Ok, Financial Issues with wanting a new road bike

[clouddog]

So
This is a long one but i need advice

I am rubbish at saving, rash, impulsive, schizophrenic, autistic 1,
I am in danger of putting my car on the market with no one's approval - even my husband who sort of wants me to sell my car (so he can keep his) I know an £8000 present from my mum is not to be sold.

I would like a carbon road bike for 1250 - 1700 £

I really don't have the money

I am spending £50 on Therapy every week and my husband and mum are buying the food or clothes etc i would normally buy for that money

I'm on disability, mum is retired and Husband has a clerical career and we're pretty normal income etc except i'm on Disabilithy

I usually save for a month or a week and get bored of saving and buy a perfume or nice top or jeans

I really want to do this i am afraid my family will think i am not normal especially if i sell my car for wanting an expensive bike

I'd like to ride everywhere i am not constrained by anything except occasionally very bad weather and i've seen people manage it

I know that the logical answer is to stop therapy when i'm ready, stop buying expensive clothes and just be open about the whole thing

That's about all i can do

I want to ditch the car and buy a good road bike

I have no idea if i can do this, my family really don't trust me with money

I think i just have to manage to earn the bike by putting money aside and using my big old bike (charity shop - full suspension)
FOR everything
and then just be happy when i have saved money for a carbon women's bike and maybe even tell my family why i want it

I can't think of good reasons except a carbon bike would move faster

Can carbon bikes be used on gravel, lumpy concrete, muddy stoney paths? can keep my old bike still

 

[mamaboo]

Me, too with impulse and money! Look up trek bicycles at trekbikes.com. the lower end carbon bikes are many steps above your average bikes. You can get last year's models for cheaper and still new. I am in the U.S. and do not know the u.s.dollar equivalent in want you want to spend, but a decent bike from them is around 350 u.s. dollars. Well worth it I think. I dont know if they sell them where you are, but I am sure they can ship from the u.s Think of all the money you will save when you get rid of the auto and how healthy you will be! (Riding good for mental health, too)

 

[mamaboo]

Your best bet is to google bicycles and bicycle buying guides, steel and aluminum can be light for a bike. U have to decide what kind of riding you want to do and how much money to spend. Comfort bikes and crossbikes (combination mountain and street bike) are a good choice. I want a bike, too, to get back in shape. I had a marvelous schwinn 10 speed when I was a teenager, but that kind of bike is not for someone my age (in my 50's). I am looking at treks because my son works in a bike shop, and a I fell in love with a $600 trek comfort bike. Light, 27 gears, front and rear suspension, comfy seat, it made the cheapy bike I have seem like a non working prop. Then I found a good used bike (by giant) that had all those specs except it was old and not quite as easy to get on and off of because of the bar being higher. I should really research before I buy, these are the first 2 bikes I have tried and I know not to buy first thing I see. Bikes have come a long way since 20 or 30 years ago. There is so much to learn... Let me know what you decide. You sound alot like me with the perfume or what every couple of months. Last month it was a really good pair of earphones I wanted.

 

[clouddog]

Hi mamaboo It is quite serious when good headphones are needed, I think ad carrier cycling mags may not be for me until I have the amount I want to spend on a bike I think I need to basically earn that kind of road bike and just save up 5er by 5er, pound coin by pound coin lol If I give up at 750£ (!) lll have done enough miles to know more what I want Do you know any good reviews of hybrid bikes? Ill have a look myself as well

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

This might be a good thing to run by your therapist. And you probably should be open with your husband. If you make a good case, they may be supportive. Waiting might be a good way to work on impulse control. I'm pretty impulsive, I was seriously considering buying a high end Specialized MB that would have run me about $11,000 US with sales tax. I have decided to wait, and I spent more than that in March on my dog, who had a diabetic crisis and pneumonia. So right now couldn't afford it. I'll think about it at the end of the season, may get a good deal when the 2014 models come out. As far as the type of bike, have no experience with road bikes, but I suspect it would be a rough hard ride on non-paved, non-groomed surfaces. You may want to consider a hybrid, the MB platform and road bike performance should work well, and the right tire width and tread will give good multi-surface performance.

 

[clouddog]

Sorry i'm lost!

 

[MotownBikeBoy]

Lost about what?

 

[clouddog]

Lost about what?

Sorry I think I made a mistake saying that - I can't even remember what I said that for I think I have a while to do research I'm not in a position to buy one at the monent

 

[renderman5000]

"I would like a carbon road bike for 1250 - 1700 £ I really don't have the money"

Why do you want a carbon bike?

"I can't think of good reasons except a carbon bike would move faster"

This just simply isn't true. There is nothing magical about a carbon bike! A lighter frame/bike will have a minimal impact in hilly terrain. If you're using it to commute etc, the speed difference will not matter. I'd look at a decent alumin(i)um bike and save some of the money you don't have.

Chuck