BroadSTPhilly

You guys are insane. But in an awesome way.

$200 for Panasonic Road bike (AL-7000)
$80 for new tires (nashbar belted and schwinn belted)
$35 for Road Morph
$20 for helmet
$18 Wedgie bag
$12 Chain Lube

Knocking old ladies down on the MUP: Priceless

spiker

Given my commute is 2.5 miles & I can commute by car for $5.00 a week & I spent $12.00 to replace the rear axle on the rain/winter bike that took 2 & a half weeks to recoup that investment.
Given the right circumstances (as above) you can make a pittance seem pointless.
But what's the price of the enjoyment?

evblazer

OP I really don't like that you posted that and then I decided to go through it myself. Bikes are cheap but bike stuff adds up. Good thing I knew I was spending more money then saving since this is my rando as well as my commuter bike. All weather year round commuter.
Bacchetta Giro 26 $1595+
$100 shipping and assembly charge ($@(#) PCF)
Bebop Pedals $120
Keen Sandals $115
Ortleib Rolltop bags $165 (free with REI dividend)
Brain Bag $65(seat bag) which failed and was trashed
Aero Trunk Replacement $200
Fastback double century $85 (Under seat bags for dual 70oz bladders)
Fastback frame pack $30 - similar to barista bags
4th set of tires ugh.. OEM + $66 (split beads) + $100 (good but too thin for chipseal) +$98 (on order)
Cross ride wheels $180
Dual Dinotte 140s $240
Dual Superflashes $30
Dual rear mirrors $40
Dual SSC Zbin custom LED front Light with computer CPU heatsink $50
Q-Rings $280
ADEM Neck rest $60
Fenders $45
OAB Special Bacchetta front light mount $65
Velo Genesis Seat Strut Clamps $24 (used instead of grenade pin style adjusters)
SOLAS reflective Tap from identitape $25
Carbon Spider Visor $25
Fenix Flashlight $50
Ventisit Seat Pad $99
2 Hydropak Water Bladder $52
And last but most importantly:
Bacchetta Jersey 65$

Total: $4069
Miles since March on this bike: 4,076.4. hmm at $1 a mile it is paid off
Note: Some stuff on the list I use on other bikes or off bike and I'm sure I inherited a few things from other bikes that aren't listed.

My bike is in the back holding up my wifes "custom" built in holland challenge hurricane SL low racer/tourer bike. She's worth it

GV27

Some of you guys are cheaper than the folks on the Alfa Romeo forum! Sheesh.....

I'm building a new bike in the spring that'll start with a $1200 frame. Have no idea what the total cost will be - I'll be poaching some Super Record components off my Dad's old bike - not sure how many, however. At a minimum it'll have the SR headset and seatpost. Perhaps the cranks with a triple adapter which rules out the BB. Perhaps the front hub unless I get a generator hub. The SR rear freewheel hub will be going on my old road bike and the early-90s Record cassette hub off that will go on the new bike. I'll use either the campy brake levers or a set of Modolo Professional levers I have. I may use the SR downtube shifters or perhaps not....I'll need new brake calipers for sure and rebuilt wheels. Then racks, fenders - obviously once I've gone that far I can't go cheap on that stuff.....

Anyhow - I'll be spending WAY more than $1400. As stated above, however, I'm still only looking at a buck a mile per year or so and this bike should last me the rest of my life.

Chris

GearsForFears

Surly Cross-Check, Salsa Delgado Cross rims, Continental CityRide 700x32 tires, Cane Creek S-8 headset and Flat-Top levers, Avid Shorty 6 brakes, Nitto North Road bars, bright orange Lizard Skins grips, Planet Bike fenders and lights, no derailleur: $650 off Craigslist
Selle Italia saddle (I like 'em hard), slightly used: $55
Velocity bottle cages, orange to match grips: $20
Orange bottle to match cages: $11
JoeMo vacuum bottle for coffee: $13

Spouse wanting a ride just like it: priceless

Kotts

The car I drove for the past 5 years in winter weather cost me $350. (No, that's not a typo.) Took about $100 in parts to get/keep it running over those 5 years.

I also loaned it to friends who needed wheels every summer.

Last week I sold it to a junkyard for $250, so $200 for 5 years = $40 a year.

sharkey00

Let see...
Marathon plus tires 80
Rain pants 80
jacket 75
full finger gloves 25
floor pump 25
chain lube 8
new tubes 20
bike shorts 10
Subtotal pre new bike: $323

New bike 1000
Pedals: 20
2x shorts 100
new tire 30
sunglasses 10 bucks (did I mention they retail for 130? )
Food 100
Subtotal new bike: 1240
Total: 1,587

Not having owned a car for the past year minimum savings:
1200 car insurance
1000 gas
1000 dollars a year in maintenance and repairs (Yes, that is high. Yes, I hated that car.)
2570 Purchase price of car divided by years owned 18,000/7 (price per year)
Total: $5770
Amount Saved this year 5770-1567= $4203

GV27

mmmm....k. no oil, no tires, no anti-freeze.....

Nozzle

I'd love to see a picture of that $350 car (that runs?!)...

Kotts

Ahem... did you read the "$100 in parts to get/keep it running" bit? A $350 car doesn't get expensive oil (recycled/re-refined works nicely at $0.27 a quart), filters (I happened across a bulk purchase of a dozen of the correct oil and air filters for $5.00) or tires (decent used tires can be had for about $5 each). I do all my own wrench-turning.

I got it for $350 becasue the "buy here-pay here" dealership couldn't get it running. They had the plug wires on in the wrong order.

Even if you double the maintainance figure, heck, triple it, that was still one frugal damn ride while it lasted.

It went to the automobile graveyard becasue no car with that much rust is going to get a new clutch at $100, complete exhaust system at $250, and head gasaket at $100. All of the above went bad on the way back from an MS150 ride, and I limped it home speed-shifting on 3 cylinders with toilet paper stuffed in my ears.

I guess the car figured it was a good day to die.

ScottE22

I was thinking the same thing. Since deciding to bike commute as often as possible in May, I have bought my late-90s Bianchi Eros a complete overhaul, a single TransIt DX pannier, a Topeak Expedition rack, new Randonneur tires...

And just last week I ordered a day-glow green windbreaker, full-finger gloves, lights, an Eagle Creek Pack-It Folder, and an Arkel Bug.

And my commute is exactly 3 miles each way. I probably spent maybe $500 on all that which is a little more than the payment on my Tundra (which I can't wait to give back in Novemeber...). Overkill for a 6-mile roundtrip? Probably. But could I put a price on the enjoyment I get out of riding even if it's only two or three times a week? Nope.

I am hoping to ride enough to feel justified in buying an LHT. I love those bikes.

Wanderer

Good gosh! I sure hope my bride doesn't see this thread!

zoltani

I started to make a list of everything i have spent on my bike since i purchased it, but i quickly deleted it when i realized that i don't even want to know myself!

nick95673

woo hoo I broke my brake lever. Upgrade time.

al-wagner

Is that bike short or is it just the way the picture was taken?

dynodonn 

I don't have to keep anything from the wife when it comes to my bike/gear purchases. My two fully equipped commuter bikes that are kept indoors, both happen to be next to me as I write this, amount to only 6 months worth of her auto loan payments.

iforgotmename

Just remember, it's not about the money......at least that's how I rationalize it Although this month's upgrades of a handbuilt wheelset and a broooks b-17 were worth every penny.

dynodonn 

This type of scenario is not what usually happens with the average person, most vehicles that I see going for the initial purchase of your vehicle generally have 3 tires into the dismantling yard and the last one on a oil slick. Plus $200 dollars for maintenance over a 5 year period is also not the norm, with the expenditure by the average person being several times that amount.

KitN

Dear Sweet Jeebus... I just crunched my accessories numbers... OUCHIES!! And I've only just begin buying stuff for my bike(s). Grrr. If I didn't love cycling so much I'd hate it!

My bike "habit" has now completely eaten up my stiletto fund... And my clothing fund... At this rate I'm gonna be shoeless and naked but riding a decked out bike.

rumrunn6

You finally did the math, huh? Join the club, no savings. The only way to save is to get ride of the car entirely.

Sounds like a nice bike.

BTW: Your bike is cheaper than a mistress.

nahh

haha...I really don't really want to know how much I've spent on bike stuff in a year. But between bike and camera stuff, it's totaled about $2000.
and I'm getting a $200 lens and clipless pedals/shoes in the next month xD

*sigh* It's only money, and I'm saving a fair amount too.

JoeyBike

Sounds reasonable to me. My prescription eyeglasses with thin progressive bifocal lenses, all the coatings, and Ti frames cost $700. Then the clip-on shades are about $50 more. Granted they came from the most expensive place in town, but their warranty has replaced both lenses for free recently.

I would laugh out loud if I could get away with spending a hundred bucks on glasses.

supercycle62

I paid $30 for my current ride, a 6 speed Leader LE60700 found at a yard sale. It came already with steel fenders and rack installed. Read about it here: https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting/554001-garage-yard-sale-bike.html

My CCM helmet cost $12.98
The new replacement "Touring" seat (with springs) from Canadian Tire, on sale for $14.98

I think my next investment may be tires.

I bought my sunglasses at the dollar store....

JoeyBike

It's only your eyes.

trekker pete

700 might be reasonable....for prescription progressive bifocal and good frames. And since you probably wear them pretty much everywear, is wel worth it.

100 dollar non prescription sunglasses, on the other hand, seem kinda expensive and if they aren't shatter proof, are putting your eyes in as much danger as the cheapo ones, possibly more.

I usually wear a pair of cheapo safety glasses which I get from work for nothing. They are even almost cool looking.