"Fortune Magazine, in a story carried online by AOL, reports how Brad Duke, 34, a manager of five Gold Gyms franchises in Idaho, spent the $85 million he won in a Powerball lottery in 2005. Among his purchases: $65,000 on new bicycles, including a $12,000 BMC road bike. ""I probably own upward of 17 bikes,"" he said.
He bought an old VW Jetta because ""It fit my bicyle rack really well.""
He still teaches a spinning class twice a week.
"
After I win tomorrow's $340 million Mega Millions jackpot, there's bound to be a press conference.
When they ask me how I'll spend the money, I'll be quick to point out that I have no plans to buy a car.
I think a more germane question is not What To Do If You Win $85 Million Dollars, but rather, How Can I Spend $65,000 Dollars On Bicycles *Without* Winning The Lottery?
Mr. Ross writes: How Can I Spend $65,000 Dollars On Bicycles *Without* Winning The Lottery
Ask me...you do it over time, with frames and extra parts and such and such and such...
With that kind of coin he could well afford the time off to ride some of those bikes on some of the great cycling routes of the world in France, Italy, Belgium and Spain. And be able to afford your own personal support team to follow you along the way. For a mere $100k I'd gladly drive the team car.
My entire collection of (soon-to-be) five bikes, including two praiseworthy beauties (one titanium, one custom steel), set me back $8,000.
That's still overspending compared what some really creative types come up with. But considering I have no mechanical skills, I must pay up.
We all love our bikes fiercely, but let's keep it in perspective: $65,000 donated to one of those int'l bike orgs like ITDP would provide 2,600 Chinese-made hybrids as basic transport in a developing nation. My voluptuary hoard alone could mean mobility to 320 families.
So, maybe I sacrifice the next lightweight seatpost for a cheap model and send off a check instead--not in guilt, but in fellow-bike-love.
