Dear Vampy:
Commuting is a huge savings. I cycle in Philadelphia a big city known for bicycle theft. So I commute with the cheapest bicycle I can get. My present ride I bought for $ 5.00 at a yard sale. It is so ugly that no one would want to steal it. I buy most of my accesories at Craigslist so they are quite cheap. Lights were $ 12.00, a rack was $ 10.00, a front fender was $ 5.00. For extra "Fred" value I use a milk crate for a basket. I do a lot of touring so I do most of my own maintance. My bike is heavy so I get a great workout. When I ride my "real" bike on weekends it feels like I can fly! My savings on gas, parking and the general aggrevation of driving in traffic is quite substantial. John