Built a single speed out of a cheap, used frame with some spare or cheap parts and it has been going strong with little maintenance for 14 years.
Also have a long-tail cargo ebike that I got this summer and already have over 500 miles on it. It can be faster than driving a lot of times on top of being more fun for me and my kids.
And to top it off a full suspension mountain bike (2018 YT Jeffsy) which I get out on about twice a week and is really great for my physical/mental state, and has a huge skill ceiling so there will always be something to strive to get better at. Just got back from a weekend off riding an area with huge granite boulders and slabs with a few friends. Really fun to attempt features that made us a little uncomfortable and build skills/confidence.
only a 0.5cm change in saddle position can greatly improve comfort already.
A bike fit and correctly setup bike helped me a lot, especially on longer (100km+) rides.