Amen! In Chicago I commute via bicycle all year.

Consider how much of that debt you can pay off by not owning a car. Depending on your car, mileage and insurance jurisdiction this could easily add up to many thousands of dollars a year. Plus you don't need to throw away money at a stupid health club if you ride a bike to work. There is another pile of savings you can use to pay down your debt.

One of the great things about a job search for me is explaining to recruiters and hiring managers that any job which is not biking distance from my home ( 15 miles) is out of the question.