On days when I log in a lot of miles on my bike, I long for a calorie source that is as inexpensive as gasoline. A gallon of gasoline can get me 47 miles for $2.81 (or $3.09, depending on the day). To bike 47 miles, I need about 2,000 calories. Where can you get 2,000 calories for three bucks?
It looks like Hardee’s is working on a solution to my problem.
Don’t let my monetary musings mislead you. Despite the increased food costs, cycling remains cheaper than driving. With cars, you have to tack on the price of the vehicle(usually way more than a bike), insurance, title, registration, maintenance and any accessories you may require to distract yourself from the dullness of driving (satellite radio, hands-free phone set-up, extensive CD collection, hula girl for your dashboard). This comes out to $0.40-$0.50 per mile. For cycling, you just tack on the costs of maintenance and accessories (lights, helmet, cycling clothing if you’re into that), and you can subtract savings on gym memberships and healthcare.
Since biking takes about 40 calories a mile, and driving costs about $0.40 a mile, this means I can spend a penny per calorie and be no poorer than if I drove.
Here’s a calculator to show you how much you could save or are saving by cycling instead of driving.