billh

How is "marginal" cost defined, sorry never took econ. If it is excludes what you consider fixed costs, is that really a fair comparison? Wouldn't it be more fair to include all the costs of driving, including payments, financing, insurance. I once heard that on average it costs $5000 per year to own and operate a car. $2K for a bike sounds like a pretty good deal compared to that.

DataJunkie

Bleh. Some people think too much.

Try saltwater aquariums as a hobby. $2k isn't squat.
Besides, other people spend that money and more on various addictions (heroin, etc). At least this one is healthy.

DataJunkie

When I had a car I spent $2000 a year just in gas. Of course I have a 60mile RT commute. $2K is a good deal.

BikingCT

You aren't kidding. People spend $2,000 a year on bottled water, booze, cigarettes, drugs, "tricked out" cars, movies, dining out, etc. $2,000 on cycling's nothing--it's all a matter of perspective.

If cycling's your hobby and you can afford to spend $2000 a year on your hobby, go for it! I'm a junkie, though I probably didn't spend $2,000 last year. I change out my cycling wardrobe every 2-3 years on a rotating basis. I change tires at least once a year (note, I'm a clydesdale, so my tires wear quicker). I never keep a helmet for more than 2 seasons (they say that's a good thing). I replace water bottles, tools, etc. Everytime I see a new-fangled cleaning brush I've just gotta' have it.

I like the post at the top -- "it's cheaper than a triple bypass". Amen to that!

cyclezealot

Start up costs, Maybe? My other sport is scuba diving. Once you have your gear, initial costs are far greater than later years. ? Is this the case. If you commute on a bike. Well, soon I will need replace a timing belt. A bike has got to be far cheaper than that expense alone.? Let, alone gasoline and insurance.
PS..Here in France, I can buy bike insurance for my potential medical expenses and bike repair, should the bike be damaged. Cost for such a policy. 81 euros. Supposedly includes hospitalization.

HiYoSilver

What do you mean saltwater? Fresh water is high also. A nice 90g tank is about $400, add a $350 canister, a $300 stand, UGF, pumps, rocks, plants, heaters, food, dual lights, meds, cleaning tools, water treatment dosages, oh yeah and some fish [not as many as salt, but still can get expensive ]. You're getting to 1.5 or 2.0 easily. And like cycling, once you have your base setup, the yearly costs are not high. Until you decide you need a new tank, or got bored and want a different type of aquarium. I'm about finished with aquarium fever, it got replaced by cycling fever. Got a med for that?

genec

Missed it... but including a gym fee on top of the bike fee is going a bit overboard.

That is almost on par with including clothing so you can drive a car.

Oh well.

noisebeam

Well there are driving sunglasses, driving gloves and driving shoes (Even rugged go anywhere mocs for Hummer drivers.)
Al

webist

Just this week I asked my wife what she thought I had invested in my bicycle. She guessed $2K and another $1K in clothes and gear.

I suggested she multiply 64 by 60. She wondered what that was. I explained that it was the amount not spent on cigarettes since I quit smoking 64 weeks ago.

She definitely favors expenditures on bike stuff to the smokes, as do I.

Stv

Mmmmmmmmmm very interesting thread.

Since I got healthy, cycling turns out to be a bargain.

In the last 12 months I've purchased a new bike and completely new/rebuilt another. Bought a trainer, roof rack, multiple shorts, and jersey's, clothes, shoes, safety gear, winter ride clothes, plus tools, 4x-tyres and on and on and on. About $10k easy or more, I'll speculate.

The year before, ..... I spent $25k just on booze'n smokes alone!

Sold the 250HP gas pig Jet Boat too!



Wifey don't mind the new bike thingy at all..............chuckle!

acroy

even buying the nice stuff, biking can be relatively cheap - if you replace a car. the "average" suburbabite with 2 kids has 2 cars. if you can get down to one cause of bike cummuting, add up the gas, insurance, yearly state fees, atc and biking looks pretty danged good.
I'm the worst hypocrite though cause even though i commute i have 3 cars: the practical one (small, gas sipper), a truck (cause "i just can't do without it") and a project monster turbo rx-7. yep i pay insurance and fees on all 3, cause i'm kinda dumb and i love cars too, i must admit!

acroy

even buying the nice stuff, biking can be relatively cheap - if you replace a car. the "average" suburbabite with 2 kids has 2 cars. if you can get down to one cause of bike cummuting, add up the gas, insurance, yearly state fees, atc and biking looks pretty danged good.
I'm the worst hypocrite though cause even though i commute i have 3 cars: the practical one (small, gas sipper), a truck (cause "i just can't do without it") and a project monster turbo rx-7. yep i pay insurance and fees on all 3, cause i'm kinda dumb and i love cars too, i must admit!

catatonic

I say no more than $800 to get into commuting by bike.

Bike $200
Rack: $30
Panniers: $40 (cheap Avenir panniers...basic but servicable)
Lights: $140 (halogen + Cateye 1000)
Helmet: $50
Raingear: $200
Total so far $560.

This leaves $240 to spend on maintenance items, bike shorts (if you even use them) etc.

Best way to drop around $90-100 of it are Armadillo tires, tire liners, and thorn-resistant tubes. This will make for godly amounts of flat resistance.

Cycliste

I was just kidding.

05 budget had a big bike item also in our household, probably ~ or over 5K but that included a new road bike, a used tandem, and two nice kid's bikes and of course countless accessories and pieces.
(Some bike related membership, donations & expenses were deductible, now that I think of it but not much)

I usually do the taxes and keep the budget

jayroc

**********??? howzat?

jayroc

???? howzat?

pedex

I ride for a living, its business for me.

Roody

To write it off, do you have to use separate bike for business and non-business?

pedex

nope

LittleBigMan

$2000/year on cycling-related expenses is just a reflection of personal choice by someone who can afford to spend a lot on what he loves.

Honestly, I probably save $2000/year by cycling.

Lamplight

I spent around $4000 last year driving to work, and that's just gas and insurance. Oil changes every couple of months, tires, minor repairs here and there, etc. It's not worth it to me anymore, but I'm not fit enough yet to commute by bike 62 miles every day. And I'd have to get up so early and get home so late that I'd only get something like 5 hours of sleep every night. Plus there's the fact that I would be roadkill within the first ten miles on the first day. lol

chicbicyclist

$2000/year on cycling-related expenses is just a reflection of personal choice by someone who can afford to spend a lot on what he loves.

But the title says otherwise. Not to nitpick(ok, I'm nitpicking) but like somebody said, some newbie might get the wrong impression, and stuff.

chephy

Ouch! I was really lucky to be able to keep the bike in my office... As for showering... who needs showering?


Ah, that! Now, that's an expenditure indeed. But this is not in spirit of true cycling: you don't drive to ride, that just doesn't make sense.


Holy cow, how many flats DO you get?? And how many sets of tires do you go through in a season??

Not trying to be a smart ass or make you feel bad or anything, I am just amazed at how much can be spent on a bike. I spend probably around thirty Canuck bucks a season for tubes and 0 for tires.. 0 for club memberships, 0 for participating in organized rides (I don't), maybe up to a hundred or two total for all the other items (lubes, chains, clothes etc.), probably less... But it's true that I haven't been riding much lately. I mean, I do my around-town commuting by bike, but no really long rides. I think if I decide to do some touring this summer, I'll need a new bike or some serious modifications made to one of my current bikes. That will cost big $$$. And then there will the energy bar costs... wow, that adds up.

2manybikes

My car insurance is about that much. I probably spend that much again to drive it. And I hardly use it.
That seems like a good deal to me.

banerjek

Both statements are probably true in my case. I travel more by bike than all other forms of transport combined (even factoring in annual flights more than halfway across the country to visit my folks). The vast majority of my riding is utility riding, but I also ride recreationally with others, and do a few big events.

I'm lucky enough to be pretty well off, and I put my money where I put my time. Over the past 20 years, I've spent significantly more on bicycle maintenance than car maintenance even though I've had a car that entire time (I'm still on the second one, bought used). Someday, that will change, but it will be awhile.

Although I don't object to driving, I simply prefer biking. A few years ago, my wife told me she thought it would be OK for me to get a Miata or other sporty car. I turned it down, and asked that she remember that when I wanted a cool bike later.