£ per mile for your bike

[presta]

I once did this for walking, cycling, and driving. I've lost the figures now, it was a long while ago, but as I recall the costs were surprisingly similar, if you're talking about multi-day journeys, the cost of accommodation makes driving the cheapest.

My previous commuter (Trek 850) took me ~65,000 miles over 15 years from an initial cost of £400, so that's 0.006p per mile.

Food alone will cost you about 2-4p/mile.

 

[classic33]

I once did this for walking, cycling, and driving. I've lost the figures now, it was a long while ago, but as I recall the costs were surprisingly similar, if you're talking about multi-day journeys, the cost of accommodation makes driving the cheapest.

Food alone will cost you about 2-4p/mile.

Drivers don't eat!

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I've probably spent at least $1000AU on whatever bike I'm regularly using for commuting each year, but that's due to wear on the parts, because I consistently average over 14,000km/year, which works out to be roughly 7c/km, or 4p/mile.

 

[raleighnut]

Another one who has never counted the costs, life's too short.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

I once did this for walking, cycling, and driving. I've lost the figures now, it was a long while ago, but as I recall the costs were surprisingly similar, if you're talking about multi-day journeys, the cost of accommodation makes driving the cheapest.

Food alone will cost you about 2-4p/mile.

I don't eat any more to cycle to work than I do to drive or get the bus.

I haven't taken into account maintenance, shoes, gloves, lights etc either because the criterion set by the OP was simply bike cost ÷ miles travelled.

This is based on a really simple calculation of cost or purchase divided by miles ridden.

 

[rugby bloke]

As I have already said, this was just meant to be a bit of fun, on the basis that some people ride big miles on a yearly basis. It was not meant to be any sort of accounting process as I don't have the time or the head space to dig out all the relevant numbers. Nor was it meant to imply that cycling does not have a value in its own right. To be honest, this is my main motivation, I cycle because I love cycling, regardless of any financial consideration.

 

[MichaelW2]

How about the time saved by commuting by bike vs car....I save half an hour....ps my bike cost is 35p per mile atm and dropping based on purchase price alone.

One calculation I saw factored to time spent working to pay for your transport as time spent travelling. Suddenly bikes were a whole lot quicker than cars.

 

[Hicky]

One calculation I saw factored to time spent working to pay for your transport as time spent travelling. Suddenly bikes were a whole lot quicker than cars.

Yep, apart from being free to travel I'm quicker by bike and its a whole lot better for me in both health and mental well being.

 

[Rooster1]

My Giant Defy has 24,519 miles and cost me £800.00 so thats £0.03 which is pretty cool.

 

[nickyboy]

Cost of fuel for cycling, once you're doing reasonable miles, is a big part

Say in an hour you burn 500 cals (can be more, can be less depending) and you cycle maybe 13 miles. If you hadn't cycled you would have burned about 200 cals. So that's an extra 300 cals or 23 cals/mile

How much does it cost to buy those calories?

A jelly baby is helpfully, 22 cals so let's assume it's a jelly baby per mile. Tesco sells jelly babies at £0.78/100g and there are, apparently, 16 jelly babies per 100g. So the cost is 4.9p per jelly baby. So it is 4.9p per mile (if you eat jelly babies)

 

[Andy in Germany]

Cost of fuel for cycling, once you're doing reasonable miles, is a big part

Say in an hour you burn 500 cals (can be more, can be less depending) and you cycle maybe 13 miles. If you hadn't cycled you would have burned about 200 cals. So that's an extra 300 cals or 23 cals/mile

How much does it cost to buy those calories?

A jelly baby is helpfully, 22 cals so let's assume it's a jelly baby per mile. Tesco sells jelly babies at £0.78/100g and there are, apparently, 16 jelly babies per 100g. So the cost is 4.9p per jelly baby. So it is 4.9p per mile (if you eat jelly babies)

Does this mean I get to eat more Jelly Babies?

 

[si_c]

My Felt (RIP) did around 15k miles, and cost me about £600 once the cycle to work scheme discounts were factored in. It got abused, and I reckon I probably spent around the same again in chains, cassettes, and other consumables over the course of it's two year life, so it cost me around 8p per mile.

 

[vickster]

My Giant Defy has 24,519 miles and cost me £800.00 so thats £0.03 which is pretty cool.

You've done no maintenance in 24k miles?

 

[MichaelW2]

Cost of fuel for cycling, once you're doing reasonable miles, is a big part

Say in an hour you burn 500 cals (can be more, can be less depending) and you cycle maybe 13 miles. If you hadn't cycled you would have burned about 200 cals. So that's an extra 300 cals or 23 cals/mile

How much does it cost to buy those calories?

A jelly baby is helpfully, 22 cals so let's assume it's a jelly baby per mile. Tesco sells jelly babies at £0.78/100g and there are, apparently, 16 jelly babies per 100g. So the cost is 4.9p per jelly baby. So it is 4.9p per mile (if you eat jelly babies)

I cycle 2x6 miles to work. I dont seem to eat much more than before I cycle commuted ( many years ago) or when I make alternative arrangements.
As for the cost, porridge or wholemeal toast is a marginal expense. I dont snack at all and have a can of soup for lunch.

I think the body response to excercise and food is less linear than we imagine.

 

[Crackle]

My mtn bike is easily the most expensive on a cost per mile basis and my road bike the cheapest.