[Closed] £291 per ride 😩 value for money?!

bought my carbon full bouncy bike in summer 2016, a few days before the birth of my second son.

Well that was blinking stupid.

I get where you're coming from, but the whole cost/ride thing seems a bit daft to me, it's not it's time limited, or there's any pressure to ride it a certain number of times, or you have to give it back. My bikes make me smile even if they're stood in the hall.

I don’t think with your life plans I’d have spent so much on a bike - although if you could afford it / you really enjoyed those 12 rides then only you can judge it’s value to you!

I don’t think I could easily do the same calculation as you as I’m out a fair amount between work / childcare and I’m always changing parts on my bikes - I can’t help myself

You might want to sit down before reading this suggestion...

Fit some road slicks (they don't have to be skinny, some 2.35" G Ones at moderate pressure can be fun bouncing on/off the kerbs) and make it your mission to go for a 30min ride from your door, four times a week. 😮

... Unless you ride other bikes you aren't telling us about.

I feel like I'm geting full value out of the bikes I use*, and that's especially been the case in the last 18 months where spending time with others has been a bit of a no-no.

My £/per ride is probably quite a bit better than yours, but have you seen how much good councilling costs these days! Getting out on my bike and spinning the pedals, either on my own for an hour or with others for a few hours a couple of times each week does wonders for my mental wellbeing, so in my opinion it's very much worth it.

...

*let's not talk about the plethora of bikes that don't get ridden but which I refuse to sell.

The thing is you have a bike and you can still ride it when you have time. Having a bike a far far better than not.

To nickc’s point, some words that have stuck with me from a motorbike travel story (Dan Walsh in Bike) is something like ‘owning a motorcycle is like having £10k in used notes, a fake passport and a Kalashnikov stashed under the floorboards. You don’t have to use them, but knowing they are there give you freedom’.

Now I’m definitely not saying to take this literally, but the benefit to mental health of the identity and possibility bikes with or without motors bring is tangible. Especially when the rest of life builds up! Works for me, anyway.

I upgraded to an AM9 and bought a Focus Jam2 ebike not long before I moved from the moors to a town about a year ago and have been riding my £600 road bike mostly since then, so I know your pain. I'm not doing the maths though haha

You could probably sell it for 1500 or so in the current climate, so your actual spend is only £166 per ride. Much better. 🙂

On the plus side, given the state of the s/h bike market at the moment, you could probably sell it for a decent amount with ease.

Conversely, because my employer went bust 5 months into my R2W scheme, I paid a grand total of £240 for my £4k-ish FS. I've ridden it about 275 times since, about 87p per ride.

I suspect most bikes <£1k start to look poor value per ride. Over 2 years that would need riding once every week to get below £10/ride (and not need any maintenance).

OTOH my commuter is wayyyyy into the black compared against fuel saved! And I did go through a phase of commuting on innapropriate bikes to get their cost/ride down. I think all but one of my bikes have tipped under the magic 45p/commuting mile 🤣.

The shower pump died last week. I did do the maths and worked out that the en-suite worked out more expensive than gym membership 🤣

Well that was blinking stupid.

Yep 😃

I’m writing this whilst at the ante natal clinic - mini RRR v3.0 due in late November!

I wouldn’t mind so much but everything on my bike is “out of date” - was thinking of upgrading suspension but then it’s non-boost etc etc

There's out of date, and out of date.

If it all still works, why change it?

Sounds like you should've spent that money on a decent TV to keep you and Mrs rrr occupied then😂... Would've worked out far cheaper in the long run(speaking as someone with 4👀)

I’ve ridden my bike about 12 times – £3500 / 12 = £291 ish.

My Dad had a recumbent for a while - he'd been sold it as something he could ride that wouldn't exacerbate back pain.

Of course the practicalities of using a recumbent on British roads and on shared use paths with their constant anti-motorcycle barriers meant he actually only rode it half a dozen times and each ride involved a drive to some parkland or other, usually with a meet up of the hippy beardies cycling club where they'd all admire each others weird customised bikes.

He paid £1500 for it so I think it's £ per mile costs were probably comparable to the QE2...

Put it another way - that cost per ride hasn’t left you destitute all it’s clearly ok, for you.

Suck that up, and all subsequent rides are free! Minus tyre brake and chain wear.

Just stay off the internet that will try to convince you it’s out of date.

I wouldn’t mind so much but everything on my bike is “out of date” – was thinking of upgrading suspension but then it’s non-boost etc etc

Why the hell would you upgrade the [perfectly good] suspension on a bike that you never use?
That's insane.
Either follow the sage advice of the poster above and buy some slicks, or buy a child trailer. That will get you a hell of a lot more riding per £ than upgraded suspension at this point.

Bloody gear freaks...

Oddly the suspension doesn’t feel great despite having been used so little - I could get both end serviced but seems a lot right now.

I do have a cheap road bike that also never gets used…

I desperately want to get out but genuinely have virtually zero free time
- my final year placement requires a 2 to 3 hour round trip driving each day , then there’s kids to sort, then the whole of medicine to attempt to learn.

I do realise however that this situation is entirely my own fault! 😀

My cost per ride is pennies. mainly secondhand kit and kept for years well maintained. ( ok until I ordered the Shand 🙂 )

RRR - you might actually be more efficient in the use of your time if you got a bit of time on your bike - the peace of mind might help you achieve more in your remaining time

RRR – you might actually be more efficient in the use of your time if you got a bit of time on your bike – the peace of mind might help you achieve more in your remaining time

You could be right. I’ve recently dragged myself out for some trail runs as it’s a lot of exercise in a short time.

The issue I have with the bikes is that whilst there’s loads of road riding from my door, the trails require a drive / faff.
I also hate riding on my own and my old riding group disbanded about 10 years ago!

Mate, I'm married to a medic. I saw the hours she put in both in her final years at Uni and her first few years after qualifying. We also had young kids, she barely had time to take a crap let alone ride a bike.

Don't upgrade, just buy a decent kid trailer instead

The trails will always be there.

Night rides!

With 4 young kids, a long commute I found the only way to guarantee riding was after I'd got home & put the kids to bed, every Thursday night, regardless of the weather, while the wife catches up on bake off

Plenty of decent lights to be had for not much cash eg halfords

Its hard getting motivated sometimes, but we'll wortg it

Night riding sounds like a plan.. just need to find a route from the door (lots
Of footpaths but no proper trails).

Mini RRR V3.0 is 7 and has his own half decent MTB. I love riding with him but can’t really ever let rip..

Last time I rode with him I stayed behind him for the whole day. On the final run I asked if I could just sprint 100 yards down the track.. he said sure… got to the bottom and was asked if the crying, abandoned 7 yr old 100 yards away sat in the nettles was mine😐

Re motivation - think I need to find some riding buddies.

If I know I’m meeting someone I’ll get sorted and out, on my own I just can’t be bothered / feel too knackered

My eeb has cost me £166.66 per ride if we're going off that maths.
That's fine. That'll come down.

Mind you, I'm not adding in fuel and sandwiches. 😳

My fatbike on the other hand, bought second hand. Nuttin.

Different question - what would therapy cost you if you didn't get out and ride?

Some rudimentary maths on the Eeb I’ve just sold based on the ~140 rides I did in the 12 months I owned it puts me at making £16 a ride - what a win, being paid to ride my bike 😆

Admittedly it does help buying at special prices & selling at the height of a huge shortage, but hey.

For me, riding is non negotiable. Whatever else I do I have to be able to ride. So no, I don't have this problem 🙂

If you're struggling for motivation mix things up a bit - the pressure of having to plan and execute a great day's riding is often too much hassle, so I have a range of options helped by a range of bikes. I have a selection of short road loops here that at first were great, then got boring, but now I have done them so many times I don't even think about it. Just kit on and go, and it's gone from being boring to something I do automatically, like having a shower. But I still get the benefits of being outside and keeping fit, just like having a shower still makes you feel better despite having had thousands.

Decent kiddie trailer is the best bike (or child) related spend I’ve made in years. Bought just before the COVID crisis and used loads.

Imagine the brownie points for taking one or more kids out of the house for a few hours while the Mrs gets some peace, while really your heading out to enjoy yourself. You might not ride that far but towing an extra 30kg is pretty good for fitness. Local fruit farm cafe a favourite haunt of ours.

first were great, then got boring, but now I have done them so many times I don’t even think about it. Just kit on and go

Very interesting perspective this one. I need to try it as I have totally failed to drag my sorry arse out for any ride at all thus week because I know it's not going to be world beatingly amazing.

I think you are looking at it wrong calculation should be owned bike for 36 months at a cost of £97.22 per month.

If I know I’m meeting someone I’ll get sorted and out, on my own I just can’t be bothered / feel too knackered

this

I arrange to go out with folk then cannot back down. I have a regular weekly ride with an ex colleague. Its helped keep me sane(ish) these last few months

first were great, then got boring, but now I have done them so many times I don’t even think about it. Just kit on and go

I need to change my perspective and take this sort of approach too. Especially over the pandemic, we've gone away less and so I've got frustrated with riding the same old roads/hills and feeling bored/uninspired. It's also not helped that my main motivation was often to challenge my previous times up hills, but having put on 6Kg+ and lost fitness this year, even with a big tailwind I'm going to struggle to get near my times set 2018-20.

All my bikes are paid for many times over #supercommuter 🙂
As kimbers says 'Night Rides'
Even better if you can get in with a crowd that will give you a good slagging off when you don't turn up <<--- the best motivation 🙂

I have a spreadsheet with 54 (!) frames over 25 years. I used to note what they cost me. I stopped that a long time ago.

My view - which I accept is a bit warped - is while I could have financed a moonshot, industrial quantities of C&H or, more honestly, a holiday home, building, riding, trips away, beer afterwards, fettling, reading about, looking at, getting my kids to, etc, etc make the money feel well spent.

I've no idea what friends I'd have/memories I'd treasure/future I'm looking forward to if it wasn't for MTBs.

And yes I could have got most of that with a lot less than 54. But no point dying wondering 🙂

Look at it in pounds per km, makes them a whole more worthwhile

your priorities are wrong Op.

The wife and I were thinking of buying ebikes to take the kids riding more with their KRS seats (as uphills are a bitch under my own steam), also with 2 small kids and lots of work our free time is limited to do ebikes would maximise our time on the trails.

Wife did the maths (pesky accountants ruining my bike purchase ideas) on a decent ebike and it would be much better value for us to just spend £70/day each and hire them once a week for now.
And keep
Our existing bikes for days when we don’t want/need the extra boost

~140 rides I did in the 12 months I owned it puts me at making £16 a ride – what a win, being paid to ride my bike 😆

You're basically a pro... 😂

Double down. Buy a Shot Gun /kids seat and get out in the woods with them. Did that a lot these two summers. Hardly done any rides without the kids… Different relationship with the bikes for a few years, still loads of fun.

£52 per ride on my full-sus, £4 per ride on my hardtail so undoubtably better value for money than renting considering the full-sus still holds a lot of value and I expect it to last plenty longer.

I'm also debating the e-bike vs rental question as I am not sure I will ever achieve the same value from an e-bike. Renting e-bikes is a more attractive prospect when you don't have to worry about about battery or motor lifespan, insurance, upfront cost, added maintenance, electronic technology becoming improved and outdated, etc.

bought my carbon full bouncy bike in summer 2016, a few days before the birth of my second son.

Well that was blinking stupid

I know, imagine having a second child!

Oddly the suspension doesn’t feel great despite having been used so little – I could get both end serviced but seems a lot right now.

Would be worth doing a lower and air can service. Or at the least for the forks inverting them as all the oil will have pooled at the bottom

You’re basically a pro… 😂

After that Pinkbike article, it’s probably better than most pros get!

First time I’ve been a pro at anything 😆

your priorities are wrong Op.

In what way Jekyll?

I gave up a well paid career of 12 yrs to do medicine and Mrs RRR and sprogs have had to make a lot of sacrifices to support me.
I don’t feel I can give up medicine at least, 6 months from my finals.

As for kids, surely they have to be a priority?

(And yes probably worth doing a can service although I’ve always hated my rear shock as it doesn’t have any form of lockout / compression damping)

If it's any consolation I bought a YT Tues for £1100 2 months ago and I've not even swung a leg over the ****ing thing.

I just wouldn't worry about it. You're training for a great career and have a family. Enjoy and ride your bike when you can. Don't make it another thing to beat yourself up over. In a life time you'll earn over a million pounds so the odd mistake on a bike is just noise

Yesterday I took a day of leave all to myself for the first time in years. Dusted off my old 2008 full suss and rode to local trails. Had a stupendous time! No records were broken, nor technique developed. But bikes (and it has to be said Ashton Ct and Leigh Woods in Brissle) are bloody great.

every mile ridden is a down-payment on better health outcomes in later life

and yes, night rides are the bomb, especially if you go out on your own, you end up doing a way higher mileage for a set time because there's no reason to stop, you just ride until you drop or run out of time 🙂

Currently running at £2.75 per km on the Solaris since August 2020. That includes servicing, repairs etc...

Just working this out...I started all smug. However....

£1,000 July 2017 for new bike.

New wheel, £130

New chainset, £60

New droppers x2 - £240

BB's, chains, cassettes and chainrings - £450

Tyres, £150

Other, £150

Total just over £2180 or £545 annually or £45/month, assuming a couple of rides a week average = £20 a ride(!) by 'eck.

Although I do currently still have a working bike that is worth a few quid.

Don’t record number of rides or distance, but I’m at about a quid an hour, all things considered.

Don’t record number of rides or distance, but I’m at about a quid an hour, all things considered.

That's five hundred hours just to pay off your Trickstuff brakeset, isn't it?

ok until I ordered the Shand

@tjagain - have you got it yet?  still waiting for details on what you ordered.  Really hoping it is pink

That’s five hundred hours just to pay off your Trickstuff brakeset, isn’t it?

At a quid an hour? 6ish weeks.

Montesa 4RT bought before Christmas for £5100 and sold in June for £4600 after being used for one afternoon.
I classify it as education, and good education costs money...🤣

MTBs, no idea what they have cost me, other than it's tens of thousands over the past decade.
I don't regret a penny of it, money well spent. The health and social benefits are immeasurable.

At a quid an hour? 6ish weeks.

So do you ride 12hrs every day or just 24hrs every other?

So do you ride 12hrs every day or just 24hrs every other?

I’m not talking riding hours.

Night rides, many a time I was out riding in the woods with the theme from “The night garden” washing around my head.
Bloke next door is a keen roadie. He was out at 5 am in mid summer. Back for a ride with the kids in the trailer at 9. Got to admire that motivation.

My kids are all older now but for many many years I did most (95%) of my riding in the hours of darkness, after the kids were in bed.
Just 1-2hrs but 2/3 times per week. It meant I had the palest of legs and only saw my trails through a tunnel of (Troute) Lights.

i feel your pain. stumpy fsr bought in 2006, number one child arrived pretty much the same time closely followed by number 2 child. the poor thing has probably seen 3-400 miles tops but at least i now have a mint retor build 🙂

I’m not talking riding hours.

Ah. That makes more sense! Hours spent admiring your bike also have to be paid for.

Never even considered looking at bikes in this way. It’s just a case of do I like it aesthetically, is it fun to ride and can I afford it at the time. If you’ve not ridden it much just sell it or ride when you can. My kids mean the world to me but I still make sure I go to the gym and get out on the bike. Don’t want my kids looking after an unhealthy fat knackered bloke when they’re in their thirties.

As for putting slicks on, bollocks to that, you can ride any bike anywhere. The rest is just marketing that we all fall for unless you’re getting paid to ride or competing. I have one bike with 3” 29er tyres and ride it everywhere. It’s a bit slower on the roads but nowhere near enough that I’d consider swapping tyres. Plus fun, shortcuts, steps etc😀

Do not do this with a DH bike! But on the other hand my secondhand On One has probably cost pennies per mile.
This can be a grim exercise with cars as well but my brother in law buys new GT3s runs them for a year plus and says it’s free motoring!

I paid a fortune for my best bike 30 years ago. Custom hand made road frame, Dura Ace etc. Still got it, so the investment even's out.

It's the parental guilt game.
My MTB has seen less and less use over the decade or so since I went and spawned, but my use of drop barred bikes (mostly from my doorstep) has definitely increased.

Dare I say it, once you have kids, pissing off for a full day on the dandyhorse starts to feel like a bit of a liberty and the boss starts keeping track of how many hours you both get for "personal interests" so she can use any perceived imbalance later in whatever arguments might follow...

The simple truth is I can go further, faster on an Road or gravel bike and so be home before I'm really missed. Pack the MTB in the car for a jaunt to wales or whatever and it's a full day out minimum.
So the grief I receive for one flavour of cycling vs the other has kind of shaped my habits...

MTBing isn't dead to me, I just can't justify it as easily since having kids (and a non-riding spouse).