"Sure you can, you just have to change your lifestyle."

[DocOc]

last night i had to go to the bank to make some change for laundry. the bank is about a half mile from my house, and i usually drive there and back. as i was getting ready to get into the car, i remembered this post and i got on my bike instead. the trip took about 10 minutes in total, and i felt great afterwards.

[rdprice64]

My bike was not as expensive as some, only $300, but it has lasted 14 years and is still going strong. Instead of the trailer, all 3 of my kids learned the love of biking in the kid-bike-seat that attached to the back wheel and seat post. Those days are long gone, but all three of them own and maintain their bikes now and make the short, local trips to the stores for us or we ride together.

I have found the change to bike+mass transit for the commute to be enjoyable. I am able to ride to the bus stop (about 2.5 miles) and then load the bike on the front of the bus or leave it locked at the near-by gym bike rack. I don't bike to the closest bus stop, I bike a little farther to the bus stop for the "express" bus, so my total commute time is 40 minutes instead of 22 by car. But the 32 minutes of bus time is spent on work, so I'm already ahead when I actually get to work.

So it is definitely a "lifestyle" change, but once you get over the break-in period (30-45 days), then it becomes normal and the days I do have to drive seem strange.

[fitmpg]

Agreed. You will get much more bike for the same money if you buy used. People buy expensive bicycles every day and hardly ever ride them. They end up on "craigslist" or "Ebay" for a fraction of their retail cost. After purchase, take it to your local bike shop for a tune-up and anything else it may need. And do a little research before purchase so you know you're getting something with good components. I bought a "Diamondback" with lots of goodies from my local bike shop seven years ago for half the retail price. I was fortunate because it was a smaller, higher-end bike and the right person hadn't walked through the door before me. I just got off it about two hours ago and I'm going back out with the dog tomorrow morning before the heat. Love it.
brian

[owlmaster08]

I'm glad to hear so many hypermilers ride bicycles too! Biking is the ULTIMATE hypermiling, as I have said in other threads.

Because as a friend said, "I get 100 MPG on bicycle. (Miles per gallon of gatorade that is!)"

[kelly.cardona]

What a great article, and thanks for sharing that with us. I have also started to change my lifestyle too by biking more when I have errands around where I live. Unfortunately drivers around my area are not very tolerant to cyclists as they have probably never seen a cyclist on the road I go on. 1 out of 10 drivers is a jerk but I am thankful that it's just that, for the most part they leave me enough room when they pass me. I love doing these errands on my bike as not only am I not using gas but I am polluting less, and exercising.

I am trying to get in shape to make my 44 mile round trip to work on my bicycle, I tried doing it once but my legs gave out on me 2 miles before reaching my destination, luckily it was a Sunday and did not have to go to work. On the way back I had to call my friend to pick my up as I could not make it back home with my cramping legs.

This lifestyle is achievable by making small steps until you reach the desired level.

[owlmaster08]

Kelly, Thanks for sharing! I am so glad there are many of us out there. At my work people just don't understand, they are all like, do you even have a car?? After I say yes, they are all like, so you do it just to save gas? I haven't told them I have a Hybrid and average 55 mpg...I am only saving not even 2 gallons a week by biking! They would totally kill me if they found this out...

The drivers in my area aren't very tolerant either. I've avoided this issue slightly by commuting not during the peak traffic issues and buying a blinking, fluorescent vest. People can see me a lot earlier now, which makes it less likely for someone to be surprised and get upset at me...

I really hope you can make that 44 mile round trip! Start doing some more biking close to home in the evenings and weekend, and soon you will be able to do it no problem! Even if you only ride to work 1 day a week that is 20% less consumption, just imagine if everyone used 20% less gas!

[rdprice64]

Originally Posted by owlmaster08

... a blinking, fluorescent vest...

I've never seen one that blinks. What brand+model# do you have? What type of batteries? Where do the batteries go?

[Earthling]

Here's a blinking vest:

http://www.batterysavers.com/Bilinking-Vest.pdf

I'm sure there are others out there.

I've used http://www.safetyline.com for vests for riding my motorcycle, especially in fog or rain. They don't carry blinking vests, but do stock a wide variety of vests, some of them mesh type.

Harry

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by owlmaster08

After I say yes, they are all like, so you do it just to save gas? I haven't told them I have a Hybrid and average 55 mpg...

I'm saving other things besides gas by biking. Belt leather, for instance, and a lot of cloth. Not to mention the cost of e.g. cardiac bypass surgery...

Not to mention what being able to run the local teenagers into the ground does for your general self-esteem :-)

[owlmaster08]

Originally Posted by rdprice64

I've never seen one that blinks. What brand+model# do you have? What type of batteries? Where do the batteries go?

Here ya go. I highly recommend it! I had a biker come catch up to me yesterday, and we had a little conversation through the darkness...He said that he saw my vest "WAY back there", and that he "wanted to catch up to me to tell me he thought it was neat!" I personally think it is very dorky looking, but it works! It uses 3 AA batteries. I have rechargeable in there, and have used it half an hour 5 days a week for the past two weeks and it still is going strong. I chose the blue flashing lights on the Blue and yellow vest.

http://www.actiongear.com/cgi-bin/ta...%2Fresults.tam