$$ bike repairs, but still cheaper

[jessmarimba]

Snort! I just dropped $42.00 on a tank of gas today. And it's just a 2 door Honda Civic, with a small tank!!!

$170.00 on bike parts sound dreamy.

Eh. I can hardly compare gas prices vs savings by riding a bike. When I bike commute to work, I eat the equivalent of what the gas would cost because I show up starving.

[hebe]

Eh. I can hardly compare gas prices vs savings by riding a bike. When I bike commute to work, I eat the equivalent of what the gas would cost because I show up starving.

I know that I always wade into any thread mentionning fuel prices, but on current costs in my town my next small tank (55litres) will cost me about $130. I've just checked the conversion twice. I'm cycling/walking/taking the bus a lot more now, especially as it just cost over $800 to get the car insured, serviced and MOT'd (compulsory test of road-worthiness) for another 12 months. Compare that to the $48 I spent on Tuesday to have one bike serviced and another one repaired, both at my home. Eating a bit more after biking/walking is easily accomodated within savings on gas.

[shootingstar]

I know that I always wade into any thread mentionning fuel prices, but on current costs in my town my next small tank (55litres) will cost me about $130. I've just checked the conversion twice. I'm cycling/walking/taking the bus a lot more now, especially as it just cost over $800 to get the car insured, serviced and MOT'd (compulsory test of road-worthiness) for another 12 months. Compare that to the $48 I spent on Tuesday to have one bike serviced and another one repaired, both at my home. Eating a bit more after biking/walking is easily accomodated within savings on gas.

Gas in Europe is alot more expensive than in North America. Thx for the reminder, hebe. We forget at times here with our huge expanses of distance, wilderness and so called abundance of "short-lived" natural resources on our own continent.

h. I can hardly compare gas prices vs savings by riding a bike. When I bike commute to work, I eat the equivalent of what the gas would cost because I show up starving.

Well, jess I'm sure some people may use this logic...to give up on exercise/cycling. Would you tell someone this if they were trying to lose weight? Some of us are cycling for not just transportation, but for fun and for our health --physical and mental.

[jessmarimba]

Well, jess I'm sure some people may use this logic...to give up on exercise/cycling. Would you tell someone this if they were trying to lose weight? Some of us are cycling for not just transportation, but for fun and for our health --physical and mental.

But that's totally unrelated to the thread. The thread is about money savings for bike commuting vs car. I save wear & tear on the car by bike commuting, but daily expenditure is about the same. My daily commute would be about 2/3 gallon of gas, or...maybe $2.40 (depending on where I buy it). I can't even ride the bus for that price (and the bus ride takes longer than biking!) But then, my car is fairly cheap to maintain and has been paid off since the second I purchased it - and Colorado has relatively cheap insurance (especially if you don't have comprehensive/collision).

[hebe]

I'm on the line about whether or not the bus is cheaper than driving or quicker than taking the bike, but it is sheltered and involves no parking or finding somewhere to leave the trailer. At the moment dd is free on the bus, once she turns 5 driving will definitely be cheaper. SLightly o/t, I want to raise her to be able to get herself around by bus/bike/walking, so in some ways we'll just have to swallow the extra cost.

I do find it difficult to quantify the various costs. With a car that is all paid for and ready to use there is the temptation just to use it anyway, to get the best return on investment. But short journeys damage the car and result in higher repair bills, and then there are the hidden benefits of the improvement to my health, modelling alternative transport to my daughter, and the hidden costs to the environment for journeys where I personally have access to alternative transport modes (bike, bus, feet).

Does your bike feel better for the improvements?

[Owlie]

Heh, I just bought 2 new tires for the car. $197.

I'd have rather put it toward a new bike. But I also had to pick up 2 new bike tires. I bought Gatorskins. Even with my employee discount, the tires plus an extra tube was $88.

I wish I could commute by bike, but given the state my knee is in right now, I'm really glad I have the car!

[shootingstar]

Hope you get better, Owlie.

Whatever works for you Jesse.

If we stick to the topic of strictly cost, then there is a health care cost for others who don't do anything to get healthier later.

Of course, I just use my money for something else if it isn't for car use/maintenance, etc...which has worked for me really well. I did post this article I wrote up awhile ago.