A reader writes:
Regarding Lloyd Alter's "food cost" post, bicycle couriers spend all day riding their bike, while most commuters ride between 30 and 60 minutes per day. The calorie requirements for a bike courier versus a commuter look rather different, based on the number of hours they ride, and the fact that couriers often ride harder and faster than regular commuters. So that $17 for couriers would be more like $2-$3 per day for commuters. Sorry, Lloyd.
I could also mention the fact that my 40-minute round-trip commute means that I get my daily recommended dose of exercise. This should lead to reduced health care costs down the road, as well as saving hundreds in gym membership costs each year. Just two more "economic" advantages of riding a bike.
Another writes:
What about the opportunity costs of the extra time a bike commuter spends to get to work? My 15-mile car commute takes 25-30 minutes. To ride that same distance, it would take me at the very least 1.5-2 hours, each way. My round trip commute could go from one to four hours. All those extra hours are ones I could have spent working – or you know, doing anything besides commuting.
Another:
I'm all for being green and fit. Unfortunately though, the whole concept of biking to work is nonsense. I've worked with about 1000 people in my life and I have known 1 person who regularly biked to work. I can't bike to work because biking results in my body sweating, thus offsetting the purpose of my morning shower. So next time we calculate the cost of biking, can we factor in the cost of smelling like sweat all day and getting fired because no one wants to sit within 15 feet of you?
The Dish 