Obsessing about cost of cycling

[Blue Hills]

Not me, haven't got a car.

I can confirm that you have hereby instantly lost your italian citizenship

 

[Blue Hills]

Cycling has apart from all the other benefits, some clean, some less so, saved me a bundle on shopping for close on 20 years. I buy my food/beer in places that would otherwise be a fag to get to. I i often pop to a streetmarket* on my way back from central london to home - would be impossible by car and i wouldn't bother if on public transport. So the cost of cycling is less than minimal.

*it's london and well remember stopping by one of my favourite markets to find that the helper from the stall didn't know the english name of some of the most common fruit and veg he's from ** can't remember where *** his boss tolerantly explained.

 

[Blue Hills]

Commuting has cost me more than the train over the last 12 month/9000 miles.

Train is cheap though, less than £80pm on my line, in that time I've bought a new bike (£400) clothes (£100s) Lights (maybe £200 in total) various bags (£100) 3 or 4 tyres (£100ish) New wheels (£150) 3 chains 3 cassettes millions of cables and a new helmet.

Also many large sausages.

I don't have to go to the gym though, so that's saved £180.

All that bike stuff you've bought will last a long long time though. Good cycle clothing (and this can include stuff from the likes of aldi) lasts almost forever. I well remember nattering to a retired copper in st james's park who rather regretted this as he fancied a new wardrobe.

 

[Sandra6]

I used to have a halfords bike miles ap on my phone which told me how much money and emissions I'd saved through using the bike but as my realistic alternative is walking - or getting the bus - I don't think about it in those terms.

 

[mgarl10024]

If business mileage, HMRC considers it to be 20p.
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-travel-mileage/rules-for-tax

 

[prawny]

All that bike stuff you've bought will last a long long time though. Good cycle clothing (and this can include stuff from the likes of aldi) lasts almost forever. I well remember nattering to a retired copper in st james's park who rather regretted this as he fancied a new wardrobe.

Barely, the shorts need replacing already. Bloody Planet X. They have a hard time commuting though, they do 40 miles a day and one pair normally gets out of the wash in time for a second ride per week.

Need to get something better made when I can afford it.

 

[Ride2017]

Headline price is £750, deduce 30% for cycle to work scheme, call it £550, I'll have paid that back in 5 months just from not having to get the train to work.

Same thinking here...... Spent just over £2k on a bike. It not only paid for itself in the first year but saved an additional ~£700 on a ~£3k worth of travelcard.
I strongly suspect the explosion in the number of people cycling to work here in London is due to the criminal cost of (so called) public transport. Also worth factoring in is that after a year the bike still has a value unlike the Oystercard.

 

[classic33]

If business mileage, HMRC considers it to be 20p.
https://www.gov.uk/expenses-and-benefits-business-travel-mileage/rules-for-tax

Because the person "in charge" refused to believe what was on the screen, I lost out on that and the bike to work(he lost the paperwork).

 

[confusedcyclist]

Lots of factors to consider, unless your rocking a Pinerello Dogma, it's gonna be cheap as chips. Hmmm chips.

 

[mustang1]

I take into account the cost of:
Bikes
Parts
Servicing
Bike clothes
Accessories
Train ticket

And if i feel bad about overspending, then also the cost of a potential gym membership.

I don't record any extra food eaten (but i generally eat a lot even when i don't ride), nor the time it takes to get to various places including time to change clothes and wash up, and i don't record the feel-good factor that someone mentioned above though i am aware of it. Idk about life longevity either but I guess it probably is positive.

 

[hennbell]

We are a one car family, my wife uses it. I obsess about the cost of eventually getting a second car. I don't want to spend all that money on a slightly used car then never use the bicycles again. But if if I spend thousands of dollars on a car, insurance, gasoline, registration, and all the other small things how can i justify not using the car every day.

 

[raleighnut]

Cycling has apart from all the other benefits, some clean, some less so, saved me a bundle on shopping for close on 20 years. I buy my food/beer in places that would otherwise be a fag to get to. I i often pop to a streetmarket* on my way back from central london to home - would be impossible by car and i wouldn't bother if on public transport. So the cost of cycling is less than minimal.

*it's london and well remember stopping by one of my favourite markets to find that the helper from the stall didn't know the english name of some of the most common fruit and veg he's from ** can't remember where *** his boss tolerantly explained.

Barcelona?

 

[mjr]

But if if I spend thousands of dollars on a car, insurance, gasoline, registration, and all the other small things how can i justify not using the car every day.

Easy to justify: your mental and physical health is more important and cycling is far more fun

 

[Jenkins]

I was the other way round - couldn't give a monkey's about the cost of cycling, but was obsessed with the cost of driving when going away for race meetings, etc. I used to run a spreadsheet showing the price of fuel, the distance travelled, the MPG achieved and therefore the cost of fuel for the trip. Plus any associated costs while out such as parking, Dartford Crossing tolls, entry tiicket and hotels (when used).

 

[confusedcyclist]

• Tracking costs has it's perks as it helps you spot avoid unnecessary spending habits.
• If you catch yourself engaging in conspicuous consumption, you ARE spending too much.
• Spending money on keeping your bike in good working order isn't wasting money, unless you are disposing half used tyres or brake pads. Proper maintenance keeps you on the road, safe, fit and healthy.
• Don't skimp on quality tools and components, often they last longer and cost less per use in the long run. Again, avoid conspicuous consumption.
• Mid range stuff, 105 and Tiagra are probably the best value for money. I have no qualms about spending the little extra on 105 quality, look at it this way. The latest Tiagra is basically Ultegra from 3 years ago, 105 is therefore race worthy equipment.
• Don't be a weight weenie and pay more for lighter stuff, lighter bikes (except when ridden on race day) make you soft, consider the heavy steel commuter frame extra training. Quality steel frames, when they fail tend to be repairable and may even last you for life.
• Learn how to maintain your own bike to cut down on LBS labour costs, with the added bonus that you can then learn to spot and buy top quality used bikes for knock down prices.
• Always let someone else take the hit on the depreciation, this year's model is probably not that revolutionary, even more likely it's just a different paint job.
• A well maintained bike will generally hold 50% of it's initial purchase value (unless it's ancient, in which case it's value can actually increase as a collectable, at the very least, it's a hedge against inflation.) Use the 50% as a rule of thumb when negotiating on price when buying used. You can recoup this when you fancy a change by selling it on, sometimes for minimal loss, other times for profit, the higher end the bike, the greater scope for financial gain or loss. If you buy used, you can actually earn money by riding and looking after the bike, and selling it on at the right price if a buyer comes along. Set the desired price and wait for the right offer.

* I recently bought a Fuji Feather Fixie, and had quite a lot of interest, wasn't in a rush to sell it, there was nothing special about the model, just a few people who really loved that particular bike and were prepared to pay cash on collection, £100 more than I paid.