Originally Posted by
cyccommute
A bicycle that sits in your garage costs you essentially nothing. It depreciates a little but the percentage of loss over time is rather low. A car sitting in your garage loses money constantly. You have to have insurance which is a constant drain. Depreciation as a percentage of value is much higher. Even maintenance costs cost aren't zero if the vehicle sits unused.
Food cost and requirements for riding a bike are rather low because of a bicycle's overall efficiency. Calorically, a 10 mile ride costs you the equivalent of a few slices of bread...a few cents per day...over what you would eat anyway.
My '91 toyota pick-up has hit rock bottom. I'm not sure that it can depreciate anymore. I need the vehicle and it doesn't sit in the garage - it is well used. It's used on commutes also, I'm not a 100 percent dedicated bicycle commuter. Many of the costs of my vehicle are fixed costs whether I use it or not.
I'm a diabetic. It's not wise for me to fuel my body with low quality carbohydrates.
I can't justify my bicycle addiction, by saying that it saves me money. I'm sure that if it were necessary, I would try to save more money on my bicycle related purchases. However, I've been quite happy with what I have purchased... it's not always the cheapest stuff.