Your partner's better be better. photo: Eroica Cicli
Rule #12. Someone was working overtime to come up with this beauty. One should always be dreaming about the next bike unless the next bike means divorce, restraining orders and/or living in a van down by the river. Velominati need and enjoy having some limits set as were are prone to excess in all things.
S-1. I learned an important lesson the first time I was brought down to Frank’s basement bicycle stable. There, at least four badass bikes were hanging on the wall and he was quick to point out that two of them were his partners. And her #1 was better than his #1; you have to make sure she has a better bike than you.
That was all that needed to be said. The deep wisdom of it was obvious and obviously passed down through the ages. Unless you are a professional (you are not), you are paying for your bikes (you are) and if your finances are shared with a partner, pay attention. The best way of not getting to s-1 is to make sure your partner’s #1 is nicer than yours. All upgrades to your own bike barely merit discussion as long as said upgrades don’t improve it past you know what.
So your partner is not a cyclist? That does complicate things. Whatever they love the most, upgrade it beyond reason. She loves to read and her book group is her favorite thing? Make believe you actually want to join it (?!), to scare her, then don’t. That is like an upgrade, in that you are not ruining the thing she most enjoys.
I’ve been trying this for a long time. I tried unsuccessfully to gift my fiancée a new racing bike instead of an engagement ring. While that bombed badly, I did learn. After I finally bought out the clone, my wife ended up with the LBS owner’s Merlin and you best believe shop owners tend to have the best bike in the shop. Before I finally upgraded to a carbon bike I made sure my wife was already upgraded to something better. And just yesterday, as she was putting her front carbon tubular wheel (yes, slightly lighter than mine) in the back of the truck, I saw her kiss it. Yes, brothers and sisters, these things do pay off.
If you want n+1, start planning for partner’s n+1. It’s going to cost, but it is going to be fun, and it’s better than s-1.
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@davidlhill
I'm confused. Did I mistype the end because I did mean to write "better than s-1"? Meaning keep it under control before your partner says sod off. Or did Frank edit my post? More likely I screwed it up. It shall be fixed. Thanks for the pendant alert.
I just purchased a new BMC CX01 for racing, this is my "B" bike. This is the S-1 bike, so for now it's hiding out in the garage. She found the box for my other CX bike, then tore the house apart looking for the invoice. Once found she texted me ( I was racing during this) asking if I got a new bike. Then played me asking what it cost. Of course I said less then 1/2 of what it really cost.
She has a nice car, a nice house, and almost anything she wants, including 100+ shoes. I just want N+1 bikes!!!!
@TommyTubolare
Fair enough.
Clearly there's a reason I don't build my own wheels.
So my VMH decides we need new bikes. Same BMC SLR01 but hers has 404s and I get her old Reynolds Assaults, still nice though.
Then she says we should sell our old BMCs, which I do, but she has failed to do.
Then we sell my car.
What's going on?
My VMH has now started riding more seriously now and has recently taken possesion of a Liv Avail so at the moment I'm still ahead by 3( including the still in progress steel single speed) and of course the Helium SL is worth quite a bit more too
.However I did notice her saying "that's nice" while looking at a Specalized Amira (like Lizzies')and also at a liv Avail advanced;it's only time I suppose until there's a shiny female sized carbon bike in the houshold,
Oh and hers gets to be in the house too and I get to clean it!
@girl
If not, then the little mystery of his singleness is its own justice.
Last time I mentioned to get a CX bike my wife negotiated an extra room for her artwork once we buy a place. This better be a decent CX bike, ...
@frank
I laughed a lot at his joke. I hope it was a joke.
the VMH doesn't ride but has a room full of exercise equipment, while my n+1 is at a "reasonable" level, my vehicle collection is approaching N+1. But I think she sees right thru me telling her that her vehicle is better than mine.
@Gianni … deep wisdom indeed. If your VMH isn't a cyclist, discover what her "n" is and then do everything you can to make "n+1" a reality for her.
This summer my VMH says, "I was thinking…instead of throwing a big party for our 25th anniversary coming up in September, why don't we each just buy what we really want for ourselves."
Hmm...
Turns out she really, really wanted a painting by a local artist and knew that the total cost of this idea would include the value of a new bike for me. Little did she know that I slipped in an extra $1300 from my stash for an upgraded bike. Little did I know that the room that would host the painting was in need of redecorating in order to properly receive this work of art.
As discussed in the posts above: a "balanced" equation. Everybody happy.