[Closed] Cycle commuters - why do you do it?

FFS logged out while posting....

Occasional commuter, 2-3 times a week max but it gets in the way of going to the gym which is a pain, also need to be smart and we have no shower, plus cart laptop around for off site stuff - yeah it's frustrating

Cost wise it's not much different, I buy a monthly tram pass so it's cheaper overall even if I use it so no real cost saving as it's more expensive to buy for the days I use.

Bike will take another year to pay off but I use it loads more than any other bike at the moment so it was a good N+1

basically yes no maybe probably

Ive built up an old road bike into a hack about commuter for a 22 mile round trip. I try to do it at least a couple of times a week but have failed miserably over the winter; spring is now fully in the air so I have no excuse.

Why get a new bike? There are plenty of quality second hand ones out there for a steal.

Why? Bike fitness. With a toddler, any riding is good riding. It takes the same time on a bike as it does in the car on a good day and I don’t get stuck in jams. Reduced cost in petrol and wear and tear on the car. Also, it’s better for environment (one less car etc). The only genuine downside I can think of is you’re more exposed in traffic and you breathe more exhaust fumes. But both can be mitigated by picking a less busy route.

So, STW commuters – why do YOU commute by cycle?

It's quicker, cheaper, healthier and less stressful than driving.

Are you intending to throw the bike away after 3 years?

Get an electric bike for that distance. The physical/mental health benefits, time efficiency and reliability of cycling far outweigh the financial. For some people it's probably the most fun part of their working day. I have a fun job and a fun commute!

I've always used a bike for town riding and commuting, since I was a student. So as my bikes became more expensive and I became more affluent I needed a 'cheap' bike. Mine was £400 and it's absolutely fine for commuting and shopping. Ok so it's heavy but there's no real penalty anywhere else. You sure as heck don't need a £1500 bike, you tart 🙂

I do it because I hate being bound to a car; I hate driving in traffic; in London I hate rush hour tube; I love the exercise and simply being outside; and it's better for the environment. It's a great way to work fitness into your day. If I have to drive 30 mins each way that's an hour I've lost, whereas if I'm riding I can get two hours riding in for only one extra hour out of my day.

When I was a cycle commuter it made it practical for us to be a one car rather than a two car family. The cost of a (cheapo hybrid) bike is just background noise in the cost of running a car.

Working shifts some of my most enjoyable cycling was riding through traffic free back streets after midnight or along the canal towpath at dusk or dawn. And the effortless maintenance of fitness. If you know you are riding to work then there is no need to plan a ride or worry about the weather. You just go.

I enjoyed the odd training course where I went up to 18-20 miles each way and had to find different routes. Crossing a decent sized city - Glasgow from side to side there is a vast choice routes.

450 quid for 6900 kms of pleasure over 3 years sounds like an absolute bargain to me. Who wouldn't want to begin and end their day riding through those fields?

I commute by bike every day, year-round. I take my boys to before-school club and kindy four days a week, and collect them on the other day. Even though it's only a few hundred metres it's quality time with them outdoors, we often see and talk about wildlife, play games and so on. Plus we do it in all weathers, so they are totally on-board with the idea that you can do stuff outdoors even when it's cold/raining.

My commute after that is only 5km though, half of which is on a pleasant shared path along the banks of the estuary. Once I'm back on the road it's the last section into town which is busy with cars and I can sail past in the cycle lane 😁.

Generally though, I do it because being on a bike is almost always more enjoyable than being in a car.

I do a 10-12 mile each way commute, currently 2-3 days per week but likely to go up to 5 if my job changes as expected

1990s GT zaskar frame with rigid fork, 27.5" wheels and 42s on it

Perfect for the job and cost me "nothing"

I ****ing HATE commuting by car. My tolerance for dickheads had plummeted over the years and I just get wound up by it all. Even in the pissing rain my bike commute is twice as nice

Not planning on throwing the bike away after 3 years, I was looking at the basic costs but the residual value of the bike does bring it more into favour, hadn't factored that in!

An electric bike, now that would make it far more expensive! The 13 miles doesn't need one, takes 50 minutes on a fast rolling bike.

And yeah I don't 'need' a 1500 quid bike for this, but my thinking is that if I get something cheap, it'll make me want to use it less and I'll end up just using the car more. Even with a 500 quid bike (ignoring the bikes residual value) it's still no cheaper than driving.

So basically, for me:

It's slower than driving
It's more expensive than driving

But:

I'd be increasing my yearly mileage by 200%, minimum, going from 1000 miles per year on the mtb (I'm aiming for 2000 miles on the mtb this year but not sure I'll get there) to 3000 total minimum. So, fitness ++
To ride decent trails means driving somewhere so I'd have a bike suitable for local riding = even more miles.

So, if I put it another way: If commuting a few days a week by cycle was both more expensive (in the short term) and slower than driving, would you still do it?

450 quid for 6900 kms of pleasure over 3 years sounds like an absolute bargain to me. Who wouldn’t want to begin and end their day riding through those fields?

You know, that's a bloody brilliant way of looking at it.

So yeah, It'll cost me £450 over 3 years for 7000 miles of extra riding I wouldn't be doing otherwise.

£12.50 a month, cheaper than a gym membership.

I think that's sold it.

my thinking is that if I get something cheap, it’ll make me want to use it less

Have you had a look at inexpensive commuter bikes lately? They're pretty decent. I am used to nice bikes but as I say my commuter is fine. There is something very liberating about riding a cheap bike for transport. You lock it up, you don't worry about it, you stick mudguards and a rack on it. I even have a frame mount for my lock - which is highly convenient! It has SPD/flat combo pedals too which are great for general use. I'm considering a chain guard and a kickstand too!

It's the fastest, easiest way for me to get to work and I get a bit of exercise at least 5 days a week without having to think about it.
Most of all, I enjoy cycling and being stuck in a car twice a day would really depress me.

So, if I put it another way: If commuting a few days a week by cycle was both more expensive (in the short term) and slower than driving, would you still do it?

It's nearly always slower for me. This last job, commuting between Cardiff and Newport was an exception.

If it were more expensive - well, that's a difficult question to pose as I cannot see how it would be. I just spent £250 on my car for example. I would make it cheaper to cycle by not buying £1500 bikes, for a start!

When I have to drive or use public transport to and from work it doesn't really seem like I've finished work till I get home. When I cycle - which at the moment is everyday - I feel like I've finished work as soon as I'm in the saddle.
Besides, what could you possible spend your money on that would be better than a bike?

You know, that’s a bloody brilliant way of looking at it.

Even better I shortchanged you by 60%? by quoting in kms.

I spent way more than that on playing soccer every year when I was able to do it as much as I wanted to and it was much less than you are getting.

You could also rerun the math using the costs per mile put out by various organisations for cars. I think that will make your sums closer, since it factors wear and tear, depreciation etc.

Curious what bike you are thinking of? CdF are available cheaper than your figure and can take 650 up to 2" Tyre, for instance.

Have a10 mile each way commute ,9 of which is towpath,work 4 on 4 off so only have to do it 4 days a week the main reason I do it is because it saves having a second car ,bike I normally get through c2w ,a new one every other year and it still works out cheaper than average ved and diesel for the same trip ,don't know how but our company's c2w there has been no signing of extended rental and no extra payments at the end of the year so it's a win win (+ we have £1200 to spend )

It’s quicker, cheaper, healthier and less stressful than driving.

I **** HATE commuting by car

would make it cheaper to cycle by not buying £1500 bikes

These things! On the latter for example, I'm about to out up for sale a very good condition CX/commuter bike with only about 100 miles on the drivetrain.... For in the region of 300 quid. There's your cost difference sorted right there! There are a lot of second hand mint condition bikes that have gone little used with folk with good intentions...

For the last ~15 years, my commute has been under 6 miles each way, but for ~5 of them (until ~Xmas 2011) I drove and the queuing in rush hour used to kill me a little everyday, using the bus for a while after my RTA was almost but not quite as bad.

Cycling not only helps me wake up in the morning; it gets me outdoors in the elements for at at least 40mins each work day; it helps a little with fitness; de-stress from work on the way home; it also gets me home almost as quick as I could drive it even though I now finish early afternoon etc.

~26 miles a day, five days a week takes some commitment, but there are some on here that do that and more... Prawny for example, rides ~40 per day on a fairly hilly route.

My car journey is usually about 25 mins crawling the 4.5 miles to work in traffic. I either park a 15 min walk from work for free (in a
Slightly ropey place to leave the car) or pay £15 to park for the day.

If I cycle a similar route it’s 20-25 mins door to door and there are shower facilities at work.

I can also extend the cycle to between 8.5 - 16 miles each way using the Bristol-Bath cycle path and different routes to get to it.

I’ve never worked out the cost but on the basis my previous bike to work racer was with me for 7 years it must have worked out cheaper than fuel and parking costs even with cycle clothes. Bike was £1k new on C2W scheme.

Current bike was £1475 and will likely be my C2W bike for many years to come so imagine much the same result.

So it’s firstly for convenience and close followed by extra cycling miles / fitness then 3rd it’s probably cheaper.

Why wouldn't you do it? I can't do it atm and I really miss it.

It's quicker by far for me - my 8.5 mile commute can take 50mins in a car (although in school holidays There's less of a difference).
Its my only reliable exercise at the moment.
It's cheaper.
It's better for the environment.
It's fun (sometimes) and only rarely unpleasant.

When I can, it's quicker, cheaper, healthier and less stressful than driving.

How do you make the car so cheap?

Surely you are looking at depreciation, tax, service, not, tyres, insurance.... Even if you own it and won't get rid, most cars are 30-50p a mile...?

I don't save a huge amount cycling to work as we already have the car. Trying to decide if we can go down to one car which would be a good saving but that has additional complications (namely reducing my cycling at weekends and the ability to go other places).

I enjoy the cycle to work and it only costs me about 10 mins compared to the car which for the fitness gain is worth it. It is nice to go home as I don't queue in traffic. Not much saving in the morning as traffic is very quiet (if driving I leave at 6am).

Started commuting by bike just after MCJnr was born. Realised I'd driven to work so tired after yet another sleepless night that I probably wasn't safe on the roads.

Then when they were toddlers, it was the only way of getting miles in, didn't seem fair for MrsMC to have to deal with them all day 6 days a week when I was working and riding.

Now I only get to fit it in one day a week, but it is so worth it, clearing my head on the way in and out of work, seeing the seasons change along the canals. Best part of my working week those Tuesday commutes.

The bike has evolved as commuting use has changed - no longer full guards and panniers, now a regular gravel bike I can use for regular, er, gravel riding!

I have a mtb, a road bike and a rigid 29er. It covers everything I need so I can ride with friends or on my own, keep fit and healthy. I can't stand going to a gym so I justify the cost as its my hobby.

I cycle to work but as I already own the bikes I don't count them as a cost, everything is paid for.

Everytime I cycle to work I save 20 miles in petrol but this is irrelevant to me.

Cycling to work is about riding my bike, staying fit, doing miles my friends can't so I can keep up with them on a Sunday. Since I had mini D it's about getting miles in around daddy duties!

Occasionally I'm really p###ed off at work. 50 minutes later when I get home all my worries are gone and my wife is none the wiser and I don't bring my problems home. I've also cycled in the daylight rather coming home, getting changed and going out with lights on.

My bike is a 2nd saracen Avro, full carbon and discs. Cost £600 3 years ago off ebay. There are so many bargains out there, especially n+1 bikes ridden less than 100 miles.

If you are thinking about money first then maybe its not for you? Perhaps you should start cheaper, see if you stick to it, if you do upgrade, if you don't sell it on.

If you are stressed riding a bike really does clear it. . Stress is a triggering of your fight and flight reflex but if you are at work you rarely can fight or run away. You burn off the stress hormones when you cycle.
We are all recommended to exercise most days. Commuting by bike gives you that exercise without having to actually do an activity like going to the gym.

It is one of the best things you can do for your health,

13 miles each way here, so a similar distance.
It’s not cheaper as I have a train pass and on the days I commute (2 or 3 days per week) I still have the pass.
It’s about the same in terms of time, marginally slower but not much in it at all.
So why do I do it? Partly as I enjoy it, partly out of habit, partly as it’s “free” exercise. Like most, I’m pretty time poor, so fitting in 90 min of exercise in a day can be tough, this means I can do so without really taking extra time out of my day.

Sounds like OP's made his mind up, but if you need any more help: buy the bike you want for the local riding. That's done, cost has been sunk. Now help pay for it by riding it to work rather than driving!

It keeps me fit

It keeps me in better shape

I arrive at work energised

It saves on fuel

It prevents pollution

There's a certain spot where I whizz along on some singletrack, able to see the queue of traffic I would be sitting in

I can hone my MTB skills to an extent

It tunes you into seasonal changes

It's a good example to my tech-addicted kids

It has inspired at least one colleague to start an occasional bike commute

It is monday morning, just got to the clients office I feel great (it wont last but I get to cycle home again tonight)

21 mile 1hr 40 cycle no delayed trains, people coughing on me, traffic jams and the sun was shining what is not to like. With a young family I could never justify 9 hours a week in the saddle otherwise.

Just on the bike if it’s purely for commuting (if you’re planning to use it for fun as well than on a cost basis factor that in) then have a look at a Boardman cx bike for much less money and just change the tyres if you don’t like them. If you can do it on C2W then it’s even cheaper.

Yeah this thread has helped, I will of course look out for a bargain used bike but I probably will end up getting something new - n+1, shiny things and all that 😀

Most likely it will be a Ribble CGR, the new place does have C2W but obviously I'll need to wait until I've done my probation for that.

I'm only including fuel as I already own the car and pay for ved, insurance, tyres, servicing etc. doing an extra 2000 miles a year isn't going to increase those costs, the extra fuel is the primary cost.

Even better I shortchanged you by 60%? by quoting in kms.

Yeah lol, tbh I managed to add some miles, it was late. 6000 miles over 3 years is the right figure.

The fitness increase will mean a massive boost to my mtb riding and its probably the cheapest way of doing it, getting a smart trainer would be more, and far less enjoyable.

Is it purely cost? Definitely cost. £20K pay cut from my last job to this, so it's useful not to have to use any fuel, or put wear & tear on the car.
Or is it to beat traffic Yes, definitely this too - half hour into work by bike - 20mins by car
get fitter Of course
get more miles on the bike Not really, don't particularly enjoy road miles
or just enjoy some fresh air for 2 hours rather than be stuck in a car for an hour every day? - Now this, probably as much as the cost - my stress levels go through the roof in the car, so best avoided really.

+ not being one of those lot... You know, sat in their cars every sodding day as part of their day. That part of my day is out in the country(ish) on my own, waving at cows and ducks. Big feel-good factor involved.

Why do I do it?
It's free (near as dammit). Second hand Ribble Audax bike £320. Running costs negligible.
It's free training. Twenty two hilly miles is enough to give a worthwhile ride. Can extend if feeling keen.
One less car. This one has become increasingly relevant to me. Less money spent on fuel. Less pollution. Just a bit less killing the planet.
Its riding a bike - what's not to like?

It’s as quick as driving (and quicker when the traffic is bad), there’s no parking at work anyway, it’s much less stressful and it’s fun! And if I take the long way in I can ride some awesome short DH tracks.

As it’s hilly here the eMTB speeds it up whilst being fun - I would probably be as fast on a proper road bike but I wouldn’t enjoy that as much or feel as safe (or be hitting jumps and drops on the way in...)

And we only have one car, if I had it sitting at work it would really restrict the rest of my family.

because I love it
because it keeps me sane
because it makes me, me.......... ;o)

on my 36th year as a cycle commuter this year.

It's

a) just as quick as public transport,
b) cheaper than buying a ticket - I live inside the London PAYG zone so don't have a travel pass.
c) easy to have a quick jaunt around Richmond Park on the way home.
d) I definitely wouldn't get home and spend two hours on the bike if I'd commuted by train/tube.

when I did commute - it was reliable time, not at mercy of buses or cars (in town, yuk) and got the exercise for free. and in the end probably cheaper than car.

I do it for the environment - if a confident cyclist can't cycle to work how do we expect the general public to drop their cars?

Fyi my commuter is a genesis vapour cx bike for £172 off eBay. Perfectly capable of everything you describe

When I commuted, 21km each way, it was roughly the same time as driving in to work but about ten minutes longer coming home as it was uphill on the way back. That time wasn't rushing as there were no showers at work so I had to take it steady. No idea on the cost of driving as I only drove to work half a dozen times in the five years I was there and that was due to having to carry equipment.

If I didn't cycle then I got the train, the office was eight minutes' walk from the station, which was £6.50 return so that's my comparative cost. £6.50 x 5 x 48 = £1560 per annum. The weekly train pass didn't work out cheaper as it assumed you'd use it on Saturdays as well. I never looked at the annual pass because I cycled - just checked, the annual pass is £2,280! that's because my nearest station is outside the Metro area so cheaper to get day tickets.

You can get a ruddy nice bike for £2200

Because cycling is faster than walking or driving through traffic, and cheaper (and less smelly) than public transport.
I use my 25 year old road bike which long ago depreciated to almost nothing and has cost me £45 over the last year (1 new tyre, set of new brake pads, new batteries for the lights, and a replacement BB).

I think a point other people are alluding to is that whilst there's nothing wrong with getting a nice bike to do it, that's not the cost of commuting by bike, that's the cost of n+1 - nothing wrong with that, you're right that you don't want a horrendous bike to commute on but with decent tyres and riding position pretty much anything will do the job. I do confess that I look forward to days I don't have any luggage and the weather suits my summer bike though.

I do it because I like it, it saves me a lot of money in fuel and parking (or public transport) which more than pays for itself. It means I can have a pint on my way home and not worry about drinking and driving, or even chuck the bike on the train if I have a skinfull.

I see a bit of nature every day. Nice morning today, so I went along the canal (about 7 of my 11 miles this morning I reckon were canal towpath).

It gets me fit - I'm fitter than I've ever been. To really get the fitness out of it you do have to have the motivation to hammer it, but if you don't have this you'll still be getting a good base fitness.

It's less stressful than driving.

I get to smugly ride past my neighbours when it's a crisp frosty day and they are clearing the frost off their windscreens.

I get to work generally in a lower state of stress and ready to work.

I like that it's nicer to the environment too, and back when I was with my ex it saved us on the ownership of one car.

fitness/health - even riding the most polluted roads is healthier than sitting in a car
Fun, compared to sat in a car
quicker than the bus (deffo quicker than the car)
you can go for a pint after work and not stress about driving & beer
the planet needs fewer cars

Also, don't worry about an expensive bike, I got an ali frame vitus zenium with apex 1x11 and it's ace, it was 900quid which is about the most I'd justify on an everyday bike. Secondhand is definitely the way to go, the only reason I didn't was because I needed one quick as I ride 5 days a week and I'm kinda tied to the bike

I get to smugly ride past my neighbours when it’s a crisp frosty day and they are clearing the frost off their windscreens.

Well, I like cycle commuting, but clearing frost off a car takes about 90 seconds at most, far quicker than getting changed at work!

Putting health and environmental reasons to one side for a second, I’m really struggling to see how cycling can be more expensive than driving in this context...

I don't have a car so my choice is cycle commute or use public transport. And I don't very much like people and their habits/behaviour on public transport.

Well, I like cycle commuting, but clearing frost off a car takes about 90 seconds at most, far quicker than getting changed at work!

You cannot defeat smugness with your pointless facts! 😀

I do 20 miles give or take 2 or 3 days a week (of a 4 day week) & been riding an original Cotic Roadrat for the last 11 years or so (at least 30,000 miles and counting - the frame that will not die). Prior to that a couple of cheap road bikes, never anything expensive. The Rat has has had some new bits as stuff has worn out, and obviously has consumables, but it owes me nowt. I can't see how riding can EVER be more expensive than driving, unless you're commmuting on some 10 grand wonder bike. Even then I doubt it would cost more.

Anyway:
Why - free exercise that I wouldn't necessarily get otherwise as I have 3 young kids. I don't really like driving. Cost. It's a bit greener. I love being outside 🙂

I think seeing it as reducing the cost of a 2nd bike, rather than increasing the cost of commuting is an excellent way of justifying the cost 😀 rather than building a light hardtail, I'll get something more suitable for road miles and light off road.

I would have been looking at getting a 2nd bike at some point this year anyway, so every tank of fuel I don't have to pay for because I'm doing the miles on the bike will reduce the amount the new bike has cost me.

The fitness benefits should be huge too, the regular miles will massively help vs the weekend riding in currently doing. And in turn will increase my enjoyment when I'm out on the mtb 🙂

I have cycle commuted for the best part of 25 years now, taking in a variety of route's, distances and pros and cons.

I currently have two jobs, and one 26 mile hilly road round trip to one, and a 12 mile flat round run on cycle paths to the other. At nearly 47 I'm quite glad to balance the shorter with the longer.

Primarily, I do it for health and fitness and having had 3 kids it has always given me time to ride. It's definitely cheaper for me, but I don't really ever recall working out a figure on that. I work irregular shifts so have good scope for extending the ride's when I want. I love this time of year, starting to catch a bit of sun, and this mornings ride was a total pleasure. But I don't have to go back many weeks to pulling my bike out of the garage in freezing rain at 4am, and just thinking why the **** do I put myself through this. I think it's something you have to find your own balance with.

I love this time of year, starting to catch a bit of sun, and this mornings ride was a total pleasure. But I don’t have to go back many weeks to pulling my bike out of the garage in freezing rain at 4am, and just thinking why the **** do I put myself through this. I think it’s something you have to find your own balance with.

My shifts will be primarily 7am to 3:30pm (which I'm not planning to use the bike for as it would mean being out of bed by 5:45am, I'm not a morning person!) and 11:30am to 8pm which is the one I'll be cycling on. A nice relaxed mid-morning ride in the sun, leaving about 10am will be great in the summer. Then followed by an evening ride, 8pm to 9pm, with some nighttime light off road later in the year 😀

On the early shift I'll be able to get out in the afternoon for an hour 2 as well.

And yes, on the days when it's peeing it down, or it's sub zero, I'll be using the car! I'll also do the odd commute on my motorbike, so a nice mixture of commuting methods will be used!

Commuting on your bike is another step away from unconscious living. Was thinking this morning, all those people sat in 40k cars are mad, for a variety of reasons, suspect they thought I was mad also.

This is the best time of year to start

AS my commutes have always been urban one of the real joys is overtaking dozens of cars ( on occasion hundreds) and getting to work much quicker than if I drove

Spend half what you're thinking about spending on something like this

https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bikes/hybrid-bikes/boardman-hyb-8-6-hybrid-bike-grey

Have commuted by bike for about 15 years, basically because:
1. I enjoy it
2. A great way to de-stress (in a previous job i never realised how stressed I was half of the time because the bike ride home got rid of it)
3. Keep fit
4. Save money

Current commute is either a minimum of 10 miles direct route by road (only tend to do when in a hurry or weather really bad) or 10 miles direct offroad (canal towpath with only last mile on roads in city center)

In reality though I tend to average about 13 miles each way most days but will often up the distance, just because I can and want to.
I miss it when I don't do it - just back on it after 3 weeks off following a crash on way home.

I've NRATS but:

cheapest bike I’d want (£1120) after 3 years of commuting. With a nicer bike that would make the commute a bit easier

Your demand is fairly high, the proper cost would be depreciation plus benefits of the other riding you might use the bike for I'd say. I doubt £450 is going to make it any faster/easier also.

Me: I have the bike already (1 of 5), am happy to spend on it too as it gets the most use, it's cheaper, more enjoyable, better for me and planet.

merlin do a gravel bike for 650quid, the planet x ali cross bike the XLA looks good value too

Why?

I hate people. Travelling by subway would kill my soul and bus is not much better. Cycling means I have only myself in my immediate area and I get to hammer round town on my bike.

I also save about 40-60 SEK a day and kill 250 kCal. What's not to like?

Sitting in traffic seems like such a pointless waste of time. I commute between Northampton and Milton Keynes which is the stretch of the M1 currently undergoing an upgrade to smart motorway. Traffic both on the motorway and on the lanes between the 2 towns is horrendous. On a good day the bike ride is a few minutes longer. On a really bad day the bike is a lot quicker and I am not exactly a racing snake.

On a bike, I know how long the commute is going to take to within a couple of minutes. Weather makes a bit of a difference, traffic a marginal amount but basically, I know it'll be an hour regardless of what time of day I do it.

If i drive, it could be anything from 35 minutes (that's exceptional but possible) to 2hrs (again, exceptional but not unknown).

I'm free, not dictated to by traffic or roadworks or train cancellations / overcrowding. I've altered my route home to ride part way with a friend or to explore a new road or trail, I've taken the quick route, I've used it to accumulate distance or height gain for Strava targets. It's what I make it, not just some mundane act of sitting on the same roads in the same queues of traffic.

I'm off the commute at the moment, but when I'm on it I do it because it's the most pleasant least unpleasant method of getting to work. It costs more than the train, it takes slightly longer and is harder work and more faff. But I really don't like the train.

I was feeling tired and vulnerable over the winter though so I've taken a break for a while and I'm going out for fun more.

How can cycling cost more than the train?

2 main reasons for me at the moment - it's free and I really do not fancy driving into Manchester centre. I've been doing the commute 2 or 3 times a week for a year now (I work from home the other days), used public transport a few times but driven 0. I'm not sure I'd say I enjoy it as it's straight down a busy main route and it hurts but I enjoy it more than I would driving.

About to move a lot further away which will give me an 18 mile each way commute almost entirely on canal path. I'm looking forward to that, although will have to buy an ebike to do it - I struggle to walk after the 4 miles commute I have now. Might take the train when it's icy though.

Simple. Because driving sucks balls...

Cheers!
I.

Whilst I like cycling around in pointless circles on expensive machinery as much as the next forumite, don't underestimate the simple pleasure of getting somewhere you need to be under your own power for very little money.

Don't forget to factor in extra food into your cost calculations though...

I cycle 5 miles each way. It's loads quicker than the bus, slightly quicker than the car (parking is very expensive).
I don't especially enjoy my commute if I'm being honest, but the time/health/cost benefits are what make it worthwhile. If I didn't cycle I'd probably get a 125cc Scooter/motorbike to commute on.

Bike wise I found the year-round biking just destroyed the drivetrain and brakes. I tend to max out the C2W allowance (often not for commuting 🙊) but my latest bike is a £1k C2W Gazelle Cityzen, bought because it's practical and virtually maintenance-free (belt drive, 8 speed hub, hydraulic discs, rack, chain guard etc. etc.). I don't like it though. But it is practical (and zero maintenance since October other than pumping up the tyres)

Bike wise I found the year-round biking just destroyed the drivetrain and brakes. I tend to max out the C2W allowance (often not for commuting 🙊) but my latest bike is a £1k C2W Gazelle Cityzen, bought because it’s practical and virtually maintenance-free (belt drive, 8 speed hub, hydraulic discs, rack, chain guard etc. etc.). I don’t like it though. But it is practical (and zero maintenance since October other than pumping up the tyres)

Having done motorbike commuting for a few years, year round - I can easily imagine that. 200 miles a week through winter would not only cake the bike in grime but also kit too.

Come winter I'll do dry days, I'm under no impression that I'll be commuting by cycle when it's sub zero or wet. I have a 4wd, comfy car for those days.

Been commuting for 4 years now, work is 4 miles away, somewhere dry to store bike while I’m at work. I do shifts so early shift it’s quicker by car, any other shift it’s half the time by bike. Work not far from jag/landrover so they clog up the road at there shift patterns, there’s a religous building so Friday at 1-2pm the roads are full, the bike is the most sensible.

I had a cheap specialized crosstrail first year, somehow when moved it didn’t survive, got another better spec one lasted 3 years that’s just been retired and replaced with an orange speedwork. I have a better bike to encourage me to ride further after work. On those nice sunny days it does the trick.

It’s faster, cheaper and less faff for me to drive. But I cycle 2 or 3 times a week purely because I have a 2 year old and a 4 month old and it’s the only time I get to ride my bike.

It means walking 20mins to nursery pushing my bike with one hand and pram with the other (have to do that so my wife can use pram in return journey) and then off I go on a lovely 13 mile cross country ride.

I’m usually late for work and late home meaning a bit of grumbling from both parties but I’ve got myself some riding so it’s all worth the bother 🙂

Because I'm a cyclist

I do 7 miles each way which I do almost always 5 days a week, there are many reasons why...

1. Fitness - I've been regularly commuting by bike now for 5 1/2 years and it's definitely improved my general fitness
2. No traffic (I live in Milton Keynes) so it's majority on the redways (separated from the roads) - it always takes me just less than 30 minutes each way
3. The environment - we all need to get out of our cars more and this is me doing my bit
4. The cost - the bike costs very little to keep running - usually a pair of tyres every 18 months, brake blocks a few tubes and every so often a derailleur, chain etc. My bike is a (roughly) 13 year old Cube which I got originally on cycle to work, it's not worth alot now (was about £950 new) and I've definitely more than had my moneys worth
5. Fresh air and seeing wildlife - Woodpeckers are quite a regular site and I've even seen an otter

I'm another one doing 4 mile each way commutes. Very bad weather combined with heavy cold is usually what causes me to take the car, or fractured wrist a few years ago (but then I couldn't drive either).

5 years ago (was it?) I decided it was my bit for the environment, plus the challenge of cycling to work everyday all year round through all weathers. I ditched my own car and share my partner's, so if I do need it, it has to be convenient to her.

There's no challenge in my commute any more as now it's just a normal part of my day and I enjoy it. There's scope to play around on the bike on the way home, explore different routes, take different bikes, it doesn't have to be a chore.

I’ll echo much of the sentiments above, especially Ton, ‘because it’s what makes me me’.
After finishing rugby and getting fat (I like beer me), started riding every day, 10 hilly miles each way.
Improved my life no end, for reasons explained above by others, best life decision ever !

tjagain

Member
How can cycling cost more than the train?

Not every month, but over a 20 mile each way commute the maintenance and worn clothing costs mount up quickly. A set of wheels every couple of years, tyres every six months, I'd get 3 months to a chain of I'm lucky, 5 pairs of shorts per year or two plus the bike.

Also, my train is very cheap, direct debit pass into Birmingham is just over £70.

Cheers all, I would add that I turn 38 in less than 2 months time so the fitness thing is a big deal, I'm not in bad shape at the moment but there's always improvements to be had.

@prawny - £70 a month? That's ridiculously cheap for any train ticket, for my new commute covering 11 miles by road, not into or out of a city, it's £132 a month.

bear in mind a £1k bike is much better quality/design/construction than a £1k car.

Ransos pretty much covers my reasons, but I'll also add that it's more reliable/predictable than the traffic/car in Bristol.

My car does 27mpg (at best), it's 1.7 tonnes. My commute totals ~ 7000miles per year.

In November 2014, I built my Niner RLT which cost about £1900. So far, I've done about 22k miles on it. I've bought 2 new tyres, 1 set of pads and a service kit for the Alfine...oh and some bar tape. £100. My car has done about 2000 miles per year since then. By my estimates, I've saved about £4500 in fuel over 4 years. £800 in tyres and £600 in servicing. My insurance is also cheaper. So about £6k. That's a net gain of after the second year of ~£1300 a year...but I do eat more...which is another benefit. 🙂