i save AN absolute mountain of cash by biking, but the savings mostly come from ditching a car altogether. if i were to own a car, even if it was completely paid-off and was incapable of ever having a mechanical problem (give me a freaking break!), it would still cost me $250/month to rent a parking spot in my condo building along with a $75/month parking pass at the parking garage near my office, along with perhaps ~$50/month for basic liability insurance (required by illinois law for all motorists). then there's gasoline, maintenance, and vehicle registration, but we won't even get into any of that. just to park a car at my home and office, as well as insure myself as a driver, would cost me ~$375/month, or $4,500/year!

there is no way in hell that i spend anywhere close to that amount in bike maintenance/gear/upgrades, and I haven't even talked about gasoline yet!