rideon7

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em!

Let's Bowling!

berner

My sister is gone now due to cancer. I miss her every day. She lit up a room just by walking in and was loved by all who knew her. I am very sorry that some of the folks here have not had that kind of relationship with others in their family. I'm sure that leaves some sort of open wound. So long as they are alive there is a chance of mending fences and I truly hope that is the way it will work out. Perhaps there is something you can do, in spite of considerable scar tissue, to turn this around.

miss kenton

I feel for you, NOS88, but reading this thread reminds me that I am fortunate. I have a loving older brother, a cyclist who lives in Texas, and one sister, 14 years my junior, who lives nearby and supports and is very proud that her older sister can hold her own on a bike. If she did complain, I know I could tell her to "get over it" and she would. I am closer to her than anyone else, so I guess I'm here to say, not all sisters are ogres. I must be very lucky.

Bare Feet

I am one of four born in four years. I'm very close to one sister who lives nearby. We talk more than once a day haha and email too. I'm also really close to my brother who lives in Minnesota. I enjoy our relationship like crazy! We mostly email and text. We laugh and reminisce.. it's a blast! Mostly we support each other. At times here and there through the years there would be difficulties, but we worked them out eventually. My divorce created a current problem with one sister--that has crushed me.

I raised my own three children to care for each other and family above all else, and they do. As a mother, this is a huge comfort.

To berner, my condolences. But you were lucky to have a much loved sister. I guess not all do.

NOS, since you love your sister, one thing you could try saying "I hoped you'd be happy for me knowing how much cycling means to me. I'm happy you're bowling, and able to do something you enjoy."

KD5NRH

Probably balanced out by the mandatory chili fries.

DX-MAN

NOS88, don't take this wrong, but it sounds like your sister needs to have someone hit it from the back.

She has too much time on her hands, and too much nose in your biz. Slice it off, if you know what I mean. When she's paying your bills, then your expenditures are her concern, not until.

cccorlew

I've posted this before, but it bears repeating:

I've been asked "How do you get so much bike junk?" I'm going to share my techniques here.

The trick to getting more bike stuff is to endlessly expand your available rationalizations.
As a bike commuter every tank of gas I don't get is $50 for bike stuff. BUT THAT'S ONLY A START!!
The expensive gym around here is about $100 a month. I'm not a member because I cycle. Therefore, that's $100 tax free savings to me! Every month! See where I'm going here?

Everything I buy as a Performance Bike member gives me a 10% credit. Now, I'm saving that to get my sweet cycling wife a present. Do I want to look cheap, or get her something nice? That's right-- something nice.
And how can I get my Performance credits up? Only by buying more bike stuff. It's a win-win!

Do you have a neighbor that water skis? Every dime they spend on their boat counts as money you save by not spending it on YOUR boat that you don't own!
If you do it right, it turns out you can't afford NOT to have a bunch of new bike stuff ALL THE TIME!

Send me $27.50 for my new book on how this works, or better yet, don't send the money and you save $27.50 to spend on your bike. Not enough? Then don't buy copies for your friends and save $27.50 on each friend you didn't buy for! Tell your friends not to buy it for you and in no time they'll be rolling in bike swag too!

bkaapcke

Just let it go. bk

Rick@OCRR

I guess I'm one of the lucky ones too. My sister (older by 6 years) does ride, with her husband, but only easy MUP types and not big miles. But hey, no worries.

She doesn't give me trouble about anything, least of all my riding double centuries and spending big money (compared to her) on bikes. Her daughter runs marathons, so that's a similar mentality to riding doubles, and maybe that's why it's not big deal.

Works for me anyway!

Rick / OCRR

RunningPirate

So, to use your method, can I say that the CEO up in Palo Alto spent $50MM on his Gulfstream V, thus saving me $50MM that I didn't spend on the plane that I don't own?

As for the OP, isn't it funny how as adults we still find that we have to justify things that are really no one else's business? My family does not know about the bike I bought in December...I didn't want to hear any crap from them...

I'd just tell your sister to let you worry about your own money (as nicely or as bluntly as you see fit).

gitarzan

I'd tell her the same thing I tell anyone who asks me why I have 9 bikes, or dozens of 60s-70s era cameras, or some 30 guitars...

"Because I like them."

BTW my sister is wonderful.

Rowan

Remember these three simple words... they apply to a whole lot of things that other people ask dumb questions about:

BECAUSE I CAN!

gtragitt

My sister is a Saint, but I can't say I understand her. I consider myself to be practical and consider her to be the opposite. She would never give me advice, and I would never give her advice since we are so different.

My wife does seem to resent bicycle expenditures, but she does not complain. I consider my bicycle as a necessity since I am diabetic. I am more passionate about riding when I have the bicycle and accessories that I desire. Riding has kept the diabetes at bay. I take no medication and have controlled it with exercise for nearly 20 years. My late wife was more supportive in my quest for diabetic control.

gear

Does your sister read Bikeforums? If not she will probably not read your "Please get off my back" comment. Maybe you should just say it to her. Thats what I would do if someone was riding me about something. Who knows maybe she rides a lot of people because she doesn't realize she is stepping over a boundary, maybe you could help educate her.

hikeandbike

Lost me sister 24 years ago. She was brilliant, charming, beautiful and totally outside the box. She wanted to be the first woman to sail on the Calypso with Cousteau, got deeply involved in the New Catholic Left during the Vietnam era and learned so much about my mother's disease, she guided her physicians in my mom's treatment. She was three years older than I and throughout out lives so many doors opened for me because of the strength and vision she demonstrated. I miss her and wish she was around as a friend and a model for my kids. I guess I was lucky to have her for 30 years.

oilman_15106

The sister must be worried that she will have to support the OP if he becomes destitute from spending so much $ on cycling.

BlazingPedals

No matter what your 'hobby' or 'sport' is, it's gonna cost money. Next time she questions how you're spending your money, feel free to question how she's spending hers. Fair is fair. At least with bicycling, once you've bought the hardware the activity is free. Unlike bowling or golf, which costs every time you play.

tpelle

Tell her that cat food is good for ya! And you'll save enough of your retirement money that, for a treat, once in a while you can afford the hairball formula!

t4mv

^^^

Retro Grouch 

A high-end bicycle is the ultimate status symbol.

Park a $25,000 bass boat and trailer in your driveway and the neighbors might not even notice. Let it slip that you paid $5,000 for a bicycle that you still have to pedal and they'll think that you must have money to burn.

jwh

I like the way you think!
The sad part about it is that's how the government does the budget too!

BlazingPedals

I have to admit, this is pretty good. No, it's very good. I'll have to try it on the wife!

Artkansas 

B.S.

My sister and I live about 1700 miles apart, so we don't get to see or chat enough. When we are together we get along like the closest oldest of friends, which we are.

Don in Austin

I have a rationalization that will cover anything I spend on the bikes x 100! 14 years of dirt track stock car racing with no outside sponsorship. Its not official, but I have pretty much retired after achieving a street stock track championship the summer of 2008. When you consider diesel fuel to tow 100+ miles each way every weekend, racing fuel @ $6/gallon, tires, $40 pit pass for driver, $25 for crew members etc. etc. etc. and meager payouts, it makes buying a CF bike frame on E-Bay for $300 seem dirt cheap!

Don in Austin

Phil85207

Tell her she needn't worry about if you are going to run out of money because she isn't in your will anyway. That should shut her up.