Originally Posted by
Classtime
I commute 5000 miles per year. In that time, if I ride only one bike, I’ll need to replace one tire — rotate the front to the back and put a new one on the front. I use nice tires so that one tire will cost me about 70 bucks. I patch my tubes. With a clean chain, I won’t need another one for 2+ years. If I need a new cassette, that is about two tanks of gas for two years of commuting.
I don't know what to make of posts like this. In the two years I've been bike commuting, I've replaced all of that, plus dozens of other things, from shoes to clothing to pedals to a bottom bracket, a crank arm, brake pads, cables, derailleur pulleys, lube, touch up paint, a seat and a seatpost, spokes, nipples, rim tape, grips, lights, chains, quick links, snow tires.....
Also, I don't have a car to get to work, so for me two bikes is really a minimum.