The Tri Town Times: 6/3/24

• Posted on 3 June 2024
• By Antonio Gonzalez
• Posted in the tri town times
• 0

Pay less, and get less than you pay for.

Hi all,

Here is your weekly Tri Town Times newsletter:

Events I'm looking forward to:

- 70.3 Boulder is this weekend.

Shop ops:

Tri Town Bicycles is assisting the Treasure Valley YMCA and BASE Idaho with the 2024 Treasure Valley Triathlon on Saturday, June 22nd. 

In collaboration with the YMCA, we have designed a new, longer bike loop for this year's event. The revised course will take athletes off Whitewater Park Boulevard and through Garden City. The loop is approximately 4 miles per lap, providing a more enjoyable experience for all race participants while remaining spectator-friendly.

Successful races rely on the support of volunteers, and we need your help managing the new bike course. If you can volunteer your time for at least a few hours on race morning, please complete this short form.

Thought that struck a chord:

You can pay less than you should and get less than you pay for. Or, you may pay more than you hoped for but get more than you paid for.

When making a significant purchasing decision, it's worth considering both acquisition costs and carrying costs. I had an experience at the shop a few weeks ago that highlighted the relationship between the two:

A client came in with a high-end bike purchased online for a "very good deal." She had a variety of bike fit related problems and some minor mechanical issues she asked us to address.

After reviewing the bike with her, it became apparent that the bike was a poor match for her in terms of fit, and the mechanical issues would require a change to simpler and more reliable components, or at least regular attention and maintenance on her part if she wanted to stay on top of them.

In many ways, the bike was the wrong bike for her, and she began to see that a good deal is not always a good buy. Nonetheless, the teeth of sunk costs had gotten a hold of her, and she was not ready to let go or make a change.

She had paid the price of acquisition; now, whether she knows it or not, she will begin to pay the carrying costs.

Acquisition costs are easy to measure and compare, and so we tend to focus on them. Yet acquisition costs are often manipulated to hide future carrying costs. A great deal at the time of acquisition can blind us to the very real and often recurring future costs that may not be paid in money but at least will be paid for in time, discomfort, and/or frustration.

Beginners and those with limited experience are often the most susceptible to falling into this trap. I believe the best retailers and service providers help their clients think many steps ahead, identifying blind spots and guiding the client down a path that reduces a whole variety of future carrying costs.

Remember, the best time to seek help and ask questions is before you make the purchase, not after.

Bonus quote that struck a chord:

"I knew that I could walk it. I needed to figure it out. That line is you. You're walking and it's moving, it's because you're moving. When it's still, you're still. When you're confident, the line is confident.

You send an energy wave into a slack line, it's going to travel down, hit the other anchor, and come back. Learn the frequency of your line, and you can walk it."

- Jerry Miszewski after walking a 700 foot highline and shattering the prior highline record by over 200 feet.

Have a great week!

Antonio Gonzalez

Tri Town Bicycles

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