out here in the middle
cycling, music, culture, faith
cycling, music, culture, faith
BLOG.JASONKEARNEY.NET
Bike Lanes, Revisited
A few months ago, I published an article on bike lanes. My conclusion was that they are impractical because cars park in them, and because drivers don't know how to react around a bike lane—they either use it as an alternate lane, or as a parking lot, so why bother.
Then I spent a week in Portland, Oregon. Portland is known for a lot of things. They are staunch free speech advocates, and have prevailed in court on the right to ride bikes naked (yikes). They were ranked by one magazine as the most depressing city in America. They are sometimes called "Pornland" because of the numerous all-nude strip clubs that dot the city. It is cloudy 222 days a year there, and can be a pretty depressing place.
But they are also a huge bicycling town. Recently Portland was ranked the #2 bicycling city in America. They have great mass transit. There is bike parking at every store, restaurant, and bar. Bicycles are a major part of ad campaigns for things that are completely unrelated to cyclists. 6% of the population of P-town commutes to work by bicycle.
Oh, and they have MILES and MILES of bike lanes. They are everywhere. There are signs reminding motorists to watch for cyclists. There are also signs on certain roads, which prohibit cyclists from riding there (usually they are major highways).
One of the reasons I have objected to bike lanes is that there are places where bike lanes have to intersect with car lanes. When you approach an intersection, for example, what happens when a car has to turn right? He has no other choice but to roll through the bike lane.
I spent some time visiting with some locals about bike lanes, and something they said cleared the whole thing up for me. In Portland, the law requires all drivers of cars to yield to riders of bicycles. Did you catch that? I ask, because you may have missed it. All drivers of cars are required to yield to bicyclists, all the time.
In Oklahoma, we have structured the law so that drivers of cars and riders of bicycles are treated the same. We have hammered home the theme "same road, same rights, same rules." But there is one problem with that. We are not the same. We aren't even close. Someone told me that when a car and a bicycle collide, the only laws that count are the laws of physics.
I think it is a mistake to treat cars and bicycles the same. Bike lanes work when laws are changed (and enforced), and people are educated. Riders will feel safer when they have a lane of their own.
I think I have the perfect solution for Tulsa. Follow Portland's example. Build bike lanes on major throughways—all of them. Then change the law, and give cyclists the right of way in every situation. If the laws aren't changed, bike lanes will not make things safer and more convenient. Law enforcement has to get on board, fines have to increase to get the message across. Public transportation needs to improve (translation: light rail) so people who live too far from work can still bike to work.
One long-time Portland resident told me that thirty years ago, there was a mayor who was an avid cyclist. He got the ball rolling, and it has taken years to get to the place they are now. Our mayor and city council fight over the smallest issues, so we still have a long ways to go.
Meanwhile, another cyclist was hit and seriously injured this week in Tulsa. Something has got to give.
Then I spent a week in Portland, Oregon. Portland is known for a lot of things. They are staunch free speech advocates, and have prevailed in court on the right to ride bikes naked (yikes). They were ranked by one magazine as the most depressing city in America. They are sometimes called "Pornland" because of the numerous all-nude strip clubs that dot the city. It is cloudy 222 days a year there, and can be a pretty depressing place.
But they are also a huge bicycling town. Recently Portland was ranked the #2 bicycling city in America. They have great mass transit. There is bike parking at every store, restaurant, and bar. Bicycles are a major part of ad campaigns for things that are completely unrelated to cyclists. 6% of the population of P-town commutes to work by bicycle.
Oh, and they have MILES and MILES of bike lanes. They are everywhere. There are signs reminding motorists to watch for cyclists. There are also signs on certain roads, which prohibit cyclists from riding there (usually they are major highways).
One of the reasons I have objected to bike lanes is that there are places where bike lanes have to intersect with car lanes. When you approach an intersection, for example, what happens when a car has to turn right? He has no other choice but to roll through the bike lane.
I spent some time visiting with some locals about bike lanes, and something they said cleared the whole thing up for me. In Portland, the law requires all drivers of cars to yield to riders of bicycles. Did you catch that? I ask, because you may have missed it. All drivers of cars are required to yield to bicyclists, all the time.
In Oklahoma, we have structured the law so that drivers of cars and riders of bicycles are treated the same. We have hammered home the theme "same road, same rights, same rules." But there is one problem with that. We are not the same. We aren't even close. Someone told me that when a car and a bicycle collide, the only laws that count are the laws of physics.
I think it is a mistake to treat cars and bicycles the same. Bike lanes work when laws are changed (and enforced), and people are educated. Riders will feel safer when they have a lane of their own.
I think I have the perfect solution for Tulsa. Follow Portland's example. Build bike lanes on major throughways—all of them. Then change the law, and give cyclists the right of way in every situation. If the laws aren't changed, bike lanes will not make things safer and more convenient. Law enforcement has to get on board, fines have to increase to get the message across. Public transportation needs to improve (translation: light rail) so people who live too far from work can still bike to work.
One long-time Portland resident told me that thirty years ago, there was a mayor who was an avid cyclist. He got the ball rolling, and it has taken years to get to the place they are now. Our mayor and city council fight over the smallest issues, so we still have a long ways to go.
Meanwhile, another cyclist was hit and seriously injured this week in Tulsa. Something has got to give.
The Perfect Commuter Bike
For years, I have been on a quest to find the perfect bike for commuting. I think I have finally found it.
If you read this blog at all, you know that I have tried several different bikes for commuting. I rode an entry level mountain bike for a year or so. I rode a very expensive, full carbon, flat bar road bike (loved it). I rode a "fitness" bike for a year. I even rode a single speed bike for a month or so.
Recently I came across a new rig, and it has quickly become the best commuter I have ever had.
It is the Trek Montare, and is in the "dual sport 29er" category.
It is pretty dirty—I already have 600 miles on it.
The dual sports are part of the Gary Fisher signature collection
In addition to the trunk bag, I have a cool basket that fits on the rack
The basket makes it easy to make a run to the store, or carry your little dogs
The remote lockout makes it easy to take the front fork out of the equation
Here are some of the things I like about it:
Whichever one you buy, you'll make your money back quick by riding it to work. And you'll be comfy, and look darn stylish doing it.
If you read this blog at all, you know that I have tried several different bikes for commuting. I rode an entry level mountain bike for a year or so. I rode a very expensive, full carbon, flat bar road bike (loved it). I rode a "fitness" bike for a year. I even rode a single speed bike for a month or so.
Recently I came across a new rig, and it has quickly become the best commuter I have ever had.
It is the Trek Montare, and is in the "dual sport 29er" category.
It is pretty dirty—I already have 600 miles on it.
The dual sports are part of the Gary Fisher signature collection
In addition to the trunk bag, I have a cool basket that fits on the rack
The basket makes it easy to make a run to the store, or carry your little dogs
The remote lockout makes it easy to take the front fork out of the equation
Here are some of the things I like about it:
- It is durable. Built like a 29er mountain bike, it is able to tackle the rough spots on my commute without missing a beat. I have a few nasty places on my ride to work, and this bike gives me a lot more confidence.
- It has a front fork. I used to not like a front fork on my commuter, because it eats up energy when climbing. This bike has the ability to lock out the fork, and even better, it has a remote switch on the handlebar, allowing me to lock it and unlock it quickly. The fork absorbs the road vibration, and makes the ride to work very comfortable.
- It is fast. Now, it isn't road bike fast, but it is much faster than the flat bar road bike I had been riding. But I am averaging 16+mph on my ride to work (most days).
- Hydraulic disc brakes. I really need the stopping power of disc brakes when riding in traffic, and these are excellent. Rim brakes are not nearly as efficient when negotiating on city streets.
Whichever one you buy, you'll make your money back quick by riding it to work. And you'll be comfy, and look darn stylish doing it.
Cycling is Tough Enough
Twice I have been the victim of people using my blog to further their agenda.
Once was during a statewide election five years ago.
The second time was this week. If you are reading this for the first time, it is because Paul Tay sent you misinformation, and has asked you to join him in pressuring me to do something I do not want to do.
I will reserve my thoughts about Paul Tay and his dreadful impact on cycling issues in Tulsa. Anyone who knows Paul also knows that he has absolutely zero credibility in this city. It is unfortunate that such an articulate, intelligent man has a screw loose somewhere, to the point where he is unable to affect change in an area that so desperately needs it. But enough about that.
Paul has told you that I have a video of a Tulsa police officer making comments about cyclists. True.
He told you that it is an angry exchange of words. False.
He wants me to release it to the public, but I won't. Here is why.
Paul has a personal vendetta against the Tulsa Police Department. I do not. I have several friends who serve with the department, and have the highest respect for them. Yes, there are a few bad apples, but the vast majority of the ones I know are hard working people who put their lives on the line every day. Posting this video online would impugn the entire department. I guess this is something Paul Tay wants. Not me.
The video is in the possession of an attorney who will advise me of what to do with it. If he believes it rises to the level that would suggest discipline by his employer, then we will forward it to the authorities. If it does not, we will let it lie.
Once was during a statewide election five years ago.
The second time was this week. If you are reading this for the first time, it is because Paul Tay sent you misinformation, and has asked you to join him in pressuring me to do something I do not want to do.
I will reserve my thoughts about Paul Tay and his dreadful impact on cycling issues in Tulsa. Anyone who knows Paul also knows that he has absolutely zero credibility in this city. It is unfortunate that such an articulate, intelligent man has a screw loose somewhere, to the point where he is unable to affect change in an area that so desperately needs it. But enough about that.
Paul has told you that I have a video of a Tulsa police officer making comments about cyclists. True.
He told you that it is an angry exchange of words. False.
He wants me to release it to the public, but I won't. Here is why.
Paul has a personal vendetta against the Tulsa Police Department. I do not. I have several friends who serve with the department, and have the highest respect for them. Yes, there are a few bad apples, but the vast majority of the ones I know are hard working people who put their lives on the line every day. Posting this video online would impugn the entire department. I guess this is something Paul Tay wants. Not me.
The video is in the possession of an attorney who will advise me of what to do with it. If he believes it rises to the level that would suggest discipline by his employer, then we will forward it to the authorities. If it does not, we will let it lie.
Why Do You Commute By Bicycle?
This is not an uncommon question. I always seem to answer it differently, depending on what day it is, or the weather on that day, or my mood. Sometimes I answer it by saying, "I wonder the same thing myself." Especially on a cold day. If I have gained weight, I tell people that I ride for the calorie burn. If there is a lot of construction on the highway to work, I tell people that I ride to avoid the orange barrels and the traffic congestion.
I don't ride because I'm a hippie-liberal-pinko-commie-vegetarian. People assume that I am a healthy eater—they say it to me all the time: "we were going to go eat pizza, but can you eat that?" Geez, people. I eat like a hog. Put it in front of me, and I'm going to eat it.
Lately, I have been telling people that I ride to work for one reason and one reason only: MONEY. Now that gasoline is back up to nearly $4 a gallon, bike commuting makes sense to a lot of people. And the reason I ride to work is much more obvious. I hate to spend money, so bike commuting is a great option.
I drive a pickup truck. A full size, four-wheel drive pickup truck, with a V-8 engine. As long as I'm not hauling a bicycle on top of it, I will get about 17mpg. Not too bad. During the winter, because of my teaching schedule, I was driving nearly every day, and filling my tank once a week. Lately, it costs me $85 to fill up. $85! That is a pair of tickets to the Lyle Lovett/John Hiatt concert next month (which I will have to miss due to Taylor's wedding).
There are all kinds of ideas being circulated about how to save money on gas, or to improve fuel economy. People are wanting to squeeze every last drop from their gasoline budget, and for good reason. When gas expenses take up a third of your monthly budget, something has got to give.
The only real, practical solution to the high price of fuel is to ride your bike more. Sure it will make you feel better. You will absolutely lose weight. And you will not pollute the air, or cause traffic congestion. You'll get to work in a better mood than you do now. You will reduce your chances of dying from heart disease or diabetes. All of the above are true.
But mostly, you're going to save a boat load of cash. And THAT, after all, is what it's all about.
I don't ride because I'm a hippie-liberal-pinko-commie-vegetarian. People assume that I am a healthy eater—they say it to me all the time: "we were going to go eat pizza, but can you eat that?" Geez, people. I eat like a hog. Put it in front of me, and I'm going to eat it.
Lately, I have been telling people that I ride to work for one reason and one reason only: MONEY. Now that gasoline is back up to nearly $4 a gallon, bike commuting makes sense to a lot of people. And the reason I ride to work is much more obvious. I hate to spend money, so bike commuting is a great option.
I drive a pickup truck. A full size, four-wheel drive pickup truck, with a V-8 engine. As long as I'm not hauling a bicycle on top of it, I will get about 17mpg. Not too bad. During the winter, because of my teaching schedule, I was driving nearly every day, and filling my tank once a week. Lately, it costs me $85 to fill up. $85! That is a pair of tickets to the Lyle Lovett/John Hiatt concert next month (which I will have to miss due to Taylor's wedding).
There are all kinds of ideas being circulated about how to save money on gas, or to improve fuel economy. People are wanting to squeeze every last drop from their gasoline budget, and for good reason. When gas expenses take up a third of your monthly budget, something has got to give.
- One recent news story details an iphone app that tells you where to find the cheapest gas. So you can drive six miles out of your way to save two pennies on a gallon of gas.
- Another suggestion made by the "experts" is to properly inflate your tires. That will improve fuel economy, so that instead of getting 15.5 mpg, you'll get 16 mpg.
- I would think more people would drive slower to save gas. They try all these tricks to get better fuel economy, then drive like Dale Earnhardt on their two mile trip to the grocery store. It just doesn't make a lot of sense.
The only real, practical solution to the high price of fuel is to ride your bike more. Sure it will make you feel better. You will absolutely lose weight. And you will not pollute the air, or cause traffic congestion. You'll get to work in a better mood than you do now. You will reduce your chances of dying from heart disease or diabetes. All of the above are true.
But mostly, you're going to save a boat load of cash. And THAT, after all, is what it's all about.
Road Rage and Portable Video
When I was a kid, my dad and I were walking around at an event in Tulsa, when we struck up a conversation with a TV news crew. They had to carry so much stuff—a mega-heavy camera, the batteries (which were worn on a belt by the photo-journalist), and the machine containing the video tape, which was, in itself, pretty bulky.
My dad told me that they were developing technology that would make the camera, battery, and video tape self-contained. He said it would revolutionize our lives, because video would be so accessible and easy.
That was the 1970s.
We had no idea how right, and wrong, he was. Because now, there is no video tape. There is no massive cameras or batteries to haul around. And video is so prevalent, even the most frightening events are everywhere, to be seen by anyone with an internet connection. The tsunami in Japan. Your kid's ballet recital. You name it, and you can probably find a video of it somewhere.
Enter the GoPro phenomenon. A fully functional, HD capable video camera that can be mounted almost anywhere. Shock proof. Water proof. Idiot proof. GoPro is spending millions of dollars on promotion. They are popping up everywhere, from your local time trial race, to MTV, to the Biggest Loser. At $299, they are pretty affordable (as video cameras go), so just about everyone can have one. Or two.
I got mine as a birthday gift last year, and have used it quite a bit. One of the first things I captured on video was a driver running a stop sign right in front of me. Putting that video on Youtube highlighted the dangers that cyclists face from inattentive drivers.
Last Saturday, I was riding to work, and had two incidents. One was a couple of kids in a pickup truck who came onto the shoulder and buzzed me. The other was of a driver who ignored my turn signal, and passed me on the left as I was making a left-hand turn. Both encounters were caught on video. Both could lead to issuing citations against the drivers if I chose to pursue it. It makes me want to run the camera every time I am on the bike, just in case.
A friend sent me a link to a video by a cyclist who was the victim of road rage. He was running cameras pointing forward and backward, when he encountered an angry driver. This happened to be in the state of Colorado, which requires cars to have license plates in the front, not just the rear, like Oklahoma does. He was able to capture a still photo of the license plate number, which he turned into police, who are prosecuting the driver and passenger of the offending car. You can view the video for yourself by clicking here.
When I posted photos of my incident on Facebook, several people re-posted them. The potential is for thousands of people to view these photos, and there is at least some chance that someone will know who this driver is.
One person made the following comment in response to these photos: "helmet cams are gonna change a lot of things."
Yes they are. And I can't wait.
My dad told me that they were developing technology that would make the camera, battery, and video tape self-contained. He said it would revolutionize our lives, because video would be so accessible and easy.
That was the 1970s.
We had no idea how right, and wrong, he was. Because now, there is no video tape. There is no massive cameras or batteries to haul around. And video is so prevalent, even the most frightening events are everywhere, to be seen by anyone with an internet connection. The tsunami in Japan. Your kid's ballet recital. You name it, and you can probably find a video of it somewhere.
Enter the GoPro phenomenon. A fully functional, HD capable video camera that can be mounted almost anywhere. Shock proof. Water proof. Idiot proof. GoPro is spending millions of dollars on promotion. They are popping up everywhere, from your local time trial race, to MTV, to the Biggest Loser. At $299, they are pretty affordable (as video cameras go), so just about everyone can have one. Or two.
I got mine as a birthday gift last year, and have used it quite a bit. One of the first things I captured on video was a driver running a stop sign right in front of me. Putting that video on Youtube highlighted the dangers that cyclists face from inattentive drivers.
Last Saturday, I was riding to work, and had two incidents. One was a couple of kids in a pickup truck who came onto the shoulder and buzzed me. The other was of a driver who ignored my turn signal, and passed me on the left as I was making a left-hand turn. Both encounters were caught on video. Both could lead to issuing citations against the drivers if I chose to pursue it. It makes me want to run the camera every time I am on the bike, just in case.
A friend sent me a link to a video by a cyclist who was the victim of road rage. He was running cameras pointing forward and backward, when he encountered an angry driver. This happened to be in the state of Colorado, which requires cars to have license plates in the front, not just the rear, like Oklahoma does. He was able to capture a still photo of the license plate number, which he turned into police, who are prosecuting the driver and passenger of the offending car. You can view the video for yourself by clicking here.
When I posted photos of my incident on Facebook, several people re-posted them. The potential is for thousands of people to view these photos, and there is at least some chance that someone will know who this driver is.
One person made the following comment in response to these photos: "helmet cams are gonna change a lot of things."
Yes they are. And I can't wait.
Back in the Day, I Wrote a Blog
Recently a friend of mine stopped by the shop, and after he left, a co-worker asked me how I had met him. I had to think about it for a minute, but then it hit me: he had walked up to me at the bike shop, and asked, "hey, are you the guy that writes on that blog?"
When I told my co-worker that, he said, "you write a blog?" And I thought, "yep, back in the day, I did."
At some point, I stopped blogging. Not sure why. Maybe it is because I had said everything I wanted to say. Maybe it was because I didn't have time. Or that I just lost interest. Blogging was therapy to me, at a time in my life when I desperately needed some. Once that need went away, so did the blogging.
Whatever the reason I stopped blogging, the conversation with my co-worker made me realize that I miss it. There are still many issues that need to be resolved, and blogging is a good way to get those issues out in the open.
So I'm going to make another run at it. Expect a lot of conversation about cycling, and the politics of bike commuting. Expect some GoPro videos. And hopefully, a few pictures.
Wish me luck.
Why Bike Lanes Are a Problem
Everyone has an opinion when it comes to bicycles in traffic. Whenever the Tulsa World publishes a story about bicycles, whether it is a good story (meaning that bicyclists are involved in some event that improves the lives of others) or a bad story (a cyclist has been involved in a crash involving a motorist), people offer their opinions on bicycles as vehicles. Some question the legality of bikes on the road, others question the wisdom of it.
One thing that always comes up is the subject of bike lanes. Mostly non-cyclists suggest that if only there were bike only lanes on roads, we wouldn't have all these problems. Some cyclists agree, and want to see transportation dollars allocated to build more bike lanes. Other cyclists believe that bikes and cars get along best when bicycles operate in the same lanes as the rest of traffic.
I have heard both sides, and honestly, don't have an opinion either way. From a practical standpoint, riding on bike paths is preferable (although by no means 100% safe). Bike lanes tend to be dangerous, for a number of reasons, especially at intersections. Cars feel overconfident when bikes are in bike lanes, which can be bad for those of us on two wheels.
There is one street near the shop that has bike lanes in each direction. Archer runs the length of downtown, east and west, from the ballpark to the jail. I never use it.
Sometimes motorists will shout at me and tell me to get in the bike lane (where I belong). They must think that bikes belong in the bike lane, and cars belong in the regular lane of traffic. If that is true, then explain this:
Every morning on my ride in, these three cars are parked in the bike lane. Every evening on my ride home, they are there. There is another car parked in the west bound bike lane as well. No one ever gets ticketed or towed.
Why have bike lanes, if people are just going to use them as a place to park?
One thing that always comes up is the subject of bike lanes. Mostly non-cyclists suggest that if only there were bike only lanes on roads, we wouldn't have all these problems. Some cyclists agree, and want to see transportation dollars allocated to build more bike lanes. Other cyclists believe that bikes and cars get along best when bicycles operate in the same lanes as the rest of traffic.
I have heard both sides, and honestly, don't have an opinion either way. From a practical standpoint, riding on bike paths is preferable (although by no means 100% safe). Bike lanes tend to be dangerous, for a number of reasons, especially at intersections. Cars feel overconfident when bikes are in bike lanes, which can be bad for those of us on two wheels.
There is one street near the shop that has bike lanes in each direction. Archer runs the length of downtown, east and west, from the ballpark to the jail. I never use it.
Sometimes motorists will shout at me and tell me to get in the bike lane (where I belong). They must think that bikes belong in the bike lane, and cars belong in the regular lane of traffic. If that is true, then explain this:
Every morning on my ride in, these three cars are parked in the bike lane. Every evening on my ride home, they are there. There is another car parked in the west bound bike lane as well. No one ever gets ticketed or towed.
Why have bike lanes, if people are just going to use them as a place to park?
Drivers Don't Hate Cyclists, They Hate Everybody
I've learned something about car drivers. They don't just hate cyclists. It isn't a personal thing against two-wheeled vehicles. They just hate anyone that isn't them. Drivers hate everybody.
Now I realize that I am generalizing here. The truth is that most drivers are ambivalent toward cyclists, and everybody else. They are just operating within the confines of their own little world, and the only time they think about anyone else is when someone or something slows them down.
It is the motorists who have animosity toward cyclists that I am referring to. Read the comment section on any Tulsa World web story regarding cyclists. It is frightening, and sobering, to read their vitriol. Once, after speaking to a local church group on a Wednesday night, a sweet, gentle old man came up to me and said, "I HATE cyclists." Later he approached me and said he was sorry for saying that.
Many drivers act like they hate pedestrians. And other drivers. And construction workers. I've seen drivers completely ignore emergency vehicles trying to get someone to the hospital. Drivers care about one person, and one person only—themselves.
Watch them jockey for position, like they're in a NASCAR race. Drivers act like turning right on red is automatic—they do it without even looking to see if anyone is coming. Rather than waiting patiently in line with other cars in a construction zone, they will buzz past a mile of cars, then take advantage of the good graces of others who will almost always let them in. People are impatient, tired, and angry at the world. And when they get behind the wheel, they take it out on anyone who would dare get in their way.
Bicyclists just happen to be convenient targets of the wrath of angry motorists. There isn't much you can do about it. Just keep riding, encourage your friends to ride, and exercise extreme caution when out among the angry car people. Maybe if there enough of us out there, exercising our legal right to take the lane, they will get the message. And remember, it isn't you. It's them.
Now I realize that I am generalizing here. The truth is that most drivers are ambivalent toward cyclists, and everybody else. They are just operating within the confines of their own little world, and the only time they think about anyone else is when someone or something slows them down.
It is the motorists who have animosity toward cyclists that I am referring to. Read the comment section on any Tulsa World web story regarding cyclists. It is frightening, and sobering, to read their vitriol. Once, after speaking to a local church group on a Wednesday night, a sweet, gentle old man came up to me and said, "I HATE cyclists." Later he approached me and said he was sorry for saying that.
Many drivers act like they hate pedestrians. And other drivers. And construction workers. I've seen drivers completely ignore emergency vehicles trying to get someone to the hospital. Drivers care about one person, and one person only—themselves.
Watch them jockey for position, like they're in a NASCAR race. Drivers act like turning right on red is automatic—they do it without even looking to see if anyone is coming. Rather than waiting patiently in line with other cars in a construction zone, they will buzz past a mile of cars, then take advantage of the good graces of others who will almost always let them in. People are impatient, tired, and angry at the world. And when they get behind the wheel, they take it out on anyone who would dare get in their way.
Bicyclists just happen to be convenient targets of the wrath of angry motorists. There isn't much you can do about it. Just keep riding, encourage your friends to ride, and exercise extreme caution when out among the angry car people. Maybe if there enough of us out there, exercising our legal right to take the lane, they will get the message. And remember, it isn't you. It's them.
Interim Commuter
When I first got back into bike commuting, I was riding a really heavy mountain bike. It wasn't much, but it worked. The front suspension really ate up the energy I was putting into the bike, and when fully loaded, it weight over 70 pounds. That was a lot for a 40 mile round trip.
After about a year of that, I decided that I had gotten my $400 out of that 4 series Trek bike, so I upgraded to the Orbea Diem. The Diem is a full carbon, flat bar road bike. It was equipped with a full Ultegra drivetrain, and hydraulic disc brakes. It was perfect—weighing in at only 22 pounds.
There are a couple of problems, though. By the time I put the racks and panniers on, it still weighed a lot. Fully loaded, it weighed more than double the weight of the bike itself. Once I put it on the scale while carrying clothes, shoes, and my laptop (which was normal for me at the time), and it weighed 55 pounds. Kind of defeats the purpose of carbon fiber, don't you think?
For a time, I took the rack off, and just used a normal sized saddle bag for carrying my repair kit. The bike was feather-light once again, which was nice, but there were two unintended negative consequences as a result. One was that I really missed the panniers. Sometimes I bring groceries to work, and with no way to haul them, I found myself more reliant upon the car. The other unintended consequence was that I had lost the advantage of the added weight. Yeah, the heavier bike was an advantage to me, from a training standpoint. Riding a fifty pound commuter three to five days a week was really helpful when I climbed on my 16 pound road bike. Eventually, I put the rack and panniers back on.
I've been kicking around the idea of selling the Orbea for a few months now. Mostly because it is too much bike for what I need. And more recently, I realized that I was putting a lot of money into keeping it properly maintained. I put a lot of miles on it, and that means replacing the chain and cassette pretty often. That's about a $200 job. I was also looking at replacing the front chainring soon. When I bought my Madone, I also bought the extended warranty—Trek calls it "Red Shield." It only cost $250, and for that bike, so it has already paid for itself. Of course, I don't have Red Shield for the Orbea, so all the cost of maintaining it falls on me. So earlier this month, I posted an ad on Craigslist, and within a few days, I had sold the Orbea.
Soon I will be ordering a new Trek commuter bike, and putting the Red Shield warranty on it. But in the meantime, I have to ride to work on something. The District is the obvious choice. When I first bought it last year, I didn't want to take away from the simplicity of the bike by putting a bunch of stuff on it. But for a short period of time, and in the interest of safety, I put my lights and repair kit on it, and have been commuting on it for a few days. It works very well as a commuter—not terribly efficient, because it is a single speed bike. That means that I don't have the ability to maneuver as well in traffic, or tackle any big hills. But for now, it does the trick, and I am pretty pleased with it.
The simple version of the District—no lights, bags, computers, racks, or clipless pedals
My new commuter should be in late next week. Look for a review of it when it gets up and running. But for now, here are a few shots of the District as commuter.
The commuter version District—lights, saddle bag, computer, clipless pedals
After about a year of that, I decided that I had gotten my $400 out of that 4 series Trek bike, so I upgraded to the Orbea Diem. The Diem is a full carbon, flat bar road bike. It was equipped with a full Ultegra drivetrain, and hydraulic disc brakes. It was perfect—weighing in at only 22 pounds.
There are a couple of problems, though. By the time I put the racks and panniers on, it still weighed a lot. Fully loaded, it weighed more than double the weight of the bike itself. Once I put it on the scale while carrying clothes, shoes, and my laptop (which was normal for me at the time), and it weighed 55 pounds. Kind of defeats the purpose of carbon fiber, don't you think?
For a time, I took the rack off, and just used a normal sized saddle bag for carrying my repair kit. The bike was feather-light once again, which was nice, but there were two unintended negative consequences as a result. One was that I really missed the panniers. Sometimes I bring groceries to work, and with no way to haul them, I found myself more reliant upon the car. The other unintended consequence was that I had lost the advantage of the added weight. Yeah, the heavier bike was an advantage to me, from a training standpoint. Riding a fifty pound commuter three to five days a week was really helpful when I climbed on my 16 pound road bike. Eventually, I put the rack and panniers back on.
I've been kicking around the idea of selling the Orbea for a few months now. Mostly because it is too much bike for what I need. And more recently, I realized that I was putting a lot of money into keeping it properly maintained. I put a lot of miles on it, and that means replacing the chain and cassette pretty often. That's about a $200 job. I was also looking at replacing the front chainring soon. When I bought my Madone, I also bought the extended warranty—Trek calls it "Red Shield." It only cost $250, and for that bike, so it has already paid for itself. Of course, I don't have Red Shield for the Orbea, so all the cost of maintaining it falls on me. So earlier this month, I posted an ad on Craigslist, and within a few days, I had sold the Orbea.
Soon I will be ordering a new Trek commuter bike, and putting the Red Shield warranty on it. But in the meantime, I have to ride to work on something. The District is the obvious choice. When I first bought it last year, I didn't want to take away from the simplicity of the bike by putting a bunch of stuff on it. But for a short period of time, and in the interest of safety, I put my lights and repair kit on it, and have been commuting on it for a few days. It works very well as a commuter—not terribly efficient, because it is a single speed bike. That means that I don't have the ability to maneuver as well in traffic, or tackle any big hills. But for now, it does the trick, and I am pretty pleased with it.
The simple version of the District—no lights, bags, computers, racks, or clipless pedals
My new commuter should be in late next week. Look for a review of it when it gets up and running. But for now, here are a few shots of the District as commuter.
The commuter version District—lights, saddle bag, computer, clipless pedals
Bike to Work? Why?
This is National Bicycle Month. It's good that cycling has a month—it certainly deserves it.Last week was Bike to Work Week. Tulsa had several events to highlight it, including a pancake breakfast, and free beer at the Soundpony bar.
Our shop gave Mayor Bartlett a bike in honor of Bike to Work Week. It is an electric assist bike. You still have to pedal, but the motor makes every pedal stroke up to four times more powerful than the rider's normal stroke. It is you, only better. It is super you.
The mayor stopped by the final bike to work event of the week, the one with the free beer. His electric bike was in the back of his car. Oh my.
Lazy Mayor
Someone asked me why they should ride their bike to work. Good question.
- If you ride your bike three hours a week, you will reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%. Heart disease kills more people than anything.
- If you bike four miles round trip each day instead of driving, you will save about 66 gallons of fuel per year. Gas prices change all the time, but that equals hundreds of dollars saved each year.
- A four mile round trip commute each day will burn 36,000 calories a year—that's over ten pounds of fat.
- Riding to work saves space. You can park fourteen bikes in the same space as one car.
- Since 40% of all trips are within two miles of the home, riding a bike should be an easy thing to do.
- The United States could save 462 million gallons of gasoline every year, by doing nothing more than increasing cycling from 1% to 1.5% of all trips.
Riding your bike can pay huge dividends, both personally and corporately. Consider becoming part of the solution. Ride your bike to work. Or to church. Or to the store. You will benefit, and so will the rest of us.
