What do you say when non-cyclists ask you ....

[run it, ride it]

surgtech, it's true that everyone has their own thing, and the cost is certainly relative. When the people in my bike club ask what it costs to board my horse, and I respond $325/month (CDN) they look at me like I have three heads and then go off on a self-righteous rant about how their bike (which is inevitably more expensive than mine) doesn't need to be fed and can be stored away in their garage for FREE in the winter when they're not using it! Man, I didn't even factor in lessons, supplements, farrier and vet bills, or mention that my old guy is chronically lame and I can't just switch out his old parts!

When I tell HORSE people what I pay monthly for my horse, they look at me like I have three heads and exclaim, "where did you find board so CHEAP?!" Then when they ask why I always ride bareback and I tell them I can't afford a new saddle (old one desperately needs restuffing and I'm sure the tree is warped), they tell me that I could have found a decent used saddle for what my bike cost me. Suddenly, compared to a nice saddle, my bike seems really cheap.

When lamenting about the $60+ I spent on gloves/arm warmers/frame pump at the bike shop the other day, the guy checking me out said, "yeah, but the majority of it is all start-up cost. Cycling is really very cheap."

Then I think of my parents with their sailboat, which they put more time/money/effort into than the house. They plan to retire on the boat, so I guess it makes sense to them... but now the bike AND the horse seem a lot less expensive in comparison... but to be fair, my parents make a heck of a lot more money than I do and I STILL manage to keep myself, my horse and my bike afloat (pun not intended)!