Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > General Cycling Discussion
Reload this Page >

What are the biggest wastes of money in biking?

Notices
General Cycling Discussion Have a cycling related question or comment that doesn't fit in one of the other specialty forums? Drop on in and post in here! When possible, please select the forum above that most fits your post!

What are the biggest wastes of money in biking?

Old 08-27-22, 05:05 PM
  #26  
tomato coupe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,879

Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3905 Post(s)
Liked 7,181 Times in 2,905 Posts
Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I Set off for a random ride today. I decided I may opt for a longer ride and keep going out.
So, I grabbed an empty plastic soda bottle and filled it with electrolyte water.
I then thought how people waste $40 on a water bottle. Not just bikers, but in general.
A $40 water bottle? There's no way I'd be caught drinking out of a bottle that didn't cost at least $100. I'd die of dehydration before I drank out of a $40 bottle.
tomato coupe is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 05:12 PM
  #27  
livedarklions
Tragically Ignorant
 
livedarklions's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613

Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,094 Times in 5,053 Posts
I.will only use a water bottle I found in a dumpster.

I think the only way this thread could avoid being a stupid pointless argument is you can only discuss items you've actually purchased yourself that you later decided were wastes of money.

I predict that will result in crickets, though.
livedarklions is offline  
Likes For livedarklions:
Old 08-27-22, 05:14 PM
  #28  
CAT7RDR
Senior Member
 
Join Date: May 2017
Location: Hacienda Hgts
Posts: 2,082

Bikes: 1999 Schwinn Peloton Ultegra 10, Kestrel RT-1000 Ultegra, Trek Marlin 6 Deore 29'er

Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 811 Post(s)
Liked 1,945 Times in 935 Posts
I cannot fathom dropping $100+ for a gran fondo when i can ride the same route without the crowds for free.
CAT7RDR is online now  
Old 08-27-22, 05:27 PM
  #29  
csport
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Location: /dev/null
Posts: 672

Bikes: Soma Double Cross Disc (2017), red Hardrock FS (circa 1996)

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 215 Post(s)
Liked 153 Times in 101 Posts

Could not resist.
Of course Moneygone does not mean that it is a waste of money.
csport is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 05:46 PM
  #30  
rydabent
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times in 634 Posts
I like the old saying------------------------a fool and his money are soon parted.
rydabent is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 05:56 PM
  #31  
terrymorse 
climber has-been
 
terrymorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 7,002

Bikes: Scott Addict R1, Felt Z1

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3335 Post(s)
Liked 3,435 Times in 1,737 Posts
Ceramic bearings.
__________________
Ride, Rest, Repeat. ROUVY: terrymorse


terrymorse is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 05:57 PM
  #32  
wolfchild
Banned
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Mississauga/Toronto, Ontario canada
Posts: 8,721

Bikes: I have 3 singlespeed/fixed gear bikes

Mentioned: 30 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4227 Post(s)
Liked 2,488 Times in 1,286 Posts
Originally Posted by rsbob
$40 water bottles? Where do you get this stuff?
I have a strong preference for good quality stainless steel bottles and insulated vacuum bottles. Some of them aren't cheap, maybe not exactly $40 but still more expensive than some cheap plastic cycling bottle.
wolfchild is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 06:57 PM
  #33  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,065

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2512 Post(s)
Liked 5,421 Times in 2,824 Posts
Oversized pulleys
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Likes For rsbob:
Old 08-27-22, 07:02 PM
  #34  
tomato coupe
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 5,879

Bikes: Colnago, Van Dessel, Factor, Cervelo, Ritchey

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3905 Post(s)
Liked 7,181 Times in 2,905 Posts
Undersized pulleys. Even a bigger waste of money than oversized.
tomato coupe is offline  
Likes For tomato coupe:
Old 08-27-22, 07:09 PM
  #35  
3alarmer 
Friendship is Magic
 
3alarmer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Sacramento, CA
Posts: 22,930

Bikes: old ones

Mentioned: 304 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 26243 Post(s)
Liked 10,227 Times in 7,097 Posts
.
...performance enhancing drugs. What a waste of money. My performance remains the same.
__________________
3alarmer is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 07:25 PM
  #36  
koala logs
Banned.
 
Join Date: May 2022
Posts: 674
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 347 Post(s)
Liked 170 Times in 140 Posts
Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I Set off for a random ride today. I decided I may opt for a longer ride and keep going out.
So, I grabbed an empty plastic soda bottle and filled it with electrolyte water.
I then thought how people waste $40 on a water bottle. Not just bikers, but in general.

What are the biggest wastes of money in biking?
I've had the same $2 water bottle for 3 years now. I use it all the time, both as ride bottle and when I'm just at home so I always have water at my side, no need to run to the fridge.

The biggest waste of money in cycling is crashing. It can both cost you lots of money in medical bills, destroyed equipment or worse, permanent damage to your body or even death. 2nd waste of money in cycling is buying equipment on credit or installments or breaking the bank. If you can't easily afford something in cash and the price puts a dent on your savings, then don't buy it.

Not wasting money is simply avoid crashing and avoid stretching your budget.
koala logs is offline  
Likes For koala logs:
Old 08-27-22, 08:11 PM
  #37  
rsbob 
Grupetto Bob
 
rsbob's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 6,065

Bikes: Bikey McBike Face

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2512 Post(s)
Liked 5,421 Times in 2,824 Posts
Probably the biggest waste in cycling or anything else is buying cheap products that later break and have to be replaced usually by a higher priced product which should have been purchased in the first place
__________________
Road 🚴🏾‍♂️ & Mountain 🚵🏾‍♂️







rsbob is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 08:25 PM
  #38  
Maelochs
Senior Member
 
Maelochs's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,453

Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE

Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7628 Post(s)
Liked 3,449 Times in 1,823 Posts
What is the most subjective thing you can claim is objectively analyzable?
Maelochs is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 08:45 PM
  #39  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,762
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6881 Post(s)
Liked 10,869 Times in 4,634 Posts
Originally Posted by LarrySellerz
Its gotta be the garmin varia. How do people go through life worrying about a car hitting them from behind
You've never used one, so you might want to soften your (uninformed) opinion. Oh, and you've demonstrated an almost complete disregard for safety, so...

Originally Posted by rydabent
In most anything you buy, buy the mid-level product. Who really needs a $16,000 bike, to just ride on the MUPS around town.
I'm willing to bet that you've never seen a $16,000 bike on the MUP. And don't claim otherwise, because we all know that you make things up.

Originally Posted by rydabent
I like the old saying------------------------a fool and his money are soon parted partying.
fify.

Originally Posted by 3alarmer
.
...performance enhancing drugs. What a waste of money. My performance remains the same.
You're buying the wrong drugs.

Originally Posted by Maelochs
What is the most subjective thing you can claim is objectively analyzable?
Ding Ding Ding!
Koyote is offline  
Likes For Koyote:
Old 08-27-22, 09:05 PM
  #40  
TurboTrueno
Newbie
 
TurboTrueno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: Burnaby, BC
Posts: 32
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 12 Posts
Bontrager carbon bottle cage
I bought one at a local bike store. Picked the least-exciting, cheapest looking cage, and took it up to the counter. I was surprised when they told me $90. I said do you have a cheaper one, to be told "that is the cheaper one". I'm sure many riders are at the level where single-digit grams matter, but I am not.

Worst part is they've painted over the carbon (adding weight?) so it just looks like a $3 black plastic cage

Anyway I am the proud owner of it now
TurboTrueno is offline  
Likes For TurboTrueno:
Old 08-27-22, 09:14 PM
  #41  
Polaris OBark
ignominious poltroon
 
Polaris OBark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3,923
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2184 Post(s)
Liked 3,336 Times in 1,741 Posts
Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I ... filled it with electrolyte water.

What are the biggest wastes of money in biking?
Electrolyte water.
Polaris OBark is offline  
Likes For Polaris OBark:
Old 08-27-22, 09:14 PM
  #42  
Koyote
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2017
Posts: 7,762
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 6881 Post(s)
Liked 10,869 Times in 4,634 Posts
Originally Posted by TurboTrueno
Bontrager carbon bottle cage
I bought one at a local bike store. Picked the least-exciting, cheapest looking cage, and took it up to the counter. I was surprised when they told me $90. I said do you have a cheaper one, to be told "that is the cheaper one". I'm sure many riders are at the level where single-digit grams matter, but I am not.

Worst part is they've painted over the carbon (adding weight?) so it just looks like a $3 black plastic cage

Anyway I am the proud owner of it now
So, you don't like its appearance, you find it overpriced, and you don't care about saving a few grams...And you bought it.

You're basically outing yourself as foolish.
Koyote is offline  
Likes For Koyote:
Old 08-27-22, 09:15 PM
  #43  
Polaris OBark
ignominious poltroon
 
Polaris OBark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3,923
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2184 Post(s)
Liked 3,336 Times in 1,741 Posts
Originally Posted by 3alarmer
.
...performance enhancing drugs. What a waste of money. My performance remains the same.
We are talking about bicycles.
Polaris OBark is offline  
Likes For Polaris OBark:
Old 08-27-22, 09:27 PM
  #44  
Polaris OBark
ignominious poltroon
 
Polaris OBark's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2022
Posts: 3,923
Mentioned: 3 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2184 Post(s)
Liked 3,336 Times in 1,741 Posts
Originally Posted by LarrySellerz
Its gotta be the garmin varia. How do people go through life worrying about a car hitting them from behind
The two I have purchased were two of the best purchases I have made.
Polaris OBark is offline  
Likes For Polaris OBark:
Old 08-27-22, 09:34 PM
  #45  
TurboTrueno
Newbie
 
TurboTrueno's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2022
Location: Burnaby, BC
Posts: 32
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 15 Post(s)
Liked 18 Times in 12 Posts
Originally Posted by Koyote
So, you don't like its appearance, you find it overpriced, and you don't care about saving a few grams...And you bought it.

You're basically outing yourself as foolish.
had a reply typed up but it didn't go through. hopefully this does not post twice

I do like how it looks, I wanted something low-key
it was either this cage, or bike another week without water, and go to another store the following weekend. the stores here all close early and i can't make any of them during weekday evenings after rush hour. no brainer decision
TurboTrueno is offline  
Old 08-27-22, 10:59 PM
  #46  
base2 
I am potato.
 
base2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Pacific Northwest
Posts: 3,072

Bikes: Only precision built, custom high performance elitist machines of the highest caliber. 🍆

Mentioned: 28 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1764 Post(s)
Liked 1,577 Times in 910 Posts
Originally Posted by csport

Could not resist.
Of course Moneygone does not mean that it is a waste of money.
Wait?!
What? Oh...
Whew!
It's not my bike! Ok!




You had me scared for a minute.
__________________
I shouldn't have to "make myself more visible;" Drivers should just stop running people over.

Car dependency is a tax.
base2 is online now  
Old 08-27-22, 10:59 PM
  #47  
livedarklions
Tragically Ignorant
 
livedarklions's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613

Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM

Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,094 Times in 5,053 Posts
I'm nominating this thread as the biggest waste of time on the internet.

Spoiler alert: the worst buy is whatever you bought. Anything I have bought is justified and reasonable.
livedarklions is offline  
Likes For livedarklions:
Old 08-28-22, 08:09 AM
  #48  
biker128pedal
Senior Member
 
biker128pedal's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Eastern VA
Posts: 1,702

Bikes: 2022 Fuel EX 8, 2021 Domane SL6, Black Beta (Nashbar frame), 2004 Trek 1000C for the trainer

Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 260 Post(s)
Liked 443 Times in 262 Posts
Originally Posted by CheGiantForLife
I Set off for a random ride today. I decided I may opt for a longer ride and keep going out.
So, I grabbed an empty plastic soda bottle and filled it with electrolyte water.
I then thought how people waste $40 on a water bottle. Not just bikers, but in general.

What are the biggest wastes of money in biking?
I’d not pay $40 for a water bottle but $20 since it is reusable and stays in the $12 water bottle cage. I got a free bottle from Voler when I bought a jersey and shorts on sale. Anyway. Unlike buying a water bottle with water that will fling out leaving dehydrated at the side of the road. Oh yes you can refill the bottle with the cumbersome screw on cap but they tend to be hard to clean.

Now things that I bought that were a waste of money. SRAM derailleurs pulleys for the wrong derailleur is one.

Another was the Blendr mount for a Garmin GPS. Sits out front but the GPS vibrates too much to focus on when on a rough road. Slick fit but not worth it.

Buying ahead of time two pair of 23mm GP5000 tires to replace a worn pair. Hey they were on sale. When I broke my Madone 5.0 and replaced it with a Domane SL6. Narrow tires were a little too stretched on the 25mm rims. Ah but gave them to my cousin for his older Cervelo.

Last edited by biker128pedal; 08-28-22 at 08:24 AM.
biker128pedal is online now  
Old 08-28-22, 08:21 AM
  #49  
rydabent
Banned
 
Join Date: Apr 2010
Location: Lincoln Ne
Posts: 9,924

Bikes: RANS Stratus TerraTrike Tour II

Mentioned: 46 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3352 Post(s)
Liked 1,054 Times in 634 Posts
When you talk about $40 water bottles, in actuality if you ride the MUPS in town you dont even need a water bottle. Lot of water fountains are along the way.
rydabent is offline  
Likes For rydabent:
Old 08-28-22, 08:49 AM
  #50  
big john
Senior Member
 
big john's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: In the foothills of Los Angeles County
Posts: 25,095
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8183 Post(s)
Liked 8,841 Times in 4,390 Posts
Anyone who thinks cycling is expensive should try motorcycling, boating, or divorce.

Anything you want to buy with your own money is fine, even if it's a million dollar bike to cruise the m.u.p. It's fine if you just want to hang it on your wall and look at it.

Anyone who judges you for what you spend on things needs to stfu.
big john is offline  
Likes For big john:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.