Need or Want?

What is your level of need?

Everyone knows the formula for bikes is N+1, with N = number of bikes you currently own.  What about other bike related things? How many pairs of shoes do you need? Helmets? Pedals? Jerseys? It’s a question that invites rumination and in this  installment of need v. want we’ll focus on the timing of those two things – the level of need.

Scenario – New Rear Wheel

Your rear wheel has some miles on it and it’s out of true. If you are spending a weekend at a bike race, or you are on a bike vacation, or touring on your bike and your wheel goes south, you need a wheel now. Take a deep breath, take what you can get, pay what you have to.

Same wheel, you take it to your LBS. They straighten it, and tell you that it’ll work for now but it’s not perfect and it’s going to get worse fairly soon. Ride carefully, keep your eye out for a back up, save up a little money, deal with it before it becomes a “now” level of need.

Willing to wait. You like stuff that’s shiny, makes a cool noise, that people notice. If that’s you, then go with the carbon rim, the unobtainium hub, ceramic bearings, spider web thin spokes hand laced by an Italian savant who does everything by feel and, like caviar and apartments in Manhattan, pay market price.

The “level of need” corresponds with time, and affects how wide you are willing to pry your wallet open. For example, using the New Rear Wheel scenario (and allowing for geography) let’s say it’s early November and your riding opportunities are about over, time can work in your favor.  You can save up a little scratch and in the spring get the wheel fixed properly, maybe even get a better wheel, than you can afford now. As an added bonus, people love gift ideas around the holidays, which could ease the economic load. Perhaps you even take the leap and learn to build your own wheel. That might save you a little money and give you something to do in the dead of winter.  Time is on your side; need level: low.

A high need level might look like this: You race tomorrow. It’s practice day and your friend points out you have 5 loose spokes. Again. You need a wheel ASAP or your race, and maybe the whole trip is out the window.  At this point the debit card is probably going to take a Tysonesque beating because if you find a wheel that will work, it’s probably not going to be cheap. You don’t have the luxury of shopping, because your level of need is high. 

The point is, the “need level” is influenced by time.  The more time you have the lower your level of need, and that gives you more options and more opportunity to explore them. This applies to all your gear.  Take the time to keep things in good shape and keep your level of need low, things will be better for you in the long run.