Carbon Calculations

We all know cycling is great for the planet… but what difference does it make when you choose to cycle over using the car?

We’ve put together a simple carbon counter to measure how much cycling can reduce your carbon footprint. This is why we choose to ride rather than drive, and we hope you will join us.

If the average commuting bike is ridden

5 km per day

plus some extra use on evenings and longer rides at weekends, this adds up to

2,000 km per year

… and the average bike emits

21g of CO2e

per km, taking into account all emissions from*:

  • bike production
  • bike maintenance
  • riding (food consumed by the rider)

… and the average car emits

271g of CO2e

per km, again taking into account*:

  • car production
  • car maintenance
  • driving (fuel production and use)

… so over the course of a year

car emits 542kg

bike emits 42kg

a saving of 500kg

Assuming that both the bike and the car will be used for

10 years

before being replaced, then each bike

saves 5 tonnes of CO2e

Since 2015, we have been counting the Carbon Dioxide saved by our customers, and we now have a carbon counter.

These calculations are live, so when you buy a bike from us, you will instantly see the numbers below tick upwards!


For comparison, the total carbon emissions of the average UK resident are

5.5 tonnes per year

What about E-bikes?

Do we still save carbon emissions if we use an electric bike?

Interestingly, the total carbon footprint of an E-bike is hardly any different to that of a normal bike*. This is because the rider of an E-bike expends less energy and therefore requires less food.

And if you get your electricity from a renewable source, an E-bike can even have lower overall carbon footprint than a normal bike.

* Data from European Cyclists’ Federation’s report “Quantifying CO2 savings of Cycling”, November 2011