How much should I expect to spend on a bicycle to commute to work?

Question

I'm going to be starting a new job a mile and a half away from where I live. I'm thinking abut getting a bicycle. How much should I expect to spend? Include helmet, lights, etc.

Answer 1

ESTIMATED COSTS:

helmet $25+ (USA sold helmets are all tested / approved)

lights $50+ (probably not good idea to be cheap here)

bike $50-150 (used 10-speed road/mtn bike)

spare tubes: $3 or less ( always have spares )

patch kit + lever: $2 + $3 ( master this to save $$$ )

puncture resistant tires: $50+ / pair

U-lock: $25-40 (get newer models from kryptonite brand)

look to spend ~ $250-350

OPTIONAL (suggested)

general bike maintenance manual: $10

mini multi-tool: $10-20

drink cage + bottle: $12

SHOPPING (saving money):

buying a used bike: craigslist.org (great site for locals ~ free)

buying all other stuff: performance bike (retail store nationwide)

ebay is also a great place to compare prices when shopping at retail or bargaining with sellers on craigslist

if you plan to buy a new bike, usually buy it from a local bike shop than a retail; retailers tend to be less personal and won't help you if you have problems later. A good store might help you on craigslist!

note: better quality bikes are easier to take apart, therefore, easier to maintain / fix - cheap bikes are mostly proprietary and need a lot of "custom" parts most of the time.

Answer 2

I agree with Harold.

However, I would have a tough time rationalizing this expense at all for the sole purpose of riding that short distance 2X daily.  It would only take 15min to walk that distance, which isn't much longer than riding it and dealing with locking up the bike.

Answer 3

That's such a short distance you could get away with buying a really low end bike, but it's always best to buy a better quality bike in the event you want to ride it greater distances once you catch the cycling bug.  For the bike, expect to spend a minimum of $400 for something decent, a good helmet runs between $50 - $100, lights can run anywhere from $25 - $300 (you get what you pay for), a water bottle and mount, $10, a small seat bag is cheap, but you may want to get a larger bike mounted bag if you need to carry clothes, a briefcase, etc., or just get a messenger style bag to carry on your back.  Here you could spend as little as $10 for a seat bag, or several hundred for high end pannier bags or messenger bag (and I mean really top quality here, but you can always find stuff for less).  

Your commute is so short that you really don't need much more than bare essentials since it will only take you about five minutes to get there by bike, and even if you get a flat, you can walk to work or back home faster than it would take you to fix the tire, so carrying an extra tube and patch kit may not be necessary, but these parts, plus tire irons and a small bike mountable pump (now usually plastic) would maybe cost you another $20 - $30.  

If you anticipate riding in the dark, definitely get a reflective vest to wear to increase your visibility.  When it's cold, you'll want full-fingered gloves too, as your hands will freeze, so there expect to spend another $30 or so.

Answer 4

If I was that lucky to be that close to a job I would just walk.  Just put one foot in front of the other.  Would take me about 25 minutes.  

As to your question, if you use the bike for more than commuting, I would not spend less than $300 for a new bike.  Forget department store bikes that cost 80 to 100 dollars.  Junk.  They need so much work straight out of the box.  I know this from the experience I had on a Roadmaster belonging to my niece.  Bike was brand new at Christmas.  So I took it home to ensure bike was in good working order for springtime.  I probably put 6 hours in the bike.  Every bearing needed grease and adjusting.  Every cable and housing needed to be shortened.  Drop outs (where the axles sit within the frame) needed to be straightened.  Chain was too long.  Both brakes needed to be adjusted.  Front derailleur  was mounted too high for good shifting.  Both wheels needed truing.  Wheel bearings were too tight with very little grease.  Head set was too tight.  If this work was done in a shop I suspect the repair bill would be around $200 to $300 for a $80 brand new bike.

In your position I would budget around $500 to $600 for bike and gear.  

Take a look at Performance or Bike Nashbar for riding gear.  

Good Luck