquisition and trying to find something else to provide a little balance. Its working for me...for now.....

Ex Pres 

Stroll into your LBS and peruse their complete bike prices. You'll feel better.

tricky 

I often end up browsing bf or c-list too much when I start to lose interest at work. I have known about that for a while, but am just now learning how to address it. Good to hear someone else having a similar feeling.

@sloar, sounds like you are staying pretty balanced with it all. Taking care of family is a given but you also need your outlet and to take care of yourself. Feelings of guilt aren't good to harbor for too long. Sounds like an honest conversation with yourself (to ID what is a sustainable level of your hobby that you would feel good about) and also your wife is in order.

Fahrenheit531 

I'm very bike-dollars aware. We've got a couple of kids and money is always tight, which is why I nearly always operate according to the (N+1)-1 version of our beloved equation. Yes, I like my bikes, and I enjoy acquiring and refurbishing new ones. But in the end it's my hobby, and is prioritized appropriately.

longbeachgary

No guilt. Everything we do is for our kids. We're not taking food out of their mouths or a roof from over their heads. Most of us need this activity to keep sane and to keep doing the things we do. Just so you know, your Merckx is the screen that BF opens up to when I click the BF bookmark.

Darth Lefty 

I have half a dozen bikes and keep my old bike buying at "sport touring" and one a time, parts for my modern bikes at or below Deore/Tiagra level, and it takes a long time for me to talk myself into anything. I think my wife would be comfortable with more, really. I'm getting old bits for my Ross and new bits for better wheels/tires for my commuter right now.

gearbasher

No wife + no kids = no guilt

Life is golden. Do what I want, when I want and where I want. Funny thing is...(with the exception of riding) I like staying home.

Chris W.

Yes, and no. Our youngest of six kids is 19. My paycheck has always gone to the family. Bike purchases are done with funds made selling bikes or parts. I also have incredible patience in my old age bike projects can span years, but are always worth the wait!
Cheers,
Chris

qcpmsame 

Kids are both grown and out of the house. They both had trust funds and scholarships for college, daughter had some debt from grad school, but she paid off every cent. I only have two bikes, both are frugal purchases, contemporary bike was a straight purchase, but nothing expensive, a '12 CAAD10 4, I received the Medici frame and fork from a generous forumite (thanks DD, I still say I owe you one.) The components and finishing kit were all cash purchases as I found them on eBay.

I clear everything with my wife, no surprises on her. She realizes that its much more healthy and cheaper than some other pursuits, and besides, cycling truthfully saved my life, she kind of likes having me around, for some reason I cannot fathom. No guilt to be had here.

Bill