mooder

I just spent ~500, new shoes, pedal, tire and clothing. I am broke as hell and still student for a while. I carefully manage the few bucks I have but when it comes to biking I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF! And it is far from being accessible...just changing from spd to spd-l is a good 200$! Would have been 300 if I did not find my shoes on clearance. Conti GP4000 are 100$ the pair! The rest went on clothing as I only had a cheap bib+ jersey from ebay.
I shopped around (local) every piece of clothing retail at around 100$. Shoes are nearly twice the price and the gp4000, 75$ the tire.
I love this sport but my wallet is telling otherwise. Every time I order, I need to order big to save on cost. There is a minimum for free shipping and I get charged extra fee at the custom. Sucks to be canadian!

rpenmanparker 

Performance Bike Shop clothing is a very good value. I got their second best shorts last month for $27 a pair. More than good enough for my needs. Very advanced.

Why new pedals?

Velo Dog

Don't buy what you don't need. I ride a $4000 bike now, but I don't have 40 times as much fun as I did when my "good" bike cost $100. I have a drawer full of jerseys, but wear T-shirts for most rides. They work fine, and I don't look like an arrogant roadie prick. I replaced the clipless pedals on the bike I ride most with old-school platform pedals and toe clips so I can hop on and go in ordinary shoes (bonus: I'm no slower on the 25-mile commute I've done for 20 years).
You need good tires and good shorts, a helmet and pump. Pretty much everything else is optional. Save your money for things that will make a difference.

DOS

Shop around more. Usually I can find gp4000s for under 75 a pair someplace. Also there are many very good tires that can be had for Under $25.00. Tires like Vittoria Rubino Pro and others roll almost as well and offer a bit more flat protection.

bobbyl1966

Velo Dog do you mean $4000 bike and $100 bike is not make so much different in the average speed?

Senrab62 

Agreed. Helmet, padded shorts, good saddle, and a bike that fits well is all I need. Only buy what you need, and the sport becomes reasonable. For 5 bills I would have bought a project bike or two and some parts.

just like most hobbies, it's only as expensive as you let it become.

rms13

Order from UK. I got shimano R171 shoes and 105 carbon pedals for less than $200 combined. I just got a pair of GP4000s with free tubes for about $70

TrojanHorse

You're just a bad shopper.

Dave Cutter

You should try golf!

deepakvrao

Try Indian. Shipping is huge, and 43% duty plus ****load of papers to get your stuff cleared by customs.

FeltF2Tarmac

Agree about buying from UK. I picked up a helmet that from a US retailer would have been almost $200 more. That's not the case with every thing but it's usually a good margins of savings over US prices even most sale prices. As long as you can wait for it.

oldbobcat

40 years ago I was going through the same thing. Shoes, $45, cleats, another $8. Training tubulars, $12 for whatever was on sale. Racing tubulars, $25. Shorts, $20, wool jersey, $25. Clip-on suspenders to hold the shorts up, $10. Hairnet helmet, $20. All on $2.75 an hour I was making as a lifeguard and resoling Nikes, Tigers, and Tretorns at a running store.

It was a learning experience. Learned how to glue and patch my own tubulars, build my own wheels (and some for my friends), pack my own hubs, pedals, bottom brackets and headsets, and wrap my own handlebars.

big chainring 

I always get a kick out of people's use of "I'm broke". If you just spent $500 on bike stuff, man you're livin'.

I just spent $30 on tires and tubes. I mulled over that purchase for 2 weeks. Got the tires monday. Couldn't be happier. Michelins at Biketiresdirect, $9.

OnyxTiger

Should've looked up aliexpress.com for some China kit. I got some bib shorts that ride just fine for $20 - as well as my $70 shorts from Performance Bike. The more costly shorts obviously have better quality in stitching and maybe durability... but the comfort is fairly equal. I usually ride in Tech Tees that cost $10 at Walmart. Though I do have jerseys, I just don't see any more function to those as I do regular, breathable, dry-wicking clothes. Don't need a back pocket... all my stuff fits in my saddle bag. Got a repair stand from Amazon for $50. $500 can get you set up for everything you need apart from the bike, or at least very close to it.

Long as you know how to work with what you've got, you can sit pretty for your situation until you have more disposable funds down the road for the random indulgences.

e30jean

+1.

I picked up last year model (2015) performance ultra jerseys for $25 brand new , and performance elite jerseys for $20, couldn't pass up a great deal they had and picked up their perf elite bibs for $35 or so each.
You just have to wait for the right sale

KonaRider125

Your an arrogant prick if you wear a jersey? I learn something new everyday!

zonatandem

If your area has a bike co-op or runs a bicycle swap meet go and take a look.
Bargai galore for nearly new/slightly uses stuff.
Picked up new Kenda 700x23 clinchers for $2 each toward the end of the swap meet.

Zef

Because conti gp4000s are just an absolute necessity.

Yes the sport is expensive. Not as expensive as others like golf, scuba diving, rock climbing, etc. but definitely not on the cheap end of the spectrum (running, basketball).

Your post makes it seem like you are buying high end and/or high priced stuff. Shop around for better prices. wait for sales, by gear a few tiers down from what you are currently buying...for example conti gp4000 is one their higher priced clincher tires while their ultra race is an excellent tire at nearly half the price (the last I checked).

Your b****ing about the expense of equipment after deciding to switch from spd to spd-l...because that was a necessary change....not.

Your 1st world problems along with your customs charges are not going to generate much sympathy if any.

Enjoy you stuff...hopefully it will last.

-j

Doctor Morbius

The OP certainly doesn't sound broke to me. Perhaps a misplaced set of priorities?

kbarch

This often happens - we'll "get into" some sport or hobby, and the spending becomes addictive. The heelots get you!

At some point, though, passions cool and we figure out how much we really want to spend on having the "right" stuff, and eventually we sort out what we need from what we merely covet. This year I'm supposed to only wear team kit on rides, so that's quashed any impulse to get anything else new, apparel wise. Ironically, that dampening effect has been contagious - I've put off getting some new things I could really use, like replacement cleats, which are way down on the cost spectrum.

redfooj

havent found an inexpensive hobby since i played pogs in middle school

GravelMN

Here's a thought: Don't spend what you can't afford.

Did you "want" or "need" new pedals and shoes? As a "broke as hell . . . student" could you have settled for less expensive tires? Every piece of clothing around $100? Where do you shop? I've got four LBSs in my area and each has a discount rack with mid-level shorts and jerseys going for $19-39 and some new basic stuff selling for $29-59.

Peter2290

Me either: cycling, photography, computers, cars, watches. Everything I like is expensive and I'm poor. I guess I should have stayed a computer science major in college so I actually afford stuff.

alcjphil

Unfortunately, shopping on US sites is a very poor deal for Canadians these days. The exchange rate is poor, and US retailers charge too much for shipping. By the time they arrive in Canada, those $27 shorts would cost close to $60. There are Canadian retailers like MEC who offer better value than that. UK sites are far better if you buy over a certain amount, shipping is free and very few orders under $100 are charged import duties

Marcus_Ti

Depends on where and what you're shopping for...

Around here, if you need 1 cycling kit and a pair of tires...you'll walk into and out of the LBS $200USD poorer. You'll struggle to find a cycling jersey under $50 or shorts (even reg shorts) under $80 at all whether discounted or new. Tires for $50USD/each is about the best you can hope for and get something known to be reliable.