The Cost of Cycling and Driving

Have you ever considered the difference in cost between cycling and driving a petrol car? Of course you have, and so have I. Yesterday I was reminded of how expensive cars are. I think that the last time I used the petrol car was to change to summer tyres. It has been dormant since then. Yesterday I refulled for about 50 CHF I think. I also used the self-checkout in the shop, rather than going to the human being. Everyone else went to the human being.

I know how to self-checkout in the shops because after a bike ride one of the people at a till asked me if I wanted to use that instead of waiting. I was just getting one or two things after my day’s bike ride.

What if We Spent A Petrol Tank of Petrol on Cycling per Week

The question I found myself asking yesterday morning was. What if I spent 100 CHF per week on cycling rather than petrol?

I have a service coming up that might cost 90-120 CHF or more. I haven’t had the bike serviced in years. If I have a bike service it is often over 1000 CHF per service so a bike, once every few years is much cheaper.

Change the Cassette

Those of us that are “old” remember when we would change cassettes in the car radio. On Sunday I found a ride easy, and aside from group pace I think it was due to using a bike with eleven speeds rather than just ten. When you’re heading up a hill having that extra speed helps.

I suspect that group pace played a bigger role than cassette range.

And Finally

Cycling is a great sport because it doesn’t require the car, or trains. You can set off from home. Do three or four hours of exercise and then go home. With hiking, climbing, via ferrata, scuba diving and other sports you need to drive to location, enjoy an activity and drive home or take the train. With the bike your activity is also your form of transport.

I know of people who cycled to hikes, via ferrata, and more. It is easy to spend the equivalent of a bike service every month on petrol so it makes sense to switch to electric, or a bike.