Is there many others that struggle to pay for their love of cycling?

I’ve got my my bike by building and replacing parts over a couple of years.

I’m content with what I do have.

It can be expensive and if you have a need to ride every week, like I do, if a part breaks it needs to be replaced. My mech went the other week, my shifter last week and was out on wednesday and now pretty sure the bottom bracket needs replacing. Do I stick it on the overdraft or increase the credit card (even more). 😥

debt’s a bad path.

meh… you’re dead a long time and it’s all just numbers on a computer really. I would go insane not being able to ride.

It’s expensive. Ebay and the classifieds are great tho, especially if you don’t mind running slightly older kit.

I worry that in trying to maintain too many bikes I end up compromising and that I should rationalise in order to affored better quality, i.e. ditch the road bikes, but somehow I cant! I get concerned about servicing of shox n forks, stuff like that.

Get rid of shocks and forks, have tennis elbows instead!! 😉

The cost of drivetrains was always the worst when I was younger. Of course that was in the days of fully rigid – even now I live in fear of breaking or wearing out forks.

Belt drive would be perfect.

Have a look around locally for a bike recycling charity sort of thing. You can usually source parts that way that if they’re not the spec you like at least there a great make do bit. Volunteering within their organisation can also help keeping the costs down.

Don’t buy into the hype about what your bike is, how good the components are just ride and enjoy. The most impressive guys I bike with run old stuff that’d be junk to most of us but they just get on with it and are usually the one skinning the rest if us to the top of the hill.

I run a rigid SS for local rides over the winter. Expensive to buy initially, but saves on drivetrain and suspension on other bike/s.

Also learn to service your own forks etc. It’s not free as there’s still crush washers and the like every time you strip a fork (not to mention the tools) but preventative maintenance will cut down the number of times things have to be sent away for major work. You can also see when things are wearing out, so plan getting bits sorted out rather than needing new bushes and seals two days before you fly to the Alps. 😉

Someone (i think it may have been Brant) once said that “the best bike in the world is the once you can jump on and ride right now”. Ultimately, the bike isn’t what’s important; the important thing is getting out into the wilderness and enjoying yourself; the bike is simply a tool.

Keep riding as you are, and don’t worry about the kit. Just laugh at the “all the gear, no idea” types on their £5k carbon machines, who you sail past on the climbs.

Oh, and convert your bike to SS (when your gears break, obviously).

Keep riding as you are, and don’t worry about the kit. Just laugh at the “all the gear, no idea” types on their £5k carbon machines, who you sail past on the climbs.

All day long.

yes..

I am an impoverished mtber.. love it

Had my full suss for 4 years now. “only” cost 1100 new but because of it relative cheapness in the world of full suss I’ve replaced the forks, both wheels, main shock (warranty upgrade admittedly) 2 b/b and all frame bearings plus the usual pads tyres etc.
I always wonder if I’d spent more initially whether it would have cost me as much?
I’ll never buy a latest season full price bike again tho…

its certainly nice to have a backup bike for when the main bike goes down!

I know … sounds even more pricey but im currently building up my old (2002) full suss bike with spares and bargain bits ive seen on classifieds/ebay etc
but its nice to have a bike you can mess about on and not worry if the shiftings a bit out and dont mind dragging the drivetrain through winter filth

when I was younger and poorer I did rack up debt buying kit and paying for trips away takes its toll

now I dont drink, smoke or party I seem to have more disposable cash and less hangovers too!

Used to run motorbikes before kids came along, then got into MTB’ing as they got older and could ride themselves. Gotta say and I know it may sound daft but running a motorbike worked out cheaper overall.
I work in Aircraft Engineering and know how much we sell those parts for, bike bits have way too many people taking their cut before they get to the consumer.
If manufacturing hadn’t been brought to it’s knees in this country then MTB parts could be made cheaper if done in volume: ie Stack It High & Sell It Cheaper comes to mind!
I actually run some Hope parts on my Orange 5 but all are pre-owned as they are too expensive for my paltry salary.
Doesn’t stop me enjoying my riding though!!

I’m not hampered by budget, but I still like a bargain. I’ve found loads of great bikes over the years for not much cash and enjoyed riding them.

£120 for a kona fire mountain I took to galloway forest this year. It was brilliant.

On the subject, a riding buddy need some new tyres for his old GT Avalanche. He is on his arse with no income, so any recommendations for dirt cheap tyres that aren’t dangerous?

Wouldn’t say I struggle to pay for things, but I’m a cheap skate. My MTB is the most expensive bike I’ve bought to date at £400 (Carrera Fury). That was 5 years ago. I’ve changed the tyres, brakes (one was leaking), cassette, and maybe a couple of chains. It needs a new BB now, but that’s £12. I keep pondering upgrading, but have no reason to other than vanity. It rides great. Not as light as some, but it keeps me fit!

It doesn’t have to cost a lot. My bike has cost me about £100 in the last year and I got it second hand about 18 months ago.

That £100 includes a new chain and cassette, new rear derailer after mine was smashed, new bars and some mud tyres.

…bike bits have way too many people taking their cut before they get to the consumer.

I’ve worked in the trade on both distribution and retail sides.

I respectfully disagree, certainly when compared to other retail-based trades. 😉

Nippers have severely curtailed my spare time to myself (in a very good way) and since it doesn’t work for both of us to work while they’re young, we’re on one income. Add in a house move, and I haven’t been able to justify throwing dosh at bikes for a while. I’ve cut back a fair amount, consolidating to one mountain bike (a V2 Scandal with a pair of Rebas), a Tricross and a Brompton for commuting. The Tricross was a complete bargain at £100 for the frame, forks, headset and seat collar, and I built it up with a variety of scrounged, second hand and other bits. The Brompton’s juts had a two year overhaul with a view to making it a bit more sustainable – I’ve ditched the Sturmey Archer and gone two speed. The Scandal I ran singlespeed for a long time, but have just taken 1×10. I have all the bits to go back to one gear to hand.
The most expensive facet of all this, for me, at least, is that my gloves, tops and helmets wear out a lot more now that I’m commuting five days a week. And my commuting shoes are just about to die as well.

Despite all this, I’m having a lot more fun on the bike – when I can get out.

(Keep riding as you are, and don’t worry about the kit)<-this 😀