How to subsidize/support the cycling habit?

[MattTuck]

We're trying to save for a house, and after looking over some finances for the last year, and actually tallying up my cycling expenses, I had this reaction.... :eek:

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

[AngryScientist]

pro sponsorship?

seriously though, realistically, short of picking up a second or third job to supplement your income, all you can do is curb the spending.

set a realistic monthly allowable expense and stick to it.

you're correct that it is just a habit, honestly speaking, i could probably get by on a few bucks a month cycling related spending. if you buy quality kit the first time, and reliable parts, there is really not too much that you NEED to spend $ on to keep you riding...

[benb]

Don't ride in the rain/snow/winter salt...

A lot of my costs this year are related to that. Also pick events carefully. Some events can cost enough in 1 day to pay for all the other events of the year.

[sandyrs]

My approach is to put a set amount away each month right after I get paid. It's an automatic withdrawal, so I can't go back on it. I have to call my financial advisor if I want to reduce the amount or take cash out, so I have to explain myself to someone. It's an aggressive amount for me, about 30% of my monthly post-tax paycheck (also contributing to a 401k), and my current approach is to invest those savings with a plan to buy a house in 3-5 years (might be sooner in your case, but the general idea might remain the same). If I can't afford bike stuff with what's left over after rent/food/other life expenses, I don't buy it, simple as that. It's never gotten to the point that I can't buy chamois cream, but it's definitely kept me from buying a wheelset or two and has made me more conscious of how I spend my money on cycling.

[jmoore]

1. buy quality the first time on everything, even if it costs more.
2. purge the things you don't use

[jet sanchez]

Flip bikes on Craigslist

[Mzilliox]

i have a sell before i buy policy now. I sell and build up money in the paypal, then use it as needed. i do a bit of wrench work for friends and family and save my cash from that too. basically i budget, and try not to fudge too much. we already bought the house though, now we just need to keep paying the mortgage

[MagicHour]

Edit - Like this guy ^^^^

Sell stuff you no longer need on eBay or Craigslist.

[Ralph]

One thing I have learned is fancy latest greatest bike parts don't make me faster, or really increase the joy and benefit of cycling.

[pdmtong]

1. buy quality the first time on everything, even if it costs more.

2. purge the things you don't use


^this

- don't impulse buy things on sale
- sell what you have hoarded or at least stop hoarding
- buy things second hand off paceline

More importantly make a budget across all expenditures for the house and stick to it.

[fuzzalow]

Well, you don't say what those cycling expenses add up to and, viewed relative to real estate or lifestyle living expenses, should tally up as a minor expense. After you've been at this sport for a while, most riders have duplicates of almost everything and have all they need. For example I have not bought another bicycle tire pump in almost 30 years ;).

If you're buying lots of stuff it is because you like buying stuff. Nuthin' wrong with that - I did that once too. But consumerism is subtle and more insidious than you might think and everyone falls prey to it at some point.

Why the long answer? Because the approach taken on cycling & goods is more relevant to a solution than the methods used to subsidize/support the cycling habit. Disposable income is disposable income.

I'd also say that one shouldn't view saving for a house as "saving" for a house but rather as "investing" for a house - gotta augment the accumulation rate with capital growth. But I'm sure that's what you meant and I'm just twiddling with semantics.

[Cicli]

Pimpin

[MattTuck]

Well, you don't say what those cycling expenses add up to and, viewed relative to real estate or lifestyle living expenses, should tally up as a minor expense. After you've been at this sport for a while, most riders have duplicates of almost everything and have all they need. For example I have not bought another bicycle tire pump in almost 30 years ;).

If you're buying lots of stuff it is because you like buying stuff. Nuthin' wrong with that - I did that once too. But consumerism is subtle and more insidious than you might think and everyone falls prey to it at some point.

Why the long answer? Because the approach taken on cycling & goods is more relevant to a solution than the methods used to subsidize/support the cycling habit. Disposable income is disposable income.

I'd also say that one shouldn't view saving for a house as "saving" for a house but rather as "investing" for a house - gotta augment the accumulation rate with capital growth. But I'm sure that's what you meant and I'm just twiddling with semantics.

Where are you finding yield in the current market? Me and lots of other people would like to know :)

And, I am not mindlessly spending money on stuff. I would wager to say that my $/mile is lower than in previous years, but my total spending is up due to more miles. When you look at it from that angle, maybe it isn't so bad.

Actually, when I dig into the individual items, there are a few 'non-recurring' (as they'd say in finance) expenses that were pretty large... new foot beds and new pedals, for example. That should be amortized over a multi-year period. haha, see, look at me rationalize!

[CampyorBust]

1. buy quality the first time on everything, even if it costs more.
2. purge the things you don't use

Flip bikes on Craigslist
+1000
Pimpin
No it ain't easy.

Did this for years, a lot of hard work but it funded my cycling addiction admirably. You have to be willing to deal with a lot of flakes, smart asses, some truly miserable degenerates and to be fair there are quite a few good folks out there as well. Key to all this is a reliable supply of dirt cheap bike parts, talking like $6-10 tires, $5-8 bar tape, $3 tubes and $1 cables. This is no longer a reality for me so spring cleaning happens.

Most importantly if you don’t love bikes and fixing them don’t do it for the $, there ain’t much in it, but you flip 2-3 bikes you might be able to get those nice disc brakes or a new crankset. I look at my nice bikes in terms of how many bikes went into them. My mtb has at least 6 Univegas and Raleighs, a few from my do not sell personal stash (1 Canuck, 3 Italians, and 2 Brits oh man I miss one of them Brits) and also my old full squish mtb. I thrash that mtb somethin fierce in the woods and lick it clean after every ride.:p

[Schmed]

Sometimes, I'll hold myself to buying bike stuff only if I sell other things on Craigslist first. Either old bike parts that I don't use, or other things around the house that add up to the new bike part. Like an unused watch, or one of my less-productive children.

[sparky33]

We're trying to save for a house, and after looking over some finances for the last year, and actually tallying up my cycling expenses, I had this reaction.... :eek:

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

I'd say buy used in Classifieds, but used chamois cream is gross.

[fuzzalow]

Where are you finding yield in the current market? Me and lots of other people would like to know :)

Dunno what to tell ya. There are always returns to be had inside of the broader market. And coupled with at least a 3-5 year investment horizon for your house purchase, you grab the returns you can relative to your risk appetite. There's no get rich quick scheme here. It took us at least 3-5 years for me and Mrs. fuzz to save up on our first house purchase.

And, I am not mindlessly spending money on stuff. I would wager to say that my $/mile is lower than in previous years, but my total spending is up due to more miles. When you look at it from that angle, maybe it isn't so bad.

Actually, when I dig into the individual items, there are a few 'non-recurring' (as they'd say in finance) expenses that were pretty large... new foot beds and new pedals, for example. That should be amortized over a multi-year period. haha, see, look at me rationalize!

Hey I'm not being critical of you or anyone's spending habits. I am just pointing out the subtleties implied in the question posed and my answer given.

Bike stuff is cheap. When you get into the real estate market the scale of purchasing power to dollar denomination can become other worldly if not downright surreal. That alternate realm of valuation make the bike stuff seem truly insignificant.

[sparky33]

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

fwiw, you appear as a reasonable cyclist, riding a nice main bike that is well-maintained with quality non-fancy bits. Keep on keeping it simple.

Trim expenses on lesser priorities and hang in there.

[biker72]

Get a part time job with your LBS. Nights or a weekend day.
Need time to ride too......:D
Get the employee discount.

[weisan]

This is my response to another thread, same principle applies:

http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=1994318&postcount=44


To a point, it's quite futile to try and share my approach, because it may not work for everyone...for whatever reason, and that's ok...but the bottom line is, unless you are willing to adapt and make the necessary adjustments, you can bitch and moan for all you want, not much is gonna change.

[dave thompson]

Just paid off our mortgage last month....let's see, what kind of bike s**t do I need now?

[Kirk007]

If possible and not doing so already, commuting to work by bike may create significant savings (or it may create a rationization for more bike stuff ; ). Even compared to using the bus, my commuting costs in Seattle are much less biking and compared to using a car the savings are significant.

[eippo1]

Do what I did: hang around your local LBS enough that eventually you end up working there. Still there seasonally about 1 day a week or so, been there for 9 seasons.

[texbike]

One thing I have learned is fancy latest greatest bike parts don't make me faster, or really increase the joy and benefit of cycling.

Agreed!

[Macadamia]

spend less

[john903]

Here is what I do to support my cycling habit I mean hobby. I limit my self to 3 bikes operational or not. I do all my own mechanic work and work on other peoples bikes for a modest fee usually donation and parts. The money from those repairs goes into a revolving fund for consumables tires, chains, lube etc... I also buy used 90% of the time from right here in our classifieds and Seattle bike swap in February. I save up each year for bike swap usually about $500.00 then don't take a credit card or check book only cash. Oh this might help with purchases too. I always have a list of needs, wants, and nice to haves. This helps me prioritize my spending habits as well.
Well there is lots of great advice here from everyone I hope this helps too.
Have a great day.

[gdw]

Learn to appreciate and maintain the gear you already own. Buy your consumables -tires, cables, chains, chainrings, cassettes, etc- from Europe, the classified, Ebay, or Craigslist.

[giverdada]

i'm nowhere near every buying a house in this city, but i would like to save for major long-term expenditures like my kids' post-secondary ventures or whatever. maybe a plot of land with some water and trees and rocks on it. either way, i have found a couple of things put my cycling purchases in check.

i worked on developing a couple of new habits and haven't bought much of anything as long as i can help it: i visit the "General Discussion" forum as soon as i get to paceline, read as much as i can/want, then usually get interrupted and have to go long before i ever make it to the "Classifieds" where i would actually be enticed to spend money; i also delete every ribble and planet-x e-mail that comes my way after reading its subject line (if the line says shimano is on sale, no money to be spent so it's trashed immediately). these two things alone have been huge in taking down my bike spending.

i started prioritizing my running. i didn't get any faster, but i stopped spending anything on my bikes and kit because i wasn't getting any faster. i spent on running shoes as i flattened them, and race fees as i chased time goals, so it wasn't a gain, but i find that bike stuff generally seems to cost more, likely because the body takes the costs of running more than riding (i obviously never got into bike racing).

and if i don't ride enough to buy stuff, and if buying stuff won't make me any better or faster, and if no one can convince me of stuff i 'need' to buy, i probably will just save the cash. one more thing i've actually written down as a spending goal: only buy stuff that will allow me to produce something else with it (this would be like a tool or a lens or a bottle of tobasco...), rather than having that thing be a one-way sink for cash. books count too here.

i wish you luck. i imagine you're on the up. and i think saving yields more than subsidizing.

[astrov]

OP:

Are you looking for houses in Hanover? If you get out of town a bit, rural NH / VT has some pretty good land values. I lived in Lyme for almost a year near the A.T. and loved the solitude of the location. (There wasn't even cell service out there.)

Also, there is no income tax in NH, so that should help.

Finally, if you're really looking to augment petty cash, there were always paying research studies looking for human guinea pigs posted on college bulletin boards when I was there. I have a scan of my brain from one. :cool:

[tuscanyswe]

Don't ride in the rain/snow/winter salt...

A lot of my costs this year are related to that. Also pick events carefully. Some events can cost enough in 1 day to pay for all the other events of the year.


I once calculated the average cost of a winter month here is approx 10 X more than a summer month taking into consideration how little i wear those clothes etc and how fast the parts wear. A lot faster!!! Granted this was a small sample size "study" .)

[milkbaby]

spend less
This is what I did! :)

I realized that I already have enough bikes, kit, water bottles, etcetera to last a zillion years (give or take a few). Now I only buy consumables when my stockpile is running low and a great deal pops up like ten speed chains and shoe cleats for $5-10 or a pair of nice clincher tires for $30-40 on the classifieds here. Paceline has the nicest folks on the classifieds in my experience!

I like to run lightweight butyl tubes and they're less than $1.50 each right now on pricepoint, BUT I have a bunch of punctured ones that I can patch so I passed on new tubes. Still might cave eventually since I'm almost out of patches.

[merlinmurph]

Man, how much are you really spending?

If your bike expenses are almost all wear-and-tear, I call that a good thing - it means you're using your bike. And if I remember right, you're riding around 3K miles/year, maybe more? So sure, you could ride less (or not at all) and not wear anything out, but I don't consider that an option.

As others have suggested, do your shopping wisely and you'll find your riding to be pretty reasonable. Hey, you could own a boat.... ;-)

Enjoy your ride,
Murph

[bikemoore]

My model:

1. Smoke like a chimney for 10 years.
2. Quit cold turkey.....successfully after many failures.
3. Take up cycling to help maintain new smoke-free lifestyle.
4. Compare your expenditures on cycling to your costs of smoking.
5. Remind self and others that annual spending money on cycling is far better than your former alternative.
6. All will agree and let you spend on cycling as long as you don't smoke and continue to ride/use what you buy.

True story.

[old fat man]

If you're putting in 3k miles a year, your cycling expenses ought to be quite low. I'm pretty sure I can go 2k+ on a single jar of Morgan Blue chamois creme ($25). One new chain and two sets of tires a year? Maybe a cabling and bar tape refresh? One new kit a year to replace last year's most worn out gear. Yearly expense of ~$500 or less?

There are probably much better ways to save significant money. Kill your cable service. Move into a smaller or less expensive place. Downgrade your car (which should come with a decreased insurance payment). Use less electricity, gas, oil, etc at home. Buy generic and store brand food items. Use generic brand razors for shaving, dress clothes from Target or TJ Maxx.

I also like Sandy's approach. Force X% of your paycheck into a reserved fund so it can't be considered for anything else unless you have an emergency.

[notsew]

My approach is to put a set amount away each month right after I get paid. It's an automatic withdrawal, so I can't go back on it. I have to call my financial advisor if I want to reduce the amount or take cash out, so I have to explain myself to someone. It's an aggressive amount for me, about 30% of my monthly post-tax paycheck (also contributing to a 401k), and my current approach is to invest those savings with a plan to buy a house in 3-5 years (might be sooner in your case, but the general idea might remain the same). If I can't afford bike stuff with what's left over after rent/food/other life expenses, I don't buy it, simple as that. It's never gotten to the point that I can't buy chamois cream, but it's definitely kept me from buying a wheelset or two and has made me more conscious of how I spend my money on cycling.

First time I read this I thought 30% of your monthly income seemed like a lot to spend on bikes, but setting aside money specifically for bike purchases made a lot of sense. Probably a less successful life plan than what you got going on here, though.

[weisan]

Oh oh..I forgot one more thing....make sure that the car that you drive is ALWAYS cheaper than your bike. :D

[JAGI410]

My main method is to have a very part time job at the LBS. Discount applies year round, and all of my paychecks from that job do not go towards the family budget.

Family budget is all done with YNAB software (youneedabudget.com). In YNAB we have a family bike budget that covers tires/chains/etc. So my bike money is all MY bike money :)

Flipping and purging are also great methods.

[Hilltopperny]

My model:

1. Smoke like a chimney for 10 years.
2. Quit cold turkey.....successfully after many failures.
3. Take up cycling to help maintain new smoke-free lifestyle.
4. Compare your expenditures on cycling to your costs of smoking.
5. Remind self and others that annual spending money on cycling is far better than your former alternative.
6. All will agree and let you spend on cycling as long as you don't smoke and continue to ride/use what you buy.

True story.

This! I certainly have done this along with the occasional Craigslist or ebay flip. The amount I used to spend on cigarettes was astounding and once I quit it freed up a lot of extra cash. I also got rid of cable which freed up even more cash. I enjoy cycling and being able to essentially buy what I want the majority of the time because I don't have many other things to spend on and I keep my life as simple as possible. We are waiting to close on out first house after 1.5 years of saving and looking. Luckily it was a great deal in low taxed area. Good luck with figuring it out!

[Anarchist]

We're trying to save for a house, and after looking over some finances for the last year, and actually tallying up my cycling expenses, I had this reaction.... :eek:

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

Are you morally opposed to selling your body???

There might be a new bike as a payoff ......

[Elefantino]

Lucky enough here to be able to retire and go to work in a bike shop.

Discounts are sick, I get paid to lead rides, etc. (Does that make a pro?)

[eBAUMANN]

I buy and sell stuff almost constantly, as I'm sure you are all very much aware of.
Its actually a pretty huge time/$ investment but it has given me first hand experiences with a ton of different parts and a lot of nice stuff that I end up paying very little money out of pocket for when the dust settles.

That said, its become a bit of a habit/compulsion, I feel more and more burnt out by it every day, and I look forward to breaking out of it very soon.

So yea, it works, but it can be a slippery slope.

[parris]

I ran into the same cost issue years ago when I was into competitive shotgunning. The costs of consumables went through the roof at the same time that in order for me to get any better would've required more shooting. Combine that with other fees and I gave the sport up

I'd been off the bike for a good 15 years and started riding again because I HAD to so something. The sport "can" be spendy but other than consumables it doesn't have to be once you've got the core of what you need.

Outside of that I hear kidneys are bringing good money on the open market! :D

[jlwdm]

My wife believes in the cutting back on expenses method. She is into fashion and has lots of clothes, but will not look at buying any clothing unless it is at least 75% off. This is much easier with good women's clothes than with men's clothing.

I agree with an earlier comment recommending buying quality things that last for a long time. I do not mind paying a lot for something I really like and will be useful for a long time. This is true with cars, clothes, bikes and so forth. I hate paying a small amount of money for something I don't really love.

I don't worry too much about cutting back on expenses. Instead I think a better approach is to make more money. I went to work for myself 5 and 1/2 years and worked a lot of hours building my business. I was out of state from our residence and lived in 228 sq ft for two years - just enough room for clothes and my bike. All I did was work and ride. But for three years I saved enough from work and a couple of property purchases/sales to buy a new bike every week. But I did not buy any bikes. I have three road bikes, two custom, which fit me perfectly and satisfy my biking needs.

There are lots of ways to make money in this world and I would recommend focusing on things you enjoy doing that can make you a little more money. This can have a much bigger impact than saving a few dollars here and there.

Jeff

[marciero]

Some great comments here. I got a little out of control this year and did the n+1 this year with both tandems and tubular wheels, going from 0 to 2 in each case in a matter of months. Getting a good deal on a bike is one thing, but you have to figure in the extra costs of setting up just so. Four King cages for tandem #1, 650b wheels for tandem #2, etc, etc. Plus keeping all those clincher and now tubular wheels shod can sure add up when you insist on high-quality tires.

For me I may have to just stop looking at classifieds here, and probably sell some stuff.

[marciero]

Some great comments here. I got a little out of control this year and did the n+1 this year with both tandems and tubular wheels, going from 0 to 2 in each case in a matter of months. Add in the extra costs of setting up just so, Plus keeping all those clincher and now tubular wheels shod...

Double whammy for me since I also turned down several well paying side jobs playing music due to bike trips. So I end up spending money rather than making it. My attitude has been "Life's too short", as well as corollary in Maine, "Summer's too short".

For me I may have to just stop looking at classifieds here, and probably sell some stuff, and stop turning down gigs.

Thanks for sharing/letting me share!

Edit: Forgot the biggest whammy-SO unemployed since November... ok rant over...

[cash05458]

My master plan was this and it has worked out pretty well...purposely bought a small house...mobile home actually...paid in cash so no mortgage..got a part time job at post office for a decade and never made more than 20 grand a year and drive a 1999 toyota camry that gets me around just fine...so with no house or car payments or children...that was plenty to fund cycling ( I have 5 dream bikes) and other stuff...got a great girlfriend who loves her job and encouraged me to quit said post office and retire at 50 and ride more and finish working on my philosophy doctorate dissertation...obviously, leisure is more my forte than ambition...

[jwess1234]

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

You must be riding a ton for these disposable/non-durable goods to be adding up that high--which is a good thing.

Everyone's different, but if the choice comes down to owning a house and bikes have to stay in the basement because I can't afford the tires, I think I'll stay with renting and riding. The thought of being that house-poor sounds stressful.

[eBAUMANN]

My master plan was this and it has worked out pretty well...purposely bought a small house...mobile home actually...paid in cash so no mortgage..got a part time job at post office for a decade and never made more than 20 grand a year and drive a 1999 toyota camry that gets me around just fine...so with no house or car payments or children...that was plenty to fund cycling ( I have 5 dream bikes) and other stuff...got a great girlfriend who loves her job and encouraged me to quit said post office and retire at 50 and ride more and finish working on my philosophy doctorate dissertation...obviously, leisure is more my forte than ambition...

Doin it right IMO...:beer:

[BobbyJones]

Would you mind sharing what that amount for expenses is? What may seem like a big amount may really be "necessary" in the grand scheme of things.

Otherwise, no advice for subsiding, but just spend less. You really don't need that much stuff to enjoy cycling.



We're trying to save for a house, and after looking over some finances for the last year, and actually tallying up my cycling expenses, I had this reaction.... :eek:

I really didn't think I spent that much on cycling. I haven't bought any big things (haven't bought a bike for instance), but things like tires, chamois cream, small repair here, new piece of kit there, definitely add up. Any advice on finding ways to subsidize the expenses?

[Zoodles]

I don't track my expenses but I know when they're getting out of hand and it bothers me that I let something so simple get expensive.
I ride about 10k a year and race road/cx and some mtb. It's broken bikes and event costs that get me. Trying to limit those this year and it would be easy to cut the budget in half by not racing, I could hold onto tires and chains way longer. Instead of not racing I've cut out lusting over bikes I don't need and selling before I buy.

[marsh]

It's amazing how much $ I saved over the last few years by simply eating/drinking at home. When I go out I make it a point to show up later after everyone's had their ****ty bar food and a few rounds. I don't drink nearly as much as I used to, go to less big shows/Cubs games/debauchery trips.

I used to sell tons of stuff on Ebay until I got absolutely hosed when someone bought a frameset and claimed they never got it. Had to refund the $, only to find the buyer trying to sell the frameset on Ebay recently. We get a break on our taxes for donations, so now I donate a lot of the stuff I would've been selling to my favorite co-ops. It ends up being just as good as selling without the hassle and someone gets to use it.

[Sierra]

Do you play a musical instrument? Maybe you can busk?

[Joxster]

Win races, get prize money. Win more races get given free kit and prize money. Keep winning races and get more kit and more prize money. Use prize money to stuff I don't really need that I'll sell a few years down the line.

[John H.]

Seems odd that you go through so many consumables.
How many miles per year do do ride?

I used to ride and race way more than I do know. It was road racing and milage was high. At that time I really burned through consumables. Mostly tires, tubes, cable and tape- but also wore out rims and saddles.

Now that I ride about half as much- and spread that out between cross, mtb and road bikes- I don't seem to burn through so much stuff- especially tires.

I suggest riding more durable gear. Everyone talks about tubulars, nice riding clinchers, blah, blah, blah- but that stuff is not durable. A set of Conti 4 seasons will last way longer than GP4000 II (or any nice tubular).

Also ride parts that fit your budget. People think they need Etap, Record, Dura-Ace, etc.. But an Ultegra or SRAM Force group rides great and is super durable.

True story- I have some Dura-Ace 9070 for sale in classifieds. Some guy contacted me and said that he wants it- but can only pay about 60% of my asking price (and I feel like the asking price was fair)- Says he is on a "teachers budget".
I didn't condescend, but I thought to myself that perhaps he should not be looking at Dura-Ace if his budget was nowhere near what Dura-Ace sells for.

Anyway- steel bike with "bang for buck group", all aluminum contact points, 32 hole clinchers with durable tires.
This will last and you can ride the crap out of it- the bike is not holding you back.

[MattTuck]

Seems odd that you go through so many consumables.
How many miles per year do do ride?

I used to ride and race way more than I do know. It was road racing and milage was high. At that time I really burned through consumables. Mostly tires, tubes, cable and tape- but also wore out rims and saddles.

Now that I ride about half as much- and spread that out between cross, mtb and road bikes- I don't seem to burn through so much stuff- especially tires.

I suggest riding more durable gear. Everyone talks about tubulars, nice riding clinchers, blah, blah, blah- but that stuff is not durable. A set of Conti 4 seasons will last way longer than GP4000 II (or any nice tubular).

Also ride parts that fit your budget. People think they need Etap, Record, Dura-Ace, etc.. But an Ultegra or SRAM Force group rides great and is super durable.

True story- I have some Dura-Ace 9070 for sale in classifieds. Some guy contacted me and said that he wants it- but can only pay about 60% of my asking price (and I feel like the asking price was fair)- Says he is on a "teachers budget".
I didn't condescend, but I thought to myself that perhaps he should not be looking at Dura-Ace if his budget was nowhere near what Dura-Ace sells for.

Anyway- steel bike with "bang for buck group", all aluminum contact points, 32 hole clinchers with durable tires.
This will last and you can ride the crap out of it- the bike is not holding you back.

Yep, makes sense. And it is what I ride. Steel, Ultegra.

I had the initial sticker shock, and then started looking at the costs a little more in detail. Oh yeah, I forgot that $400 was a new Garmin. And there was a fitting in there that included a new saddle, new pedals and new footbeds. etc.

When I remove those 1 time costs, I'm at around $1,000 over the last 12 months which basically includes my Eurosport subscriptions, a few sets of new tires, a couple tune ups, etc. That seems much more reasonable.

[AngryScientist]

My model:

1. Smoke like a chimney for 10 years.
2. Quit cold turkey.....successfully after many failures.
3. Take up cycling to help maintain new smoke-free lifestyle.
4. Compare your expenditures on cycling to your costs of smoking.
5. Remind self and others that annual spending money on cycling is far better than your former alternative.
6. All will agree and let you spend on cycling as long as you don't smoke and continue to ride/use what you buy.

True story.

i like this post.