How much money can you really save by cycling to work?

Commuting to work by bike isn’t a new concept, and it offers plenty of benefits. From getting fresh air and exercise in before you’ve even started your day, to often being quicker or at least more enjoyable than driving or getting public transport.

But what about how much it costs? And can riding to work actually save you money on your commute?

How much does the average person spend commuting to work?

> A beginner's guide to cycling to work

Unless you work from home, chances are you spend some money getting yourself to your place of employment. According to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), the average commuter in the UK spends £2,616 per year just getting to work. Those who use trains as their primary mode of transport spend even more on average – namely £3,454 per year.

For many workers, that is a pretty significant amount to be spending year on year, and the cost of commuting is only going up. According to the 2020 National Travel Survey, the average worker spends £17.23 per day to commute to and from work in their car, and we can only assume it’s gone up since 2020.

How far do people commute?

> How to save money on a bike with a Cycle to Work scheme

According to the ONS, the average commute in the UK was 27 minutes in 2021. This ranged between 63 minutes on average for those travelling by rail, and 15 minutes for those walking to work. In 2023 and in England, 70% of all commuting trips were made by cars outside of London, which rose to 81% in rural areas.

On average, a typical commute in the UK for car drivers is 19.5 miles each way. And while that might not be achievable for many cyclists – especially if you need to plan a route to avoid busy roads without cycling infrastructure, the likelihood is many of our commutes are actually shorter than this.

So how much does it cost to cycle to work?

> 9 reasons to get to work by bike plus top tips to get you started

There are a few things we should look at when totting up the cost of cycling to work. There are obvious expenditures like the purchase of the bike itself, and then servicing and maintenance of said bike. But there’s also the addition of kit – if you want to wear anything specific for riding (but you don’t need to), and don’t laugh – but the potential for an increase in your snacking requirements if you’re burning more energy getting to and from work.

When it comes to buying a bike, there are a few ways to go about it to make it as cheap as possible. Firstly, you can buy a bike second-hand. This can be a good way of getting something in reasonable nick if you know what you’re looking for.

If you don’t, and you’re an employee rather than self-employed, there are salary sacrifice schemes like the Cycle to Work scheme. We’ve covered how it works in our guide to it here, but essentially you sacrifice a part of your salary to pay for a bike in monthly instalments. This is taken before tax and national insurance, so you end up paying less of both.

Nowadays you can buy pretty much any bike you like through various schemes – depending on which one your employer has signed up to. This also includes e-bikes, which can certainly make commuting more appealing if you have a particularly hilly route to work.

So... how much can you save by cycling to work then?

> Cycling to work, your ultimate commuting kit list

Let’s mock up an example. If Simon has a £25,000 salary and he chooses an £800 bike through Cycle to Work, a helmet at £50 and lights etc for £150 to bring it to a total of £1,000, his monthly payments and final ownership fee after four years will end up costing him £750 overall. This results in a 25% saving on the RRP. And, the more you earn, the more you’ll likely save due to the savings on tax and national insurance contributions.

Let’s say that the average commuter spends around £1,000 on their bike, helmet and lights. You’ll also want to consider some basic tools or puncture repair kits, which may set you back around £20+. Then, you might want a new backpack or even some panniers. You can spend a lot on these, but basic options can be bought for around £40 for waterproof pannier bags. We've put together an ultimate commuting kit list you can read to get a better idea of what you might want for riding to work. 

A typical bike service costs between £30 to £200 depending on the level of service you choose. You’ll want to get a service done at least once a year, more if you ride a lot of miles and in all weathers, so you should factor in consumable parts like brake pads and tyres, too.

So, in total, cycling to work could cost from around £1,200 for an entire year, and that's including the price of a new bike paid in monthly instalments; it'll be even less if/when your bike is fully paid for (until you get the bug and buy another one).

At the very least, you're saving 65% on average commuting costs. This is, of course, a very rudimentary figure, and you can insert your own figures to compare to how much it might cost for your own journey. But the result is clear. Cycling to work can save you some serious cash.

On average, UK car owners are spending £3,800 per year just to keep their cars running. With increases in insurance premiums and vehicle excise duty (VED), plus the fact it can cost hundreds of pounds for a basic car service at the garage, owning and running a car is undoubtedly expensive. Imagine if you could swap out just a few days of driving to work a week for riding, and how much that could save you on fuel, parking and wear and tear costs.

Should everyone commute by bike?

Of course, commuting by bike just isn’t feasible for everyone. Whether it’s due to sheer distance, the type of work you do or the need to carry a lot of things (although you could invest in pannier racks or an e-cargo bike), it’s not the case that everyone can or wants to cycle to work.

That being said, even if you swap the car or train or bus for the bike just once or twice a week – you could see some significant savings. Plus, you’ll likely feel fitter and get to feel smug when you get to the office.

Let us know how much you save by cycling to work in the comments, and any tips for keeping your bike commute as cheap and cheerful as possible.