Welp, looks like I'm buying ANOTHER bike

[fallstoclimb]

I call myself a minimalist -- seriously!!! -- but I'm now actively looking at mountain bikes. Meeting up with a craigslist person on Saturday and I think there is a very, very good chance I will be buying a bike. That will put me at FOUR bikes, and my husband has FIVE.

I always thought people like this were ridiculous but now I've turned into one. Is there a support group?

[Nandy]

My husband and I have 35 bikes together, you've got a ways to go! Bikesbikesbikes. Still cheaper and more fun than a single car!

I think 9 is fine for a minimalist. Different tools for different jobs.

[Trek420]

I always thought people like this were ridiculous but now I've turned into one. Is there a support group?

Yes. And here it is! We're not so much a support group as enablers. We have 8 in our stable ... So far.

[fallstoclimb]

Are we sure its cheaper though??? I just sold my car this past year and uh lets just say that this mountain bike purchase will put my bike acquisitions of the past 18 months over what I just got for the car! (Of course, no gas, environmental benefits, etc etc etc).

I feel completely ridiculous about it, but also can completely justify each bike, and each has a very specific role. But, still, yikes....

[Nandy]

yeah, but you have 4 whole vehicles you don't have to fuel or insure, and the parts are way less! Also way less stress than driving!

I think the key is getting used bikes- they don't depreciate that much if you don't buy them new, and sometimes you find stupid good deals. I got my Dutch cargo bike for $475! That's, like, a few tanks of gas and it's saved far more than that by carrying things I would have otherwise had to use a car for. It's when you start adding in the fancy custom bikes it gets shockingly expensive, but at least they're way cooler!

Sometimes people are floored when I tell them how much my custom bike cost (or any decent higher end bike, really) and they're all "my first car cost that much!". I always want to reply with "so you're saying you bought a brand new car, designed specifically for your exact measurements, painstakingly and individually crafted by a master metalworker, with the best components in the industry, and you never have to put extra money in it just to keep it on the road, for $4,000 total? Or you bought a used crapbox of a car that you actually spent much, much more on and you think it's rational to compare it to my really fancy bicycle". If I were you I'd be all "yes! More space and cash for bikes!"

[fallstoclimb]

Sometimes people are floored when I tell them how much my custom bike cost (or any decent higher end bike, really) and they're all "my first car cost that much!". I always want to reply with "so you're saying you bought a brand new car, designed specifically for your exact measurements, painstakingly and individually crafted by a master metalworker, with the best components in the industry, and you never have to put extra money in it just to keep it on the road, for $4,000 total? Or you bought a used crapbox of a car that you actually spent much, much more on and you think it's rational to compare it to my really fancy bicycle". If I were you I'd be all "yes! More space and cash for bikes!"

Haha I like the way you look at it. I decided that rather than saying I have 4 bikes, I will tell myself I have a road bike, a mountain bike, a commuter/touring bike, and a backup commuter/beater/trainer bike -- which I can justify since I no longer have a car. So that doesn't sound SO bad.

[Blueberry]

I think we just enable. Different bikes for different purposes, right? I just bought a Brompton to make dealing with our bus service more palatable. Found one on sale! I can't talk - our stable is 11 between the 2 of us (though I should sell 1-2 that don't get enough love).

Of course, the day it was delivered, my med school changed their policy and they are requiring that all students have cars (because they suck at organizing rotations and consider a 1+ hour commute each way OK on top of an 80 hour work week - that's beyond unreasonable - it's dangerous). At least we can put off the car another 14 months (finishing up my coursework and Step 1). Not sure how students are supposed to "figure it out" (their words) - financial aid is expressly not allowed for car purchase. We'll be OK, but there are others who won't (and they are, at the same time, trying to minimize student debt to allow more people to go into primary care....).

[Crankin]

That is terrible, Blueberry.
We had 9 bikes between us at one time. A couple belonged to my son, though. Now we just have 5, and only because DH has been too lazy to sell his Kuota. But, I am getting the itch to buy something, either an around town bike (cuz it will be a flat ride to stores and restaurants when I move) or a fat bike. Or, both. And I'd also like a gravel/dirt road bike.

[ny biker]

One of my friends keeps trying to convince me that I NEED a touring bike. It is time for N+1!! or so he says. Then I say, but there's no room for more bikes in my small 1BR condo. And I need to invest more $$ in the condo, I need to replace the old carpet with a new wood floor.

He says my priorities are way off.

[emily_in_nc]

Of course, the day it was delivered, my med school changed their policy and they are requiring that all students have cars (because they suck at organizing rotations and consider a 1+ hour commute each way OK on top of an 80 hour work week - that's beyond unreasonable - it's dangerous).

I'm confused. Please explain why they are requiring students to have cars? I read your explanation twice but still don't understand it. I may be a little slow at the moment due to severe lack of sleep these past few nights!

Congratulations on the Brompton, though. That's great!

[Blueberry]

I'm confused. Please explain why they are requiring students to have cars? I read your explanation twice but still don't understand it. I may be a little slow at the moment due to severe lack of sleep these past few nights!

Congratulations on the Brompton, though. That's great!

Thanks! I don't actually think it makes much sense. Cars used to be "recommended." They don't do all of their clinical training at the "mother ship" - the namesake hospital. They have always had community rotations. However, if you had a spouse/owned a house/shared a car or had no car, they would take those things into account and you might have a month away - and for that month away, you would have local housing provided for a few bucks a night.

A year and a half ago, they re-structured the curriculum (and made a mess of it). They really didn't share much information about the clinical part when I accepted my admission (since they hadn't gotten there yet with students), but we figured that we would be able to make one car work if we were creative (DH could drop me off in the early AM and I could bike home, for example). Now students have more clinical time overall (2.5 years instead of 2), but I think it's straining their resources more. They have satellite programs where you are based in another city for your third year (Asheville, Charlotte, or Wilmington), or you can be based in the "central program." I can probably get the central program since I own a house (spouse and car no longer matter apparently). If you are in the central program, you might have a rotation (up to 16 weeks, we think) in, for example, Greensboro. They are no longer providing housing under those circumstances, since that's supposedly drivable from the mothership. Med student rotations are up to 80 hours a week (capped) - so that makes for some long days. Of course, the people who start this in March still don't know where they will be. So - basically, they have made the schedule so unpredictable and so far from transit options that a car is now required. Doesn't make much sense to me - but if there's a chance I will have to commute that far (with little time to plan), we will likely have to buy a 2nd car so DH has any access to a car at all. Clear as mud?

[emily_in_nc]

Dang, that's kinda crazy, Blueberry! But yes, thanks for the explanation. I wasn't thinking of you having to work in an alternate location.

I hope it all works out, but it's a shame that they can't be a bit more "alternative transportation friendly". We will never have more than one car again (currently have none!). I guess med school is not in my future.

[Blueberry]

Dang, that's kinda crazy, Blueberry! But yes, thanks for the explanation. I wasn't thinking of you having to work in an alternate location.

I hope it all works out, but it's a shame that they can't be a bit more "alternative transportation friendly". We will never have more than one car again (currently have none!). I guess med school is not in my future.

It's just frustrating. There aren't very many of us in this situation, so it really wouldn't be that hard for them to look after us. We have been trying to minimize my student loans so that debt doesn't have to play a role in what specialty I choose. I'll have nearly $100k in debt just for tuition, books, equipment, and board exam fees (maybe slightly over) without the car. Add another 15k or more for a decent car + insurance + gas for it. Because I'm a second career student, my time to pay it off is compressed. We *can* do it - I don't want to. Others will have more issues. People wonder why there aren't any medical students who want to (or can afford to) go into primary care...the financial realities of medical school aren't pretty. You truly have to do it because you love it.