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



## BADGER.BRAD (13 Jan 2019)

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 ?


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## Drago (13 Jan 2019)

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.


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## DCLane (13 Jan 2019)

Probably £2-300 overall a year but I do 12+ miles each way 4-5 days a week. Tyres, chains and other components mainly.

Last year I did 115 commutes by bike, saving at least £10 a day on fuel and parking costs = £1150

I'm at least £750 better off as a result


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## mjr (13 Jan 2019)

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.


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## Slick (13 Jan 2019)

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.


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## Tobes (13 Jan 2019)

Company I work for now allows expenses claims for travel on cycles. 20p per mile isn't a bad deal.


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## HLaB (13 Jan 2019)

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


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## Supersuperleeds (13 Jan 2019)

I've no idea what I spend, but we went down to one car several years ago and I don't get stressed sitting in traffic any more so whatever it is it's worth it.


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## Ming the Merciless (13 Jan 2019)

Based on my annual commute distance, two tyres and a chain, maybe brake pads.


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## overmind (14 Jan 2019)

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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## MichaelW2 (14 Jan 2019)

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.


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## RichK (14 Jan 2019)

Less than any of the viable alternatives.


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## cosmicbike (14 Jan 2019)

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.


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## si_c (15 Jan 2019)

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.


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## classic33 (15 Jan 2019)

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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## vickster (15 Jan 2019)

Depends how many new bikes I buy


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## overmind (16 Jan 2019)

classic33 said:


> 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.



That seems a lot (twice a year) but then I am not sure how long or taxing the commute is. Presumably, the chain stretches enough every six months to require a new drive train. I am not saying it isn't warranted but 6 months does not seem that long to wear out a chain sufficiently to require a drive train replacement. I am not saying it is not justified, I am just curious why? How often do you oil/clean/mickle the chain?

I used to change the chain regularly to try and make the cassette last longer but after a while, I concluded it was not worth it and changed strategy to just riding everything into the ground. So far I have lasted about 1.5 years but recently the chain has started slipping so I am probably at beginning of the terminal stage. I will replace the cassette and the chain but I am hopeful the chainset will still have some life in it (but in any case, I have about 4 old chainsets which I got from the Reading Bicycle Kitchen (and similar place like in this link: http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/recycling/).


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## classic33 (16 Jan 2019)

overmind said:


> That seems a lot (twice a year) but then I am not sure how long or taxing the commute is. Presumably, the chain stretches enough every six months to require a new drive train. I am not saying it isn't warranted but 6 months does not seem that long to wear out a chain sufficiently to require a drive train replacement. I am not saying it is not justified, I am just curious why? How often do you oil/clean/mickle the chain?
> 
> I used to change the chain regularly to try and make the cassette last longer but after a while, I concluded it was not worth it and changed strategy to just riding everything into the ground. So far I have lasted about 1.5 years but recently the chain has started slipping so I am probably at beginning of the terminal stage. I will replace the cassette and the chain but I am hopeful the chainset will still have some life in it (but in any case, I have about 4 old chainsets which I got from the Reading Bicycle Kitchen (and similar place like in this link: http://www.bikehub.co.uk/featured-articles/recycling/).


It used to be around the 7,000 miles mark.


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## si_c (16 Jan 2019)

overmind said:


> That seems a lot (twice a year) but then I am not sure how long or taxing the commute is. Presumably, the chain stretches enough every six months to require a new drive train. I am not saying it isn't warranted but 6 months does not seem that long to wear out a chain sufficiently to require a drive train replacement. I am not saying it is not justified, I am just curious why? How often do you oil/clean/mickle the chain?



A couple of winters ago I was replacing a chain every 1000mi or so - approximately 6 weeks - because of the salt and muck on the road. Chain life depends a lot on the conditions and how clean you are able to keep your bike.


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## Truth (16 Jan 2019)

I work it out on I save £7 each time I commute on the bike in fuel (24 mile round trip and the train tickets £8.20) . I commuted 125 times last year and made a note of everything I bought relating to the bike (including the total cost of a new bike in September, £320 with cycle 2 work ,even though that will be spread over this year) in that 12 months and I was still £350 up  . 
This year I would hope to save about £600 minimum, not planning on buying anything specifically for the bike but parts made need replacing and accidents do happen.......
The main reason I commute is because as a rule I enjoy it and it incorporates my exercise time into my commute


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## rogerzilla (16 Jan 2019)

If I didn't keep rescuing and restoring old bikes...

A chain
A tyre
A fraction of a bottle of Finish Line wet lube
A fraction of a pair of brake pads
A LOT of shower gel

Probably £40. Shower gel is £15 of that.

It's a fixie and the ring and sprocket are new and 1/8", so they will last until I retire.


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## vickster (16 Jan 2019)

rogerzilla said:


> If I didn't keep rescuing and restoring old bikes...
> 
> A chain
> A tyre
> ...


Would you not use the shower gel if you didn't commute by bike? I shower regardless


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## rogerzilla (16 Jan 2019)

Two showers per day instead of one! I'm only counting the stuff used at work.


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## slowmotion (16 Jan 2019)

When I was doing about 4000 miles a year, I reckoned that it was costing me about 8p a mile, ignoring the capital cost of the bike. That included replacing tyres, tubes , chains, gear components and worn out clothing etc etc. The clothing was a surprisingly large part, even though none of it was fancy.


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## keithmac (16 Jan 2019)

Pair of brake pads last year for me, charge it up once a week but normally at work, think it's something daft like 5p a charge!.

Probably £12 with some change!.


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## lazyfatgit (16 Jan 2019)

When i last seriously commuted by bike/train/walk every working day, the cost of a monthly train pass was just under my fuel costs using the car. I didn't ever consider the costs properly as I was ahead in both fitness and time spent travelling. Sitting parked on the M8 wasn't fun.


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## Thomson (16 Jan 2019)

Bought second hand bike for £200 before last winter. Sold car no tax mot insurance running costs etc. Done around 1500 miles to work and back in that year. Spend about £20 in inner tubes. And got lights as a present. Couple times I have walked to work. Only 2.89 miles away. And once I got the bus £2.70. Never again. I did use to spend £50 a week in diesel. So much happier :-).


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## PeteXXX (17 Jan 2019)

I use the bikes I already had, and try to commute one or two of the four shifts I work per week.
I'd find it impossible to quantify the cost per annum, but every bike commute saves me 25 miles of fuel plus wear & tear on the car, but I have to add £1.70 for a meal deal and cuppa at work as I eat after the ride in rather than before.


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## mustang1 (18 Jan 2019)

Mmmh. Just tallied it up.
£TooMuch.


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## Nufab (19 Jan 2019)

I bought my road bike in 2011 on the cycle to work scheme. It was £850 but probably cost me more like £600. I didnt use it on a regular basis, having had two kids since made me lazy to be honest, but I cycled to work about 75% of the time throughout 2018, with it being close to 100% since May.

At the end of 2017 I was knocked off the bike, so spent £150ish on new, much brighter lights. The rear derailleur was damaged but I had already been planning to upgrade the groupset, so I rebuilt the bike with the full 105 group. It had also had new wheels in 2017 for around £150.

Clothing wise I bought it gradually as I went along, upgrading as things wear out. Last year I bought quite a lot... new rucksack, winter tights, winter boots, thermal jersey... but now I can cycle all year round with no issues. I've just ordered a nice Gore jacket to replace the bright yellow bin-bag I usually wear!

However it saves me a lot on fuel... I cant tell you the current price of diesel, and I last bought fuel at the very start of December, and only £30 then. Also, I was paid out more in compensation for the crash in 2017 than I've ever spent on cycling, so I'm definitely up.... I wouldnt recommend that as a course of action though!


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## SkipdiverJohn (19 Jan 2019)

Rather than quoting a figure _per annum,_ a more meaningful comparison would be to work out your total cycling cost _per mile_, given that that different riders may cover vastly different distances yet spend a similar overall amount.
I suspect if worked out on that basis, quite a few cyclists who spend a lot on bikes and gear etc, would find their transport is not as cheap as they might like to think it is. Done on a real shoestring, cycling ought to be cheaper than walking.


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## classic33 (19 Jan 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Rather than quoting a figure _per annum,_ a more meaningful comparison would be to work out your total cycling cost _per mile_, given that that different riders may cover vastly different distances yet spend a similar overall amount.
> I suspect if worked out on that basis, quite a few cyclists who spend a lot on bikes and gear etc, would find their transport is not as cheap as they might like to think it is. *Done on a real shoestring, cycling ought to be cheaper than walking.*


How?
Walking still requires footwear and clothing. And doing in excess of a 1,000 miles a month, at one stage, similar was worn. A rucksack used when walking still being used when cycling.

Cycling was quicker than walking the same distance to and from work.


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## SkipdiverJohn (19 Jan 2019)

classic33 said:


> How?
> Walking still requires footwear and clothing. .



I would say you'll get more miles out of a set of bike tyres than you will out of a set of shoes


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## Pumpkin the robot (19 Jan 2019)

This year I am keeping a total of miles commuted by bike, money spent on bike and miles driving and as a passenger.
So far I have done the commute every day by bike, but I have spent a lot on a new jacket, renewing bike insurance and a wahoo elemnt bolt. At the moment I am over £2 per mile on the bike. I hope that comes down!
A trip to the lakes by car last week (only journey by car so far this year) has me at 220 miles driven so I am about 1 miles driven to one mile cycled. (I am hoping to do a 105 miles tomorrow to put the bike ahead!)


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## SkipdiverJohn (19 Jan 2019)

Pumpkin the robot said:


> . At the moment I am over £2 per mile on the bike. I hope that comes down!


OK, it's only a few weeks into the year but at that rate so far, it would be cheaper to get a taxi than travel by bike!


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## classic33 (19 Jan 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I would say you'll get more miles out of a set of bike tyres than you will out of a set of shoes


Disagree. I've still the same pair of trainers now as I had in 2003. Not as much use now though. Tyres lasted around three months, six at best, but they weren't cheap. None of them remain.


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## Heigue'r (20 Jan 2019)

Last year worked out around 12p per mile for me however not a true figure when offset with money saved.This year I would hope to keep expenses down a bit,£300 allready spent on kit this year and probably £300 to spend on chains,cassettes and tyres over the rest of the year
Expenses=£600
Savings £70 per week,say for 40 weeks=£2800
£2200 profit÷8000(rough mileage)=£0.27 per mile profit=less than nothing,cycling makes me money


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## SkipdiverJohn (20 Jan 2019)

Heigue'r said:


> Expenses=£600
> Savings £70 per week,say for 40 weeks=£2800
> £2200 profit÷8000(rough mileage)=£0.27 per mile profit=less than nothing,cycling makes me money



Can't really see how cycling actually makes you money unless you have the ability to claim business mileage expenses that are more per mile than what you spend on running a bike. £600 might be less than £2800, but it still isn't nothing.
I don't do anything like the annual mileage you do on a bike, but I would say my cycling probably costs me under 2p a mile overall in wear & tear parts. I don't expect to need to buy any new tyres for several years now as I've got a load of salvaged ones from scrap bikes for local hack use to use up, and my good bikes all had new Schwalbes fitted last year whenever Chain Reaction had a sale offer on them!


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## Heigue'r (20 Jan 2019)

Well if I wasn't cycling I would be out of pocket £2800,TFL and the government would have my money,no choice as I have to get to work.
When I do cycle I'm in pocket £2200

I would have a fairly strong argument that cycling makes me money,or phrased differently saves me money but if I wasn't cycling I couldn't save because the money would be gone so yeah,I'm going to stick with cycling makes me money


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## SkipdiverJohn (20 Jan 2019)

No argument from me, I have found cycling to be an extremely cheap form of transport that also happens to be good fun (so long as the weather is OK) and gives me some exercise at the same time. I avoid bus/tube travel as much as possible (full of antisocial low-life in London) and using a car for short journeys during the day is just too slow and too much hassle, so most of the time it comes down to either walking or riding.


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## confusedcyclist (22 Jan 2019)

Hard to calculate this. If you do it properly you amortise your costs over the years, and you only know how much each part costs a year when it eventually dies and needs to be replaced and you divide the cost by years of service.


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## KneesUp (22 Jan 2019)

I guess the more expensive items make the biggest difference. I built my bike up but since it has been as I want it, I've spent nothing on it other that a set of tyres when I started getting loads of punctures. However, the rear hub is making some bad sounds at the moment, and it's a cheap one not really designed to be maintained, so at some point I'm going to replace the back wheel which will significantly affect the cost per journey for a while.


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## sleuthey (24 Jan 2019)

Annual costs:
Depreciation £60
1 tyre £15
1 baselayer £10
3 pairs pads £12
1 tube £4
Misc fettling £20
Total £121

Costs every 2 years:
1 helmet £20
1 cassette £15
1 chain £12
1 coat £25
1 pair gloves £20
3 cables £6
Total £98 (£49 PA)

Grand total £ 170 PA
Over 1500 miles is 11p pm


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## Ming the Merciless (24 Jan 2019)

Less than 1p a mile nowadays.


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## I like Skol (25 Jan 2019)

Not a lot is the answer. But that doesn't factor in bike cost. My previous bike was £500 new but needed several upgrades in the first year costing around £400 to make it a reliable commuter. A few years later it has cost not much (pair of tyres every 1.5-2 yrs and a couple of chains/cassettes/brake pads). Maybe £60-70 per year? It lasted nigh on 8 yrs so even counting purchase and upgrade cost has been less than £200/yr. Lots of the good bits are being transferred to new bike, thus further offsetting the cost.

My current bike cost £1.5k but doesn't appear to need any upgrades out of the box. On paper, with a steel frame, it should require less upkeep and last longer. Time will tell, but if I continue my current job and commute then I shouldn't exceed the £200/yr figure in the long term. This is far, far cheaper than maintaining and supporting a car (which I also do ).


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## I like Skol (25 Jan 2019)

OK, based on a typical 2.5kpa and including total bike write-off after 8 yrs we still only realise a real cost of around 10p/mile.

Of course, none of this figures in money saved on fuel, wear & tear or depreciation that would result from me driving at a pure fuel cost of 22p/mile before we even start to consider tyres, wear & tear, tax and insurance. Even with the most expensive bike available, cycling is still cheap.


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## KneesUp (25 Jan 2019)

I like Skol said:


> OK, based on a typical 2.5kpa and including total bike write-off after 8 yrs we still only realise a real cost of around 10p/mile.
> 
> Of course, none of this figures in money saved on fuel, wear & tear or depreciation that would result from me driving at a pure fuel cost of 22p/mile before we even start to consider tyres, wear & tear, tax and insurance. Even with the most expensive bike available, cycling is still cheap.


Why would you include money saved on fuel etc. in calculating the cost per mile of the bike?

The bike costs £x per mile. The car costs £y per mile. The difference is £z.

AS you say, £x will always be less that £y - unless you are doing something very wrong with the bike. (Or - as 17 year old me did - using your mum's car and never filling it up)


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## Nebulous (26 Jan 2019)

I don't keep count - but not a lot. I've a very short commute. I change the chain once a year, pads on the mechanical discs a bit less often than that. Probably a set of lights once a year. I get some money back in expenses- though work use has dropped off recently - I'm covering bigger distances and often drive instead of cycling. My high-viz waterproof jacket came in a big bag of second-hand cycling clothes I got for £40.

I spend quite a bit on leisure cycling and the commuter is treated as the poor relative. It's components are often used as a make weight purchase to get me over a threshold to trigger a discount from a cycle shop.


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## beany_bot (30 Jan 2019)

Last year I bought a cassette and chain. I was £17. 
That would have been one day on the train.


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## Rosie 5678 (6 Apr 2019)

I'm new to commuting but before I started I was able to work out I spend£80 a month on fuel per month getting to work. I've not worked out how much I will save in terms of things for the car etc and I know I will have to buy some bits and pieces for my bike but I don't think that will be as much as the parts for the car


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## Truth (7 Apr 2019)

I try and work out what I save moneywise cycling in to work but can you put a price on health and fitness....


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## Levo-Lon (7 Apr 2019)

If i bike to work its 20 miles a day i dont drive my van. Van averages 50 mpg, i dont know what a gallon costs but id think its about £12 a week for a 100 miles.. 
As for cost, i just see it as beneficial to my health, i buy bikes and upgrade them. 

Now if i was a cycle to the station or similar and had to lock my bike to a bike rack all the above would change. 

Cheap function bike and nothing nice would be fitted to it.


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## SkipdiverJohn (7 Apr 2019)

meta lon said:


> Now if i was a cycle to the station or similar and had to lock my bike to a bike rack all the above would change.
> Cheap function bike and nothing nice would be fitted to it.



I don't commute by bike, but cheap & functional has to be the recipe for any form of utility cycling in dodgy areas, unless you are prepared to take a big theft risk with valuable bikes and/or lug around a ton of super heavy duty locks with you. The biggest single cost for most riders is depreciation, if they buy their bikes new. My bikes are essentially already fully depreciated when purchased secondhand at 20+ years old, so the starting point is a very low nominal bike value and my only per-mile cost of cycling is replacing wear & tear items like tyres and brakes.
When I'm riding a hack machine that is running on tyres and tubes that have come off something I've pulled out of a bin, cycling probably does work out less per mile than walking in some cases.


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## Ming the Merciless (7 Apr 2019)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I don't commute by bike, but cheap & functional has to be the recipe for any form of utility cycling in dodgy areas, unless you are prepared to take a big theft risk with valuable bikes and/or lug around a ton of super heavy duty locks with you. The biggest single cost for most riders is depreciation, if they buy their bikes new. My bikes are essentially already fully depreciated when purchased secondhand at 20+ years old, so the starting point is a very low nominal bike value and my only per-mile cost of cycling is replacing wear & tear items like tyres and brakes.
> When I'm riding a hack machine that is running on tyres and tubes that have come off something I've pulled out of a bin, cycling probably does work out less per mile than walking in some cases.



Unless you pull shoes out the bin as well.


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## straas (9 Apr 2019)

Probably average:

£100 / year in parts
£50 / year in clothing etc
£180 / year for bike storage / showers / locker
had the bike 3 years at a buying cost of £400

So under £500 / year

Local transport would be £50/month so £600 / year

The £100 "saving" probably goes on cakes.


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## Sixmile (9 Apr 2019)

I have found my costs going down since I started cycling 'seriously' around 5 years ago. Once I hit my first winter I bought appropriate clothing (overshoes, thermals, gloves etc) and equipment (multiple lights, tools, mudguards etc) so I don't buy that kind of stuff as much now. I do however find it hard to overlook a bargain so have ended up with probably more gear, clothing and bikes than i should've been everything still has monetary value to some degree. If I was spending £100 a month on beers or whatever, there is recoup-able value there. I think last year I spent around £1300 on everything bike related i.e. new bikes, sportives, equipment, servicing, parts, clothing, insurance etc.


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## Grievesy (1 Jul 2019)

I found this awhile ago. sums it up roughly. I think it was based on a 5 mile each way commute.


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## RoadRider400 (3 Jul 2019)

Bike second hand was £110
Lights about £40
Clothing and helmet about £125
2 backpacks and a tailbag £50
Locks £25
Tyres and tubes about £100

Thats three years total £450
So yearly average £150 to date.

However the commuting has made be catch 'the bug', so thats cost me an additional £350 on a second hand road bike then another £200 on various upgrades/new clothing.

Which brings the real life total to £800. Or £267 a year average.


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## Ming the Merciless (3 Jul 2019)

My cycle clothing bought for commuting 16 years ago is still in use. The damned stuff just won't wear out!


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## hatler (25 Jul 2019)

3000 miles commuting pa. Consumables annual cost roughly : -

1 x tyre @ £25 = £25
2 x tubes @ £5 each = £10
2 x chain @ £15 = £30
1 x set of pads @ £10 = £10
1/2 cassette @ £30 = £15
1/2 chain ring @ £30 = £15
1/5 pair of jockey wheels @ £20 = £4
1/5 pair of pedals @ £30 = £6
2 inner cables @ £3 each = £6
2/5 wheel build @ £120 each = £48
2' of outer cable @ £1/ft = £2
Bit of a bottle of lube, say £1
6 x patches say £1
1/8 bar tape @£20 = £2.50
1/8 set of mudguards @ £32 = £4
Total £179.50 which is approx 6p/mile
Cost by train approx £1400

One off costs (as in, I've only bought them the once in 11 years of owning the bike) (all figures are best guesses) : -

Bike £2400 (including extras like pump, rack, mirror)
Fancy Lumicycle LED light system £250
Hope Vision 1 lamp £50
Cateye rear light £20
Ortlieb panniers £200
Total = £2920

Tools
Don't ask.

Clothing. Other than two pairs of MTB shorts and one pair of gloves I don't think I've thrown any of my cycling clothing away ever, so as yet it's not consumable !
Shoes £400
Shorts £300
Jerseys £500
Gloves £160
Clear specs £100
Waterproof jacket £120
Two pairs Ron Hill bottoms £70
Overtrousers £50
Two pairs overshoes £60

Total £1760


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## mustang1 (26 Jul 2019)

This year trying to spend least amount possible and paid £85 to service two bikes. But I have all clothes, lubes, tools etc already purchased. Not planning on buying anything else except a chain cleaner for £15. Commute 7000km annually.


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## Twizit (26 Jul 2019)

Honestly I don't know, largely because I do keep buying shiny new bits of kit, parts and the occasional bike upgrade (shhhh don't tell the missus). 

What I do know is that over the last 10 years of commuting into London, plus lots of other leisure cycling, it still costs me a lot less per year than either a season ticket on the train or the depreciation and running costs of the car.

I don't feel in the slightest bit guilty about cycling related spend. Keeps me sane and fit and it's all still cheaper than the alternatives


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## Ming the Merciless (26 Jul 2019)

Cost of a season ticket would be equivalent to buying a very nice new bike every year then throwing it away when I got the next one.


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