Bike commute and time value

[GuitarStv]

You keep mentioning that your butt hurts.  This leads me to believe that there's something wrong with your bike.  Properly adjusted you should be able to ride for 3-4 hours with no discomfort.

Some basic stuff to help you out:

..

I was mostly joking, but thanks for the ass-comfort recommendations. I rode to and from the gym once last week and my tailbone hurt pretty bad just from that. Think my seat is out of wack (leaning back?), but it's so rusted it's hard to adjust.. It's also definitely too low based on what you said. I've used those diaper-shorts before and they help so I'd need one of those. ANd maybe clip in bike shoes?

I grew up biking everywhere, up through college. But was never serious about it beyond transportation so not too into how it should be set up. And I cheaped out on a crappy bike so not sure that helps. I might need another thread on bikes if I decide to go through with this..

Clipless pedals/shoes are a whole different can of worms.

They let you put more power to the pedals and be well secured to your bike so it's impossible for a foot to slide off (although this isn't really an issue if you use studded downhill style flat pedals) and it becomes much easier to jump your bike over small obstacles.  The down side being that if you're not very comfortable already starting/stopping your bike they can be frustrating, they require special shoes that are often uncomfortable to walk around in, the special shoes fit pretty snugly so you need to buy overshoes for wet/cold weather, they're more expensive, until the unclipping motion becomes second nature you're at high risk of falling over at slow speeds and looking like an idiot, in the case of something unexpected happening (ice, snow, etc.) you're probably going to wipe out while attached to your bike because the unclipping action is slower than just putting a foot out.  :P

Don't get a new bike yet.  Use your crappy one for a while.  It will serve you for a while and really help you get a feel for exactly what kind of new bike you're looking for.  You can learn maintenance on it, knowing that if you really fuck something up it's not a huge loss.  Worst case scenario you can use it as a winter/bad weather bike or just sell it later.

[lackofstache]

I realize it won't be the case for everyone, but one cool thing about my situation is that my son's school is only a few blocks from work so I  can spend MORE time with him by biking. I've bought & sold various items to use for this & now have a tandem that my 7 year old son rides on the back of 2-3 times a week. It takes longer than driving, but is time well spent. It takes less time than his school bus or the city bus for me. Outside of health benefits & costs (it does save a lot over time if you consider you should own the car longer since you drive your car that many miles less per year) I agree with others it's a great way to get some mental ME time. My attitude is improved when I give myself time to ride (and I don't do it quickly, it's about 9.5 miles to work & takes 40-45 minutes). When I can't ride, I walk at lunch for 30 minutes, which works similarly well for my mood.

[Scandium]

I realize it won't be the case for everyone, but one cool thing about my situation is that my son's school is only a few blocks from work so I  can spend MORE time with him by biking. I've bought & sold various items to use for this & now have a tandem that my 7 year old son rides on the back of 2-3 times a week. It takes longer than driving, but is time well spent. It takes less time than his school bus or the city bus for me. Outside of health benefits & costs (it does save a lot over time if you consider you should own the car longer since you drive your car that many miles less per year) I agree with others it's a great way to get some mental ME time. My attitude is improved when I give myself time to ride (and I don't do it quickly, it's about 9.5 miles to work & takes 40-45 minutes). When I can't ride, I walk at lunch for 30 minutes, which works similarly well for my mood.

That's actually a thing I didn't mention. My son's daycare is ~1/2 mile in the wrong direction (work is 7 mi from daycare) and I drop off in the morning, my wife picks up. And his elementary school is just ~1 mi detour on my way to work. So especially once he starts school (4 years) I really want to drop him off by bike, rather than being those asshole parents idling in an SUV in line to pick up at school (Not that I own an SUV). That just seems so stupid and annoying.

So not sure it really counts as "family time" since we're biking, but a small part part of the commute would be with my son.

Of course at some point he can just walk the 1/2 mile himself, but how old do they have to be these days before that's allowed? 23?

[AlanStache]

As with lots of things it takes some time to build up the habit of biking to work.  Second the opinion of not getting new good bike yet, put some riding hours in and get a feel for it first.  Depending on the bikes state and your abilities maybe take it to a bike shop for a tune up, a good chain and inflated tires make a huge difference. 

[RidinTheAsama]

Being outside on a regular basis connects you very strongly to the seasons and the world as well.

That's why I drive a convertible sports car, which puts me in a far better mood than any bike ride ever could :)

Well kudos to you for driving with the top down in rain, snow, and biting cold.  Usually I only see people cruising around in them on sunny days . . .

Because biking in any of that is awesome. 

Yes, it is.

I have to agree with this.
I still get all the 'mood-enhancing' effects from my bike commute even when the rain is pouring down. 

It's a funny thing though, I still feel a brief moment of dread as I'm about to step out the door... Some instinct is telling me I'm about to enter an unpleasant situation.  But that completely disappears by the time I reach the end of my driveway, and I think to myself how foolish my hesitation was.  In my early days the dread came on earlier, and lasted longer into my ride.  I'm hoping that I will eventually ditch it all together.

[sheepstache]

It's interesting to me--and I know this is mostly because the OP was asking about it in the time-saving context, but it's still interesting to me that so many people view it as "you can bike instead of joining the gym" or "you save time because biking can replace your cardio" etc. Like, you can also just do it as extra exercise. The goal doesn't have to be to do the bare minimum of exercise.  (Personally I agree with the poster who said they like to bike because they hate being in the car.)

[jorjor]

Being outside on a regular basis connects you very strongly to the seasons and the world as well.

That's why I drive a convertible sports car, which puts me in a far better mood than any bike ride ever could :)

Well kudos to you for driving with the top down in rain, snow, and biting cold.  Usually I only see people cruising around in them on sunny days . . .

Because biking in any of that is awesome. 

Yes, it is.

I have to agree with this.
I still get all the 'mood-enhancing' effects from my bike commute even when the rain is pouring down. 

It's a funny thing though, I still feel a brief moment of dread as I'm about to step out the door... Some instinct is telling me I'm about to enter an unpleasant situation.  But that completely disappears by the time I reach the end of my driveway, and I think to myself how foolish my hesitation was.  In my early days the dread came on earlier, and lasted longer into my ride.  I'm hoping that I will eventually ditch it all together.

I believe the Velominati said it best in Rule #9 (NSFW language at the link, if you're worried about that type of thing: http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.

Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.

[sheepstache]

I believe the Velominati said it best in Rule #9 (NSFW language at the link, if you're worried about that type of thing: http://www.velominati.com/the-rules/

Rule #9 // If you are out riding in bad weather, it means you are a badass. Period.

Fair-weather riding is a luxury reserved for Sunday afternoons and wide boulevards. Those who ride in foul weather – be it cold, wet, or inordinately hot – are members of a special club of riders who, on the morning of a big ride, pull back the curtain to check the weather and, upon seeing rain falling from the skies, allow a wry smile to spread across their face. This is a rider who loves the work.

Or, somewhat more pithily: "There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing."

[jorjor]

It's interesting to me--and I know this is mostly because the OP was asking about it in the time-saving context, but it's still interesting to me that so many people view it as "you can bike instead of joining the gym" or "you save time because biking can replace your cardio" etc. Like, you can also just do it as extra exercise. The goal doesn't have to be to do the bare minimum of exercise.  (Personally I agree with the poster who said they like to bike because they hate being in the car.)

I look at it as "I'm going to ride X hours this week, I might as well do some of them during my commute." I have to get to and from work anyway, so I might as well take care of two things. Like I said though, I'll often add-on. My 25-30 minute ride home is often 60+ minutes.

[Tyson]

Part of why I like my eBike so much is that (while most of the time I use it as a regular bike), whenever I need to get somewhere fast or get somewhere with little/no sweat, I can just push the button and the motor takes over to a large extent.  If I pedal along with it, I get where I'm going very fast.  If I don't pedal along much, I get where I'm going with very little effort (and no sweat).  eBiking gives me options that a regular bike just doesn't.  Plus, some days I'm just feeling lazy and don't want to work that hard, and I figure a motor on an eBike beats hopping into my car.

[jorjor]

Part of why I like my eBike so much is that (while most of the time I use it as a regular bike), whenever I need to get somewhere fast or get somewhere with little/no sweat, I can just push the button and the motor takes over to a large extent.  If I pedal along with it, I get where I'm going very fast.  If I don't pedal along much, I get where I'm going with very little effort (and no sweat).  eBiking gives me options that a regular bike just doesn't.  Plus, some days I'm just feeling lazy and don't want to work that hard, and I figure a motor on an eBike beats hopping into my car.

I see you're in Denver. Are you one of those guys that flies by me on the trail from time to time and makes me feel bad about myself before I realize that you have a motor pushing you along? ;-)

[big_slacker]

Part of why I like my eBike so much is that (while most of the time I use it as a regular bike), whenever I need to get somewhere fast or get somewhere with little/no sweat, I can just push the button and the motor takes over to a large extent.  If I pedal along with it, I get where I'm going very fast.  If I don't pedal along much, I get where I'm going with very little effort (and no sweat).  eBiking gives me options that a regular bike just doesn't.  Plus, some days I'm just feeling lazy and don't want to work that hard, and I figure a motor on an eBike beats hopping into my car.

I see you're in Denver. Are you one of those guys that flies by me on the trail from time to time and makes me feel bad about myself before I realize that you have a motor pushing you along? ;-)

Dude! Fat guy on a bike with cruiser bars and a basket on the front did this to me the other day near the top of a hill. He passes, I look over, I'm like WTF? That guy is a beast! Oh wait, no he's not, lol!

[Tyson]

Yep, in Denver.  Unfortunately I hurt my back earlier this year, so haven't been on the bike (or even able to walk) much this year so far :(  All this talk of biking is making me sad....

[kendallf]

I see you're in Denver. Are you one of those guys that flies by me on the trail from time to time and makes me feel bad about myself before I realize that you have a motor pushing you along? ;-)

Dude! Fat guy on a bike with cruiser bars and a basket on the front did this to me the other day near the top of a hill. He passes, I look over, I'm like WTF? That guy is a beast! Oh wait, no he's not, lol!

I do bridge laps over the St. Johns River regularly as part of my training.  One night a couple of years ago I started up the bridge and looked over to see a 50ish, chubby guy giving me "the look" as he pedaled his fat tired hybrid up the ramp.  I stood up, he pedaled furiously, and as we ascended, the gap between us widened.  I blew up just short of the crest as he cruised over the top victoriously.  Then I noticed that big hub motor...   

[Eric222]

I find it interesting that in most places it takes longer to drive than to bike.  Where I live, I've found that biking is consistently the fastest way to get around, largely due to traffic.  It is faster than driving (by a small-medium amount, depending on rush hours) and is much, much faster than mass transit.  My bike commute is 20 minutes or 35 minutes, depending on where I'm going (4 miles or 7 miles one way). 
For me, the benefits have been amazing (my situation is unusual, YMMV):
1.  I was able to sell my car.
2.  I now get a minimum of 40 minutes of exercise a day - I was struggling to exercise before.  Consequently, I sleep better.
3.  I've lost 20 pounds.
4.  I'm in a better mood at work and when I get home.  It separates the two.
5.  I hated driving.  I always knew I hated it, but I didn't realize how much until I was only doing it rarely (and now never).
6.  I spend time with my kids on mass transit when we go places - the time is of much higher quality than time spent in a car. 

My point is that I agree with the other posters that the only way you'll know if it is worth it is to try it.  It will have benefits and drawbacks that you don't expect specific to your life and situation.  I'd have never expected it to have such a positive impact for me- I was just trying to save money. 

[veloman]

If you like riding a bike, it can make sense.

If you don't like riding a bike then it doesn't make sense.

Do what you like when the economic result isn't a big difference.

[REAL WORLD EXPAT]

I'm 3 weeks into biking to work - 26 mile round trip - not quite every day yet (2, 3 and 4 days a week respectively) but I love it so far. Get 2 hours of cardio I was not getting in the past, feel much more alive when I get in to work and home and love not sitting in the car in traffic. I can take a reasonably quiet side street route or a bike trail (more relaxing) now it is light when I set off at 5:15am.

I live in the Chicago suburbs so think year round bike commuting is going to be a little tough but if I can get 6 - 8 months of using my bike more than my car I'll be really happy.

No kids to worry about getting home to here - I still get home before the wife and the dog is still sleeping when I get home so no negatives about taking 20 minutes more to get home than using the car!

[FiftyIsTheNewTwenty]

I can't believe your Prius costs you just 20 cents a mile.  Maybe immediate out of pocket cost -- gas -- but are you figuring in depreciation, regular maintenance like oil changes, consumables like tires and brakes, plus inevitable repairs as the car gets older?  All these things will catch up with you over time.

Even the IRS allows what, 54 cents a mile? 

What about insurance?  What if eliminating your driving to work could put you in a lower mileage, cheaper policy class?  (It has for me in the past.)  And if you're in a higher cost state, taxes and registration for a car less than 10 years old is not insignificant either.

Learning to account for the typically unaccounted-for is a lot of what the MMM community is about.

[kudy]

I can't believe your Prius costs you just 20 cents a mile.  Maybe immediate out of pocket cost -- gas -- but are you figuring in depreciation, regular maintenance like oil changes, consumables like tires and brakes, plus inevitable repairs as the car gets older?  All these things will catch up with you over time.

With the current cost of fuel ($2/gallon), my non-prius hatchback is costing me about 6 cents per mile if all you look at is gas. Factoring in depreciation/replacement, maintenance, consumables, registration, and insurance I am at only 44 cents/mile, with about 17 cents per mile going toward depreciation/replacement.

Some cars are really cheap to drive - but I ride my bike for all of the non-monetary reasons anyway.

[Scandium]

I can't believe your Prius costs you just 20 cents a mile.  Maybe immediate out of pocket cost -- gas -- but are you figuring in depreciation, regular maintenance like oil changes, consumables like tires and brakes, plus inevitable repairs as the car gets older?  All these things will catch up with you over time.

With the current cost of fuel ($2/gallon), my non-prius hatchback is costing me about 6 cents per mile if all you look at is gas. Factoring in depreciation/replacement, maintenance, consumables, registration, and insurance I am at only 44 cents/mile, with about 17 cents per mile going toward depreciation/replacement.

Some cars are really cheap to drive - but I ride my bike for all of the non-monetary reasons anyway.

Yeah. It's a while since I did it, and had to make some assumptions, but 20 cemt/mi is all in. Assumed lasting to 200k, then zero value give me 8 c/mi for example with what we paid for it. Tires every 50k. Biggest guess is of course repair costs. The gov rate is very high accounting for financing etc.

[Rollin]

Part of why I like my eBike so much is that (while most of the time I use it as a regular bike), whenever I need to get somewhere fast or get somewhere with little/no sweat, I can just push the button and the motor takes over to a large extent.  If I pedal along with it, I get where I'm going very fast.  If I don't pedal along much, I get where I'm going with very little effort (and no sweat).  eBiking gives me options that a regular bike just doesn't.  Plus, some days I'm just feeling lazy and don't want to work that hard, and I figure a motor on an eBike beats hopping into my car.

+1 for me and that's what gets me to do 95% of my needed trips with the e-bike or standard peddle bike. Odd that people driving hybrids or full electric cars don't get the "hey, that's cheating comment" though. My ebike is essentially the same thing if I use the motor 100% (rare), but way cheaper, better for the environment, gets me outside (not in a conditioned car), requires way less infrastructure, etc. etc.

[ender]

I can't believe your Prius costs you just 20 cents a mile.  Maybe immediate out of pocket cost -- gas -- but are you figuring in depreciation, regular maintenance like oil changes, consumables like tires and brakes, plus inevitable repairs as the car gets older?  All these things will catch up with you over time.

With the current cost of fuel ($2/gallon), my non-prius hatchback is costing me about 6 cents per mile if all you look at is gas. Factoring in depreciation/replacement, maintenance, consumables, registration, and insurance I am at only 44 cents/mile, with about 17 cents per mile going toward depreciation/replacement.

Some cars are really cheap to drive - but I ride my bike for all of the non-monetary reasons anyway.

Yeah. It's a while since I did it, and had to make some assumptions, but 20 cemt/mi is all in. Assumed lasting to 200k, then zero value give me 8 c/mi for example with what we paid for it. Tires every 50k. Biggest guess is of course repair costs. The gov rate is very high accounting for financing etc.

I suspect if you tracked every penny you spend on the car the total cost would be more than 20 cents/mile.

[Rollin]

I'm 3 weeks into biking to work - 26 mile round trip - not quite every day yet (2, 3 and 4 days a week respectively) but I love it so far. Get 2 hours of cardio I was not getting in the past, feel much more alive when I get in to work and home and love not sitting in the car in traffic. I can take a reasonably quiet side street route or a bike trail (more relaxing) now it is light when I set off at 5:15am.

I live in the Chicago suburbs so think year round bike commuting is going to be a little tough but if I can get 6 - 8 months of using my bike more than my car I'll be really happy.

No kids to worry about getting home to here - I still get home before the wife and the dog is still sleeping when I get home so no negatives about taking 20 minutes more to get home than using the car!

Very good! For more inspiration you might want to start reading bikeforums commuter or living car free threads. Of course, MMM has that great post on riding in winter (I think that is the one that got me here!).

[Scandium]

I can't believe your Prius costs you just 20 cents a mile.  Maybe immediate out of pocket cost -- gas -- but are you figuring in depreciation, regular maintenance like oil changes, consumables like tires and brakes, plus inevitable repairs as the car gets older?  All these things will catch up with you over time.

With the current cost of fuel ($2/gallon), my non-prius hatchback is costing me about 6 cents per mile if all you look at is gas. Factoring in depreciation/replacement, maintenance, consumables, registration, and insurance I am at only 44 cents/mile, with about 17 cents per mile going toward depreciation/replacement.

Some cars are really cheap to drive - but I ride my bike for all of the non-monetary reasons anyway.

Yeah. It's a while since I did it, and had to make some assumptions, but 20 cemt/mi is all in. Assumed lasting to 200k, then zero value give me 8 c/mi for example with what we paid for it. Tires every 50k. Biggest guess is of course repair costs. The gov rate is very high accounting for financing etc.

I suspect if you tracked every penny you spend on the car the total cost would be more than 20 cents/mile.

Maybe?

I looked up my spreadsheet. It's actually 25 c/mile. This includes:
depreciation: $14k/157k mi (0 value at 200k)
gas: $3/50 mi
oil $50/5k
tires: $400/40k
repair $1k/20k (this is the big ??)
registration, state test, insure etc is 2c/mi

Repairs was the big guesstimate. Doubling that increase cost to 30 c/mi. I feel these are reasonable/conservative, but feel free to enlighten me..

One thing I realized I didn't account for is that if I bike to work I have to eat more to replace the calories burned. According to http://www.bicycling.com/training/weight-loss/cycling-calories-burned-calculator, a 1 hour bike ride will burn 771 calories! Depending on where I look, that could for example mean eating about one pound of chicken breast per day. That's $5-6 extra, per day! Totally wiping out any savings from not driving. It would be much cheaper to replace it with peanut butter, that would only run $1.10 per day. But in any case there will be an additional cost to biking. And of course there is bike cost and maintenance

[JCfire]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

[Rollin]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

There is so much fail in this statement I'm not sure I have enough time to go through it all. Maybe you should just add that bikes don't belong on the roads and round out your sentiments.

[Scandium]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

This is the realization I'm coming to. Unless I really want to burn fat (I don't, I'm trying to gain weight) or work up huge legs (I don't) there's not really much benefit. Which is kinda surprising considering MMM touting biking as an amazing thing, and all the "bike to work" push and general hype around it. I was told there would be benefits dammit! :)

I'm not sold on the happiness/feeling better argument either. I don't particularly hate driving, it's fine usually. And from what I can remember biking doesn't really make me feel good or anything either.

The main question now is whether my new job has a shower, I'm not 100% sure. If they don't biking is out of the question anyway. It gets hot here, and I sweat really badly.

[Chris22]

bikes don't belong on the roads

Agreed. 

[Northwestie]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

There is so much fail in this statement I'm not sure I have enough time to go through it all. Maybe you should just add that bikes don't belong on the roads and round out your sentiments.

Hmm. Let's see.  I don't have to pay for parking, I don't have to pay for gas, less wear and tear on the vehicle, I don't spew out CO2, and there is one less car for traffic.  And I get exercise and spin out the cobwebs on the way home. AND I can pedal to errands for more efficiency on the way home.

Yep, no benefits.

[oblivo]

I have an 8 mile bike ride that takes 45 minutes. Driving takes 30 minutes. I like biking, but I don't know if it's worth 30 minutes a day. At the end of the week of biking, I take four gallons of regular gasoline, produced in Saudia Arabia, in a steel drum and light it on fire, just to make the comparison fair. Still not sure about it.

[GuitarStv]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

So, just to pick at one part of this post . . . I don't understand your last sentence at all.

The average car uses an ICE which is significantly less efficient than the drivetrain of a bike to move thousands of pounds (rather than a couple hundred) while also wasting power on daytime running lights, power for a stereo and other electronics, fans and blowers, etc.  A car is less aerodynamic that the small profile of a guy on a bike.  Using a bike is going to be more efficient than a car from a power consumption point of view, 100% of the time.

Then we get into the vegan part.  Again, not quite following you.  We have person A, who eats 2000 calories a day (vegan, omnivore, it really doesn't matter).  Person A goes bike commuting and burns 500 calories.  Person A could:

- eat two cups of boiled lentils
- eat four or five tablespoons of peanut butter
- eat half a cup of hummus and some vegetables
- eat a peanut butter and jam sandwich

There are obviously millions more choices.  None of them are going to break the bank, or are significantly environmentally damaging.  There's no difference if Person A is a vegan or not.

So, WTF did you mean?

[Scandium]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

So, just to pick at one part of this post . . . I don't understand your last sentence at all.

There are obviously millions more choices.  None of them are going to break the bank, or are significantly environmentally damaging.  There's no difference if Person A is a vegan or not.

So, WTF did you mean?

I assume he meant something like eating an extra pound of chicken to get the extra 800-1000 calories. I'm too lazy to look up the CO2 emissions per pound of chicken vs a 15 mile drive..

Sorry to say, but personally I don't really care much about the "saving the planet" feelgood aspect. If I don't ruin the environment someone else will anyway. What I do in my life will have 0.00000001% impact on the inevitable destruction of the earth so why bother. Now I don't throw shit in nature, but I don't believe in driving less to save the world either, sorry.


edit: found another option for your list:
- eat 110 hardboiled eggs ($28).
And per my source you'd need to eat 1.5 cup of hummus. About $3-4 worth

[Chris22]

My sedan is a ULEV (ultra low emissions vehicle) and I drive it about 15 miles a day, using about 2/3rds gallons of gas.  I'm not losing any sleep over the environmental impact of doing so. 

[mskyle]

Driving is a pretty damn nice way to get around if you value time with your family.  There is zero plausible financial case for biking instead of driving, unless you are able to own one less car as a result.  The case for biking is that it's a way to get exercise while borrowing your commute time to do part of it.  It's not even better for the environment unless maybe if you're vegan.

I think a lot of people are imagining that biking to work HAS to take hours/be a lot of work when, in fact, it can save a lot of time. If I drove to/from work (I never would - parking is too expensive) I would lose about twenty minutes a day (20 minutes each way on the bike vs. 30 minutes in the car). I could live or work a few miles further away and still come out ahead with biking. I know that's not true for everyone! But it is true for me (and for something like 8% of the commuters in my city).

I will admit that I do like it this way, which is one of the reasons I live and work where I live and work. I don't enjoy spending time in the car, partly because my car is small and uncomfortable and smells bad when it rains. So maybe one of the other benefits of bike commuting is that even if it doesn't let you get rid of your car, it lets you get more time out of a crappy car because the things that annoy you about your car don't annoy you *every* day.

I really don't care about the exercise part.

[GuitarStv]

And per my source you'd need to eat 1.5 cup of hummus. About $3-4 worth

You are overpaying for your hummus.

I made ten cups of hummus today for about three dollars.  Dried chickpeas cost next to nothing, you need a bit of salt, a bit of cumin, some tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic.  It freezes really well, so we do a big batch every month or so.

[Erica]

Yep, in Denver.  Unfortunately I hurt my back earlier this year, so haven't been on the bike (or even able to walk) much this year so far :(  All this talk of biking is making me sad....

That happened to me also. I didn't bike for two years due to back issues.Then I realized I had to buy a different bike seat after x rays showed the real injuries. Trying to utlize what wasn't damaged such as my "sit bones"/ Ironically found a two dotted seat at a thrift store for $3 a few months ago. Sorry offhand I don't know the brand but my husband knows it. Funny....The gel cover for this "two dot seat/saddle" I bought for $3 costs $45 but still, to buy this seat new without a gel cover runs $150 or so. So I was ecstatic!

It is two dots...round dots which only allow for me to sit on my "sit bones".  After seeing an indept MRI/Xray I saw where my behind could be utilized and how to avoid the damaged parts. Bad part is...the two dot seat difficult to manuver. So I ride it once a week to give my back and other damaged areas a break. Otherwise my GP said to buy a rekumbent bike. She doesn't exercise so really didn't know much but it was a good idea. And I am still open to it but don't want to spend the $$ now.

Then use a split seat the other two times. I must ride 3 days a week in order to stay in shape though my body can only handle two days a week of riding on a split seat. So the two dots mean all I do is ride out in the wilderness on the paved roads so I am not turning any corners and stuff. But it keeps me  in shape. SO once a week I change out the split seat to the two dotted seat. But soon will keep the two dotted seat on one bike, then the other seat on the other bike. Easier that way. Just a thought...

[Erica]

I have an 8 mile bike ride that takes 45 minutes. Driving takes 30 minutes. I like biking, but I don't know if it's worth 30 minutes a day. At the end of the week of biking, I take four gallons of regular gasoline, produced in Saudia Arabia, in a steel drum and light it on fire, just to make the comparison fair. Still not sure about it.

Don't forget the health benefits of riding. Mentally you have to be doing better and regarding your physical body, who knows what biking is warding off for later in life. And it allows you to eat a little more without gaining weight

An extra 30 minutes per day to get all of that isn't that much really. JMHO :)

[Scandium]

And per my source you'd need to eat 1.5 cup of hummus. About $3-4 worth

You are overpaying for your hummus.

I made ten cups of hummus today for about three dollars.  Dried chickpeas cost next to nothing, you need a bit of salt, a bit of cumin, some tahini paste, lemon juice and garlic.  It freezes really well, so we do a big batch every month or so.

I've read about that, but decided it wasn't worth the hassle. Don't eat that much hummus, and don't have room in the freezer. But if I start biking and need 1.5 cups a day maybe I need to.. Store brand is $3 for 10 Oz.

[DagobertDuck]

According to http://www.bicycling.com/training/weight-loss/cycling-calories-burned-calculator, a 1 hour bike ride will burn 771 calories!

You'll have to pedal pretty hard to burn those calories. 600 is probably more realistic for an easy commuting pace.

But seriously: ride your bike to work. It will mak you feel awesome in so many ways. 7 miles is a pretty short distance, no need to dress in special clothes for that. No need for clicky pedals either.
Just get a decent hybrid bike with comfortable/sporty body position, fenders and lights.
You could als consider driving to work, leave your car over ther, ride back home, ride to work the next day, drive home etc.
Or bike commute  2 or 3 days a week. Or when you feel like it, when the wheather's nice etc etc.

[sol]

I would skip the clip in shoes.  They are expensive and unnecessary and inconvenient for your average commuter.

Like several people above, I bike to have more time with my family.  It takes longer than driving, but not by as much as the workouts I would otherwise do.

Also, we don't watch tv in our house.  I don't believe the "not enough time" complaints from anyone who deliberately wastes their life watching television.  If you have enough time to sit glassy eyed staring at pretty pictures, you have enough time to bike through nature.  People who choose otherwise are just being lazy and making excuses for it.

[Chris22]

Also, we don't watch tv in our house.  I don't believe the "not enough time" complaints from anyone who deliberately wastes their life watching television.  If you have enough time to sit glassy eyed staring at pretty pictures, you have enough time to bike through nature.  People who choose otherwise are just being lazy and making excuses for it.

Almost all the TV watching in our house is done between about 930PM and 11PM after my daughter goes to bed.  Aside from reading or screwing (both of which also take place at this time) little else productive is going to occur then anyways. 

[robartsd]

My bike commute is 4.7 miles. My ride time is 20-25 minutes, so I plan 40 minutes to include time to change. In my case, I can leave 15 minutes later by bike than I can if I'm catching the bus (but transit gets me to my desk about 10 minutes earlier). When my wife has dropped me off, the drive in has taken about 15 minutes (sometimes 20 minutes for drive home due to traffic). I enjoy the regularly scheduled exercise which provides decent tone for arms as well as legs if you like to ride somewhat aggressiviely in addition to the excellent cardio workout (not much help for core strength). I'd never considered the value of example to family; however, my dad was a cycle commuter (I'm still using a rack, panier, and trunk bag that he used) and my high school job was delivering newspapers by bike. For me, biking to work is significant to being a one-car family (I'd much rather bike than drive in traffic, but transit vs. driving in traffic is not such an easy choice). I also agree that bike shorts (and gloves) make a difference (if you don't want the skin tight look, get baggy shorts with a cycling liner).

[TravelJunkyQC]

I have a similar situation: 15 minutes driving, 50 minutes biking (40 minutes on my way back since it's downhill). I used to run 3 days a week before lunch, and I don't anymore due to my bike ride. It also helps wake me up in the morning. It doesn't take time away from being with my partner, since he tends to get home later than me when I take my car. However, if I had children, I might be more opposed to the 1h30 bike commute. Perhaps alternating days is a good compromise?

[mamagoose]

I would start with biking one day a week and see how you like that day compared to the other four days of driving. Personally I work inside without windows, so biking my kid to school is the highlight of my day b/c I get an overdose of fresh air and sunshine, it's like medicine (and my quads/glutes are killer). Also regarding CrossFit, isn't the whole point of CF to provide functional training? I can't think of an exercise quite as functional as getting your ass around town via bicycle (except maybe walking? running? but time-value-of-money right?). I know for me operating a bicycle to transport myself from point A to point B is a lot more practical in my life than practicing my tire flipping and rope climbing skillz. And the money you'd save by quitting CF could buy you a new bike every month. My commuter bike was $100 at Target, still going 5 years later and now has a baby seat on it. No fancy clips needed. If you want to spend more time with your kids, why not get a couple tires and ropes in your backyard and do a CF workout together at home?

[sam]

Doesn’t seem to make sense for you (other than enjoyment), I’d value your time at this occasion and drive.

Sam

[big_slacker]

I would skip the clip in shoes.  They are expensive and unnecessary and inconvenient for your average commuter.

Like several people above, I bike to have more time with my family.  It takes longer than driving, but not by as much as the workouts I would otherwise do.

Also, we don't watch tv in our house.  I don't believe the "not enough time" complaints from anyone who deliberately wastes their life watching television.  If you have enough time to sit glassy eyed staring at pretty pictures, you have enough time to bike through nature.  People who choose otherwise are just being lazy and making excuses for it.

I tend to agree for the shorter distance or flat rides. I go to the gym or store (4 miles round trip) on a single speed beach cruiser and pedals or bike weight is meaningless. In fact it's nicer to *NOT* take a second pair of shoes with me, or ride in an 'aero' position, etc. However my ride to work is 20 miles round trip and no question the efficiency of the clipless pedals/shoes and a decent bike is worth it. You can get a pair of SPD shoes for $40-$60 and they last YEARS. (I've had my current sidi's for over a decade) Yes you need pedals as well, shimano m520's are like $25-$30 so you're looking at $65-$90 for a setup that will greatly improve efficiency on longer rides, climbing, etc.

[hankscorpio84]

Analyzing the time value of a bike commute is missing the point of embracing mustachianism, imo.  I'll admit that I engaged in similar mental gymnastics to try to justify buying a prius or some other consumer driven work around to a "problem" with a very simple solution. 
Here are two MMM posts that helped push me into embracing the bike commute:

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2011/12/05/muscle-over-motor/

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/04/22/curing-your-clown-like-car-habit/

There are plenty of ways to start small - every other day at first, drive half way and bike the rest, ebiking, etc.  For me, the health and financial benefits are secondary to the mental strength that I have gained.  Somehow making a bike routine a normal, accepted part of my day has given me more energy at work and more endurance and energy for hobbies on my time off.  Humans are creatures of habit, and if you are not controlling your routine, it is controlling you.  Embracing the "hardship" of a bike commute as a part of your daily routine gives you mental fortitude that makes everything else in life easier.

[Chris22]

Embracing the "hardship" of a bike commute as a part of your daily routine gives you mental fortitude that makes everything else in life easier.

So is bike commuting a hardship that makes it tough, or an exploding volcano of awesomeness that makes you deliriously happy?  Because you bike dorks can't have it both ways.

[GuitarStv]

I would skip the clip in shoes.  They are expensive and unnecessary and inconvenient for your average commuter.

Like several people above, I bike to have more time with my family.  It takes longer than driving, but not by as much as the workouts I would otherwise do.

Also, we don't watch tv in our house.  I don't believe the "not enough time" complaints from anyone who deliberately wastes their life watching television.  If you have enough time to sit glassy eyed staring at pretty pictures, you have enough time to bike through nature.  People who choose otherwise are just being lazy and making excuses for it.

I tend to agree for the shorter distance or flat rides. I go to the gym or store (4 miles round trip) on a single speed beach cruiser and pedals or bike weight is meaningless. In fact it's nicer to *NOT* take a second pair of shoes with me, or ride in an 'aero' position, etc. However my ride to work is 20 miles round trip and no question the efficiency of the clipless pedals/shoes and a decent bike is worth it. You can get a pair of SPD shoes for $40-$60 and they last YEARS. (I've had my current sidi's for over a decade) Yes you need pedals as well, shimano m520's are like $25-$30 so you're looking at $65-$90 for a setup that will greatly improve efficiency on longer rides, climbing, etc.

I regularly rode 50-60 kms in sneakers and studded flats last year.  No problems climbing hills, no problems with efficiency.  With clipless shoes I go faster sprinting away from a light, and seem to be able to put out more power going up a hill.

I would not recommend them to someone who is new to cycling . . . there is a learning curve.  You will probably fall off your bike at some point because of the pedals, and you really don't want this to be in traffic.  You do have to spend extra money on shoes and pedals.  You have to position the cleat on the bottom of your shoes properly, or it can cause all sorts of strange problems/injuries.

So is bike commuting a hardship that makes it tough, or an exploding volcano of awesomeness that makes you deliriously happy?  Because you bike dorks can't have it both ways.

It's a hardship that makes you tough, and once you're tough it becomes a source of delirious happiness.

[Chris22]

It's a hardship that makes you tough

What if you're already tough?  I do plenty of DIY stuff (I'll be spending Memorial Day weekend digging out my sewer line by hand for instance), and I served in the military for several years, for crissakes.  But the biking mafia acts like the only way to really be happy, or tough, or physically fit, or frugal, or what have you, is with a bike.  It's horseshit.  It's A way, not THE way.