Not told her yet!, luckily I had mentioned I wanted some money for a bike related part first thing this morning and tonight I got questioned as to what I wanted. She rolled her eyes and I laid it on thick how one of my riding buddies is moving to Turkey so I will be doing more XC type rides with my other mates and I need gears otherwise my friends leave me behind (they don’t but I like to paint a bleek picture).

Slowly slowly breaking down the barriers!

Have been accused several times of loving my bike(s) more than my missus. Not sure my silence following this accusation helps matters at all when ogling bike porn on the internet most of the time while she watches corrie/neighbours/home and away/Gok etc etc

Yep, me n’all.
If not tinkering in the garage, I’m looking at bike bits on e-bay or bike shots on various net sites, The conversation at home generally goes—Er, what this new shiney bike? Oh, I had it for age, surely you’ve seen it before love.

I said: Look, I got some Fox 36’s with adjustable travel.
She said: Thank you! I knew you loved me.
Me: Yeah, can I have your old forks then, please?
Her: Oh, absolutely, they aren’t as nice.

No problems here, its always handy when the wife has a more expensive hobby – horses.

After this…..

And this…….

Came this……..

And all the wife said was ” I dont care how much you spend on bike stuff, just as long as you dont moan when you`re on holiday with the kids”…….. 😉

I’m taking note of all these tips, though I might have to go down the stoney route and get myself an eye-burningly bright road bike and say it’s my 40th birthday present.

Turning 40 has meant i can get away with more stuff :P….

It can`t last for much lomger though 🙄

I started to get things posted to work until the girls in reception now grass me u[p to the wife when I need her to drop the things in that I need that day but have forgot!!
I am now very very organised!!!!

I was thinking about telling her last night after she got home from seeing friends but she was cranky and I could do no right.

I decided it wasn’t the best idea to tell her!!

I think I will wait until it arrives and just let her discover it in the garage and bluff my way out!

Wife and younger son went skiing. I put together the 456 frame and bits that I had quietly been buying while they were away. I am not sure if she has noticed the ‘new’ bike in the garage yet (hidden amongst the others) and has not said anything or has just not seen it. I am going to play the ‘well it was a lot cheaper than a skiing holiday’ card when I have to admit to it. Not sure it will work but at least I have a card to play!

Employ a few different tactics:

1- Delivery to work or mates address, its an oldie but it works (move it to the garage when she’s not looking/out/at night)
2- Use credit card in my name only, not joint account and pay it off in smaller chunks so she doesn’t notice (She only looks at the online banking once or twice a month, never looks at a full statement and would only notice big amounts going out in one go, a fraudsters dream)…
3- Operate a “One in one out” policy, or at least claim to, I have a knackered old frame on standby which I will claim I’m selling in order to fund the next big spend item, as it’s all just bit’s of metal to her, one large box being posted and a similar sized one coming back must equate to a “Cost neutral” acquisition…
4- Ask permission, sounds stupid but if you put it just right, using phrases like “I thought I’d make sure you were OK with it” and “Only if you think we can afford it” basically make her think you factor her thoughts and opinions into your decision making processes (of course you’re not, you’ve probably already clicked “Go to checkout”), she’s more inclined to agree and therefore can’t bollock you, when a big box arrives and you get the “what have you bought now?” line you can respond with “it’s that Frame/Fork/Wheel I asked you about last week, I did tell you….” Normally good for at least 3 purchases until she works out you’ve bought several things on a one item “Permission slip”…

My missus never goes near the garage, she probably spends more than me on Clothes, Bags, Jewelry or any other crap she buys and then never wears/uses, But I never point this fact out, she knows it I know it, but making the point would be almost guaranteed to turn her into an arsey nightmare for a month, plus my expenditure has been pretty minimal the last 24months or so and what I have spent on has mostly been riding Clothes rather than parts…

It all sounds terrible doesn’t it, the lying and sneaking about just so you can own some shiny bicycle parts…

quite lucky with mrsconsequence i think judging by these stories! she even demands we keep the bikes in the house so they’re “warm and snuggly and safe inside”.

It all sounds terrible doesn’t it, the lying and sneaking about just so you can own some shiny bicycle parts…

It does a bit yeah.

I tend to just confess straight away and take it on the chin myself.

Going to pick up new road bike this afternoon.

🙂

Wife’s pretty good as long as i don’t take the p*** and I think she secretly likes the fact I’m not a fat biffer or play golf. 🙂

it’s easier to get forgiveness than permission!

I’ve spent £13K on four bikes and loads of accessories in 5 months, she thinks half of them are insurance replacements and the other half are cheap ex demo’s
😆

In other news, we’ve not been getting on for months and I’ll be leaving soon anway so the ‘bothered pocket’ is well empty..

😯 Fair enough, I suppose.

JEngledow – Member
I decided I to marry my now wife the day she came home to find me surrounded by bits of dirty bike spread all over the dining room and simply said “ooh what’s this bit do?”

That is the single most romantic thing I have ever heard 😀

Stoney: Never thought I’d say this but that green Trek is a proper stunner!
Good work fella!

£13K on four bikes and loads of accessories in 5 months

trying to get rid of the savings before divorce proceeding take the lot good idea

(Mr MC posting)

not only do I not have this problem, the reverse is true. I was looking at buying an insanely cheap Yeti ASR7 (£780 from importers) as a new frame. MC banned me not on expense grounds, but on the grounds I’ve always slated Yetis for being fugly and I was a hypocrite. So she encouraged to by an Orange Alpine instead 8)

Recently got some lovely Easton Haven bars for it. MC’s input was “ooh the carbon ones look nicer”

In fact, thinking about it, I’ve been had. MC has more bikes than me…

I used to work from the point of view, of always buying parts the same colour as the parts I am replacing, worked to a point……however now divorced so no longer a problem…bikes in living room, parts bedroom and one in the kitchen with paint drying as we speak lol

Just swop 1 ruinously expensive hobby(scuba diving which includes 1/2 share in a boat)for a much cheaper one(ellsworth epiphany and all the bling) then tell her how much money you’r saving.Easy.