I have been looking for a way to ditch my car - a gas sipper at the 34 mpg I
get on an average tank, but it is very hard when I have a 21 mile
commute to work.
I have a huge desire for a bicycle. A recumbent bicycle, maybe even a trike, from a local shop. A more bicycle-friendly route to work would be 19 miles, but no bike lanes and some fairly busy roads with crazy drivers. If I were able to get a steady 10mph the whole way and not stop, the trip would still be a good two hours instead of a mere 42 minutes.... plus the sweat part of 'sweat equity' wouldn't be good for my clothes nor aroma. ( I work in an office, no on-site shower ) As I get to work at 7 am, riding a bike well before sunrise on unlit country back-roads would be pretty dangerous. Still, riding in my community and places like the Natchez Trace would be awesome!
I could take the bike to work with me and ride it the six blocks to the office from where I can find free parking. It would give me some more in-range options for lunch ( I should probably be taking my lunch more often ) and a quicker person-powered segment of my commute - and be more fun than walking!
A scooter or motorcycle would get me 60 to 70 mpg and be much more timely than a bicycle, but purchasing one requires a big investment that I haven't been able to make. A Scooter from Green Earth Scooters is much cheaper than the motorcycle - and the bicycle, but I think the Honda Rebel motorcycle would handle my 6'4" 290lbs a bit better.
Now, if only I could get Funding for the purchase of one of these alternatives.... :)
I have a huge desire for a bicycle. A recumbent bicycle, maybe even a trike, from a local shop. A more bicycle-friendly route to work would be 19 miles, but no bike lanes and some fairly busy roads with crazy drivers. If I were able to get a steady 10mph the whole way and not stop, the trip would still be a good two hours instead of a mere 42 minutes.... plus the sweat part of 'sweat equity' wouldn't be good for my clothes nor aroma. ( I work in an office, no on-site shower ) As I get to work at 7 am, riding a bike well before sunrise on unlit country back-roads would be pretty dangerous. Still, riding in my community and places like the Natchez Trace would be awesome!
I could take the bike to work with me and ride it the six blocks to the office from where I can find free parking. It would give me some more in-range options for lunch ( I should probably be taking my lunch more often ) and a quicker person-powered segment of my commute - and be more fun than walking!
A scooter or motorcycle would get me 60 to 70 mpg and be much more timely than a bicycle, but purchasing one requires a big investment that I haven't been able to make. A Scooter from Green Earth Scooters is much cheaper than the motorcycle - and the bicycle, but I think the Honda Rebel motorcycle would handle my 6'4" 290lbs a bit better.
Now, if only I could get Funding for the purchase of one of these alternatives.... :)
If you're thinking about a car/bike commute, I cannot recommend Montague folding bikes highly enough. I got one last year because I'm in the same situation you are - work is too far to ride, but I want to save some money. It's been working out really well for me so far.
ReplyDeleteRecumbent is very important for me because I would want to go for longer rides as well as short commute.
ReplyDelete"Back pain is a normal occurrence in cycling. Long periods of time spent in the hunched-over cycling posture results in prolonged back flexion and muscle pain for the untrained lower back. The lower back region houses the main muscle group responsible for producing power and bicycle movement control." http://www.backpainadvice.co.uk/cycling_backpain.htm