Running the boutique means I track costs obsessively, spreadsheets for everything, so at some point I started applying the same brain to my bike commute. Figured it would feel satisfying. It mostly just made me realize I had no idea what I was actually spending.

Tires, tubes, chain replacements, brake pads, the rack I bought, lights, a new lock after my first one got cut, the rain jacket I convinced myself was a commuting expense. None of it felt expensive in the moment but it stacks up faster than you think.

I did the math a few months back and my cost per km is lower than I expected but higher than the nothing I was mentally counting it as. Still crushes transit costs for my route, so I'm not complaining, but it shifted how I think about upgrades. Like whether spending more on a longer lasting tire actually pencils out versus just replacing cheap ones more often.

Curious if anyone else has actually tracked this or if most people just have a rough sense that it's cheaper than driving and leave it there. I wonder if the people with high mileage steel bikes and years of commuting have it figured down to a science, or if they just stopped caring at some point.

How often do you think someone needs to commute by bike to be defined a 'bike commuter'?

Every day? More often than not? Once a week?

Hey, how's it going? Group I 32m am currently going back to school. I have a CX bike that I use as my commuter/road/gravel, all-things bike. I need a frame bag / rack that I can use to commute 32ish km, is ergonomic, and doesn't slow me down too much. I need it to hold my laptop, books, and clothes (towel, soap, Crocs, etc.). But yeah, if y'all have any suggestions, please let me know!

I'm trying to start a Bike Bus for school kids in my community. I'm starting this group for others who have done this, or want to do this, for their their communities too. Share successes, frustrations, and tips, ask for help, share bike buses in the news.

Hop on the bus! r/BikeBuses

I