The longer I ride and the more conditions I ride in influences my understanding of what I need in a daily commuter bicycle. I know there are communities, clubs, events and cycle shop groupies out there who hang together, ride together, share experiences and teach each other. I’m not one of them. I’m a regular guy with a job, a house a family and neighbors. If I’m not running Liam to swim team I’m headed to Home Depot for some project around the house.
I don’t know anyone who owns an ebike besides me. I know one other guy at my work who rides a bicycle to work every day. He’s one of those hardcore, super fit, racing bike guys. He has been someone to visit with about routes and traffic and things like that but as you can see I have been pretty much on my own figuring out what is going to work for me.
One of the things that got me thinking about what I wanted was a recent trip to Amsterdam. I was working a convention over there for a little over a week. I was fascinated with the biking culture and infrastructure there. I eventually learned that the city had 750,000 people and 600,000 bicycles. Everyone rode bikes. There were roads that were for bikes only. There really weren’t that many cars at all. In a city where most of the land is reclaimed from the sea through backfilling, it is also completely flat and level. Cycling there is simply transportation. There is no big fanfare around it. It not some enthusiast specialty sport. It is getting back and forth to work. Daily commuters are tall, single speed bicycles that you sit upright on. They have full fenders for the wet weather. They have full chain guards so you don’t need special clothes to keep from getting caught in the chain. When cycling there, people wear whatever they are wearing to work. Skirts, suits, raincoats, whatever. I saw all kinds of interesting cargo bicycles. I saw thousands of simple bicycles stacked at train stations like extra seats outside of a sports stadium. Important, useful, available, but not some unique, tricked out or custom bike.
I know that this experience in Amsterdam influenced me when thinking about what I needed for my daily commuter. It turns out that there is actually a style of bicycle called a city commuter, which really means upright sitting, saddle seat, big wheels, full fenders, chain guard. Pretty much everything I had observed and thought I would like. So I decided first off that I was looking for some sort of city commuter.
Since you are reading this, I’ll assume that like me, you use online sources to evaluate, learn and make choices. Then you also know how hard this is. There is so much information. It is very hard to evaluate credibility of the sources. People are trying to sell stuff. People have completely contradictory assessments. I tend to look for as many different sources as possible. I will never buy a product on Amazon that only has three reviews. I like the product that has 50 reviews and 5 bad ones. I feel like I’m getting a better picture of what the product really is from folks who are really trying to use it.
Another thing I find interesting about many reviews is all the different ways people try to use things. I am trying to accomplish something. I need something that I think will work. Is someone else trying to use it the same way I am? Those are the revues I am most interested in. When someone is trying to do the same thing I am, and they are telling me they like this choice, I am generally influenced by the report.
I won’t try to reconstruct the twisted path I followed that got me to the bike I ultimately purchased. I will tell you that I did a lot of online research, read many reviews, contacted the company directly and ultimately took a bike out on a test ride at a local dealer before I made my purchase. I felt well informed and am currently quite happy with my choice.
I am riding the bike 20 miles a day to work and back. I have continued to modify things based on my experiences and preferences. In the next post I’ll start with details about the bicycle itself. In subsequent posts I’ll be covering the various modifications.
Stay tuned!
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Why an electric bike?
Or maybe "why a bike at all?" I am at that point in life where there are all sorts of things rattling around in my head. I have a good job, but I also need that job to make the mortgage payment and keep food on the table. I am not independently wealthy and I don’t regard my financial circumstances as a sure thing. When I was younger I didn’t think about it much. I did good work, I got recognition and I got promotions. All is right with the world. These days I see folks in trouble. A lot of folks in trouble. I feel fortunate that I am not one of the folks in trouble and I hope it stays that way. So far so good.
I am more focused on preparedness these days. I want to retire someday. Will there be social security? Who knows. Will our 401k meet our needs? I don’t know that either. So my default mindset is to earn more, save more, spend less. We have four cars. Two daily drivers, a truck for the lumber yard and the dump, and a classic 64 thunderbird that is a restoration project I work on with my 12 year old son. Gas is over four bucks a gallon right now. I fill the 15 gallon tank on my car and its $65.
I do that about once a week so now I’m spending just on gas for my car (not the truck or Marlaina’s car) over $3000 a year. So I think about cycling as a way to spend less and save more.
My health doesn’t suck, but it’s not great either. I have never been a disciplined athlete. I don’t spend time in the gym. I am about 35 pounds overweight. I get winded going up three flights of stairs. I eat pretty good most of the time but I’m not shy about pizza and cake at a birthday party either. I’d like to be in better shape. Cycling to work would certainly help with that.
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