I bought a cycle to reduce my travelcard costs. Let’s tot up my total cycling costs to date (which is since May 2007).
Bicycle, mudguards, helmet and lock £350
Pedals Free (thanks Paul W!)
Shoes and pump x 2 (first one was nicked!) £66
Baby seat £80
Leg warmers £8
Rain Jacket £45
Shorts £40
2 technical t-shirts £40
1 long sleeve base layer £13
1 technical long sleeve top and 1 t-shirt £17
Puncture repair kit £4
Cleaner and lube £20
Degreaser £5
Bottle cage and bottle £8
Light set £22
2 lightweight jackets, bib tights, winter jacket from Aldi £30
3/4 length shorts – £11
Padded under shorts £10
Ronhill Bikester Winter tights £23
I have probably missed something out but the total cost is £792 which works out at £132 per month(the 6 months from May to October)! Of course most of these costs are one-offs, in fact in terms of servicing costs I have only spent £29 which is a respectful £7 per month. There are other savings too. Petrol costs have been reduced by using the bike instead of car at weekends.
So the real question is how long (assuming I don’t buy anything else) before I have ‘broken even’? So far I have saved £240 so that leaves £552.
I am saving £40 per month using the bicycle to commute so all the above costs will have been recouped in another 13 months in November 2008!