[jdietrich]

The article isn't terribly serious, but I'll bite anyway.

The IRS and GSA private vehicle mileage rate for 2016 is 54c. The federal government believes this to be a representative cost for a mile driven in a typical private car, inclusive of maintenance and capital depreciation. By that figure, the real cost of a 34 mile round trip is $18.36.

The US doesn't provide tax deductions for bicycle travel, but the UK does. The rate set by HMRC is 20p per mile, equivalent to 28 cents. This figure is inclusive of maintenance, depreciation, third-party insurance, clothing and accessories. Accordingly, the cost of a 34 mile round trip is $9.52. The average cost of living is significantly higher in the UK than the US, so this should be seen as a generous figure.

Even after adding the OP's calculated food costs, cycling comes out as considerably cheaper than driving. There is also the broader issue of the typical Western diet, which contains a significant excess of calories.

[reversecs]

one could also factor in time. At work your time costs money and if driving allowed you to spend an extra hour working, assuming you were paid hourly, you could work one additional hour. in the case of salaried perhaps you performance would rise.

but I don't really like the idea of sacrificing exercise for additional hours at work.

[jdietrich]

By the same token, you could factor in the costs of ill health and premature death due to a sedentary lifestyle. Commuting by bicycle is a very time-efficient way of getting cardiovascular exercise.