Convince me (mostly the wife) to let me buy a $5000+ bike
09-15-14, 10:16 AM
#1
Keep calm, Cycle on
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Looking for a good, interchangeable power meter.
Originally Posted by Original Post
Hello,
I want to be convinced with all your sarcasm, satire, and humor to buy a $5,000-10,000+ dollar dream machine racing bicycle.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
I spent about $3000 on my enduro road bike this year including clothing and gear. It was an entry level carbon enduro road bike and I've put thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on her over the season.
I'm considering biting the bullet and saving over the winter to emerge into next season with my dream road race geometry frame with quality components/wheels.
I do race. currently looking to enter Cat 3. Would it be worth it or not?
It sounds great to me, but then I think... it's just a light bike with no motor. Metal pipes, carbon wheels, and gadgetry. To top it off, I have 5 other bikes already. How do I justify this to, example, the wife.
I want to be convinced with all your sarcasm, satire, and humor to buy a $5,000-10,000+ dollar dream machine racing bicycle.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
I spent about $3000 on my enduro road bike this year including clothing and gear. It was an entry level carbon enduro road bike and I've put thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on her over the season.
I'm considering biting the bullet and saving over the winter to emerge into next season with my dream road race geometry frame with quality components/wheels.
I do race. currently looking to enter Cat 3. Would it be worth it or not?
It sounds great to me, but then I think... it's just a light bike with no motor. Metal pipes, carbon wheels, and gadgetry. To top it off, I have 5 other bikes already. How do I justify this to, example, the wife.
I can pretty much do whatever I want with my money, wife approved, but I'm starting out by purchasing some of the important bits instead of going gung-ho with the frame and new groupset.
I think the most beneficial thing I can do currently is biking with a computer/power. I usually find out my speed and estimated wattage after I upload my ride onto strava.
Pickin' up the Edge 1000 bundle tomorrow, and I'm looking for a power meter to go along with it.
I mainly race two bikes (Road / CX) so I'm thinking what would be friendly for these and easy to change about.
I'm thinking this might count out Garmin Vector pedals because they're one sided?
Last edited by Panza; 09-24-14 at 07:18 PM. Reason: Didn't want to make a new thread.
09-15-14, 10:32 AM
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If you are a Cat 3 (or eligible to upgrade), you should know that it isn't about the bike. Unless we are talking TT bike vs road bike + clips and a few other scenarios, all of which are still debatable. I know Cat 3s that race on decent aluminum bikes and have no issues winning. Wheels are more important imo.
09-15-14, 10:34 AM
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Sell a couple bikes and/or your motorcycle and use that money to get your new bike. You can argue that there's no net spending involved in this case.
09-15-14, 10:34 AM
#5
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If you are a Cat 3 (or eligible to upgrade), you should know that it isn't about the bike. Unless we are talking TT bike vs road bike + clips and a few other scenarios, all of which are still debatable. I know Cat 3s that race on decent aluminum bikes and have no issues winning. Wheels are more important imo.
09-15-14, 10:35 AM
#6
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09-15-14, 10:36 AM
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Buy her something.... preferably a shiny object when you buy the bike. It's going to cost extra but it's worth it.
09-15-14, 10:37 AM
#8
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09-15-14, 10:40 AM
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09-15-14, 10:40 AM
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First of all, it is important to accept that neither part of the following statement is true:
You need the bike if and only if you race. Not the if part, not the only if part.
Second let's strategize. I don't believe in bull****ting wives, not mine, not anybody's. I see two alternatives.
You can be right up front with her. Tell her you are an unrepentant materialist who needs to buy said bike to satisfy a totally irrational, yet very powerful urge. That's it. If she knows you as well as she should, she will likely just throw up her hands and give in. Keep in mind that she may extract equal treatment, however. So the $5,000-10,000 dollar bike could wind up costing $10,000-20,000.
On the other hand you could sell the motorcycle and three of your current bikes. Then you wouldn't have to justify the purchase to anyone, not her and not yourself.
Easy peasey, lemon squeezy.
You need the bike if and only if you race. Not the if part, not the only if part.
Second let's strategize. I don't believe in bull****ting wives, not mine, not anybody's. I see two alternatives.
You can be right up front with her. Tell her you are an unrepentant materialist who needs to buy said bike to satisfy a totally irrational, yet very powerful urge. That's it. If she knows you as well as she should, she will likely just throw up her hands and give in. Keep in mind that she may extract equal treatment, however. So the $5,000-10,000 dollar bike could wind up costing $10,000-20,000.
On the other hand you could sell the motorcycle and three of your current bikes. Then you wouldn't have to justify the purchase to anyone, not her and not yourself.
Easy peasey, lemon squeezy.
09-15-14, 10:45 AM
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My other bikes probably would only get a few hundred dollars at best as theyre quite old and not as valuable unfortunately.
09-15-14, 10:49 AM
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That motorcycle killed it...Why do you barely ride it? Cycling instead?
09-15-14, 11:01 AM
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I want to be convinced with all your sarcasm, satire, and humor to buy a $5,000-10,000+ dollar dream machine racing bicycle.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
09-15-14, 11:02 AM
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It's easier to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission. Sometimes it works.
09-15-14, 11:23 AM
#16
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Hello,
I want to be convinced with all your sarcasm, satire, and humor to buy a $5,000-10,000+ dollar dream machine racing bicycle.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
I spent about $3000 on my enduro road bike this year including clothing and gear. It was an entry level carbon enduro road bike and I've put thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on her over the season.
I'm considering biting the bullet and saving over the winter to emerge into next season with my dream road race geometry frame with quality components/wheels.
I do race. currently looking to enter Cat 3. Would it be worth it or not?
It sounds great to me, but then I think... it's just a light bike with no motor. Metal pipes, carbon wheels, and gadgetry. To top it off, I have 5 other bikes already. How do I justify this to, example, the wife.
I want to be convinced with all your sarcasm, satire, and humor to buy a $5,000-10,000+ dollar dream machine racing bicycle.
I spent $9000 dollars this year on a motorcycle and I barely ride it. Forgot to mention though, she recently bought me a birthday present, motorcycle saddlebags to get me to use it more. I think she likes going on rides on it. Selling it is out.
I spent about $3000 on my enduro road bike this year including clothing and gear. It was an entry level carbon enduro road bike and I've put thousands of miles and hundreds of hours on her over the season.
I'm considering biting the bullet and saving over the winter to emerge into next season with my dream road race geometry frame with quality components/wheels.
I do race. currently looking to enter Cat 3. Would it be worth it or not?
It sounds great to me, but then I think... it's just a light bike with no motor. Metal pipes, carbon wheels, and gadgetry. To top it off, I have 5 other bikes already. How do I justify this to, example, the wife.
Now that I've done that I love both my custom bikes. Both would be considered somewhat cutting edge frames. In 1998. By today's standards it's an entry level frame. It's fine. I upgraded to Cat 2 on that first frame with its major flaw. The flaw - due to weight distribution issues the rear wheel chattered/skipped in pretty much every turn, even while coasting, and I couldn't pedal like I usually do in corners. A shorter chainstay fixed it and made the frame even snappier out of the saddle.
As far as convincing the wife. When I was looking for an SRM ($2.5-3k) I found a complete Record-SRM SystemSix bike for sale through a bike shop. When I called her to get a feel for her opinion on what I should do (it was just a little under your $5k number) her first question was, "Did you buy it?" When I answered no she asked me, "What are you waiting for??" She's an ally in my cycling, not an opponent.
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"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
09-15-14, 11:32 AM
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Convince the wife that you need a new road bike to stay in top form so you'll be around for her much longer. Then promise after every weekend ride that you'll take her for a ride.... and then one on the motorcycle.
09-15-14, 12:01 PM
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I bought a $5K bike without asking her and she still won't leave me.
I don't know what I gotta do...she's like a booger on my finger...I keep shaking and shaking, but she still hangs around.
I don't know what I gotta do...she's like a booger on my finger...I keep shaking and shaking, but she still hangs around.
09-15-14, 12:08 PM
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How long have you been married**********
Wife and I have been married 41 years. Went looking for a bike and found this Propel Advanced SL 0 (2015) | Giant Bicycles | United States. She really like it and so did I but I said I really don't need one that expensive. I said the $5,000 dollar bike is fine, she asked if I was sure, I said yes and she said get it.
Go in with very high expectations and ask if it's OK to spend far less and mention that you will still be very happy with it.
Wife and I have been married 41 years. Went looking for a bike and found this Propel Advanced SL 0 (2015) | Giant Bicycles | United States. She really like it and so did I but I said I really don't need one that expensive. I said the $5,000 dollar bike is fine, she asked if I was sure, I said yes and she said get it.
Go in with very high expectations and ask if it's OK to spend far less and mention that you will still be very happy with it.
09-15-14, 12:19 PM
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^^^ this, where she ranks on the 1-10 scale will dictate your approach.
2-5 -- Man up and do what you want and buy a bike for your side girl also.
5-7 -- Create a thread on BikeForums.net asking for help on how to convince your wife to buy you a bike. Or do point #1 depending on her build.
7-10 -- You should be too tired from having sex 4 times per day every day to worry about a bike.
I hope this helps.
2-5 -- Man up and do what you want and buy a bike for your side girl also.
5-7 -- Create a thread on BikeForums.net asking for help on how to convince your wife to buy you a bike. Or do point #1 depending on her build.
7-10 -- You should be too tired from having sex 4 times per day every day to worry about a bike.
I hope this helps.
09-15-14, 12:39 PM
#23
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09-15-14, 12:43 PM
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CAAD10 is cheap... and just as light (if not lighter) than carbon.
$4400 gets the top of the line (though it's got non-race friendly discs)
$4400 gets the top of the line (though it's got non-race friendly discs)
09-15-14, 12:47 PM
#25
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It's easier to ask for forgiveness than for permission.
I'm eyeing a Emonda SLR Red 22. I'm not worried about the wife, but my son. He's a cyclist and knows what it will cost.
But then, he has a Madone 6.7 with Red.
I'm eyeing a Emonda SLR Red 22. I'm not worried about the wife, but my son. He's a cyclist and knows what it will cost.
But then, he has a Madone 6.7 with Red.