Annual bike and kit spend?

Don't ask, don't tell.

I don't want to ask myself and I don't want anyone to tell me.

No way am I spending 5 digits though.

£0.00p

Sits back to wait for the 'Fake Poor' of STW to show up. 😉🤣

Are we counting mountain biking holidays and trips too?

#AskingForAFriendWhoWouldBeWellIntoFiveFiguresIfWeDid

I built a bike, so excluding that. I spent £876.99 according to my super-accurate* excel.

*not very, probs missed some bits and bobs, but then I did donate a roadie (2014 carbon Ribble) and a Cannondale commuter thingie to my local Bike Charity.

Edit: thats just for the bike, probs into 5 figures if there's kit as well.

I bought a £2.5k road bike via C2W a few months back. other than that probably £200-£300 on kit, parts, tyres, etc

I won't be buying another bike for a couple of years so 2024 will be cheap once i've finished the C2W period.

If you're not hitting 5k per annum then you're not trying, look at the sales stuff just now, you can pick up a spesh ebike for half price, or a santa cruz the same, we're not even diving into cheap Rapha gear at John Lewis this week, or electric shifting and finishing kit, then throw in the weekly trips to BPW with all the add ons and you're supporting the industry!

I prefer not to know in honesty. I know I can't just spend endlessly but I ride a bike for enjoyment and to get me outside, there is a side benefit of being healthier too. If I knew that it cost me £x per mile or hour then it would suck a lot of that enjoyment out of it.

I bought an eeb within the last year, and have done over 2,000 miles on it (fork & shock services, 4 sets of tyres, numerous brake pads, chains, chainrings etc plus a set of Saints & rotors) - that along with all my other bike consumables (gravel, HT/bikepacking and FS) & clothing spend must get me near/past 5 digits.

Anyone who says £0, either doesn't ride or has light-fingers...

My friend is just under five figures including holidays. However I he has had two new bikes (out of three) in that time.

This year

£1800 building the Ragley

Around £2k upgrading the ebike (forks, wheels, drivetrain, a few other bits)

Somewhere shy of a grand on lights and riding kit.

All driven by the fact that my riding has increased massively this year over previous years. Previous to that it's 5 years since I had a big spend (ebike on finance). Some years I'll spend virtually nothing

Under a grand, Inc a new frame and bits for one of the kids (loaded with my old 26" stuff).

Have prioritised a wardrobe revamp and affording fuel to get to work.

I prefer not to know in honesty. I know I can’t just spend endlessly but I ride a bike for enjoyment and to get me outside, there is a side benefit of being healthier too. If I knew that it cost me £x per mile or hour then it would suck a lot of that enjoyment out of it.

This is more or less my thinking. I'm generally pretty tight, and try not to spend excessively, particularly on stuff I don't need. But bikes, and kit so I can't ride them (relatively) comfortably, make me happy, so I don't make myself feel too bad about the odd luxury.

make me happy, so I don’t make myself feel too bad about the odd luxury.

Echo my thoughts, so as long as I'm paying the bills each month, then my conscious is clear really. 

I bought a new bike earlier this year but it's still fresh and enjoyable so not costing any money. Just bought a discounted Garmin as a treat. Booked a week in Malaga for January but didn't go anywhere nice in 'summer'.

This time next year though. I'll be ready and waiting. I'm gonna send it.

I bought a Frame and Fork on C2W last year but the monthly payments were mostly in this year, so maybe 1k on that and maybe 2-300 on other bits and pieces, just bought some new brakes for £70, bargain TRP Slates from Merlin and £42 for five tens from Evans.

I did buy my son a new bike but I don't count that in my bike spending.

Er....

not including 2x bike Holidays this year cos its a holiday right!

And when bikes, just mtbs right? Cos a gravel bikes not a bike bike is it.

And when we say mtbs bikes anything with a massive discount isn't included right. cos it was a saving? Right.

So on that basis nothing.

New bike this year and 3 months off work to frig about in Southern Spain to play on it and the gravel bike, makes me very happy so don't care.

Not bought a bike this year, but did spend ~300 on bar & stem (crash damage), bought an AXS upgrade kit (400), two sets of carbon wheels (~800 each) for different bikes, a new light (~300) and some tyres (100)

Am sure there's a few other bits and bobs, and a couple of holidays too. Don't see t a problem, it's my main hobby (certainly the only one i spend money on), I don't to a bunch of drinking or buy new cars or other daft stuff.

and as duncan rightly points out, massive discounts don't count, so the carbon wheels where effectively free.

I did buy a new to me gravel bike this year - but justified it by forcing myself not to commute by tram which means that I only need to go into the office another 45 times for it to pay for itself.

I've bought 2 new bikes in the last two years. These costs will be amortised over the next 4-6 years (maybe even longer for the titanium tourer) so I'm about £800-1000 a year on bikes.

The other bikes are outside of their amortisation period and now essentially free 🙂 

Consumables, clothes, shoes,  bike packing stuff, event fees - I reckon I'm up to a couple of thousand a year. 

Totally worth it. 

They're not expensive if they get used.

Probably about £1,500. Refurbished the 90's MTB at the start of the year for commuting, repaint, new cables etc, probably £400 including a set of extra wheels I built up. 

Then £330 on a used CX bike, and a further £150 replacing cables, bar tape, tyres, extra cassette for it.  £120 on some superstar wheels for the full suspension, set of bearings for it.  Couple of pairs of shoes (discounted), some new bib shorts. Nothing mad, and that's running five bikes and commuting to work. Would have spent more on parking and petrol had I driven to work.

It’s all relative of course. A few hundred £ to one, may require the same value scrutiny to someone spending a few thousand £.

Net spend for me this year is probably a few thousand, including a couple of trips abroad, but there was a couple of new bikes in there, including an ebike. Fortunate enough to get some deals/support, so most of my stuff I cycle out of in 12/18 months at no real cost, apart from the original outlay.

Worth it to me. Bikes make me happy 🙂

I can truly say totally zero, this is the first year I have actually earned more money from cycling than I have spent.

For the first time in 20+ years, £0. But that is with the proviso that my cargo bike is the most used bike and I've done well under 500 miles across 3 other bikes. Basically, cycling hasn't been a priority.

Now if you asked me how much I'd spent on running, shoes in particular, then you'd have a very different answer.

I did buy a new bike this year (£3,000 or so including upgrades), so it's been an "expensive" one for me. Previous new bike was 2021 and before that 2019. I'm not suggesting that's a long-standing pattern, but I'm expecting 2024 to be a bit cheaper.

If we're just talking 2023, then I think the only money I've spent on "new stuff" was a cheap Amazon hammock, bar bag and associated straps for bike packing. Well under a 100 (probably)...

Other than then, probably around a couple of grand on service/consumables/crash replacement (tyres, brake pads, chain, new derailleur) but no new bike and no "upgrades".

Oh, a couple of hundred on clothes (all sale items...no one item more than 50 IIRC!)

But my big spend is on holidays...one road trip to the Pyrenees and one to Utah/Colorado/Oregon (which I'd only count 50% of the cost as they were family holidays I just happened to take my bike along)

2019, by contrast, was somewhat more expensive as I, ahem, somehow ended up buying both a Santa Cruz Hightower AND a Giant TCR (with Di2) within the space of about six weeks....

Now if you asked me how much I’d spent on running, shoes in particular,

Hey Lunge, how much have you spent on running, and shoes in particular?

I have a spreadsheet

It contains all cycling related expenses including trips away

I shall not be sharing it at this time 🙂

But my dad use to fly gliders. Honestly, twice the faff and about four times the expense of MTBs. So I reckon I've dodged a bullet here 🙂

I tend to only buy in the sales or when second hand is too good to miss.

As said above its not what you spend its what you save so I've saved quite a bit over the years 🤣

Thanks everyone for sharing. This is all sounding like an AA meeting 😄

I always thought cycling was a cheap pastime 😬

This year, including races but not including the holiday that surrounded one of them, as it wasn’t really a bike holiday, probs £1500, 900 of which on C2W (drivetrain and brake replacement on gravel/commuter).

Previous years have been 5 figures on bikes and kit. Biggest year was 2014. Meh.

Far too much in relation to how much time I spend riding… 🙄. The only bike/kit setup offering me any value for money these days is my Wattbike, which I use 2 or 3 times a week. Other bikes and ride kit just not getting used as much as it should or could be, which is a disappointing state of affairs. 

no one to blame except myself.. 

But my dad use to fly gliders. Honestly, twice the faff and about four times the expense of MTBs.

My mum used to keep horses. It's always good to talk to her when I need a bit of perspective about how much I spend on cycling.

After some of the above spreadsheet users, I thought I'd put one together for this year.

It didn't take much looking at email order confirmations to remind myself that I've bought the 2 most expensive items of clothing kits I've ever bought this year, a pair of bib shorts for £260 and a pair of winter SPD shoes for £190. Maybe my estimated £2k spend needs a review 😬

I bought (built) two bikes and a bike for my daughter, but also sold 3 bikes.  I also spent more than I should on Chris King stuff and carbon rims...
I'm probably at around £3.5k this year, which is much more than normal.

Some of my friends spend more than me, some a lot less.

Part of me would like to be like the ones that spend less.

But then, they've never been to the Alps, they've not experienced Super Swooper or Willy Waver, so there is that.

I do feel a bit of guilt at how expensive mountain bikes (especially full sus) are, but then I have a lot of fun on them, and I try to get as much use out of them as possible.

I suspect that just as a full sus is a step up in cost from a hardtail, when I finally get an E-bike it'll be another step up again.

Does anyone track cost per mile ridden? I suspect that would be upsetting...

Or maybe cost per hour might be a better metric as road mileage is a lot faster than mountain bike mileage...

If you spent £40 a week on going to the pub and getting a take away you’d be over £2k a year 🤷🏻‍♂️

If you spent £40 a week on going to the pub and getting a take away you’d be over £2k a year 🤷🏻‍♂️<br />

Can’t I do both?

Can’t I do both?

If it makes you happy, go wild.

£700 on a used road bike, plus maybe £300-400 on consumable parts. Nothing on clothes but I will be needing new shoes soon. Few hundred on camping/bikepacking kit.

According to Garmin I've ridden just under 5000km this year and if I've spent £2000 that's £0.4 per km. 

But my dad use to fly gliders. Honestly, twice the faff and about four times the expense of MTBs.<br />My mum used to keep horses. It’s always good to talk to her when I need a bit of perspective about how much I spend on cycling.

I know a few guys who have dabbled in rallying, so I like to compare it to that.  Probably spent as much as two of my bikes buying a car and entering one rally and a couple of gravel sprints.  That equates to maybe a couple of hours of proper fun.

My bikes get used say twice a week average making them exceedingly good value.  That's my story and I;m sticking to it!

I'm pretty sure I've had a five figure year in the past, maybe around 2015 or so.  The collection is pretty settled now though, relatively speaking.  Given the joy given, I don't regret one penny spent on fancy bikes or holiday whether enduro or bikepacking.

I’ve spent a middling amount keeping 2 bikes going. Quite a lot on “servicing”, maybe £500. That included all new pivots as part of a warranty swing arm and a wheel rebuild . I’m sure the gravel bikes eaten a shifter and a derailleur this year so I expect another £300 on bits and tyres. £500 on bike packing stuff

Over the last 6 years I guess I’ve ridden 200 hours a year (I’m currently on 222 hours this year). I think in that time I’ve spent £6000 including buying 2 bikes and 2 sets of wheels. So that’s £5.00 an hour. I’d say amazing value. Particularly as the FS is going strong and the gravel bikes fine

I didn’t including camping stuff in that £6000

Not too much this year until recently - have a notion about rationalising the garage down to (only!) four bikes so have started to pick up a few bits to make that happen by rebuilding/refitting a couple of existing bikes.

Can't be arsed to run a spreadsheet, so no idea how much in reality but I'd guess 750 quid or so this year. Not as much as many previous years but totally understand it's relative and I'm lucky enough to be able to afford it at the minute.

As others have said, bikes are my vice and it's tough to put a price on fun. Previously been there, done that with Archery and digital music production - compared to those things bikes look like small change!

Spend this year might go up a it soon as to make my rationalisation work I might need to get a custom Marino frame made...

I've kept a history of my bike purchases/sales over the last 25years .This of course doesn't take into account of maintenance/upgrades but still interesting for me to keep a log of  the bulk of the cost :

1998 Klein Mantra Comp £1275 Sold £350 2014

2004 Giant XTC4  £400   possible resale value £150

2006 Giant Reign 1 £2000 - Sold Frame,Forks and gears £550

2008 Trek Fuel Ex 8 £900  - sold 2011  £450

2011 February Giant Anthem X2 £1500 - Sold 2016 £500

2012 Glory 01 £2250  -  sold £850 7/30/2016

2013 Reign X1 frame £350 - Sold £250

2014 December YT Capra Comp1  £2950 -sold £1500

2016 July 28th Stanton Slackline £1000 possible resale value £800

2020 September Mondraker Dune £1800 -Sold frame 2023 for £300 used all parts for Mega build:

2023 Carbon Nukeproof Mega Frame  £499 shortly after build Sold complete bike for £2000 to then buy :

2023 New Transition Spur £2500 possible resale value £2500

so if my maths is right around £17424 spent on new bikes with around  £10200 recouped/current value of still owned so around £7224 spent purchasing bikes  over 25 years or £289 per year.

5k easy I’d say. I’m a sucker for stuff I don’t need ..

since retiring when i had just bought my forever bike,

salsa fargo ti. £5400. now sold.

kona wo fatbike.£1500. now sold

specialized  rockhopper. £600 now sold

spa cycles dtour. £1100.

silverback fatbike. £600.

i cant see me ever buying a expensive bike again.

Probably under a grand on kit. My newest bike is a Surly Pacer bought as a frame here or UK cycling a few years ago. Add in bike holidays and it's another £3k or so. But that isn't bad for over a month in the USA. 

I probably average under £1000 a year as only ride very simple bikes so can't spend that much but do tend to change things sometimes for the sake of it but hard to tell without recording it as I sell everything that I replace so overall it probably a lot lower if I recorded it.
This year was over £1000 as bought new carbon frameset. I do ride quite a bit, at least 3 times a week 52 weeks a year so seems good value to me.

I wouldn't even begin to want to know. I'd guess this year i've spent ITRO £20,000 but it could be slightly more or possibly less. But it's about ball-park.

Does anyone track cost per mile ridden? I suspect that would be upsetting…

We had this discussion once. Conclusion was it'd be cheaper to run a Chieftain tank 🙂  This was after an overnight trip to Afan, coming from Bucks so petrol, accommodation,  food and beer and a broken mech. Total riding just under 10 miles!

I've definitely made some poor decisions buying and selling bikes. But I'm far more worried about what I'd spend any money on if I couldn't  ride MTBs.

Normal years very little as I dont have upgraditus.  Last couple of years a lot as i bought two expensive new bikes.  

Net around £3k with a bit of fag paper maths. That did include a BFe Max build, kids ride shotgun, carbon road wheels and a set of hope v4s so I can see where most of it went.

I like to think I’m quite shrewd so I’d like to think one of my mates who doesn’t hunt out deals would have been closer to £4K on it all 🤷🏻‍♂️

Does anyone track cost per mile ridden? I suspect that would be upsetting…

Yes. I did it with all my vehicles. My bike/s cost more than my motorcycle did… so I stopped doing it.

I have a fixed budget that comes automatically out of a joint account into my bike account. It’s based on wear and tear calculations from previous years.
Then when that runs out I ‘find’ other funds which I definitely do not  keep track of.

I don't really want to know 😬

- Forks for the KSL, got bored of sending the Zebs back for CSU warranties

-Bought a road bike, then bought carbon wheels for it. Both on significant discount.

- Bought a gravel bike as it was half price, road bike is a bit too nice for smashing round filthy country lanes

Have had a big garage clear out, so whilst there are more bikes in the garage, there is a lot less stuff.

Maintenance wise, the three MTB's have probably consumed a £1k in tyres, bearings and other bits. Be close to 5000miles this year.

At 74 you would have thought I might have developed some common sense about bike purchases , but no. In the last five years I have bought three new bikes and of course have had to buy new bits to improve them. My argument is that I don't have long left so I might as well enjoy my money as leave it to kids  or pay for care.

I know a few guys who have dabbled in rallying, so I like to compare it to that.

I enjoy asking my plumber about his superbike racing hobby.

His rates weren't THAT expensive considering.

1 new (s/h) FS bike - £1200
2 new drivechains for the road/gravel bikes - £250
1 new turbo trainer - £120
1 New summerhouse to put the turbo trainer in - about £10k (included some other works)
New shoes £90
New trousers £60
New club kit £65
New wheels (not actually needed as the new FS came up for sale the next week!) £300
Sundry and misc stuff like pedals, brake pads, etc ~£200

The older I get the less guilty I feel about spending money on hobbies. The summerhouse might pay itself back if we sell the house, or it might be an expensive luxury for a few years until we move. I did well for work this year, could afford it, so we built it.