Thursday, March 08, 2007
Faux Pas
So I’m sitting at the kitchen table with my wife Diane this morning, and I wanted to share with her my upcoming tri shopping. I have previously explained the indoor trainer and she can grasp the need for that. Today I was explaining to her that I am going to get an inexpensive road bike to hook up to the trainer so I can keep my mountain bike free for outside rides (don’t want to have to hookup and unhook the bike when I want to ride outside on th spur of the moment!). I was looking at Wal-Mart and they had a couple road bikes under $200, just something to get me through when I need to ride indoors. She thought I was nuts! She said to go to Goodwill and get one, can you believe that? I then looked at her as if she was nuts. Then, and this may have been a faux pas, I told her $180 was cheap because when I get my “real bike” this summer the wheel upgrade alone will run $500 + and the total will be between $2,000 and $3,000. She thinks I have lost it. I’m sure glad I didn’t mention the wetsuit, hydration system, bike shoes, supplements, coaching, swim lessons, hotels, travel, bike tune-up, shorts, anti-chafe ointment, new bike jersey, heart rate monitor, bike computer, . . . . . .
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14 comments:
Ahh, Duane, I can totally sympathize. The only running my hubby does is to the store to get beer ;) He does not understand all the stuff necessary to do this sport.
Triathlon can definitely be an expensive sport. Even when you get everything on the list you want the newest upgrade, to replace this or that, etc.
Steady there, big guy! You have to break this stuff to them gently... LOL.
I agree with Wes. You must learn to pace yourself if you are to truly succeed in triathlon.
And if you're just looking for something to "throw on the trainer," I agree with your wife. Go cheap.
My one suggestion would be that you want to train how you race. For me, that means my tri-bike is on the trainer. I won't be racing my other bike.
I agree with Wes & Al -- consider it Endurance Shopping.
Maybe you can give-in on getting a second bike for the trainer. Strategically-like.
It only takes a couple of minutes to put a bike on a trainer, and less to take it off.
I'm with iron pol on this one. Train how you race. Become one with the new bike by spending lots of time on it.
SOOOOO...You might as well go out and get the "real" bike _now_ and put it on the trainer. :D
No reason to throw away a couple hundred bucks on a walmart bike.
you should be ok if you spread all that stuff out over time - you almost don't even notice it then...
LOL! I can relate! When I started triathlon I waited until my husband was on a ski trip and then I bought my first tri bike. I told him over the phone after he had had a few drinks (this was pretty early in our marriage). He was pissed, but we laugh about it now.
I can relate, bro. I keep those costs to myself and try not to set Red Flags off!
Good luck and let me know if you find any tricks to smoothing it over, haha..
rockon`
HAHAHA! It is so crazy how $2000 quickly becomes "cheap" in this sport. I read somewhere that the average annual income for people who do IMs is over $100,000. I can see why...I started keeping track of how much this experience has cost, but lost track (maybe somewhat intentionally becuase seeing it in black-and-white can be mind-blowing).
It does add up fast, doesn't it?!?
I think you could forgo the spare bike for the trainer, though. I don't find it that difficult to put mine on or take it off. Plus what Iron Pol said about training like you race...
Better start hiding some $$ under the mattress. LOL.
my husband still likes to razz me that Suzy Q cost more than his first car...or my first car...or in fact, some cars of his friends.
Truth is, he's jealous - but he's an unusual spouse. Most would not be so understanding.
Save the Wal-Mart bike money, and put it toward a good used roadie when you're ready!
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