Wednesday 18 October 2017

SMART CONSUMER: Get out of the rat race and get your own wheels of fortune

Cycling to work is cheap and healthy, writes John Cradden

Easy rider: Artist Liam
Daly has no trouble
comfortably lugging
his materials around
the city, thanks to his
innovative cargo bike

If you're not already among those who have taken to two wheels in recent times, you won't have to look far to find reasons why.

Beating the traffic, getting more exercise and saving money are probably the three biggest draws for this form of transportation.

For many people, though, the main pros of cycling are outweighed very strongly by the simple fear that mounting a bicycle is a sure-fire route to the pearly gates, thanks to frustrated motorists hell-bent on running you off the road, large potholes and badly designed cycle lanes.

But if you can overlook the 'fear factor' and see just how much cycling regularly can boost your disposable income, it might be enough to get you to give it a fair go.

After all, there is the 'safety in numbers' argument, i.e., the more of us who cycle, the safer it becomes.

At the moment, the bicycle accounts for only 2% of all trips to work. The Government aims to increase this to 10% by 2020 in line with the National Cycle Policy Framework.

1 Okay, fair enough. Let's start with the most frequently asked question. How much can I save by cycling instead of driving to work?

If your commute to work is 6km each way and you drive a car that averages 35mpg (or nearly 7L/100km), then you will spend nearly €300 on petrol just for your commuting journeys over the course of a year.

Saving: €6 a week or €300 a year (based on commuting 60km a week).

2 What about short, non-commuting journeys?

Let's say you do a four or five short journeys on the bicycle for shopping and other errands totalling about 20km each week.

That works out at about 1,000km a year (assuming you're willing to cycle in the rain and during the winter months too). That's another €100 a year saved in petrol costs alone.

Actually, it's probably a bit more, since using the car for very short journeys means the engine never gets the chance to warm up properly and therefore uses more fuel than for longer journeys. So say €125.

Saving: €2 a week or €125 a year (based on 20km a week).

3 But you could also save on insurance, tax, NCT, parking and all the other costs of running a car, couldn't you?

Well, this assumes that you don't have a car or you plan to get rid of it. Most people who cycle to work normally do, but are choosing cycling to beat the traffic, get more exercise or even save on their car's wear and tear. But doing away with the car altogether is probably a bridge too far for most people to pedal over. You could possibly reduce your car fleet from two to one, though.

But you'd save on parking costs at work, that's for sure. AA Ireland estimates that the average motorist would fork out nearly €4,000 a year in parking charges, or about €75 a week (that's probably a bit high, though).

You might also save on maintenance costs, too, since you'd be using the car a good bit less, but that's far harder to quantify.

Saving: Up to €75 a week or €4,000 a year on parking charges.

4 I use the train/bus. What could I save there?

Okay, if you're a commuter travelling about 8km to Dublin from Blackrock, you'll be spending €3.70 a day on a return Dart ticket.

If we assume you work 48 weeks of the year, your train travel works out at €888 a year. Similarly, a bus user travelling into Dublin city every day from Drumcondra (4km) will fork out €792 a year.

Saving: Up to €20 a week.

5 I haven't ridden a bike since my schooldays, but I'd like to get one now. If I use it for commuting most days, how long would it take to make my money back on buying it?

Let's say you splash out on a new bike costing €450, along with important accessories including a helmet (€40), a decent lock or two (€50), lights (€20) and rain gear (€50). That's over €600.

If you drive just 12km each day to work and back, you'll make your money back on petrol costs alone in two years -- shorter if your commute is longer. If you use public transport, you'll make your money back in a lot less than 12 months.

What's more, there is also the cycle-to-work tax-saving scheme, through which you can buy a bike and accessories worth up to €1,000 tax-free through participating employers.

Saving: Up to €510 through the cycle-to-work scheme.

6 But I can't afford to spend €600 on a bike, even with the cycle-to-work tax scheme (which I don't think my employer even participates in).

Well, a second-hand bike will be the way to go. There are lots for sale on online classified websites, and if you're not sure what to look out for, bring a knowledgeable friend with you.

If you're in Dublin, one good bike shop to try would be Rothar in Phibsborough. It's a social enterprise that relies on volunteers to fix up old or broken bikes into very serviceable, dependable steeds for as little as €150.

7 I used to cycle, but my bikes keep getting stolen.

Yes, this is one of the serious downsides of city-based cycling, and it's getting worse. According to the CSO, there was a 39% increase in thefts in 2009 compared to the previous year. Last year, thefts rose another 10%.

You can insure bicycles through your house insurance policy, but it may only cover theft while in the house or the garage or shed.

For this reason, it might be worth trying a dedicated cycle insurer such as Cyclesure, which can insure a bike worth €700 for about €60 a year.

Irish Independent

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