You know, perhaps one should also look at the costs of NOT RIDING.

I spend almost nothing on health care, to the point where too much health insurance is a major problem.

Thinking of family history, my father was doing a fair amount of bike commuting from about age 30 to 40 (about 16 miles each way). Then a few things changed, and I think he dropped way back with riding at around age 40.

By age 50, he had started getting arthroscopic knee surgeries, was taking regular doses of Voltaren (Diclofenac), and was rapidly headed towards bilateral knee replacement in his late 50's.

Oh, and my parents bought horses when he was in his 50's to help keep active outdoors as a response to bad knees. Talk about MONEY PITS!!!

In my 40's, I also started getting bad knees. But, now by my 50's, I'm up to a LOT of miles on my bike. I had always ridden some, but I've gone from about 1000 to 2000 miles a year (or less), up to 6000 to 8000 miles.

The knees feel at least 10 years younger. The heart feels 10 years younger.

I struggle with the weight a little bit, but cycling also helps control my weight (which is also better for the knees, heart, & etc).

It is hard to say what the future will bring, but if I can avoid knee replacement, that will be a savings of perhaps $100,000. Plus all other associated costs of long-term treatment.

With some luck, I could well get into the negative cost per mile of riding my bike!!! That is, if I don't get smashed by a non-cyclist.