I see a lot of people ignoring a lot of costs on the car side when comparing, you really have to look at the big picture

ok Vehicle cost. People are talking about the cost of buying a bike, accessories and clothing. But is seems that no one is talking about what their cars cost.

To make a true comparison you would need to compare a car you would commute in would cost compared to a bike you would commute on. Pretty clear that no matter how you trick out your bike, aquistion cost for a car is a lot more.

then there are the 'friction' cost of owning a car that don't apply to bikes insurance and registration. Again cost for car is a lot more even with older cars and a good driving record.

then add in the cost to smog your car.....pretty trivial but still a cost a bike does not have.

Maintenance.....oil change with synthetic easily 50 to 80 depending on car, sure maybe once a year of so but another item that does cost on a bike

Routine 15/30/60 checks on a car add up...... a lot more than a trip to a bike shop or the tools for do it your self.

I will grant that bike tires are a lot more expensive per mile than car tires, but all of the above more than balances.

I just don't see any way that bike commuting is not cheaper, even ignoring car aquisition cost, if you look at the big picture