Resources

The Fastest, Cheapest & Happiest Way to Commute

It’s a generally accepted fact that cycling is the greenest, most economic form of transport. As you might expect, here at Quella we’ve been regurgitating this message but without ever properly doing the math for ourselves. So that’s what we’re going to do: is it in fact the cheapest way for us to get to work and is it the cheapest method of commuting?

Where’s My Money?

So, if were to do the same journey in a car taking into account the current, very low price of petrol (£1.28 per litre); 25 days of annual leave (that’s what we get) and assuming an average MPG of about 45 (although who knows what it is!?) we’ve worked out that it would cost us about £380 in fuel alone every year.

On public transport we’re looking at an annual cost of about £460 although that’s nothing compared to what it might cost in some of the Country’s bigger cities however. In London, for example, the cost of public transport is quite considerable, running at about £840 if you opt for the bus pass and £1,508 if you chose to travel underground for a year.

Hold The Line?
Whilst it’s true that travelling by car would be slightly – emphasis on the word slightly here – faster than pedal power for us and our rural commute, the same is certainly not the case for those in the big cities. Research has shown that “commute by bike in the UK’s major cities and you’ll get there in half the time of cars”. To see how cycling compares to travelling by any other means try one of the web mapping services online, then you’ll see for yourself exactly what’s quickest for the route you take. Cycling does usually win though – just saying!

In The End
We acknowledge that even those who cycle to work will also own a vehicle, indeed we do, and for that reason have not included running costs such as servicing, road tax and insurance which we all know can be substantial. In turn, we’ve also omitted the number of errands run and non-business related journeys we bike for now where we would have driven before.

Not only will cycling negate the need to pay expensive monthly gym membership fees, it will improve your health, make you feel happier and, according to the experts, result in better sex. It’s better for the economy, better for society and better for the environment. All that being said, it won’t make it any easier to humorously insert a Volkswagen emissions scandal reference though.

A Bit About Quella:

Our zeal for style that doesn't break the bank, ensures we will continue to remain one step ahead in the cycling world; providing affordable, superior quality and a personal service to our customers from the heart of the British countryside.

Our bikes are the perfect antidote for an uninspired and overpriced market. Nestled between thoroughbred track racing and urban fashion, with a classic diamond form and an understated minimalist aesthetic, all culminating in something that is much a piece of art as a performance-driven machine.

Quella Bicycle are a British based manufacturer located in Gloucester