Author Topic: 4 years of biking to work  (Read 3446 times)

hoppy08520

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4 years of biking to work
« on: October 29, 2016, 10:07:54 AM »
In my early days of discovering Mr. Money Mustache, I was especially inspired by his blog post Get Rich With Bikes from 2011, and MMM's post helped motivate me to get me started.

Since I started biking to work just over four years ago, I sold our extra car (my wife and I have one vehicle for both of us) and have logged around 7,500 miles biking to work (6.2 miles each way). I believe I have saved at least $6,000 since then, and project to save at least $2,000 annually. I probably save even more than that because it's harder to go on spendy excursions after work when you have a bike. I'm happier, healthier, stronger, leaner, and less stressed.

I started biking to work in my mid 40's. Although I biked a lot as a teen and in college, I had hardly gotten on a bike for two decades before I began riding daily to work, and while I wasn't a total sedentary couch potato, I wasn't much of an athlete earlier. So if I can do this, then anyone can.

bmiles62

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Re: 4 years of biking to work
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2016, 06:40:07 PM »
This is awesome and 4 years is truly inspiring! I am actually buying an ebike this week and hope to ride to work starting Friday. My trip is 35 miles round trip and I finally faced the fact that I was not going to be able to ride that every day on my regular bike. (Weak I know.) Last year I drove my car half way and rode my bike the rest but it was a pain in the butt at best. I really hope this bike will actually lead to better fitness even though I am getting some help along the way.  I have to admit it feels a bit like cheating at this point. Getting rid of second car would truly be amazing! Anyway thanks for the post. It may have just been what this 54 year old needed to make this happen. :)

moof

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Re: 4 years of biking to work
« Reply #2 on: October 29, 2016, 06:42:28 PM »
Awesome!

I've been hit and miss over my 17 years of working, though only fully stopping for one year when I had a 20 mile commute, but several stretches dropping down to only a couple times a month.  Last summer I got shamed badly by sucking wind on a company sponsored lunch ride.  Since then I have steadily built up to about 80% biking.  The last two skipped days were due to running 7.5 miles home after biking in and needing to drive back in, and then a week later getting a flat on the way in and having to repeat the run home due to forgetting my bike tools at home.  Reading MMM added a layer of devotion I needed to stick with it.  Now it is not too bad to bike in, bike to ultimate frisbee at lunch, then bike home for a 24 mile day plus the half hour of frisbee.

I have not taken the step of selling the spare vehicles, might never.  They are not worth much.

I don't think I have netted any actual savings, but am in much better fitness/health.  I have sunk about $2.5k over the last 10 years in bikes, fenders, lights, clothes, tires, tubes, locks, tools, pumps, helmets, shoes, wheel, etc.  I am just shy of 5k miles in that time, so about the same 50 cents a miles I figure for vehicles.  I also eat more due to all the burned calories, but I don't really count that.

HenryDavid

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Re: 4 years of biking to work
« Reply #3 on: October 30, 2016, 07:47:17 AM »
Smart way to live! The fresh air alone is fantastic, but you're surely saving more than you think: parking? Repairs? Health costs you're avoiding?
I calculate that each time I bike or walk to work I get "paid" about $50 in avoided costs. But expensive work parking is one big part of that.
Being paid to bike never gets old  . . . .

BikeFanatic

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Re: 4 years of biking to work
« Reply #4 on: October 30, 2016, 09:02:24 AM »
Quote
This is awesome and 4 years is truly inspiring! I am actually buying an ebike this week and hope to ride to work starting Friday. My trip is 35 miles round trip and I finally faced the fact that I was not going to be able to ride that every day on my regular bike. (Weak I know.) Last year I drove my car half way and rode my bike the rest but it was a pain in the butt at best. I really hope this bike will actually lead to better fitness even though I am getting some help along the way.  I have to admit it feels a bit like cheating at this point.

35 miles round trip! That is badass Ebike or not.

I also save a ton biking and Ebiking to work. My R/T is ten miles and parking is 89 dollars a week.
I would never pay that, so i have been biking for 11 years and saved 4 grand a year. Realistically I though I would walk or bus it over driving, or try to park somewhere cheaper off site if i lived far from work.

highplainsdrifter

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Re: 4 years of biking to work
« Reply #5 on: October 30, 2016, 07:50:22 PM »
In my early days of discovering Mr. Money Mustache, I was especially inspired by his blog post Get Rich With Bikes from 2011, and MMM's post helped motivate me to get me started.

Since I started biking to work just over four years ago, I sold our extra car (my wife and I have one vehicle for both of us) and have logged around 7,500 miles biking to work (6.2 miles each way). I believe I have saved at least $6,000 since then, and project to save at least $2,000 annually. I probably save even more than that because it's harder to go on spendy excursions after work when you have a bike. I'm happier, healthier, stronger, leaner, and less stressed.

This is quite badass Hoppy! Badassity level 10.

I've recently started bike commuting to work this year. I just hit 1,000 miles of commuting (not counting the many joyus mountain bike miles I've put on this year too).

A 1,000 miles feels badass, but there I've spent quite a bit of money on the commuter bike, a lock, a seat bag, a new backpack, front and rear lights, a bike trailer and new pedals ($20 cheap ass ones, but better than what the bike came with) that I don't quite feel like I've saved any money yet. I think the original Get Rich With Bikes post stated that it costs about $.50 to drive so at 1,000 miles I've 'saved' around $500 in transportation costs. I've spent about $1,000 on all my gear so I've got another 1,000 miles to go to break even and get into some savings. Unless I get tempted by winter tires and fenders for Colorado's snowy season coming up here... I think I'm having a similar issue to Moof.

I don't think I have netted any actual savings, but am in much better fitness/health.  I have sunk about $2.5k over the last 10 years in bikes, fenders, lights, clothes, tires, tubes, locks, tools, pumps, helmets, shoes, wheel, etc.  I am just shy of 5k miles in that time, so about the same 50 cents a miles I figure for vehicles.

But the real reason I came here was to post how a Mustachian goes to refill his propane tank.


Ah yes! The workhorse is a beautiful thing