As I rode through the stunning country lanes of South Gloucestershire on Sunday I was smiling to myself as I thought about how easy it was to enjoy yourself and for so little cost. I had just bemoaned the £7 spent at Tetbury’s most expensive cake and coffee shop so it puts into perspective how free the cycling was compared to the unidentifiable cake I had eaten just one hour before.
Then it dawned upon me what absolute bollocks I was thinking. Cycling isn’t free. It’s ridiculously expensive and it’s certainly cost me a small fortune. So I started to think about how much I had spent on the very items I was travelling with and if you promise not to tell my wife, I’ll list them here as I know it will not be any different to your own out-goings.
- Bike: £1,800
- Shoes: £160
- Shorts £60
- Jersey £50
- Helmet £120
- Socks £7
- Water bottles x 2 £6
- Bottle cages x 2 £12
- Cap £15
- Gloves £25
- Glasses £160
- Saddle bag £20
- Bike tool £25
- Spare tube £3
- Tyre levers £2.
- Pump £25
- Garmin £330
- Garmin cadence & speed sensor £40
If I start to think about all the money spent on tyres, servicing, chains, cables, oil, more tubes and every connotation of clothing required for each weather type, I would probably never have taken up the sport for fear of not being able to afford it. But then
that said, I did wonder if I was having any more fun riding with the above list of kit th
an I did when I firs started out on my aluminium bike with my basic shorts and cheap helmet and I don’t know the answer to that. Sure I am fitter, faster and the group of friends I have got to know through the cycling have been great great fun, but the cycling itself was just as good. I think.
Either way, on the basis the above money has all been spent and is in effect best forgotten I’ll go on moaning about my £7.00 coffee and cake stops and how cycling for free is the best money I have ever spent.
