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Bike Commuting – How to Make Money With It

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bike commuting

What if you put a jar on your table. Each time you ride your bike to work instead of driving your car, you add money to the jar. Suppose you abandoned your car altogether. Bike commuting can save you a lot of money.

Not Enough People Bike Commuting

According to the Alliance for Walking & Biking’s 2014 Benchmarking Report, 91.6 percent of Americans commute by car to work. That compares to 5 percent who use public transit, 2.8 percent who walk, and just 0.6 percent bike to work. What’s wrong with this picture?

Bureau of Labor Statistics

The average American household spends over $9,000 a year to own a car, making it the second-largest expense after housing, with commuting by car typically requiring the most miles traveled. Cost studies are based on the accumulative cost of five categories – maintenance, fuel, tires, insurance and depreciation. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that Americans spend more on transportation than on food.

The Huffington Post Stats

Huff Post Business says that Americans spend over $2,000 a year for gas alone. Insurance adds up to an annual average of over $1,000 dollars. Your car’s depreciation lifts $3,571 a year from your wallet.

The IRS Stats

The IRS calculates that driving a car costs 55 and a half cents per mile. If your commute to work is ten miles from home, your commuting cost per day is just over $11. or $1110.00 over the course of 100 days.

Cars Versus Bikes

Every mile you drive in your car costs you money. It’s wearing out your tires, brakes, engine and drivetrain. It’s using up motor oil,   breaking down belts and other parts that will eventually need replaced. Bikes need maintenance as well, but are much simpler, cheaper machines. The less you drive, the more you save.

Insurance Rates

If you chose to keep your car and become an occasional commuter, reducing the number of miles you drive can have a direct impact on your auto insurance rates. Insurance rates are partly calculated based on the number of miles you drive. Insurance companies typically give you a discount for less miles traveled.

Personal Testament

“Transportation costs can often be a blind spot for families looking to save,” says Bruce McClary, vice president of public relations and external affairs for the National Foundation for Credit Counseling. In general, look to where you spend a lot to save a lot.

Ditch One Car

“Many individuals and families simply take for granted the two-car, driving-to-work arrangement that’s the norm for American households and often don’t consider alternatives like public transportation, carpooling, or bike commuting,” McClary says. Mclary ditched only one of his two cars, and simply by biking to work it has netted him a monthly savings of $128.91. After commuting to work for four years and eight months. Mclary reported that he saved $7,219.

Sierra Club Checks In

The Sierra Club, in cooperation with AAA, reports that the cost of owning a bicycle per year is $308. American cyclists save a whopping 4.6 billion a year by not driving. This is an average figure of course depending on what type of bike you ride, how far to work, and how much you spend on bike maintenance. Do your own calculation with Kiplinger’s personal calculator.

League of American Cyclists

Elizabeth Murphy is the communications director for the League of American Cyclists. “Biking certainly offers a cheaper way to get to and from.” She says. “Driving five days a week is really eating into my budget. So why don’t more people bike to work? Because of the way many roads are set up to cater to cars, riding to work can seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before,” she adds.

Find a Route

Murphy says the first step is figuring out what route you will take to work. From there, you can pick out a bike that will work well on the terrain where you’ll be riding. Murphy recommends finding a biking mentor who can help you find cycling-friendly roads and help you build the confidence you’ll need.”Finding a friend can be really helpful in doing that first ride,” Murphy says. “Once people sort of realize, ‘Hey, I did this. I can do it,’ it’s a pretty simple transition.”

The Time Element

You’ve heard the old argument “time is money,” and you might think that it takes more time to get where you’re going on a bike but it depends. How much time depends on where you’re at, and where you’re going. For example, in some locations, bigger cities for example, you can actually get to many destinations as quickly or even faster on a bicycle than you can in a car because of shortcuts though parks, utilizing bike lanes and paths, and taking more direct routes through areas you otherwise wouldn’t drive through. Take it a step further and think about all the time spent sitting in your car in traffic jams, while that bike messenger or commuter whizzes past while you’re sitting idle in traffic.

Health Concerns

Cycling is far better for your health than driving a car. The exercise you get while riding a bike has long-term health benefits with short-term energy benefits. If you’re healthier, you stay out of the doctors office and everyone knows how expensive that is. Healthier people also sometimes get lower insurance rates, which should also be a part of the equation.

The Variable

It’s one thing to calculate stats, and some people argue that because of  low population density in some areas and scattered employment, commuting by bike isn’t always a viable option for millions of American workers. Weather is another factor, but there is all kinds of gear available for cool or inclement weather.

Give Bike Commuting a Chance

It’s sufficient to say that millions of workers live in large cities, suburbs or communities close to work. If you’re one of those people, biking to work is a viable alternative to driving. If you own a car only for commuting, becoming a bike commuter might be an option that can save you money and encourage you to ditch your car completely. By bike commuting you will have better health, more money in your pocket, more energy, and the pride that comes from getting to work under your own power.

Tips For Cycling To Work

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cycling to work
Tip #1: Wear a helmet while cycling to work!

Cycling to work is one of the best ways to keep your general fitness up without having to spend too much of your spare time on exercise. It is also great for the environment, meaning that you not only improve yourself, but you’re also helping the planet in the process.

Of course, for new cyclists it can be a little daunting to ride to work, particularly if they don’t know the route too well. Here are a few tips for those who want to give it a try.

Don’t Do Too Much too Fast

If your commute into work is only a couple of miles, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to just hop on your bike and do both legs of the journey from day 1. However, if you think the journey may take you upwards of an hour, it may be worth catching a ride with a workmate to ensure you don’t end up late, and then cycling back home. You can always start cycling into work as well when you are more comfortable with the ride and the amount of time it will take.

If the ride is too far you can always drive part of the way and ride the remaining part to work.

Do A Test Ride

A test ride will allow you to better gauge the amount of time that it is going to take you to cycle to work, in addition to letting you know exactly where you stand in terms of the fitness levels required to do it. Try taking a little bit of time on a day off to do the ride, so that you are better informed when you start doing it more regularly.

Get The Right Bike

If you already have a bike, then don’t go rushing out to buy a new one until you absolutely know what you want. After all, the bike you have may be perfect for the commute anyway, so you may not need to spend any extra money. If you do decided you want another bike, take the route you ride into account when making your choice. A road bike is great for smooth surfaces, but a mountain bike may be more suitable if you have to go over some rough terrain.

Wear Safety Gear

Riding to work without wearing the right gear is a cardinal sin, as you are sharing the road with other riders and drivers who need to be able to see you at all times. As such, always make sure to wear a reflective vest or other bright clothing, particularly at night when the ride can get a little more hazardous. You should also never leave your house without your helmet. It may save your life one day.

Pay Attention to the Weather

Nobody is going to think any less of you if you decided not to ride into work for a day or two, especially when the weather is such that it could make the ride hazardous. Heavy rain or icy conditions can lead to you having accidents if you aren’t careful, so if you feel at all uncomfortable then use an alternative mode of transport until the weather improves.

Learn How To Deal With Punctures

One of the biggest issues you may end up facing is suffering a puncture on your way to work. As such, you should always keep a spare tire or a puncture repair kit handy so that you can fix it and be on your way. If this isn’t feasible for you, then at least make sure you’re carrying your cell phone so that you can give somebody a call to get help should you ever find yourself in a bit of a bind.

Common Problems Faced When Biking to Work

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Common Problems Faced When Biking to Work

Cycling to work is an admirable thing to do. After all, you are not only helping yourself by improving your overall health, but you are also staying green by not hopping into the car at every available opportunity.

Of course, there are some common barriers that commuters face when they want to ride their bikes to work. Here we take a look at a few of the more common problems and what you can do about them.

Problem – Fitness

A lot of people will quit before they get started because their journey to work is too long and they don’t have the fitness to go the entire way.

Solution – Do What You Can

If you have an idea of how far you can cycle, then there is nothing wrong with taking the car out to a point from where you’re comfortable cycling to and from work, and then taking the bike the rest of the way.

Problem – Sweat

Any physical activity is going to lead to a little perspiration and people don’t want to turn up to work drenched in sweat, especially if they work in an office.

Solution – Take It Slow

If you’re not lucky enough to be able to shower at work, you don’t need to go as fast as you possibly can when you are cycling into work. Just go at a pace that feels comfortable and you will find that you don’t sweat that much. Grab a quick splash of water over your face from the faucet, a quick wipe down under the armpits and a spray of antiperspirant before your meeting and you will be fine.

Problem – Bike Thieves

That flashy new bike has cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars, so it’s only natural that you want to ensure it doesn’t get stolen.

Solution – Deterrence

Bike thieves are always going to be an issue, so what you need to do is ensure your bike is as unattractive a prospect as possible. Thieves don’t want to spend ages fiddling with a lock, so make sure you buy a good one instead of going for the cheaper options. Be sure not to leave the bike in an isolated location and don’t commute with an expensive bike. After all, it’s just a commute, you don’t need to impress anybody.

Problem – Rain

Cycling to work is all well and good, but when you’re halfway between home and work and the rainclouds appear, the idea suddenly doesn’t hold the same appeal.

Solution – Be Prepared

Short of hiring Storm of the X-Men to control the clouds for you, there isn’t a whole lot you can do about the weather. Check the forecasts and make your decision based on them. If there isn’t any rain forecast, then pack a waterproof coat just in case. If it is definitely going to rain then there is nothing wrong with taking the bus every so often.

Problem – Safety

Your route to work may take you on all sorts of roads, so it is only natural to be worried about traffic and other issues, especially if you aren’t a confident cyclist.

Solution – Plan

If you don’t feel too confident in your cycling ability, yet still want to give it a whirl, try getting a few road biking lessons before you head out. You will feel more confident in addition to learning what you need to look out for when on the road. Furthermore, make sure you know your route before heading out, as you could put yourself in danger by cycling in places you aren’t familiar with. Oh, and always wear clothing that makes you visible to other road users.

Biking to work does not have to be an onerous or complicated thing. Millions of people bike to work on a daily basis, are you going to be one of them?

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