jnb
Veteran
- Location
- In a corner
Allowing for spares, depreciation, bits to make your bike usable etc. How much would you say cycling costs you a year?
How much does cycling cost?
- Thread starter jnb
- Start date
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fossyant
Ride It Like You Stole It!
- Location
- South Manchester
Lots......but that's 'cos I like new kit.
TBH it's a 'how long is a piece of string'......
Can be cheap, can be expensive.
TBH it's a 'how long is a piece of string'......
Can be cheap, can be expensive.
Take your budget add 15 - 20% and thats what is will cost a year! 
In all seriousness it can cost you peanuts if you buy an old hack fro ebay, do all work needed yourself and cycle in swimming shorts and tshirts
Or it can cost thousands in bikes (you never have enough, n+1), clothes, shoes accesories etc.
In all seriousness it can cost you peanuts if you buy an old hack fro ebay, do all work needed yourself and cycle in swimming shorts and tshirts
Or it can cost thousands in bikes (you never have enough, n+1), clothes, shoes accesories etc.
Johnny5
New Member
- Location
- Manchester
I think if you take the price of your bike out of the equation, then cycling can be ascheap or as expensive as you want it.
The way I see it is that it's all an investment in your fitness and health...well worth the money if you can afford it!
The way I see it is that it's all an investment in your fitness and health...well worth the money if you can afford it!
Davidc
Guru
- Location
- Somerset UK
1.5 x the amount available for it.
2.5 x as much as your spouse thinks reasonable
3.5 x as much as you ever thought it would before you worked out the budget.
i.e. lots.
(11th commandment: Though shalt not covet thy neighbours bike, for if thou doest thou wilt go bankrupt!)
2.5 x as much as your spouse thinks reasonable
3.5 x as much as you ever thought it would before you worked out the budget.
i.e. lots.
(11th commandment: Though shalt not covet thy neighbours bike, for if thou doest thou wilt go bankrupt!)
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
A LOT!!!
My commuter costs my relatively little. Everything is run until it's completely worn out and then the cheapest part that functions or if it's very lucky gets given a hand-me-down from the race bike.
My race bike get treated to new bits as when and I always buy the very best I can afford. It must cost me more to run than my car.
My commuter costs my relatively little. Everything is run until it's completely worn out and then the cheapest part that functions or if it's very lucky gets given a hand-me-down from the race bike.
My race bike get treated to new bits as when and I always buy the very best I can afford. It must cost me more to run than my car.
byegad
Legendary Member
- Location
- NE England
When i returned to cycling some nine years ago I bought a bike, riding kit for all weathers, tools, spares, modifications for the bike, another bike.....
Now after having to change from two wheels to recumbent three due to balance issues, I haven't bought a trike for over a year and don't expect to buy another anytime soon. My last big spend was for different brakes on my newre trike, before that it was new tyres for both my trikes last winter. Two were worn out on my older trike, three on my newer trike were cutting up very, very badly in the cold weather and I bought a spare.
I fully expect to not need any more tyres, or brake calipers (disc brakes) for some time and will need to replace the pads on the new calipers some time next year.
You can ride one bike only and will find the running costs come from, in no particular order, tyres and tubes, replacement chain, eventually replacement chain rings and cassette, brake blocks, the odd cable, brake or gear and wheels. You won;t need to replace everything at once and some basic care particularly to the chain will put off replacements for a long time. Some people get a few hundred miles from a chain, I get 2500 miles plus and replace it then to avoid wearing out chain rings and cassette. My commuter bike, I'm retired now, has 10000 mles plus now and had 3 new chains, and new wheels a few hundred miles before I found out about my balance problem and stopped riding. It still has the original cassette and chain rings and the last time I changed the chain there was no discernable wear to the teeth on any sprocket.
It cost me £900 new, the wheels were under £100 for the pair, from the makers and identical to the originals chains cost me around £18 each and I've replaced the brake blocks once from new, the original tyres are in excellent condition and I've had some replacement tubes as I don't trust a patched one.
So total cost is under £1200. That works out at 12p per mile.
My car costs that in petrol and then there is Tax, insurance, servicing, buying the thing, servicing, (I service my bikes myself but leave the car to the garage).
Also I enjoyed nearly every mile on my bike and drive because I have to!
Now after having to change from two wheels to recumbent three due to balance issues, I haven't bought a trike for over a year and don't expect to buy another anytime soon. My last big spend was for different brakes on my newre trike, before that it was new tyres for both my trikes last winter. Two were worn out on my older trike, three on my newer trike were cutting up very, very badly in the cold weather and I bought a spare.
I fully expect to not need any more tyres, or brake calipers (disc brakes) for some time and will need to replace the pads on the new calipers some time next year.
You can ride one bike only and will find the running costs come from, in no particular order, tyres and tubes, replacement chain, eventually replacement chain rings and cassette, brake blocks, the odd cable, brake or gear and wheels. You won;t need to replace everything at once and some basic care particularly to the chain will put off replacements for a long time. Some people get a few hundred miles from a chain, I get 2500 miles plus and replace it then to avoid wearing out chain rings and cassette. My commuter bike, I'm retired now, has 10000 mles plus now and had 3 new chains, and new wheels a few hundred miles before I found out about my balance problem and stopped riding. It still has the original cassette and chain rings and the last time I changed the chain there was no discernable wear to the teeth on any sprocket.
It cost me £900 new, the wheels were under £100 for the pair, from the makers and identical to the originals chains cost me around £18 each and I've replaced the brake blocks once from new, the original tyres are in excellent condition and I've had some replacement tubes as I don't trust a patched one.
So total cost is under £1200. That works out at 12p per mile.
My car costs that in petrol and then there is Tax, insurance, servicing, buying the thing, servicing, (I service my bikes myself but leave the car to the garage).
Also I enjoyed nearly every mile on my bike and drive because I have to!
RabbitFood
New Member
- Location
- Wickford, Essex
a lot, once you get one bit of kit you want another and you are already on the slipery slope.
Of course like others hav said can be cheap depends what you are happy with, for me i need all the gear, then I need spares then more of the same in differnt coloursect lol
Of course like others hav said can be cheap depends what you are happy with, for me i need all the gear, then I need spares then more of the same in differnt coloursect lol
RedBike
New Member
- Location
- Beside the road
accountantpete
Brexiteer
Unless you give way to the urge to upgrade every 5 minutes having convinced yourself that it's the equipment and not you to blame for going slow then after the initial outlay it's usually a matter of a couple of new tyres every so often - £60 per year.
luplowe
New Member
- Location
- Bournemouth
Ditch the bike, take up motor racing, you'll be far better off.
