Originally posted by Ellie
My bike, on the other hand, cost me £50 6 months ago. Since then I've bought new rims for £50 (no need, just fancied them) and a new inner tube. And some degreaser and oil. I know I haven't done 1000 miles even, but the lack of hassle and cash wins everytime. 
Ellie
Precisely the reason why I'm getting rid of my current car, buying a beater-esque one (likely an early 80's BMW), and moving closer to work. An hour's relaxing bike-ride over a forty-five minute smog-choked commute any day.
I think I'm the only twenty-year-old (twenty-one in nine bloody days) who is actually *happy* to be replacing a not-so-cheap car with a cheap car and a bicycle.
One of the other big advantages of bicycles, maintenance-wise, is the lack of space required to work on them. To work on a car (and save the metric arseload of money that is charged in labor costs), you need a garage, air compressor, pneumatic impact wrenches, and a whole slew of tools and chemicals. To work on a bicycle, you need about twenty tools, five chemicals, and a bike stand. You could completely re-build a bike in the park on a sunny day.