+1

The total cost for replacing my stolen bike so far is: $450 (Price includes accessories.)

Gym membership before I got the bike: $90/month (!!!)

Metrocard purchase per month: $50+/month

I'm saving over $140 a month just by owning and riding my bike! That's over $1,680 a year!

I've had my new bike for 7 weeks now but I'll just round it up to an even 8 weeks = 2 months. One more month and the bike will have paid for itself! :D

But having a hot bod + fun + avoiding a heart attack = Priceless! :thumb:

Fossil fuels took millions of years to be created, and we don't pay for that production, so even the refined products are extremely underpriced. A gallon of gas has 30,000 calories in it. Even if it cost $10, it would be insanely underpriced.

When I cycle, I definitely have to eat more. So on fuel alone, cycling costs more than driving a car.

But as others have pointed out, there are other benefits to cycling which make it worthwhile.

Then if you can replace a car with your bike, you're way ahead. It's not an option for me, though. I'm not sure I buy the health club argument, though, because while it's true I don't need to join, really, no one NEEDS to. There are cheap and free ways to exercise.

I don't join a health club because I know if I do, I won't use it.

^ No, part of the argument is that by commuting on a bike, you are going to work AND working out at the same time. Otherwise you need to set extra time aside for you workout, cheap or not.

Yes, it is very time-efficient by that measure. That's how I convinced myself to find the time to cycle to work. I need exercise but I could never allocate the time. It takes 30 minutes to drive and 60 minutes to cycle. So double that for the round trip, and I get two hours of exercise. Fantastic.

A couple of points. It will save you money if you are dedicated even for 20 mile one way commutes.

Increase in food consumption, and clothes washing is marginal and easily off-set by lack of car maintenance and gas consumption. The benefits in health are huge and will also show up as savings over time.

Secondly if you get rid of one car or all your cars, you will save much more. Going car-free for 8 years made a huge impact on my bottom line, so this is not idle speculation.

Finally, there are a lot of people who spend money on their rides and dump hobbyist money into the bikes as well. It would be foolish to count this as transportation costs. That is entertainment money, just as if you owned a Mustang convertible and worked on it all the time.

Good points, djwid. The savings go way up when you can get rid of a car. I wish I could do that, but I can't.

I too am one of those whose costs actually go up when I commute do to the extra food intake. :mad: But, I figure in the long run I'll save bundles on less healthcare. :D

don't forget laundry too. at least for me, I do more laundry. some folks can reuse clothing but I sweat too much and wash everything every time.

My thoughts are that you start saving money as soon as you start bicycle commuting. Even with increased calorie/laundry expenses, you're likely still saving $ over: gas/parking/maintenence, etc. Besides, you'd likely be driving yourself to the gym to get in the exercise you'd otherwise be getting from commuting; spending even more $. Also, think of it as an investment in your health.

From the moment yous top paying car insurance, gas, and citations and start pedaling.

50 MPG of water. Thats still cheaper than any hybrid.

GET RID OF the EARTH DESTROYING TANK (aka car) and there's no comparison in savings :)

Bicycling = Savings ... !!!
 

My experience has been completely different ... !!! I figured that I would be spending at least $70,000.00 on driving for the next ten years! Even when I ride 25 miles in one day, my food consumption doesn't increase that much.

Try shopping around and buying food and other stuff at better prices. I do most of my food shopping at Wal-Mart (only special items on sale), WINCO (especially bulk grains, and special items), Food Maxx, Food 4 Less, and Cost Less. I also stock up when certain items are on sale, and stuff our freezer full as possible.

I'll be buying a new Surly Long Haul Trucker soon, and investing a total of around $4,000.00, including lots of goodies (!), and that doesn't even compare with driving .... That $4,000.00 investment will be good for many, many, many years to come ... !!!

Yes, I'll need to spend a little on maintenance and repairs, but that won't even come close to what I'd have to spend on driving.

Somethign else to consider ... Many people eat too many calories for each meal. Try eating less, and more often. Try making some serious changes in your diet, and eating more healthy. If you have the ground space, try planting at least a small garden. Greens are very easy to grow, and they grow quickly, and you can just pick the leaves, and keep the plants in the ground, which will continue to produce leaves for many months, especially kale, mustard greens, green onions, and swiss chard. You can even grow vegetables in small containers, on window sills, from hanging pots, on balconies, etc.

If more than one person in the house goes car free, or at least car light, the savings will be even greater ... !!!

Benefits and Rewards From Cycling .....
 

Lots of good comments here ... I just have to jump in with my story ....

I was spending about $500-600 each month driving my old Dodge Caravn, already paid for. I have a good driving, no that's excellent, driving record and was only paying about $300/6mo for full (maximum) insurance!

I've found out that I can get everywhere I need to by riding my bicycle, or taking the bus. I really don't need to ride the bus much anymore, as I'm getting into better shape, able to handle longer rides now.

I bought my Electra Townie last year. Had the shop upgrade the tires, added a super heavy duty Kryptonite lock ($150!), with a few extras. I think I've spent close to around $1000 total for the past year or so. The bike has already paid for itself!

The bike will be good for many, many more years to come, along with the equipment. I could keep riding the Townie for many more years without buying much more stuff, so the savings for me is astronomical.

However, as several people have already mentioned, it's not only about the money .... And some of us are addicted to bicycles. Riding is a really cool hobby, and a way of life for some of us. I really enjoy riding, and also I'm a gadget freak. So I like to have lots of cool stuff for my bike, but even maintaining three bikes (mountain bike, Townie, and soon to be proud owner of LHT), the savings for the three of us (myself and my two boys) will still be substantial.

I'm also thinking seriously about my health. I'll be 52 on May 18th (same day that Mount Saint Helens blew her top/side), and like someone has already mentioned, we spend so much time driving our cars around, not just to work, but all over the place, sometimes leaving little time or energy left for exercising.

So, by riding around all over the place, I get lots of great exercise. I feel great after a good ride. I feel like I'm not as stressed out when I was driving all the time. Don't have to worry if I'm going to run out of gas, or trying to find the cheapest gas station, or wondering if my car is going to start, or if I'll break down somewhere, repairs, oil changes, checking the coolant, oil, tires, cleaning inside and out, tickets, court, insurance, parking, etc.

I enjoy riding around, taking my time, stopping and talking with people, taking in the scenery, taking my camera with me so I can catch some interesting moments .....

That's my two cents worth for this morning .... I'm going for a 25 mile ride today all around town and along the Dry Creek Trail. Think I'll start working on the hills a little more ....

Extra Costs for Driving ...
 

Wow ... !!! You've been car free for eight years ... !!! Congratulations!

You brought up a good point, regarding the extra money that we spend on gadgets, and upgrades for both the car and bicycle. That really doesn't count as transportation cost. In fact, I was just pondering that issue the other day.

I see people spending thousands of dollars on upgrading their cars, like expensive wheels, spinners, bigger tires, extra shocks, hydraulics, interior, expensive paint jobs, restoration projects, synthetic oil, spoilers, tinted windows, details, special license plates, seat covers, steering wheel cover, dash covers, expensive music systems, monster speakers, gps, CD players, DVD players for passengers (sometimes two or three in one vehicle!), CD holders, carpet mats, etc.

I just gave away a Caddie which cost me $400.00 per month when gas was $4.00 per gallon. We are down to one car, I eat healthy cause the bike tells me to do it so I save by not going to the fast food place. I save money by not going to the gym and I save money by not going to the therapist cause the bike listens to all of my problems.

Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans.

Wow, vja4Him, you are an inspiration. How old are your sons? And do I take it their mother doesn't live with you? If you're interested, send me a private note, and I'll connect you with a whole lot of custodial fathers. I'm one, too, though I'm now remarried.

Anyway, what is life like when you have to transport your boys? Surely you must need a car occasionally. I've thought that renting cars could save money. I have a station wagon now, but if I had a motorcycle or a tiny economy car, I could rent a minivan on weekends and for family trips.

Why 5 years on the car? Although I guess that will help me when I go to replace my current car, as I'll be able to afford a nice used 2007 model when I go shopping in 2012. Otherwise, my 1996 model is going strong and I don't expect to replace it...ever? Of course, I'm lucky (or smart?) in that I live close to work and have since 1993, so even after 13 years, my car still has less than 95k on the clock. Now that I'm using my bike to get to work (as much as possible), my yearly mileage will go down even more. Modern cars go 200k without breaking a sweat. My biggest concern on this car is the ravages of time.

Of course, YMMV.

I've never replaced a car in 5 years in my life. I've taken a few hand-me-downs when my wife gets new cars (her dad worked in the industry and used to buy her a new car once in a while) but by my own choice, I don't get rid of cars until they aren't safe or don't move anymore. My current car is 12 years old and still totally fine. My daughter will take it to college, and I told her I want it back if she graduates and gets a new car, since I fully intend to still have it on the road in another 8 years when it's 20 years old.

I find I don't eat more when I commute by bike. Weird! But then again, I normally loose my appetite when I see a psycho yellow cab trying to cut me off. :lol:

Lets see..... I sold my 95' F-250 Powerstroke last summer. It got about 8mpg in town (I bought it to tow, and then sold what I was towing.... it made no sense to keep it). I bought a good used TREK 750 for <$200.... Diesel was over $5/gal for most of the summer...... (600 miles/8mpg)*$5/gal = $375 + $200 registration + $500 in maintenance that was due + $250 in saved insurance + $1000 in monthly payments = $2325.... and that was for only about 3 months..... The bike more than paid for itself... I also lost 35 pounds and my wife thought my Butt was VERY cute.... Then winter came to Chicagoland..... sigh. Is spring ever going to show up?

"A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently and die gallantly. Specialization is for insects." -Robert A. Heinlein

Like the sig quote, devildogmech. And the car-free math. Bike commuting has been a plus to my marriage so far, and it's only been a week.

Anyway, I can't butcher a hog or set a bone, but I like the philosophy in that list. Summer jobs have done me good. I should also read some Heinlein books, I guess.

Me neither. I overeat regardless.

You too, huh?

I don't do it for money. I enjoy riding my bike. I also like to eat.

But to answer the question if I don't put excessive amounts of money in to bikes my commute saves me at least $100 a month. My vehicles are not gas savers.

No point letting a perfectly good obesity epidemic go to waste when there are Oreos left.