Commuting by bicycle, the maths.

[400bhp]

This isn't that straightforward for me and a number of assumptions are needed.

Time:
1. Bicycle - assuming normal route taken, then 35 mins average one way. Plus additional fannying around putting on cycle clothes (10 mins each commute) plus additional shower taken when get home (10 mins). Total cycle time per day = 100 minutes

2. Tram - door to door average around 40 mins. Total time taken by tram daily = 80 minutes

3. Car. I don't own one anymore but if I did, then assuming I left home and work around the same time as I cycle in and assuming I went for the cheaper car aprk option, then would take me 25 mins drive in, 40 mins drive home + 15 mins each way walking. Total time taken by car daily = 95 minutes

**important point**. The range of times of my cycle commute by factors outside my control (wind/rain/congestion) is no more than 15 minutes. Variance is probably 3 minutes. The variance of tram commuting is likely to be about 15 minutes, and car, perhaps 20 minutes.

Cost:
1. Bicycle - I have a spreadsheet that I've been running since Jan11 that records money spent, miles covered etc. My cycling pence per mile is about 10p. This ignores bicycle depreciation (which is in any case around £30 a year per bike). Average commute is 19 mile round trip, and so cost is £1.90 per day

2. Tram Return journey is £6.00

3.0 Car - Previous car averaged 16mpg, so rough cost to work was about £5.70 round trip. Plus car parking another £3.50. Total £9.20 per day

Annual saving v tram (assuming 230 days at work) = £943. Note. I could buy an annual tram pass for £950, then savings would be £513

Annual saving v car = £1,679. Note. Not quite comparing like with like here as don't take into account wear and tear on car and greater depreciation on car.

 

[Hicky]

I save time and money cycling.
Car is an hour door to door plus diesel.

Train is just under an hour door to door if I get to the train st bang ontime for the train(and it isnt full/late/delayed)(in the morning if I get a seat then I buy a lottery ticket!) included is a half hour walk across Manchester....plus the cost.

Bus, about 1h 20, goes thorugh many of Manchesters colourfull areas hence smelly nutters frequent it.

Bike, 45 mins average door to door taking into account the wind.....summer just under an hour, majority along a picturesque canal...no need to go to the gym...just go running once/twice a week with the nipper on his bike to tick over.....again along the canal.

I'm lucky my employers are V bike friendly so facilities are superb...naver the wrong weather just the wrong clothes!

 

[The Horse's Mouth]

My maths is quite easy

Commute by bike 35 mins each way. Total 70 mins
Commute by DLR/train 30 mins plus 4 min walk each way. Total 68 mins
Commute by car - come off it. I work in the city.

Cost DLR/train - £131.40 per month
Cost by bike - £35 per month for gym to have shower plus misc cost of bike parts - say £15. £50 Total

saving £81.40. Plus im fitter 7 healthier.

 

[400bhp]

I save time and money cycling.
...Manchester.....

Where in Manc are you?

 

[Kiwiavenger]

mine is 25 minutes in, 35 home by bike plus 10 minute shower either end - 8 mile route. 80 minutes
car - 20 minutes driving, 20 minute walk (i have to park about 2-3 miles from work) - 80 minutes (on a good day)
bus - 45 minutes each way then a 10 minutes to and from the stop - 100 minutes.

i can choose a direct route on the bike (same route i would drive) which takes 15-20 minutes (4.8 miles) my normal route (less traffic and cycle path most of the way) is 8 miles and 25 minutes or i do a 10 miler on back roads then down the bath road, takes 35 minutes. i do occasionally do a 22 mile early morning run out to bath and back which at my quickest was 1 hr 15 minutes! i like mixing it up a bit and the cycling gives me that freedom!

I can now get buy on £10 petrol a week rather than £20 for commuting and £20 for the weekend! plus im much fitter now. the bus costs about £20 per week too so lots of saving for me!

 

[400bhp]

mine is 25 minutes in, 35 home by bike plus 10 minute shower either end - 8 mile route. 80 minutes
car - 20 minutes driving, 20 minute walk (i have to park about 2-3 miles from work) - 80 minutes (on a good day)
bus - 45 minutes each way then a 10 minutes to and from the stop - 100 minutes.

i can choose a direct route on the bike (same route i would drive) which takes 15-20 minutes (4.8 miles) my normal route (less traffic and cycle path most of the way) is 8 miles and 25 minutes or i do a 10 miler on back roads then down the bath road, takes 35 minutes. i do occasionally do a 22 mile early morning run out to bath and back which at my quickest was 1 hr 15 minutes! i like mixing it up a bit and the cycling gives me that freedom!

I can now get buy on £10 petrol a week rather than £20 for commuting and £20 for the weekend! plus im much fitter now. the bus costs about £20 per week too so lots of saving for me!

Remember, you shower in the mornings regardless of communte? And you get changed into/out of cycle clothes?

 

[Kiwiavenger]

Remember, you shower in the mornings regardless of communte? And you get changed into/out of cycle clothes?

was meant to say both ends lol.

 

[400bhp]

Yes, but are you comparing like with like?

If you shower once a day regardless of the cycle commute, then you are only need to add 1 shower onto your time. If you shower twice regardless of the cycle comute, then there is no additional shower time to add.

 

[Hicky]

Where in Manc are you?

Live Rochdale, work Man Uni

 

[jugglingphil]

When I'm in the office it's very easy
Distance to work via bike / walking = 1mile
Distance to work via car = 2.5 miles (+ have to go over level crossing)

It takes about the same time to walk home as it does to drive. Bike is loads quicker, unless I get tempted to lengthen the journey!

 

[StuartG]

Car & motorbike are both truly lost time. Cycling is also exercise time and bus/train/tube time can also be used productively - in London I actually preferred bus during the 'fares fair' era although longer I was guaranteed a seat which made reading easy for pleasure or business.

So IMHO it really comes to the exercise thing. Cycling is good but its a lot nicer and more sociable to be doing it in a country lane at the weekend than in a congested city street. I regret that when the Tories made bus travel uneconomic - and I was forced to switch to cycling - the only thing I wanted to do on a Friday evening was lock it in the garage until Monday morning. Only lately have I seen leisure cycling as a pleasure as opposed to a commuting necessity. And got a lot fitter as a result.

 

[palinurus]

If I could teleport to work i'd still cycle because I like it.

I'd teleport to the pub though.

 

[sabian92]

For me going to college, it's like this:

Car = 10 minutes (not mine so it's actually somebody else's fuel), which i don't pay for.

Bus = £3.50 a day, I have to get 2 buses but the first is ALWAYS late so I end up having to wait for half an hour until the next bus comes once I get off half way home, then I walk anyway so I'm wasting £1.50 because the day ticket costs more than the first bus does on a single ticket. I'm sick of standing in the cold waiting for a bloody bus that never comes.

Bike = Initial £300 for the bike, £25 rack, £50 on 2 panniers, £15 on lights and £20 on a lock, takes me about 20 mins to do 3 miles each way (not exactly fit...), can come and go as I please as well. Apart from the wind which I don't like, I enjoy it far more than the bus. I'm willing to bet in the 3 months i've been doing it my bike has probably paid for itself. That and I'm getting fitter doing it, why don't more people use their bikes?

 

[400bhp]

Car & motorbike are both truly lost time. Cycling is also exercise time and bus/train/tube time can also be used productively - in London I actually preferred bus during the 'fares fair' era although longer I was guaranteed a seat which made reading easy for pleasure or business.

So IMHO it really comes to the exercise thing. Cycling is good but its a lot nicer and more sociable to be doing it in a country lane at the weekend than in a congested city street. I regret that when the Tories made bus travel uneconomic - and I was forced to switch to cycling - the only thing I wanted to do on a Friday evening was lock it in the garage until Monday morning. Only lately have I seen leisure cycling as a pleasure as opposed to a commuting necessity. And got a lot fitter as a result.

Stuart-interested in why you never saw cycling before as a leisure activity?

Was it wrong bike/wrong clothes/level of fitness/other?

 

[lejogger]

Time saved by driving is minimal for me, and of least importance. I have once driven home the same 10 mile route as I cycle in 25 minutes, and the best commuting home time I've logged is 25 minutes (on the carbon bike, in the summer, probably wind assisted, and favourable traffic lights). I average closer to 28/29 mins all year round, and would usually drive the longer but quicker motorway route, so time saving in the car is probably 10 minutes per journey on average, but when I drive in to work I get up late, and arrive at the office feeling groggy and unprepared. I also sit fuming in traffic light queues. I really dislike rush hour driving now.

A main consideration is that I get the vast bulk of my exercise done in 'dead' time when i'd mostly be sat in the car so I don't have to spend my evenings at a gym or equivilent.

Most important to me however is that I save £4-5 a day on fuel alone, not taking into account less wear and tear on the car, reduced insurance premiums for lower mileage estimate, etc. Obviously I have increased wear and tear on the bike, and initial investment in winter clothing was pretty costly, but a £50-£100 saving per month covers most of that.