Login required to started new threads

Login required to post replies

Prev Next
How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise?
Quote | Reply
I love looking for stuff in the classified section. I am always amazed how many newer high end bike with little use are listed. Anything north of 5-6 grand is high end to me. Many times they have less than 500 miles. I am nobody special and do that in 3-4 months. Maybe they have raced in a couple sprints/olys? They usually have high end race wheels, power meters, di2 shifting. A year later or two later, they are out of the sport, and taking a 30-50% loss. I suppose I am little envious. But am also glad of the 15-20 bikes (included for my wife) I have owned I have never pair over 2 thousand. I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures, but how does it make any sense? I guess I kind of answered my own questions.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tomk407 wrote:
A year later or two later, they are out of the sport, and taking a 30-50% loss.

Not necessarily out of the sport, some guys just like a new toy every year or two. I wouldn't take the ST classifieds as typical of "triathletes." It's the denizen of the elites (in terms of high-end equipment).
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
$5,000 to $6,000 is positively CHEAP compared to motorcycles or sports cars or RV's or opiates or mistresses or fine art or any of a thousand other hobbies and diversions. Everybody has their priorities -- and their blind spots.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tomk407 wrote:
But am also glad of the 15-20 bikes (included for my wife) I have owned I have never pair over 2 thousand. I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures, but how does it make any sense? I guess I kind of answered my own questions.


15-20 bikes at $25k-$40k.... and you are ranting about how others spend their money??? Pure gold!
Last edited by: DFW_Tri: Jan 16, 20 13:17
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I guess you can think of it like any other item people collect. I have friends who own several cars, or guitars. I've never understood that. Once I get a car, I drive it until it falls apart or my wife forces me to get another one. To me, it seems crazy to get a car and then go looking for another one in 3-4 years....or to have a second or third one. But, to each their own. If a person wants to do that then I am cool with it.

Sometimes its just fun to have new toys. I love my bikes but do believe in the N+1 concept. If I go somewhere, and rent a bike, I end up wanting that bike. If I am watching the Tour, and I see a really cool looking bike then I want that bike. I don't always buy them but I do (probably) have more bikes than I can actually use right now
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I used to wonder about that too.

As I think about it though, if you're the type of person who is willing to spend north of $5k on a superbike, you either have a lot of disponsable income to burn so it literally doesn't matter, or you care enough about the details of aerotribikes that even after a mere 1-2 years, you're trying to move up to the next greatest and latest bike technology to keep that edge.

It's hard for me to imagine the typical person dropping $5k+ on a current-gen superbike, and then actually riding it for 10 years in a row. Those folks DO exist (I still ride my 2008 Cervelo P2c which was a 'low-end-superbike' back in the day) but in order to do so, I have to accept that I'm missing out on all the cool new stuff. Ok, you can upgrade most of the parts to get stuff like Di2, aero brakes, etc., but it does get ridiculous after a point when your upgrades cost 2x your bike frame.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I knew someone would do the math on that. But that is over a 17 year span, and I have sold most of the old (used) bikes, as I buy the new (used) ones.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Hey. I could care less how/when you spend your money. Just pointing out the hilarious hypocrisy.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tomk407 wrote:
I love looking for stuff in the classified section. I am always amazed how many newer high end bike with little use are listed. Anything north of 5-6 grand is high end to me. Many times they have less than 500 miles. I am nobody special and do that in 3-4 months. Maybe they have raced in a couple sprints/olys? They usually have high end race wheels, power meters, di2 shifting. A year later or two later, they are out of the sport, and taking a 30-50% loss. I suppose I am little envious. But am also glad of the 15-20 bikes (included for my wife) I have owned I have never pair over 2 thousand. I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures, but how does it make any sense? I guess I kind of answered my own questions.

The fact that you believe what I bolded is funny. There is no way to know the miles on the bike.

Go look at higher performance cars and you will see they drop by more than a few grand in a year and there are a lot of them for sale.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Yea, and totally missing the point that I have been in the sport 17 years, and actually train and race on the bikes.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Got it. So, 15-20 bikes in 17 years? Who is missing then point? This thread is precious!!
Last edited by: DFW_Tri: Jan 16, 20 15:12
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
I thought this was going to be a thinly disguised sleep thread

"Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."
- Benjamin Franklin

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [EyeRunMD] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Guitars? That’s easy! Acoustic, electric, backup electric for shows, electric in open D with higher action for slide playing, maybe another electric in open G. Oh, a 12-string? Acoustic or electric? Don’t even get me started on pickups...you’re really gonna play a bunch of country stuff with humbuckers instead of single-coil Telecaster pickups?

Let alone basses. Or dobros. Or lap steels.

You can most definitely go as deep as you want on just about any hobby!

Aaron Bales
Lansing Triathlon Team
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [FlashBazbo] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
FlashBazbo wrote:
$5,000 to $6,000 is positively CHEAP compared to motorcycles or sports cars or RV's or opiates or mistresses or fine art or any of a thousand other hobbies and diversions. Everybody has their priorities -- and their blind spots.

yup...i also race motorcycles. i can go through a pair of $400 tires in 1 weekend. bicycles are cheap and fairly easy to maintain. and motorcycles are cheaper than cars - so everything is relative. if $5k gets you a high end tri bike that can last years and you put in 10+ hours a week training, this is probably one of the cheapest hobbies ($/minute) spent that I've done in my life.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [EyeRunMD] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
Guitars? That's like food or shelter...it's a basic need.

To the OP: IM has a survey about participants income don't they? Really don't recall the exact numbers but it seemed to indicate that it is, in general, a relatively wealthy crowd. Assuming, I can convince my better half, I might be getting a motorcycle soon, it is somewhat surprising for me how relatively "cheap" they are, i.e. for $10k you get a lot more material (bigger tires, engine, etc. ) than an equivalent bike.

About the wise part, I don't know, considering how much pain and inconveniences we put ourselves through everyday and it costs us a lot of money...;)
Last edited by: Engner66: Jan 17, 20 2:32
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [FlashBazbo] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
FlashBazbo wrote:
$5,000 to $6,000 is positively CHEAP compared to motorcycles or sports cars or RV's or opiates or mistresses or fine art or any of a thousand other hobbies and diversions.


Aint that the truth. I collect watches where $8000 can get you, among other things, a watch buckle. Not the entire watch. Not a full bracelet. Just a buckle - ok,it's a platinum deployant, but still....

It's a grim life if one does not indulge in some area or the other.


--
Those who are slower than me suck.
Those who are faster than me dope
Last edited by: guadzilla: Jan 17, 20 2:55
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
My other sport is yacht racing and triathlon is cheap compared to that.

But in yacht racing I can't believe how many racers out there get these $10 million yachts and then only use them for one or two races. LOL. I've never spent more than $1 million for any of the dozen yachts I've had in the past decade, and I'm a serious hobby racer unlike those rich posers.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [guadzilla] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
guadzilla wrote:
FlashBazbo wrote:
It's a grim life if one does not indulge in some area or the other.

Wow. It's a "grim life" if you're not rich enough to indulge in at least one expensive hobby. Wow.

(don't click. don't click. you know better. it's only going to make you angry. don't click... I clicked)
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [HardlyTrying] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
HardlyTrying wrote:
guadzilla wrote:
FlashBazbo wrote:
It's a grim life if one does not indulge in some area or the other.

Wow. It's a "grim life" if you're not rich enough to indulge in at least one expensive hobby. Wow.

(don't click. don't click. you know better. it's only going to make you angry. don't click... I clicked)

I didn't take the statement as you seem to have. Endulgance needn't be in an expensive hobby, and I think the point is that "expensive" is relative.

Alcohol, cigarettes, clothes that are more polished than a potatoe sack...
Responding to internet forumn posts on my mobile device...
All can be considered endulgences.

To breathe, to feel, to know I'm alive.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tomk407 wrote:
I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures

Where did this figure come from? I know a lot of triathletes but none of them come close to 6 figure salaries. I’ve just bought my first Tri bike and paid out around 8k, that’s not because I have that money to burn, I just saw little point in getting a cheaper bike I wouldn’t be happy with and end up switching it again in a year or two... and end up with 17 bikes lol. Most people spend quite big on houses and cars so they look cool for the neighbours, whereas my car is a banger as I have no interest in them. Just about where you prioritise your spending really 🤷🏻‍♂️

@the.lazy.triathlete

https://www.strava.com/athletes/18691068
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
DFW_Tri wrote:
tomk407 wrote:
But am also glad of the 15-20 bikes (included for my wife) I have owned I have never pair over 2 thousand. I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures, but how does it make any sense? I guess I kind of answered my own questions.


15-20 bikes at $25k-$40k.... and you are ranting about how others spend their money??? Pure gold!
Exactly what I was going to respond.
I too think a lot of you STers are just addicted to spending money and having new stuff (and more stuff). I feel like I've spent a lot of money on cycling and triathlon and I've only ever bought 2 road bikes (first one a cheap second hand alloy bike, second one a Canyon Ultimate) and one triathlon bike (Felt IA), in a 9 year period. I've had one set of deep wheels for the tri bike, one fluid trainer and just in the last month a high end smart trainer. I've bought one power meter, 3 GPS watches, 3 or 4 heart rate monitors. I upgrade components when there's a good reason. I replace them when they need replacing. I go through a fair quantity of bike tyres, running and cycling clothing, bike chains, running shoes, etc, but really can't justify constantly replacing perfectly good equipment. It's not just about expense either - it's morally wrong in my opinion, and it's environmentally irresponsible. No doubt many will disagree with me there, but whatever.

It's not just about wealth. It's about tech lust, self control, and being willing marketing victims.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [tomk407] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
tomk407 wrote:
... the average income for triathletes in six figures ...

I am well below average, then

"What's your claim?" - Ben Gravy
"Your best work is the work you're excited about" - Rick Rubin
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [DFW_Tri] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
DFW_Tri wrote:
Got it. So, 15-20 bikes in 17 years? Who is missing then point? This thread is precious!!

Since it is between him and his wife that breaks down to a new bike every two years. And if that is the only bike he is riding for those two years he is probably putting a decent amount of mileage on it. Plus he said he buys used and in the $2000 range

He is comparing this to some people on here that buy themselves a new >$6000 bike each year. If you do that math on that, the difference in a money spent on bike per person per year is $5000. Seems like significant enough difference for you not to be a dick in your response when he’s simply asking a question

Matt
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [TLT] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
TLT wrote:
tomk407 wrote:
I get they have may have the money, with the average income for triathletes in six figures


Where did this figure come from? I know a lot of triathletes but none of them come close to 6 figure salaries. I’ve just bought my first Tri bike and paid out around 8k, that’s not because I have that money to burn, I just saw little point in getting a cheaper bike I wouldn’t be happy with and end up switching it again in a year or two... and end up with 17 bikes lol. Most people spend quite big on houses and cars so they look cool for the neighbours, whereas my car is a banger as I have no interest in them. Just about where you prioritise your spending really 🤷🏻‍♂️

https://www.teamusa.org/...tisport/demographics: median income is $126k.

I think a lot of the low mileage bikes in classifieds have to do with people only riding their training bikes, something I find ludicrous.
Quote Reply
Re: How wealthy are Triathletes? And how wise? [HardlyTrying] [ In reply to ]
Quote | Reply
HardlyTrying wrote:
guadzilla wrote:
FlashBazbo wrote:

It's a grim life if one does not indulge in some area or the other.


Wow. It's a "grim life" if you're not rich enough to indulge in at least one expensive hobby. Wow.

(don't click. don't click. you know better. it's only going to make you angry. don't click... I clicked)


What language are you speaking, where "indulge" means "rich enough for one expensive hobby"? It sure as sh*t isnt English.

Or did the extreme example of indulgence I quoted earlier lead to you to assume that is the only definition of indulgence? Let me make it a little more explicit, then: my point was that indulge in something, even if it something ridiculously expensive (like the example I used) - by implication, it is also ok to indulge in something less expensive/ridiculous/irrationaI.

And yes, I consider a life where everything is measured by utility and where one doesnt splurge even slightly on irrational stuff that makes them happy - be it travel, music, doing blow off a stripper's belly or spending stupid money in trying to make a bike 2 seconds faster - to be a boring, colorless and dull life. Grim, one might say (and I do). Obviously, this refers only to people who are not living at the poverty line but do have the financial means to indulge atleast a little - ie, pretty much everyone on ST.

Sheesh.


--
Those who are slower than me suck.
Those who are faster than me dope
Last edited by: guadzilla: Jan 17, 20 5:43
Quote Reply

Prev Next