How Cycling to Work Can Save You Money

Cycling has been around for hundreds of years, with even supposed sketches of a bicycle-esque contraption dating as far back as the 1300s. It’s a healthy alternative to the internal combustion engine we’ve all grown so fond of, and is one of the best ways to travel moderate distances.

One such distance might be the daily commute to and from work. People usually opt for cars which does provide speed and comfort, but at what cost? If the commute to work is short enough, why not bike it?

Buying a bike

The hardest part of taking up cycling has to be the prices. With fancy frames, variable wheel sizes, v-brakes, disc brakes, transmission systems etc. a medium class bike can amount to a couple hundred dollars. While this might seem like too much for a bike, it is worth noting that the entirety of the bike costs less than one car down payment.

The beautiful thing about bikes is that once it’s bought, you’re good to go – no fees, no monthly bills, no insurance and no registration; just you and your brightly-colored helmet.

Additional equipment

One of the beautiful things about cycling is that additional equipment usually costs just a couple of bucks. Whether you decide to upgrade or outright buy something new for your bike, it’s usually going to cost between $15-50. Whatever is needed, it’s readily available and in 9 out of 10 cases, the owner can handle the installation himself. And for cycling to work, most of the additional equipment isn’t even needed, as long as it’s working and you have the energy, it’s good to go.

Maintenance

It’s no surprise that cars cost a lot, from the asking price, to insurance, to registration costs, to exhaust tests, scarcity of usable parts for some brands…the list just goes on and on. On the other hand, we have a bicycle that is essentially a few tubes of aluminum on wheels, whose maintenance is a breeze which requires little to no investment.

Popped a tire? Brakes aren’t aligned? Pedal fell off? Not a problem, all of this can be solved for the cost of a single headlamp replacement.

Health benefits

This is more of a general plus than a money saver, but it does prevent a lot of trips to the local physician. By constantly running your body through the works and making it actively participate in the trip to work, you can essentially toss out the gym membership altogether.

Investing in good road bikes and/or mountain bikes will pay off more than any gym, simply due to the necessity of work. It turns these bad boys into an everyday part of our lives, minimizing the possibility of skipping a workout and forcing us to ride it back as opposed to taking public transport.

Conclusion

Bikes truly are amazing. When compared to other methods of local transit, they win by a longshot. Their effective cost makes them accessible to everyone, they do not pollute the air, maintenance costs amount to a couple of bucks every few months.

When put side by side with just the costs of a minimum of two drives five days a week, it adds up. It honestly is a no-brainer, unless work is a couple of miles away, choosing a bike is the only reasonable option. Just be careful not to spend what you saved on another bike, cycling can get addicting.

Tags: Cycling

Category: Family Finances