If you pick a hobby to take up many would tell you, stay away from cycling! To an extent they are right, it can be a very expensive sport to take up.
I hit the jackpot when I took up cycling as a recreational hobby, it was something I always wanted to do, just couldn’t afford the bike purchase. That was until a friend handed me a road bike for free.
It was the beginning of my journey into the world of cycling that has now become a big part of my life, for physical and mental health.
However, can you do it on a budget? The answer, yes.
It’s amazing how much gear and bike accessories you can get second-hand or cheaply online.
Free for me
I feel like I cheated here, given a free bike I was already ahead of the curve.
Reid Cycles are a local Melbourne brand, I had no idea who they were, but I wasn’t going to say no to this offer.
Furthermore, never having been on a road bike before I wasn’t sure what to expect. Even now I don’t have a comparison to put it against.
However, it has been a comfortable ride for most of my journeys, given it’s free I won’t complain.
Advice for anyone getting into cycling, if you are offered a free road bike take it.
We all have to start somewhere, a free bike is a great starting point.
Bike: Free
Lycra dreams
Whether or not it was the end of covid, or people are just not into cycling anymore, op-shops are your best friend.
The amount of gear I have purchased from thrift stores over the years has been staggering. Sometimes it’s like walking into a lycra superstore.
From cycling bibs, jerseys, full length winter bibs or skinsuits, I have been able to pick up gear for every occasion.
Hot summer days it’s the skinsuit, winter full length, or nice spring day regular bib shorts do the trick.
Comfort when cycling is key, proper gear and a chamois padding to keep your bum comfy is priority.
Hit the op-shops when starting your cycling journey, you’ll find a range of gear fit for you and sometimes brand new hardly worn.
Clothing: $100-150 for 20+ fits
Clip and go
After cycling for a while with just normal pedals on my road bike and some runners, I didn’t realise how much cleats would be a game changer.
Clip in shoes are a must for any cyclist when taking up the sport, but it does come with a caveat.
Get used to your bike first before you jump straight into clip in shoes, accidents can happen if you aren’t used to clipping in and out.
I picked up some shoes and pedals from AliExpress and they haven’t missed a beat. Light weight, comfortable, sturdy and the shoes changed the way I cycle.
SPD-SL pedals are the ones you want to look for, easy to clip in and out, while they are the go-to for road cycling worldwide.
Shoes: $40-50
Pedals: $20-30
Let there be light
Road safety is very important for cyclists, despite many road users doing the right thing and sharing the roads together, there are many that don’t.
Investing in lights and safety gear should be at the top of the list, once again I looked to AliExpress.
Solid front and rear lights can be purchased to keep you visible and safe on the roads, without breaking the bank at your local bike store.
I picked up a front light with multiple settings, while my rear light comes with indicators and a switch that connects to the handlebars for indicating navigation.
Look around for what suits your bike best, but there are plenty of affordable options out there.
Front light: $10-15
Rear light: $5-10
Protect the head
It’s not your aerodynamic fits that you see during Grand Tour time trials, but my helmet fits and does the job perfectly.
Finding a helmet for my big head, which is overly large, wasn’t an easy task but Kmart came to the party.
The most important piece of gear you need when cycling, my helmet hasn’t missed a beat on my travels, granted I haven’t fallen off either.
However, for the price it was an easy decision for me to grab something that was not only affordable but functional.
Helmet: $20-30
Overall, taking out a loan or breaking the bank hasn’t been part of my cycling journey. Bargains and keeping within budget has been key.
If you think that cycling is too expensive for you, there are plenty of options to get your foot into the market.
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