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

[MomOnBike]

Oh, I blast 'em with both barrels. "So far, about $2,000, but with diligence, I'm pretty sure I can get it up to $3,000!" All this with a bright smile on my face.

When they express shock, I add: "It's cheaper than a heart attack."

I ride a recumbent, so people just come up and start asking questions. They don't have a handle on recumbents, cost, comfort, ease of use, etc., so they ask. Cost is just one of the (many) questions. I don't mind, I rather enjoy those conversations.

On a related note, folk at the office often express surprise/concern that DH & I only have one car, so I (have too, poor thing) ride a bike everywhere I go. I think they think DH is such a meanie that he won't get me one, or something. Look, if I wanted a car, I'd have a car. I happen to want a nice bike. I have a nice bike. It's simple, really.

[KnottedYet]

I liked educating folks about recumbents back when I had one. I had a cheapie BikeE, and folks were always surprised that it wasn't all that expensive.

I don't mind folks asking me how much things cost, which makes me think I might be rude and asking the question of others when I shouldn't... oops.

[7rider]

Geez, and I thought my DH got a bargain for what he paid for his Seven.
It probably WOULD cause many folks to have a heart attack if they knew how much he paid. Many folks don't pay that much for car.
When asked - which is rare, and usually brought up by the office P.I.A. - I usually say "I don't remember." because I really don't. I've done upgrades and adjustments over the years to the bike - it's 7 years old - and it's not like I've saved every receipt and kept a runny tally. I've got a basic idea, but it's none of their business.
Sometimes, the question is phrased more like a "So...how much do bikes run these days?" That one gets a more general response like, "Well, they can run anywhere from X to Y." And then I ususally get this long story about bikes they've had in the past and how they *used to* be into bikes ("I coulda been a contenda!") and yada, yada, yada......

[pooks]

Oh, I blast 'em with both barrels. "So far, about $2,000, but with diligence, I'm pretty sure I can get it up to $3,000!" All this with a bright smile on my face.

When they express shock, I add: "It's cheaper than a heart attack."

I love that answer.

[GLC1968]

You know...no one has ever asked!

I've been asked "how much do bikes like that go for" but it's usually when I'm with my husband so we answer in general terms since both our bikes are different.

I get more people asking me what I paid for my car than for my bike (total strangers, too).

[Pax]

New twist on a similar theme...today a co-worker asked me "what is your credit score"? She's house hunting and has poor credit so it's a relevant topic but it felt pretty weird to be asked.

[Blueberry]

Can't say I've ever been asked about my credit score - that's right in line with how much money is in my bank account or what my salary is (I've been asked plenty of times). Not an open topic as far as I'm concerned.

Bikes - We are now riding our Bike Fridays a LOT and frequently get asked. It's usually phrased as "I'm sorry to be nosy, but that's really interesting..." Gives me a chance to say that you can get one for less than we paid, we did lots of upgrades for our riding style (schmidt hubs, lights, etc), etc. Otherwise, I fear many people would be scared off from the company who might really want a folding bike. When it's in that form, I'm totally fine with it. It's the "you paid HOW much for that thing" questions that PO me. I don't judge where you spend your money, don't judge where I spend mine....

Along a similar line, what's the best way to ask about someone's health without being offensive? I have a friend who has a serious, long term illness. She periodically mentions that she's going through a bad spell, or needs to go to the Doc. I never want to pry, but want to make sure she's OK. I usually say just that (and she did share all of this voluntarily with me originally, I should mention), but I really don't want her to feel like I'm intruding in her business too much.... Any thoughts??

[amymisk]

I usually just tell people, but I do love Lisa's answer. I've had lots of those questions since I just purchased a new bike, full carbon.

I agree that I think it is rude, it rates up with asking someone how much they weigh! I would never think to ask.

I might just add the bit about being cheaper than a heart attack.

[smilingcat]

my credit score?? must be pretty darn good.

Why would all the credit card companies keep sending me an application otherwise? And I'm pre-approved on all of them. Its nice that I can line my kitty litter box.

So seriously, my score must be in the billions and billions....

I hate credit card companies.
I try to go cash all the time. And I WISH TE would accept payment with direct transfer from my checking account instead of a CC!!