jhenson

Anyone else have to keep stopping themselves from spending more and more money on their rides? I was reluctant to spend too much money up front because I wasn't 100% sure I would like riding as much as I thought I did. As it turns out, I do and I keep finding things I want/need (rain gear is one but I might have to wait for a bit on that one).

I spent about $650 up front for the bike (Trek 7.2 FX), lights, a saddle bag, hand pump, helmet, and a spare tube. That's a lot of money; that may not seem like a lot based on what I've seen some people have but for a college student it is. And now I've just ordered new grips (ones that all the reviews said it fits the hands better) since on my ride to/fro work I notice my hands starting to hurt. But I am keeping myself from spending money on the things I don't really need.

So, anyone else?

YULitle

I am a serious, though not chronic, over-spender.... Takes a lot of will power not to buy the things I want for my ride... or new rides, for that matter.

keiththesnake

I'm alway worried I'm spending too much.

madhouse

I keep track of my expenditures and money saved by commuting... So far I am a couple thousand dollars behind and several hundred commutes! Over spend? Never! These were all NEEDS!!!

dynodonn 

Listening to what some of my co-workers are spending a month to drive/maintain their vehicles, I'm way behind on my spending. The sad part is I'm starting to run out of things to buy for my bikes, and my bank account is starting to show it.

tekknoschtev

I started riding as a means by which to save money, and so far even with a free bike, I'm still in the red. Super Flash tail light, Protege 8.0 cycle computer, DIY headlight, new tubes and tires, potentially new saddle, new shifter, new chain, rack, DIY pannier and I've still got some things on the list that I want to get for the bike - and that's just the one bike I'm still kind of jones-ing for some new clipless pedals, but that's down on the list.

That said, I can foresee some point in the future where the spending curve will more or less level off and decline. When will that day come? Who knows.

nick__45

it cost only 15 dollars a year per vehicle to change oil and filter. 30 if you want to go synthetic. each tire cost about 100 for a 16 inch size. all four tires should last 80 miles, with rotation and balance cost included. the biggest cost is gas.

a high price bike will cost more to maintain than a car based on my experience. also, it cost money to eat well to be able to generate joint grease to operate the bike. the big plus size is the health benefit, which takes a lot of time.

anyone taking the time to commute by bike more than 10 miles each way is a pure genious. the same amount of exercise would require gym membership fee of about 500 a year.

ShadowGray

I was about to go out and buy myself a saddle bag when I thought... that's $10 right there... two days of lunch!

And then I realized that my bike in total would cost maybe $1000 for 5 years... which is also the same as half a year of gas only.

then I realized I can't really afford either.

garydhatch

I always seem to find something that I "need" when I go to the LBS, right now I'm trying to justify the purchse of a Raliegh One Way

misterE0

for me, the money saved or spent is a bi-product. I ride because I enjoy it, and I justify any reasonable bike expense that will keep me on the bike or make my experience on it more enjoyable.

dynodonn 

My co-worker with his Dodge diesel wouldn't agree with your budget analogy, he was complaining the other day that the cheapest he could find OE size tires for his truck was 1200 dollars for a set of 4, and would be tickled to get half of the 80,000 miles you mentioned, not to forget, that it takes 3 gallons of oil at every oil change as well.

Another co-worker had to buy a new car since her older car, that was paid for, was costing her more in repairs(averaged over a year) than the new car's payments, and was tired of being stranded by the old car.

I eat well regardless whether I ride a bike or not, just that the bike keeps me from looking like certain members of my family who eat well and don't ride bikes.

trafficcasauras

the more prepared i ma to ride, the more likely that i will ride, and ride consistently by getting rain-gear and weather-gear. however, i threw the most money at safety and security with locks, lights, and helmets. the rest was just to help me transport things.

Tude 

hehe - I personally cannot enter another LBS for a while. Raised the bike herd to four recently and picking up the new one this week (FS mtb). And it's quite troublesome to like to do long miles on a roadie as well as off-road with a mtb. Oh and require a commuter (a mtb) that is outfitted for weather and night riding and, and clothing for rain and winter (I ride year round). So I've been car-free for 8-10 years, still spending money on my rides. However, I finally have the clothing I want (that took a few years to get the stuff I wanted) so that's why I felt so enlightened as to buy the off-road toy.

I cannot enter another LBS for a while.

Harry Stone

I can't tell my friends or family how much I spent on my first bike or they would think I was insane. It will still be able to pay for itself in 6 months of commuting and that's at $4.00 a gallon gas prices and no increase.

The health benefits make it a no brainer. A heart attack costs $40,000 - $50,000.

Tude 

Oh ... how well I know that situation.

aley

+1. I can afford to drive (fortunately it's short - I don't know how most people can afford a long commute by car given where gas prices are now!), I can afford a gym membership, and I can afford a new car when I need one. What I can't afford is missing out on something as fun as cycling, whether it's to work and back or just riding for fun on the weekend. I can't afford to be out of shape and miss out on all the opportunities to go play physically demanding games in the park with my kids, and I definitely can't afford to set an example of a sedentary lifestyle for them.

By that measure, the amount I spend on my bikes is perfectly reasonable. If I had to justify it based on how much I saved on gas, it'd take me years to pay off what I've already spent on bike stuff.

ironhorse3

I'm really cheap, so I bought a bike that cost $200 and am pleased with that (anything will work with a very short commute / 3 miles). I have an alternate (road) bike and my biggest problem now is room in the garage for them. I would like a bike computer but I think I'll forgo that for now, since years ago I had a bike speedometer and odometer, and can now do without these. Simple is better (using the backpack for now to carry things. Since I don't want to leave panniers on the bike in case of rain, but have nowhere to stow them at work, the pack is the obvious solution). I can see the attraction to the accessory isle at the LBS though, and will probably drop by later this week...

ItsJustMe

I'm really only replacing things as they wear out, usually with better quality stuff. I bought a $350 bike new, I have 14000 miles on it, I've probably spent another $400 on it but that includes building 2 new wheels (at about $35 each), the plastic saddle fell apart at 12000 miles so I bought a Brooks Flyer, a set of Nokian studded tires ($100), I think I'm on my 6th chain, 3rd set of tires, Nth set of brake pads, etc. Also up-front stuff; fenders and rack, $300 in lighting (which I consider separate from the bike).

I did spend a lot more in the first couple years as I fooled around figuring out what I wanted. Now I just replace worn out stuff.

Torrilin

You don't need a special bike specific rain jacket for commuting. A rain cape or inexpensive rain jacket will do the job for summer on into fall. Rain pants are nice, but are very much cold weather gear.

Eh. A lot of the spending is a need at first. It's useful to have things like tools for basic bike repair, rain gear, lights...

It's also really easy to get caught up in "if only I had item X, my bike would be so much nicer!". That's why I stay away from bike shops unless I'm looking to spend money. There are lots of little (or not so little) things that are nice to have and not needs. If I find myself having a use for a particular item for months, then it's worth getting it.

jhenson

This is true but I also need to find stuff that will help me throughout the winter (and winter rains) as well. So instead of spending close to nothing now and buying more later, I'll spend a little more now and save some money when winter gets here. I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for so I try not to buy cheap on things I will need to work well and last a long time.

Barrettscv 

I'm hoping to follow this example. But unless you buy everything at yard sales, its hard to keep costs under $750 during the first year.

Michael

d2create

Spend too much?! BWAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHA!!!



HAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!



Ha!


Sorry. Nervous twitch.

https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/165335-bike-porn-my-new-atlantis-56k-beware.html

I need help.

lil brown bat

Nope. I buy things because I need them and will use them. When I spend money, it's not wasted, so I'm not overspending.

jaa1085

15 dollars a year for oil change and filter????

Something doesn't add up.

gascostalot

I'm the guy who stands at the Campus Einsteins Bagel shop for 30 minutes, waiting for someone to leave their order behind because it's taking too long so I can have a free meal.

If anything I need to spend more money!

Maybe if you use synthetic oil and only change the filter everything 3,000 miles and topping off the oil? Even then, unless you're really lucky catching sales, I dont think you can get synthetic oil that cheap (unless you buy pissoil). But I do find it amusing that people insist in changing their oil every 3,000 miles.