Overheard a guy at a coffee shop say cycling to work saved him $200 a month

I was grabbing a latte near 5th Ave last Tuesday and this dude was telling his friend he cut out his car payment and insurance by biking 8 miles each way. Got me thinking about my own commute costs gas, parking, wear and tear add up fast I just never added it all up. Anyone else do the math on what they save per month since switching to two wheels?

2 comments

2 Comments

aaron_wilson171mo ago

Did you catch what he said about maintenance? I read a study from some university that said the average commuter spends about $600 a year just on tires and brake pads for their car. That doesn't include the bigger stuff like timing belts or transmission fluid. Bikes have chains and cables, sure, but a tune up at a shop runs maybe eighty bucks twice a year. The savings really stack up when you think about the hidden costs most people never see.

sage_park61mo ago

Laughing at that $600 a year figure @aaron_wilson17, sounds about right for a car that actually moves more than 10 miles without something breaking. My buddy just dropped 400 bucks on new tires for his sedan last month, and that was the cheap set. Meanwhile I replaced my bike chain and cassette for like 35 bucks and it rides like new. People always forget the registration and insurance costs too, which is like renting a small apartment for your car every month. But hey, at least you can blast the AC while sitting in traffic burning gas worth more than my whole bike payment.