# biking to work not as cost effective as I hoped - tires/maintenance



## jtc1 (Apr 13, 2004)

I think this is largely my issue for selecting the wrong items, but my Conti GP4000 4 seasons are only going to make it 1800 miles or so - and they have been flat happy as of late. So you add the cost of $60 tires, many tubes, chain, bar tape, and other wear tear items and biking to work cost per mile has been a bit more expensive than I thought. 

My problem is that I basically time trial (push it hard - 20-21+ mph avg) my way home from work (12.25 miles of nice rolling country roads) - so I want some nice fast 700x25 tires. But they cost $$$. Flats are due to steel belted tire shards and hillbillies throwing beer/soda bottles out of their car window onto road shoulder. 

Any thoughts on fast and nice handling (but not so expensive) tires would be appreciated. Thinking of the conti gatorskin ultras. Even though I only wiegh 165 - I tend to wear rear tires fairly fast (so I am told by LBS). Would like to get 3000+ miles from a tire.


----------



## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

Conti Sport Contact....I have about 6000 km on them....

Lots of cuts from glass etc....no flats I just put super glue in the cut when I notice it and ride on.

The bottle depot is right behind where I park.


----------



## nepbug (Sep 3, 2004)

Yeah, the GP4000s are great tires, but I wouldn't expect them to last long in commuting.

Proven winners are Paselas, Gatorskins and Marathons to name a few.

I've never tried the Paselas or Gatorskins because my Schwalbe Marathon Pluses just won't wear out!

I've had friends that loved the gatorskins, but they were mostly just using them for winter training, and I have a buddy with the Conti Sport Contacts that have been going strong for an absurdly long time too.


----------



## jtc1 (Apr 13, 2004)

Just to be clear - on my commuter I am riding the GP4000 4season. (I have the GP4000s on my road bike). The LBS sales person suggested that the 4season would last much longer then a 4000s. Not really the case as it turns out. Heard good things about the Marathon plus from a durability perspective - but they also are amazingly heavy at 600g each.


----------



## antonio (Jan 18, 2005)

Panaracer RiBMo - look it up.


----------



## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

I run Gatorskins, 700x25. I've tried others but have come back to Gatorskins because they seem to offer the best combination of rolling resistance and flat resistance. I have been getting 4000-5000 miles out of the back tires. My front tire has over 11,000 miles on it and I am just now thinking of replacing it because the sidewall is starting to fray a bit.

Added on edit - why spend so much on tubes? Just get a patch kit. I path my tubes 4-5 times before I toss them.


----------



## jrm (Jan 12, 2004)

*25c Panaracer Tservs*

next to the 4seasons are some of my favs.


----------



## wiggy (Oct 3, 2005)

i'd second the Schwalbe,
i'll recommend the Michelin Carbon as well i used them when i was using my roadbike as the commuter and they rolled quickly provided good protection where inexpensive at the time and lasted about 2000 miles or so [but have since switched over to the cross bike and am using maxxis larsen mimos which don't roll as fast but suck up lots of the bumps and provide a great way to train!]

cheers
joe


----------



## texredr (Jul 16, 2011)

Dude! Skip the worries. You are still saving $$$ in the long run!! Use the tires that best suit you!


----------



## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

I bought some Gator Skins today. We'll see how they work out.


----------



## Schmucker (Aug 23, 2007)

Get some Vittorias. I've gotten tons of flats and find that all the Conti's I've run wear out too fast. One my Gatorskins were half worn I'd get flats constantly. I've been golden with Vittorias.


----------



## nachomc (Apr 26, 2006)

One thing that is rough when it comes to tires is that certain tires seem great in certain areas. I apparently am the only guy around who got a ton of flats with the Conti GP4000s, but no flats with Specialized Mondo Pro tires. I'm hopeful that the Gator Skins work out, but if not, maybe I'll go to the Armadillo Elite tires (Specialized) which I disliked previously, or something new. We'll see


----------



## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I do pretty well with plain GP4000s, when I ride through the city on my nice bike. I'd never pay retail for them, though.

This forum could collect a list of 25mm tires with acceptable handling, rolling resistance and flat protection. They're fairly interchangeable - buying whatever's cheapest is a good strategy, as long as you know that it's not the one 25mm flat resistant tire that turns out to have a bad flat protection belt, or a tendency to delaminate.

That said, I've got nothing to offer. My commutes are pretty urban, and I haven't yet run out of the stockpile of tires cadged from friends who are more prima donna than me about having a nice tire to ride the six miles to work through traffic signals and stop signs. I don't know that I'd compare them to a Conti racing/training tire.


----------



## Bikinaz (Jan 28, 2010)

I am, and hopefully was feeling like you. I usually have 3 or 4 flats a month. My wife started complaining about all the money I was spending on tubes, slime and worthless tire liners. I coughed up the big bucks and bought the No-tubes.com road kit. Granted I would have like a tire in the 700x30-35 range, but I've gone a full week in and a half without a flat. Plus these tires are much faster than any of the others I've tried. I can give a better review in a month. 

Road Tubeless Bundle - INTENSIVE


----------



## Dogbrain (Mar 4, 2008)

I've had good experiences with the Performance Bike house brand Forte. I currently have the Forte Strada-K (Kevlar) 700x25 on my commuter and they're doing awesome. No puncture flats so far. I did pinch the rear tube once but it was jackassery on my part. Right now they're on sale for $10.


----------



## J_Hopper (Mar 5, 2005)

jtc1 said:


> I think this is largely my issue for selecting the wrong items, but my Conti GP4000 4 seasons are only going to make it 1800 miles or so - and they have been flat happy as of late. So you add the cost of $60 tires, many tubes, chain, bar tape, and other wear tear items and biking to work cost per mile has been a bit more expensive than I thought.
> 
> My problem is that I basically time trial (push it hard - 20-21+ mph avg) my way home from work (12.25 miles of nice rolling country roads) - so I want some nice fast 700x25 tires. But they cost $$$. Flats are due to steel belted tire shards and hillbillies throwing beer/soda bottles out of their car window onto road shoulder.
> 
> Any thoughts on fast and nice handling (but not so expensive) tires would be appreciated. Thinking of the conti gatorskin ultras. Even though I only wiegh 165 - I tend to wear rear tires fairly fast (so I am told by LBS). Would like to get 3000+ miles from a tire.


To me the savings is more than just money because I'm maintaining/improving my health while I'm going to/from work. Normally, I work out nearly every day. Commuting is multi-tasking for me. That, and I'm reducing maintenance on my vehicle and doing my small part to help reduce carbon emissions.

I roll 700x32c Schwalbe Marathons at ~60psi (I used to run them at 95psi, but I found the speed advantage was minimal and they're more comfortable when not inflated to the max). I got 5,500 miles out of my first pair. The tread wasn't completely worn out, but I started getting a lot of flats. More likely than not, I was unable to find a small shard that worked it's way through the remaining tread. Either way, I'm 1,700+ miles into my second pair now. They show no signs of wear and I haven't had a single flat. In case you're wondering, I'm not quite a clyde, but close, so I weigh a bit more than you.

I replaced my chain and cassette when I replaced my tires. I've never replaced bar tape (though I could probably use some new tape).

You can push it just as hard with wider tires and lower air pressure. You'll just go a little bit slower. Either way, the workout will be the same.


----------



## Bikinaz (Jan 28, 2010)

Bikinaz said:


> I am, and hopefully was feeling like you. I usually have 3 or 4 flats a month. My wife started complaining about all the money I was spending on tubes, slime and worthless tire liners. I coughed up the big bucks and bought the No-tubes.com road kit. Granted I would have like a tire in the 700x30-35 range, but I've gone a full week in and a half without a flat. Plus these tires are much faster than any of the others I've tried. I can give a better review in a month.
> 
> Road Tubeless Bundle - INTENSIVE


Just so you know the Intensive has paper thin sidewalls. I got a pinch flat on a 1 inch edge of a sidewalk running 90 pounds, the recomendation for my weight. I'll boot it up and try again. At least I didn't have to buy more tubes.


----------



## rufusdesign (Sep 19, 2008)

+100 on the gatorskins. Fantastic tire for commuting and riding fast during. Also a few patch kits and proper drivetrain cleaning after every ride or few rides will save you quite a bit of cash.


----------



## mtnbean (Jan 5, 2010)

jeffscott said:


> Conti Sport Contact....I have about 6000 km on them....
> 
> Lots of cuts from glass etc....no flats I just put super glue in the cut when I notice it and ride on.
> 
> The bottle depot is right behind where I park.


Seconded on the Sport Contact. I'm on my second set, first lasted a year and a half and several thousand miles (at least, I don't keep track other than in my head) before I got a flat, then I got a couple more and sprung for a new one, moved the old front to the back. Not bad for a $30 tire.


----------



## mattbryant2 (Apr 19, 2005)

It's unfortunate what some forum users may imply based on the title of this thread, especially considering the thread has very little to do with the title.

Decent tires can be had fairly inexpensively (less than you spent on the Gatorskins, I'm sure) and last a long time. Tubes are cheap and if you're flatting even semi-regularly, you're doing something wrong. Maintenance costs should be close to zero, as anything that needs to be done even routinely can be done at home, quite easily, with some basic tools (and maybe a minimal investment in a specialty tool or two). Take care of your bike and it will take care of you.

My point is that there is no way that biking to work is less cost effective than driving a car. With gas, insurance, maintenance, and the not insignificant cost to your community and the environment of driving your car, I don't see how you can afford to _not_ bike to work.


----------



## black-tom (May 9, 2010)

mtnbean said:


> Seconded on the Sport Contact. I'm on my second set, first lasted a year and a half and several thousand miles (at least, I don't keep track other than in my head) before I got a flat, then I got a couple more and sprung for a new one, moved the old front to the back. Not bad for a $30 tire.


These tires are great, I used them forever and only switched out when I decided I wanted a treaded tire.

how often do you have to replace your chain? I've only replaced one chain and it was for aesthetics. This is not really a part that should be adding much cost to your commute.

I've rode the same bar tape on my commuter for 2 years, including winter/snow commute. If your bar tape is wearing out quickly it could be due to leaving the bike in adverse conditions, such as a bike rack in direct sunlight or in the rain, both of which will wear it out quickly.

Best of luck figuring it all out! I've spent like 60 bucks on my commuter in two years, and I spent 50 bucks filling up my car today!


----------



## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Serfas Seca. Flat resistant, long wearing, but I'll warn you, they ride a little rougher than a nice race tire.


----------



## woodway (Dec 27, 2005)

black-tom said:


> how often do you have to replace your chain? I've only replaced one chain and it was for aesthetics. This is not really a part that should be adding much cost to your commute.


You replace your chain when it has worn and "stretched" to the point where continued use will damage your sprockets. How often that happens depends on how much you ride, your riding style and the conditions you ride in. Read the late Sheldon Brown's comprehensive article on chains. Measuring chain wear is the the last section if you want to skip down to it.

Chain Maintenance


----------



## black-tom (May 9, 2010)

woodway said:


> You replace your chain when it has worn and "stretched" to the point where continued use will damage your sprockets. How often that happens depends on how much you ride, your riding style and the conditions you ride in. Read the late Sheldon Brown's comprehensive article on chains. Measuring chain wear is the the last section if you want to skip down to it.
> 
> Chain Maintenance


I actually fully understand when to replace a chain, I was more curious as to how often the original poster was changing his since in all actuality the cost of a chain should be fairly negligible in his cent/m.


----------



## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

re: chains.

the other school of thought is that you should continue to ride a chain and cassette so they wear together. when they get bad enough, you replace the chain and cassette at the same time. in the long run, this is less hassle and costs less. unless you are racing or riding up mountains every day, a chain and cassette should last you at least 2000 miles. then you replace the chainrings as needed.


----------



## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I'd rather get 6000 miles out of my cassette.


----------



## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

No matter how I crunch the numbers I don't save much money commuting. It would be different if I did not own a car already and hadn't spent that money. Even barring that I still have insurance on it when I don't use it. Further the extra time I spend getting to wherever I am going is overhead in itself. (As volunteer and manager of vounteers time is overhead; just because it isn't cash out-of-ocket doesn't mean it isn't a cost of operation and, therefore, overhead.)

So............I comunte for different reasons than money. I like to ride my bike.


----------



## trailville (Jul 24, 2006)

I do save money by commuting, but it's not a huge amount primarily because my commute is rather short and I'm more of a fair-weather commuter (50-100 days per year). I probably save $100 - $200 per year. 

My key to success is (at least so far) restraining myself from spending money on "upgrading" my commuter. I ride a heavy crappy 99 hardrock I bought used cheap 4 or 5 years ago specifically for commuting. I use cheap sale tires or (my current setup) hand-me-downs from my other bikes. The only upgrades I had to do were a decent rack and pannier setup. 

It's really really really hard to not upgrade this bike, but I'm proud of myself for achieving what I have. The other benefit of not putting money into your commuter is no fear of bike thieves. I'm not saying I wouldn't be a little pissed if someone stole it, but with the exception of the rack and pannier setup, there is nothing about that bike I would particularly miss. 

Back to tires, unless you have a really long commute I think low-end mtb tires are the ticket. Those hard-rubber heavy tires that come stock on low-to-mid-level mtbs may suck on the trails, but they usually roll pretty well on the road and don't flat easily. At least that's been my experience.


----------



## mattbryant2 (Apr 19, 2005)

Those who are not saving money by commuting need to take the plunge and ditch the car if at all possible. Maximize your savings while minimizing your environmental impact. Also, buying practical, dependable, not obscenely expensive components will save more money. Some people don't think they can afford to be cyclists, but they really can't afford to be upgrade whores. It's a revelation to learn that a reasonably-priced bike can be just as effective in getting from one place to another.

And as far as the cost of time -- wouldn't you want to be spending time riding your bike anyway? You're getting exercise, you're engaging in an enjoyable activity, and you're _saving_ cash by doing so. I spend a lot of time in my saddle, and I consider each minute a privilege. Can't think of a better way to spend my time, really.


----------



## Berkeley Mike (Jan 13, 2004)

The Commute Bike was definitely more expensive today. Riding through Richmond doing errands I smelled BBQ and followed my nose to it's source. CJ's on MacDonald. Finished my errands and went there for Pork Ribs, Potato Salad, Baked beans and a cold Pepsi.It was such a large order I had to take the rest home. Fortunately I was on my commuter and my rack with spiderweb bungie net served me well.

If I had been driving I never would have smelled it and save $16.00.


----------



## jeffscott (May 10, 2006)

jeffscott said:


> Conti Sport Contact....I have about 6000 km on them....
> 
> Lots of cuts from glass etc....no flats I just put super glue in the cut when I notice it and ride on.
> 
> The bottle depot is right behind where I park.


The rear Conti finally failed...the rubber peeled of the sidewall near the rim and a bulge formed....

Maybe got another 800 km on them for 6800 km total.


----------



## CaptainDecisive (Sep 4, 2007)

Bike commuting has definitely saved me money. Bike cost £800ish to build (in respectable geek fashion I did keep a spreadsheet, however not sure where that's stored right now) and in four years of commuting I've bought new tires, tubes, chain, cassette, popped a spoke, replaced cables, bought new bike clothes and some other expenses I'm sure.

However an annual bus pass to get to work would currently cost me £540 a year. The bus pass has gone up in recent years but totalling the past four years it probably would have cost me a bit under £2000, which I'm well under for bike expenses. Plus the bus is slooooow. A guy I work with used to live near me and I'd sometimes pass him waiting at the bus stop near the start of my commute. "Mornin' Ian. See you at work" as I blew by. Usually bet him to work by a good 20-25 mins over a 4.5 mile commute. 

Alternatively by driving to work I might, possibly, depending on traffic, and roadworks, save 10-15 minutes a day. Except then I've gotten no exercise and I'd have to buy a second car, let alone pay running costs. Which neatly takes us back on topic.

Originally I decided to buy nice light expensive components and now as the new bike lustre has worn off I've started buying cheaper stuff that works just as well. A couple of suggestions for tires:
Schwalbe Marathon Racers (700x30) are very nice - durable, fast, provide a bit of cushion but also a bit more expensive.
Bontrager Race Lite Hardcases have also done very well for me. They come in a range of widths, have excellent puncture resistance and durability and are pretty cheap.


----------



## CommuterBoy (Oct 4, 2007)

I'd bet that I didn't save any money (or very little) for the first year or so that I was commuting. I was spending my gas budget on stuff I needed for the commute (clothes, bike parts, etc). Once I was pretty 'stocked' (with clothes especially), I started saving money. So for the OP, I'd say give it some time and you'll start to see the benefits in a more obvious way. 


Tires, chains, etc. do cost money, but nowhere near what I'd spend in gas. And I'm a teacher, so my time is only worth something like 38 cents an hour if you do the math...definitely not wasting any overhead during that hour on the bike :lol:

Oh, and Schwalbe Big Apples...they've been awesome for me. Definitely getting 500-1000 more miles out of them than anything else I've tried.


----------



## Spinnyspinspin (Aug 11, 2011)

We sell a ton of Schwalbes out of the shop I work in, and the Marathon Plus is a winner. I've had customers who bought a pair over a year ago who haven't been back for flats since.


----------



## Mr Pink57 (Jul 30, 2009)

mattbryant2 said:


> Those who are not saving money by commuting need to take the plunge and ditch the car if at all possible. Maximize your savings while minimizing your environmental impact. Also, buying practical, dependable, not obscenely expensive components will save more money. Some people don't think they can afford to be cyclists, but they really can't afford to be *upgrade whores*. It's a revelation to learn that a reasonably-priced bike can be just as effective in getting from one place to another.
> 
> And as far as the cost of time -- wouldn't you want to be spending time riding your bike anyway? You're getting exercise, you're engaging in an enjoyable activity, and you're _saving_ cash by doing so. I spend a lot of time in my saddle, and I consider each minute a privilege. Can't think of a better way to spend my time, really.


This is key and this used to be me. But when you finally realize it's just best to let it break or wear out things get a lot cheaper then you would expect.

It also get's a lot cheaper when you wrench yourself, granted a lot of time can be eaten up this way but I treat it like some good ol' fashion me time. Beer, tools, mp3 player, and my bike.


----------



## Tom93R1 (Jan 26, 2005)

rkj__ said:


> Serfas Seca. Flat resistant, long wearing, but I'll warn you, they ride a little rougher than a nice race tire.


Thats what I have been running the last couple years. I get about 1000 miles out of the rear and 3000 miles front, but I weigh 220 and have another 30+ pounds of laptop and other stuff hanging on the rear rack. For $25 a tire at REI I can't complain too much.


----------



## ussprinceton2004 (Apr 9, 2007)

For me, I ride at night, so there is the added cost of purchasing quality bike lights and batteries. It had been raining for the past few days here in North Carolina. I forgot to take with me my front and rear lights yesterday while my bike was parked outside. When my light didn't work, I thought I would have had to buy a whole new set. As soon as I got home, I tried to clear the moisture by using a hair dryer. This worked for the rear lights, but not for the front, a Cateye HL-EL530. It turns out that two of the metal connectors had been pushed in too far to make proper contact. I just had to pull them a little further out, so it now works as it should. Needless to say, I am happy I don't have to spend more money, blowing the savings from riding a bike instead of gas powered vehicle.


----------



## JAGI410 (Apr 19, 2008)

I doubt I've saved all that much over the years, since I tend to buy whatever I need/want to make my trip more enjoyable. But now that I'm all setup, I was able to sell our second car. So now that $450/month commitment is pure savings...

Well could be pure savings...there's now a whole lot of empty space in the garage that could be filled up with bikes!


----------



## Straz85 (Mar 20, 2009)

I buy way too much stuff to even think about saving money, main reasons I commute (in no particular order) are 1) I would rather be on my bike then sitting in traffic 2) environmental reasons 3) exercise 4) It's fun

With that said, you've gotten some great advice here on how to spend less on maintenance. Patch tubes a few times before getting rid of them, less expensive and more puncture resistant tires, drivetrain cleaning.


----------

