How much do you pay each year to commute by bike ?

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Location
Shropshire
From another tread I posted about cycling for environmental reasons here https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/d...-for-enviromental-reasons.244035/post-5487408
It came to light that some people will use cycling in it's cheapest form and others will go all out to try and spend as much as possible and then everywhere in between. I am at the cheaper end , I always try and get the best deal on cheap but good quality parts/equipment and recycle any old bits I can and tend to run every last drop out of everything whilst keeping it reliable ( I tend to do this with my old banger cars as well !) I have no interest in competitive cycling and treat it as a mode of transport that I enjoy. I would say that I spend less than £100 a year on my bikes and equipment and that includes the original cost of my normal commuter which was £250 as it was last years model at the time ( one of only two bikes I have brought new). What sort of amount do you spend ?
 

Drago

Legendary Member
Once I had the bike it was very minor. Replacement chains, tyres, very occasional cassette. Clothing largely came from Lidl and was actually very long lasting and capable.

Now I dont spend a single penny on it.
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
Somewhere else I totalled up how much I spent on parts (I thought it was on here or CUK forum but my search fu is lacking today) but that was for all cycling, not only commuting.
 

Slick

Guru
I've never really worked it out but I would guess I'm at the upper end as I'm not the best fettler and I hate dealing with road side incidents but only had to call for assistance once from someone at work to pick me up, although did push a bike the last 3 or 4 miles to work once. I do basic maintenance and don't mind paying lbs to do a proper service after a long harsh winter season commuting in all conditions. Sometimes I think I probably could and should do more myself, but then I think, nah, I just want to ride it. :becool:
 
I started my current job in May last year and bought a Triban 500 (£350) and a new light set (£22 after discount IIRC) and fitted a clip on mud guard set (circa £12-15) and I've just replaced the 8sp chain /cassette (circa £20) and not long replaced the front brake pads (circa £8). Say worst case I have to buy the bike every year thats circa £415 I think and so far I've commuted 70 times based on day tickets (you'll get slightly better with a season ticket) its saved me £75 in bus fares. I drive half way so I've deducted a bit for that (circa 25weeks at £5 per day) so I've saved £395 compared to the train. There's other benefits but its far more flexible than public transport is one of my major ones. The bus stops around 8pm from my stop (I can walk to the CC and get an hourly service after that). Direct trains are only every hour or I can get the Ely train every half hour and change. But those train only go to 9:20pm after which I've got to go to Hitchin then back to Peterborough near doubling my commute. Plus those services are rammed and there's no guarantee of a seat. If I'm cycling I can leave the office at any time, its an almost guaranteed journey time and I'm guaranteed of a seat :okay:
 
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Ming the Merciless

There is no mercy
Location
Inside my skull
Based on my annual commute distance, two tyres and a chain, maybe brake pads.
 

overmind

My other bike is a Pinarello
This year the only thing I bought was a puncture repair patch strip.
https://www.cyclerepublic.com/weldt...MItMjEv7vt3wIVSbftCh3gyQGcEAQYAiABEgJuYfD_BwE
... and a tub of grease
https://www.wilko.com/en-uk/wilko-multi-purpose-grease-tub-500g/p/0039759

The Schwalbe Marathons on my winter bike have not had a single puncture so far (this winter). I replaced the BB cup/cone bearings about 1 month ago.

Recently the BB bearings got loose and I discovered that the cause was the lock ring threads had sheared off. I found an old lock ring in a box
of bits I have in the shed and used that. It worked perfectly.

I have found since learning advanced bike mechanics that I have become a bike scavenger.
When somebody is throwing an old bike I try to get useful part from it. I salvage things like: wheels, index shifters, derailleurs, BB adjustable and fixed cups.
 
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How much does the commute pay me!
I bought my bike about 10 years ago for £650. I added £200 worth of dynamo dynamo lighting. My tyres last about 2 years and I change the 8 spd hub gear transmission once a year. Total spend is roughly £1200 so £120/year or £2:50/week which is the price of one bus journey.
I usually buy quite good quality stuff, not student level pub bike. When non cyclists show shock at the price of bicycles, they really should do the math.

Considering depreciation, I think I could sell the bike for over £200, probably £250.
 

cosmicbike

Perhaps This One.....
Moderator
Location
Egham
Depends if you include the cost of the bike. I won't since the commute bike was bought for fun and happened to evolve into what it is now, and it gets used for shopping and leisure rides too.
Whilst the bike does about 4,000 miles a year, I do about 3,000 miles a year commuting, so that's 1 chain a year, a cassette every 3 years and tyres the same. Maybe £50 a year? Saves me way more than that in diesel costs alone.
 

si_c

Guru
Location
Wirral
Last year I commuted about 5000miles by bike, costs were £30 a month for the bike scheme through to October, 3 cassettes, 5 chains and two sets of brake pads. Plus consumables such as chain lube. I reckon about £400 all in.

But that bike also gets used for leisure rides too, so add another 2500 miles on. I've saved £800 on train fare or about the same in petrol/parking if I'd driven to work.

I'm not counting food in that as I would have eaten it anyways. Nor upgrades I made as they weren't necessary.

If I was still commuting to work at the same place this year the cost would be closer to £160 for the same mileage as the bike is paid for now.
 

classic33

Leg End Member
Commuting by motor vehicle, would have cost £11+ each way, two times a day minimum, four times a day maximum. Possible that a mix of buses and two legs, two mile walk, could be used twice a day taking close on three hours.

Bike allowed the same trip in just over 30 minutes at my speed. Drive train replaced at least twice a year. Free loan of a bike whilst the parts were changed & the bike serviced. Over a £100 each time. Aside from damage to the tyres, very little else was spent.
 
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