Not fit enough to ride to work
EuanB
Took the train home from the MCG with friends and family yesterday and
it was packed. One of my friends is a regular train commuter and by
his own admission, hates it.
He lives in Hampton and works in the city. He works out of one office,
has access to showers and good bike parking but he won't consider riding
to work because he doesn't think he's fit enough.
There's no denying he's no athlete but neither is he morbidly obese
either. Hampton is about 17kms from the city and the route is largely
flat. There's no question in my mind that he's capable, but he's
convinced himself that cycling's bloody hard work and that if he rode
in to the city it'd take him 90 minutes and he'd be stuffed for the
rest of the day.
How common is this perception I wonder? How many commuters are put off
of cycling because of the image that you need to be some sort of super
athlete to ride to work every day? Maybe I should start riding in a
tweed jacket and brogues, start to dsipell the notion that cycling has
to be a strenuous means of travel.
--
EuanB
Tamyka Bell
That's interesting...
I know that around St Lucia, a lot of students ride because they're
poor. However a lot of first-time commuters follow the bike route and
then give up after day one because the bike route is much hillier than
the main road - and it's steeper on the way home! These guys have a
genuine excuse - but on a flat course?
I commute on my roadie, in lycra, and I wonder if this adds to people's
perception that cycle commuting is hard? I mean, if it was easy, you
could just wear a tweed jacket and brogues...
Tam
flyingdutch
take him out for a tootle on the weekend when the pressure of time isnt
ahnging over him and he can enjoy it.
Try and arrange a tailwind too :D
dont come across the 'too unfit' excuse 'that much'; maybe 5% of
excuses?
Doesnt get much flatter than Hampton to CBD tho.
start him out on shorter stuff then he may be tempted to give it a
crack :D
--
flyingdutch
Bean Long
> How common is this perception I wonder? How many commuters are put off
> of cycling because of the image that you need to be some sort of super
> athlete to ride to work every day? Maybe I should start riding in a
> tweed jacket and brogues, start to dsipell the notion that cycling has
> to be a strenuous means of travel.
I think this is a common perception amongst non-riders. I have friends
who used to live in the house I am in now and work at the same place as
me. They can't comprehend that anyone could ride "that far". It too is
17-18km but takes me only 32 mins by bike (quicker than the bus). I'm
not super fit but also not completely unfit. This is because I had the
will-power to get on the bike and keep riding to work of a morning! In
fact, the first time I rode the route I currently take, it took me 1
hr!!! At first it was a little hard, but now it's a doddle! Tell your
mate that.
--
Bean
Remove "yourfinger" before replying
alison_b
them to actually ride it, and to get their head around the distance.
He may well not be fit enough to ride all the way - but perhaps he
could consider riding one way? In to work one morning, home the next
day? Or, ride from Hampton to whatever the next station or two is down
the track? My experience of getting people to bicycle commute has been
that smaller targets (even when these are quickly overthrown for
something more grand - and realistic) work.
A plan to build up to riding all the way over say, a few weeks, may
sound less formidable than just "riding to work". And, if s/he reaches
the goal earlier than that (and they probably would!) then they may feel
encouraged rather than just sore and tired from an initial long (for
them) ride.
Throw in some relaxed weekend tootles, and the idea that it has to be
all sweat and tears may be banished :)
ali
--
alison_b
sinus
it shorter and then ride in. Maybe he could start that way.
Common points I see on the Gardiners creek trail include near Toorak Rd
and Gardiner Pde (Nettleton Park). There's sure to be somewhere relative
to Hampton, providing he has a car.
The unfit excuse is not a good one. There are lots of people on the
Yarra trail tootling along at no more than jogging pace. Lack of
fitness shouldn't stop anyone - at the moment it's my prime reason to
commute on bike (others: people sneezing on trains, driving is too
stressful, driving takes too long, riding is cheaper, it's fun to
rediscover my toes after mornings like todays)
--
sinus
Zebee Johnstone
EuanB <EuanB....@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote:
> There's no denying he's no athlete but neither is he morbidly obese
> either. Hampton is about 17kms from the city and the route is largely
> flat. There's no question in my mind that he's capable, but he's
> convinced himself that cycling's bloody hard work and that if he rode
> in to the city it'd take him 90 minutes and he'd be stuffed for the
> rest of the day.
And he probably would be right on both counts for the first month or
two.
> How common is this perception I wonder? How many commuters are put off
> of cycling because of the image that you need to be some sort of super
> athlete to ride to work every day? Maybe I should start riding in a
> tweed jacket and brogues, start to dsipell the notion that cycling has
> to be a strenuous means of travel.
See if you can get him to take a bet with you, and ride him to work
via the best path on a weekend.
Do it slow and easy the first time, and then see if he can up te pace
the 2nd.
But I note that the 2 reasons I got back into commuting were that I
realised I needed the exercise, and a friend who used to ride the
25+km to Lucas Heights said that he found it easy on the bent.
If I didn't have the bent, I reckon I'd keep going to the gym...
Zebee
Peter McCallum
> How common is this perception I wonder? How many commuters are put off
> of cycling because of the image that you need to be some sort of super
> athlete to ride to work every day? Maybe I should start riding in a
> tweed jacket and brogues, start to dsipell the notion that cycling has
> to be a strenuous means of travel.
The problem is, of course, that when you start cycling regularly, you do
become a super athlete and everyone thinks that they have to be like you
in order to participate. We need some Before and After shots to show
people.
P
--
Peter McCallum
Mackay Qld AUSTRALIA
Snuffy
to friends that it's not too much hard work to cycle to the city for
work (in my case ~25-30km).... I guess in my age group, a lot of my
friends haven't wasted enough time in traffic jams to the city or spent
enough time playing sardines on the train.....
Anyway, I constantly get the question "Don't you get to work all tired
and sweaty?!"..... to which I respond with a 3 hour lecture on how to
ease yourself into longer and longer rides.... I wonder if all of my
preaching scares them off :)
When I started doing the commute by bike, I caught the train in with
the bike and cycled home.... no real pressure to get somewhere in a
certain time on the ride home (although I guess some people's spouses
are scarier than their bosses)....
Zebee Johnstone
Peter McCallum <p5m8.RE...@yahoo.com.au> wrote:
>
> The problem is, of course, that when you start cycling regularly, you do
> become a super athlete and everyone thinks that they have to be like you
> in order to participate. We need some Before and After shots to show
> people.
And you dress in the fancy gear, buy the expensive bike...
After ages of reading a.b it was refereshing to turn up to a massbug
ride and find people on elderly racers with friction shifts, bottom of
the rage 10yo mountain bikes, and other real world items :)
(and the obligatory bling bikes too...)
Yes, annoys me to be passed on the uphills by superfit people, I have
to keep telling myself I'll get there one day.
Zebee
Terry Collins
I commute on my roadie, in lycra, and I wonder if this adds to people's
> perception that cycle commuting is hard? I mean, if it was easy, you
> could just wear a tweed jacket and brogues...
It is really, really hard to find decent clips for the pants legs these
days.
OTOH, you can just wear long socks under neath and pull them up on the
outside. I recommend red, white and blue sports socks for that humour
raising attention grabber.
Terry Collins
> How common is this perception I wonder?
First, I'd look at how they ride.
Low seats, using too high a gear, etc.
Bleve
Likewise. When I started riding again after far too many years of oil
wasting, 5km was a bloody long ride. Little steps ...
Tamyka Bell
I work after uni on Tuesdays and finish up really late, between 11pm and
midnight usually. If I ride home, I get home very late and therefore get
very little sleep. (Not true every time, so sometimes I ride it.) So I
use this as the day I drive to uni, with my car in the boot for a
morning ride with mates (or in case I am poor and can't afford to park
on campus). I ride back to my car at the end of the day, in whatever
clothes I had in my office. I'm quite fond of the miniskirt, which stays
in place okay and actually drapes over the saddle without hanging in the
wheel. I get a nice breeze, but I have to wait until all the cars are
gone before I can get on the bike. I'm now considering teaming this
skirt with the red, white and blue sport socks...
Tam
cogcontrol
Now go and show your friend this post and all the sensible responses and
with lots of encouragement he will be able (if he wants to) to easily
ride the 17km and probably enjoy it and wonder why he didnt take the
plunge years ago.
CC
--
cogcontrol
Zebee Johnstone
Terry Collins <newsones...@woa.com.au> wrote:
> Tamyka Bell wrote:
> I commute on my roadie, in lycra, and I wonder if this adds to people's
>> perception that cycle commuting is hard? I mean, if it was easy, you
>> could just wear a tweed jacket and brogues...
>
> It is really, really hard to find decent clips for the pants legs these
> days.
get those LED-equipped armbands. far more bling than bicycle clips!
Zebee
- still trying to work out a good way of getting moving reflectors on
the bent that are visible from behind.
Zebee Johnstone
Tamyka Bell <t.b...@uq.edu.au> wrote:
> in place okay and actually drapes over the saddle without hanging in the
> wheel. I get a nice breeze, but I have to wait until all the cars are
> gone before I can get on the bike. I'm now considering teaming this
> skirt with the red, white and blue sport socks...
>
So.. when wearing the miniskirt do you find the drivers see you more
clearly?
Zebee
Tamyka Bell
Presumably ;-)
Although Lotte and I got lots of friendly hello calls from cyclists this
morning, which we don't get when the boys are around, and we were just
dressed in standard lycra. Lotte was a b!tch and didn't respond. Okay -
I know she didn't have hearing aids in - but they don't!
Tam
Bean Long
just use one of my wife's skirts!
Bean Long
Good point. Get them out on a few easy rides first and give them a once
over for riding style and bike set-up. Then ride with them to work (if
possible) and take it easy. One day they will thank you for it. Also,
post them this thread.
ghostgum
Tamyka Bell Wrote:
>
> I ride back to my car at the end of the day, in whatever
> clothes I had in my office. I'm quite fond of the miniskirt, which
> stays
> in place okay and actually drapes over the saddle without hanging in
> the
> wheel.
>
lean forward to grab the handlebars. I've seen this in action.
Like myself, my sister rode to Uni. She also ran the aqua-aerobics
class at the Uni swimming pool for a while, and one day rode to work in
her excercise outfit, bathers plus short skirt (similar to netballers).
I was riding behind, and was amused to observe the number of drivers who
were not keeping their eyes on the road. They all seemed to have a neck
spasm causing them to look over the left shoulder. It's a wonder she
didn't cause an accident.
--
ghostgum
Tamyka Bell
Rolling around the ringroad at ~12km/h is not enough to get a breeze
happening. Trust me, it drapes over the saddle.
Tam
Blanchy
bike, red white and blue socks and nice breeze is giving me evil
thoughts. heh heh sorry ;P
cfsmtb
This threads ventured all this way into a wrong place, and no ones
mentioned upskirt yet. Too polite? :eek:
--
cfsmtb
Euan
> dont come across the 'too unfit' excuse 'that much'; maybe 5% of
> excuses?
How many non-cyclists do you talk to?
I've come across quite a few people who consider me almost super human
for riding to work. Riding a bike is an athletic activity, that's why
all those people on Beach Road need the special clothes. If it was easy
then they would just ride in normal clothes, wouldn't they?
People who don't ride, don't walk and don't engage in any physical
activity other than walk to their car with maybe a little bit of gym
thrown in have no idea what they are actually capable of. Riding a bike
is too hard, driving a car is easy.
That's the perception of a lot of people.
> start him out on shorter stuff then he may be tempted to give it a
> crack :D
Currently they get out most Sundays to ride the bike path. The tag
along convertor's high on the shopping list which should extend his
range. Right `gofasterdaddy'Dutch? ;-)
--
Cheers | ~~ __@
Euan | ~~ _-\<,
Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)
Euan
Maybe I just need to drink a lot more Surefoot.
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> I work after uni on Tuesdays and finish up really late, between 11pm and
> midnight usually. If I ride home, I get home very late and therefore get
> very little sleep. (Not true every time, so sometimes I ride it.) So I
> use this as the day I drive to uni, with my car in the boot for a
> morning ride with mates (or in case I am poor and can't afford to park
> on campus). I ride back to my car at the end of the day, in whatever
> clothes I had in my office. I'm quite fond of the miniskirt, which stays
> in place okay and actually drapes over the saddle without hanging in the
> wheel. I get a nice breeze, but I have to wait until all the cars are
> gone before I can get on the bike. I'm now considering teaming this
> skirt with the red, white and blue sport socks...
All these comments about your miniskirt, and nothing about the
incredible feat of fitting a car in your boot?
You a.bers are a one track mind.
--
TimC
Shame on you! Don't you love her? Girls don't want Kmart specials, they
want carbon - either as diamonds or as CF bikes! -- Tamyka in aus.bicycle
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>> EuanB wrote:
>>
>>> How common is this perception I wonder?
>>
>> First, I'd look at how they ride.
>> Low seats, using too high a gear, etc.
>
> Good point. Get them out on a few easy rides first and give them a once
> over for riding style and bike set-up. Then ride with them to work (if
> possible) and take it easy. One day they will thank you for it. Also,
> post them this thread.
Particularly all the comments about miniskirts. That'll get 'im
interested.
--
TimC
"pretty much, my thesis can be reduced to the letter tau" -- TimC
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>> dont come across the 'too unfit' excuse 'that much'; maybe 5% of
>> excuses?
>
> How many non-cyclists do you talk to?
>
> I've come across quite a few people who consider me almost super human
> for riding to work. Riding a bike is an athletic activity, that's why
> all those people on Beach Road need the special clothes. If it was easy
> then they would just ride in normal clothes, wouldn't they?
Feel free to mention that I rode in jeans and t-shirt for my first 8
years of regular commuting. I was originally close to my destination,
but every time I moved, I moved a few km further out. While he can't
do that, he can find ways of getting his bike to work by means other
than his legs. You can't expect to immediately jump into 17km
commutes.
It was only when I discovered the social aspect, and rode for things
other than utility, that I found I was riding longer and longer rides.
For those kind of rides, you discover the utility of all these
expensive cycling kit. Now that I have them, I find them infinitely
more comfortable than jeans, but I remember surviving quite well in
civilian clothes before I knew there was a better way of doing things.
--
TimC
SIGTHTBABW: a signal sent from Unix to its programmers at random
intervals to make them remember that There Has To Be A Better Way.
Zebee Johnstone
Stewart <slackj...@optusnet.com.au> wrote:
>
> However, by far the strongest comments relate to traffic safety. Even
> though most of my route is on bike paths, they still have this
> obstacle re the perceived dangers.
>
I get that too, even from people who don't think the motorcycle is
dangerous.
It's the tank problem - people are very bound up in needing a tank to
protect them rather than using their own brains.
So I tend to say "best bit of safety equipment is here" - ponting to
head - "and it's the only bit that wasn't put together by sweatshop
labourers in china"
Zebee
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> Stewart <slackj...@optusnet.com.au> wrote:
>>
>> However, by far the strongest comments relate to traffic safety. Even
>> though most of my route is on bike paths, they still have this
>> obstacle re the perceived dangers.
>>
>
> I get that too, even from people who don't think the motorcycle is
> dangerous.
>
> It's the tank problem - people are very bound up in needing a tank to
> protect them rather than using their own brains.
Yeah, but branes go splat! They don't offer all that much protection
at all, and just make things messier to clean up.
Mmmm, branes.
--
TimC
Shift to the Left;
Shift to the Right
Pop up; Push down
Byte! Byte! Byte!!! --unknown
Euan
> On 2006-04-26, Euan (aka Bruce)
> was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
>>flyingdutch wrote:
>>
>>>dont come across the 'too unfit' excuse 'that much'; maybe 5% of
>>>excuses?
>>
>>How many non-cyclists do you talk to?
>>
>>I've come across quite a few people who consider me almost super human
>>for riding to work. Riding a bike is an athletic activity, that's why
>>all those people on Beach Road need the special clothes. If it was easy
>>then they would just ride in normal clothes, wouldn't they?
>
>
> Feel free to mention that I rode in jeans and t-shirt for my first 8
> years of regular commuting. I was originally close to my destination,
> but every time I moved, I moved a few km further out. While he can't
> do that, he can find ways of getting his bike to work by means other
> than his legs. You can't expect to immediately jump into 17km
> commutes.
You're missing my point. He hasn't said anything about the clothes that
people wear.
Take yourself out of the mind of a cyclist and put yourself in to the
mind of a man in his mid thirties who's only exercise is a leisurely
walk around the city at lunchtime and a very gentle pootle down the bike
path. This man lives very close to Beach Road. Just about all the
cyclists he sees are doing imitiations of pro peletons.
To ride a bike you have to be fit. Its perception, flawed perception
but perception none the less.
Euan
> Yes, It's true that non cyclists think it's a mammoth task.
>
> I'm in my early 60's and not a regular commuter - just a recreational
> rider who occasionally does the 20 kms each way to work.
>
> Workmates of all ages throw in the "you're mad" or "you must be fit"
> line.
>
> However, by far the strongest comments relate to traffic safety. Even
> though most of my route is on bike paths, they still have this
> obstacle re the perceived dangers.
>
> as a cyclist depends on your own caution and common sense if you
> choose to ride that way.
>
> Regarding being stuffed for the day, you can tell your friend that I
> feel sharper by far on the days I ride in. Yes, I am lucky to have
> showers there too and that helps.
>
> With my above comments in mind, how about offering to travel in with
> him to get him used to the idea and plan a sensible route for him
> which is not too threatening.
Already done that and all the other usual things which people have been
suggesting. One can only push so hard though without becoming a pain in
the ass.
Cajole and encourage gently, don't ram it down the throat :-)
Bleve
If he won't do it, he won't do it. You can lead a horse to water ...
flyingdutch
TimC Wrote:
>
> Feel free to mention that I rode in jeans and t-shirt for my first 8
that explains the squeeky voice :D
PS hope you and the fixie-candidate got home OK?
--
flyingdutch
flyingdutch
Euan Wrote:
>
> How many non-cyclists do you talk to?
>
Lots. but i turn up my nose at them :D
By 5% i was (obviously not well) trying to say that far more percieve
safety as a bigger barrier to commuting than fitness
Euan Wrote:
>
> Currently they get out most Sundays to ride the bike path. The tag
> along convertor's high on the shopping list which should extend his
> range. Right `gofasterdaddy'Dutch? ;-)
>
Oh yeah. tends to turn you into 'Diesel' Jan on hills tho :rolleyes:
PS youngest is insisting she rides her bike to school tomorrow.
Hear me grin :D:D:D
Looks like I'm going in late tomorrow to lend support, advice,
mechanical feats out of window (will need to carry window on my bike
:rolleyes: )
--
flyingdutch
rooman
Euan Wrote:
> Stewart wrote:
> snip
> One can only push so hard though without becoming a pain in
> the ass.
>
> Cajole and encourage gently, don't ram it down the throat :-)
> --
> Cheers | ~~ __@
> Euan | ~~ _-\<,
> Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)
people decide to ride when the light comes on...whatever reason it is,
only they will take that momentous step...
I rode as a kid...everywhere...stacked, had a ball, took the skin off
my nose, pushed a tooth through my lips, broke my arm after a 20 foot
fall into a drain with my bike along for the fall...all that...then for
whatever reason never really rode for any consequent purpose for 30
years, now I ride every day and even though my commute is a walk in
slippers from my bedroom to my office on the other side of my house...I
find time to ride...I make time to ride as I know it has given me back a
standard of health I could never hope to achieve by just being a jogger-
gym goer.
I have met a myriad of new friends from riding and had a ball along the
journey, and on top, my vision is better, my peripheral circulation is
vastly improved, pathology tests tell my Dr. she needs to get more
patients as she wont make much out of me. I perform better (!!!), at
work and play and have a much better attitude to my life, my family and
this world, and I reckon I cope with life's pressures and its ups and
downs vastly better than I could have if I was the sedentary slob that
I was destined to become when my post athletic life met
business/investment/GNP/indices/micro processors & the internet.
What was the divining moment, the light bulb going off, the great
revelation?
A realisation that my family had a history of early deaths, all people
who had been active and very fit in their teens, become parents,
settled down and joined the sedentary workers of this world in human
endeavor that brought pressures, fast food, short sleep and mass
produced edibles of dubious benefit to a healthy and long lived life.
I wanted to be different, to make a statement to me and be there for my
kids, and so it became a present to me, a new bike one Christmas, this
quickly grew into a quiver of 4 bikes for road, racing, meandering and
track...
My best friend at the time was an early morning swimmer with me and he
talked about his "rides", on his council cleanup bike he found on the
kerb, he rode in shorts, sneakers and a giggle hat along the bike path
from Beaumaris to Brighton with his daughter, had a coffee and rode
home...seems like a great idea to me...and off I go to get my
bike...but you know, we have never ridden together...ever...as soon as
I started to ride (on the road) he said to me .."no way will I ride on
the road" and he now maybe once a month goes out on his trusty old much
used machine and rides IMHO the most dangerous route along the beach
bike path....
he said he got a sore butt, so I gave him some new knicks, never wore
them, he said he had a flapping shirt which was a pain, so I gave him a
new jersey...has never worn it...he said his old helmet was too small,
so I gave him one of mine, quite a good one...he has never worn it....
so you see no matter what we do or say for others about riding, or
encouraging them...really it will and can only happen when they decide
and even then it will be on their terms...
just ride on...enjoy what you do and spread the message that riding is
fun, healthy and good for the community...
what else can you do ?
--
rooman
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
>>
>> Feel free to mention that I rode in jeans and t-shirt for my first 8
>> years of regular commuting...
>
> that explains the squeeky voice :D
Oy!
> PS hope you and the fixie-candidate got home OK?
Yep. The chain was shite! Lots of binding links, but I removed those
with an adjustable spanner (the only thing I had on me suitable). Got
to get the chain home to a good bath, because it's almost dripping
with oil.
Might check out where the noise is coming from in the wheels before I
go home (might not, then again, given I need to be up early in the
morning) -- I trued them both, but it's making the sound of a broken
spoke.
Biopace is interesting. I've read Sheldon's opinion on it (is good,
unlike other eccentric rings, and it will actually work as a fixie).
Is it Peter Moore who is the fixie fixer of choice? I'll need to
build a wheel around the flip flop hub, dunno how much that will set
me back.
And finally, when I was trying to get the tight spots out of the
chain, I decided to practice my chain breaking skills. Turns out they
are non existant. Can't get the screw thingy to stay put as I
tightened it. I'm really going to need to learn how to do this
sooner, rather than later. And of course, fixing the chain back
together.
--
TimC
[advice on riding in traffic:] make eye contact with drivers at every
possible opportunity. If they make eye contact, they'll feel worse
about running over you. -- Davidm in aus.bicycle
Euan
[Snip lots of good stuff]
> just ride on...enjoy what you do and spread the message that riding is
> fun, healthy and good for the community...
>
> what else can you do ?
>
>
Exactly. Well said.
Plodder
--
Frank
pang...@DACKSiinet.net.au
Drop DACKS to reply
"EuanB" <EuanB....@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote in message
news:EuanB....@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com...
>
> Took the train home from the MCG with friends and family yesterday and
> it was packed. One of my friends is a regular train commuter and by
> his own admission, hates it.
>
> He lives in Hampton and works in the city. He works out of one office,
> has access to showers and good bike parking but he won't consider riding
> to work because he doesn't think he's fit enough.
>
> There's no denying he's no athlete but neither is he morbidly obese
> either. Hampton is about 17kms from the city and the route is largely
> flat. There's no question in my mind that he's capable, but he's
> convinced himself that cycling's bloody hard work and that if he rode
> in to the city it'd take him 90 minutes and he'd be stuffed for the
> rest of the day.
>
> How common is this perception I wonder? How many commuters are put off
> of cycling because of the image that you need to be some sort of super
> athlete to ride to work every day? Maybe I should start riding in a
> tweed jacket and brogues, start to dsipell the notion that cycling has
> to be a strenuous means of travel.
>
>
> --
> EuanB
Try getting him to take a bike on the train and train half way and ride the
rest. Surely he can be convinced that he's capable of cycling 8km or so. He
can then build it up from there. There's no reason to think of cycling as
excluding other transport - multi mode commuting can suit many people.
I think the perception that cycling is hard work is linked to the idea that
"I cycle OR train/drive..." so cycling the full distance is seen as too
hard. Not many people I know would consider a 10km ride short.
Cycling required a rewire of thought in more ways than one. Perceptions are
hard to break For example (my usual responses in brackets) cycling takes
longer (and can teach you to slow down your life a bit!), it's hard work
(but people drive to the gym to work out), it's rainy/cold/hot/etc (so only
ride when the weather's good for you), you can't carry heavy stuff (so only
ride when you don't have heavy stuff to carry). Overall, to regularly cycle
people have to develop another habit (cycling) and that's hard to do - it's
another commitment to make in a world full of commitments.
I've got a few people riding occasionally, not regularly. Some will make it
regular when they realise they feel better when they get to work than they
do when they drive. Some will stay fair weather cyclists - fine; at least
they are not driving *some* of the time.
Overall, I think breaking the binary "cycle OR other" thought process is the
key to starting small changes. Change is easier when it's seen as
incremental rather than radical.
At least your friend is using the train, not driving.
Hmm not bad for a pre coffee post :)
Frank
Tamyka Bell
>
<snip>
> Regarding being stuffed for the day, you can tell your friend that I
> feel sharper by far on the days I ride in. Yes, I am lucky to have
> showers there too and that helps.
And I bet you feel not only sharper, but also happier, on the days you
ride in :-)
Tam
LotteBum
John Pitts Wrote:
> I do this and it works fine. Red Explorer socks show up really well.
You don't live in Brisbane and ride around Indooroopilly do you?!?!?
--
LotteBum
Terry Collins
>
> Hey, you taking the p155? :^)
Naah, that would be admitting that I now have hand knitted rainbow
socks[1] that I use when I ride in winter, but I'm not allowed to leave
the house when wearing them {:-)
>
> I do this and it works fine. Red Explorer socks show up really well.
Okay, will look for these. Need to replace mine
The RW&B died on a rogaine from grass seeds. I was tempted to sprout the
dam things.
The red and orange long socks just wore out in the foot.
> It helps to be old enough not to worry about looking like a dork. Lost
> track of my trouser clips 20+ years ago...
Hey, looking like a dork is a secret weapon {:-).
[1] Part of swmbo dowry.
>
rooman
via Beach Road, it is 18klm from the Clock Twr to The London Hotel
roundabout.
many commuters seen enroute and all riding somewhere between 20 and
28klm/hr, maybe a few working up a sweat doing a higher rate over
30kph.
From hampton it is about 12ks or so to pickles street, and a short spin
up City Rd to Southbank and into the city.
This isnt a hard commute, it isnt a hard social ride and it certainly
isnt a hard newbies ride. It is mainly flat and there is always the
path if a traffic incident blocks the road or backs up.
I would encourage anyone who lives in Hampton and has the facillities
at their city work for shower/storeage to do that ride at least three
days a week and see the beneifits that follow quickly...others will
join or at least start to ride, there will be a flow on... and it
shouldnt take more than 40-50 minutes at an easy pace each way.
Offer to do a ride with them at first and see if they will go along
with you to get familiar with the experience, soon they will make their
mind up that their reluctance was based on an illogical or irrational
fear and will thank you for the time you took to help the over that.
good luck
--
rooman
Bleve
Tamyka Bell wrote:
>
> Rolling around the ringroad at ~12km/h is not enough to get a breeze
> happening. Trust me, it drapes over the saddle.
Damnit, RIDE FASTER!
Tamyka Bell
Hehehe :P
dewatf
> flyingdutch wrote:
>> dont come across the 'too unfit' excuse 'that much'; maybe 5% of
>> excuses?
He probably has many worries about cycling, being not fit enough would be
one, and the one that popped into his head first.
> How many non-cyclists do you talk to?
>
> I've come across quite a few people who consider me almost super human
> for riding to work. Riding a bike is an athletic activity, that's why
> all those people on Beach Road need the special clothes. If it was easy
> then they would just ride in normal clothes, wouldn't they?
17km was about the distance of a commute that I used to do. It took me a
month to build up the fitness to do it easily everyday, and it did take me
90 minutes to start off. Though there were lots of hills.
For that commute you probably would need cycling clothes. I found that even
though it was Winter I was sweating enough to make my shorts and underwear
sweaty and sticky causing chaffing and pimples on my arse. One $40 pair of
Netti basics from Rebel made it a much more enjoyable experience.
dewatf.
Random Data
> Feel free to mention that I rode in jeans and t-shirt for my first 8
> years of regular commuting.
Feel free to mention that since quitting my job 25km from home, and going
to uni ~6km from home, I regularly ride my SS in shorts and a t-shirt.
Don't need a shower, though on stinking hot days I'll carry a change of
shirt and some shower-in-a-can just in case. And there are hills involved.
--
Dave Hughes | da...@hired-goons.net
"This isn't life in the fast lane, it's life in the oncoming traffic."
-- (Terry Pratchett, alt.fan.pratchett)
Donga
>From Bleve and TimC's comments, anyone would think they haven't seen
riders in mini-skirts before. Fellas, you need to take a holiday in
Brisbane -it happens all the time here ... and unlike some places, they
are all females. The QAS squad has a particularly fetching pleated
outfit, with pompoms. There are a few goosebumps showing up at the
moment, with morning temps getting down to the mid-teens ... but our
riders are tough enough.
Donga
Bean Long
Hmmm... thanks so much for the pimply arse images.
My 17k ride feels much better in cycling gear too. Both summer and
winter. And a road bike is what helped me chop a massive 28 min off my
ride time since my first attempt.
--
Bean
Remove "yourfinger" before replying
Theo Bekkers
> After ages of reading a.b it was refereshing to turn up to a massbug
> ride and find people on elderly racers with friction shifts, bottom
of
> the rage 10yo mountain bikes, and other real world items :)
My best bike has friction shifters, on the down-tube where they
belong.
Theo
Theo Bekkers
> Maybe I just need to drink a lot more Surefoot.
Beer, mate?
Theo
Terry Collins
> No, Dubbo. But it's good to see that tasteful cycling attire is worn
> elsewhere.
What is Dubbo like as a bicycling town?
And where would you go for overnight bicycle trips away[1]
Might be able to afford the petrol money to visit one day.
[1] nope, I don't want to feed the animals at the Zoo {:-).
>
flyingdutch
Donga Wrote:
> There are a few goosebumps showing up at the
> moment, with morning temps getting down to the mid-teens ... but our
> riders are tough enough.
>
> Donga
obviously not if 'mid-teens' is cause for thinking it's cold :D
--
flyingdutch
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
>> Maybe I just need to drink a lot more Surefoot.
>
> Beer, mate?
Ta! Pint for me, thanks.
--
TimC
You're trying to trick me into being intelligent. It won't work.
-- David P. Murphy in ASR
Bean Long
Donga
Donga wrote:
>From Bleve and TimC's comments, anyone would think they haven't seen
> riders in mini-skirts before. Fellas, you need to take a holiday in
> Brisbane -it happens all the time here ... and unlike some places, they
> are all females.
It's been pointed out to me that I forgot male triathletes, who seem to
like giving "upskirt". ;-)
Donga
Euan
Mountain Goat brew. Very nice :-)
Terry Collins
> On 2006-04-28, Terry Collins <newsones...@woa.com.au> wrote:
>
>>What is Dubbo like as a bicycling town?
>
> here. Cycling is popular here and appears to be becoming more so.
> There's a BUG which has weekly rides,
Good info, thanks.
Our last visit was far too fleeting.
> I've never done any cycle touring. What kind of distances are you
> talking about?
I should just dig out some maps. I'll be a bit more motivated to visit
rellies and go onto Dubbo for a look see then.
>
dewatf
> And a road bike is what helped me chop a massive 28 min off my
> ride time since my first attempt.
Must have been red!
I was looking at buying an OCR2 or something. But only about a quarter of
the ride was flat; I got the time down to 55 min. on the MTB once I was fit
enough to keep some speed up the hills and pedal on the downhills; the MTB
is maneuverable; and I am much happier locking a 2 year old MTB up to
street sign than new $1500 road bike.
At the moment my commute is an easy 25 minutes so the MTB is fine for that.
dewatf.
Vincent Patrick
Yes, bike security is one of the more significant things which discourage me
from using my bike to go to the local shops. It seems less effort to walk
(less than 1 km) than fiddle around locking up the bike and removing
various bits which could be stolen. I am tempted to fix up an old cheap
bike just for local shopping.
The bloke next door to us went down to the shops on his bike at one time
when I was walking the same way. He passed me and arrived first, but I
walked into the shops while he was locking up.
When you add bike security to the other little issues of wearing suitable
attire, finding/carrying a helmet and backpack, then carrying stuff home, I
wonder why I read so much on the web about bikes being great transport for
shopping. Using eyeball statistics, the most spontaneous use of bikes
still seems to be by youngsters who just dump the bike down at a mate's
place after buzzing along from home.
Thankfully, my commuter bike ride is no problem because it is longer and I
can take the bike into where I work.
Cheers,
Vince
dewatf
> I am tempted to fix up an old cheap bike just for local shopping.
Or buy a Big W bike, they were selling Dunlop MTBs for $89 on special last
month. All the bikes left around the local shops and railway station are
either 20 years old or Dunlop or Huffy MTBs.
dewatf.
Random Data
> I am tempted to fix up an old cheap bike just for local shopping.
Do it! Get a cheap helmet (or use an old one you wouldn't use normally).
All it's got to do is stop someone booking you. If you're concerned about
a stack on the way to or from the shops, you might want to leave a good
helmet near the bike.
I need to get a new front wheel for my station bike - it really isn't
worth fixing - but my uni bike is a singlespeed bodged up out of a ~15
year old mountain bike. It rides nicely, is plenty of bike for the ~6km to
uni, and I'm not particularly concerned about locking it up. I'll be
annoyed if it goes walkies, since I quite like the bike, but it's unlikely
because it looks like a POS.
--
Dave Hughes | da...@hired-goons.net
There are some things so serious you have to laugh at them. - Niels Bohr
Terry Collins
> I am tempted to fix up an old cheap
> bike just for local shopping.
Just look for the ejects on council rubbish collections. Many seem to
just require new tyres and tubes and a bit of oil.
Terry Collins
> and I'm not particularly concerned about locking it up.
and padlock and leave it in place.
Cover with mtb tube(s) if scratching your frame is a worry.
> I'll be
> annoyed if it goes walkies, since I quite like the bike, but it's unlikely
> because it looks like a POS.
Helps.
>
Zebee Johnstone
Vincent Patrick <vi...@chem.com.au> wrote:
> When you add bike security to the other little issues of wearing suitable
> attire, finding/carrying a helmet and backpack, then carrying stuff home, I
> wonder why I read so much on the web about bikes being great transport for
> shopping. Using eyeball statistics, the most spontaneous use of bikes
> still seems to be by youngsters who just dump the bike down at a mate's
> place after buzzing along from home.
Because the people buying all that stuff aren't using it for daily
work, the bikes and kit available are all for leisure use.
A shopping bike would be a load carrier, not that fancy, no quick
release, lights bolted on, a generator not a battery, and a built in
lock that just has to be clipped around something, or that just stops
the thing from being ridden away.
It would have lockable storage containing the pump and tools.
But your average leisure cyclist won't want that - too ugly, too
heavy. So no market. Like 'bents, the market won't be there till the
bikes are easily and cheaply available, but they won't be easily and
cheaply available until the market's there....
Zebee
Euan
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:06:07 +0800
> Vincent Patrick <vi...@chem.com.au> wrote:
>
>>When you add bike security to the other little issues of wearing suitable
>>attire, finding/carrying a helmet and backpack, then carrying stuff home, I
>>wonder why I read so much on the web about bikes being great transport for
>>shopping. Using eyeball statistics, the most spontaneous use of bikes
>>still seems to be by youngsters who just dump the bike down at a mate's
>>place after buzzing along from home.
>
>
> Because the people buying all that stuff aren't using it for daily
> work, the bikes and kit available are all for leisure use.
Codswallop.
I use my bike for shopping and commuting. It's a Trek 1200 fitted out
with a rack and panniers. With a 30km commute the time it takes to
detach the panniers (2 seconds) detach the lights (5 seconds) and lock
it (20 seconds) is negligeable.
The reverse takes a little longer, ten seconds to attach the panniers,
ten seconds to attach the light and thirty to stow the lock. Compared
to trawling the streets for a car park that's no time at all.
> A shopping bike would be a load carrier, not that fancy, no quick
> release, lights bolted on, a generator not a battery, and a built in
> lock that just has to be clipped around something, or that just stops
> the thing from being ridden away.
You've got to lock your bike to something, it's trivial to pick up a
locked bike and dump it in the back of a Ute.
Zebee Johnstone
Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Codswallop.
>
> I use my bike for shopping and commuting. It's a Trek 1200 fitted out
> with a rack and panniers. With a 30km commute the time it takes to
> detach the panniers (2 seconds) detach the lights (5 seconds) and lock
> it (20 seconds) is negligeable.
Problem I think is that you assume everyone's like you. IF they were,
there'd be lots of bikes doing what you do, but there aren't... So
maybe everyone else isn't.
> You've got to lock your bike to something, it's trivial to pick up a
> locked bike and dump it in the back of a Ute.
If it's wanted. An expensive bike with expensive stuff is wanted....
A Trek 2300 with ortliebs? Yes. A chinese "work bike"?
Zebee
cfsmtb
Terry Collins Wrote:
>
> Just look for the ejects on council rubbish collections. Many seem to
> just require new tyres and tubes and a bit of oil.
Speaking of such, we just returning from hardwaste *shopping*. Picked
up a Sturmey 3-speed hub + gear lever still attached by cable, will
later clean off the grime to find the model / year of manufacture.
Amongst other treasures found, we also picked up the *perfect shelf*
for scanner/printer/computer stuff, plus a virtually brand new
replacement for my old office chair that finally gave up this week.
Incidentally, the old office chair was picked up via another hardwaste
about 4-5 years ago. Who needs Ikea huh? :D
--
cfsmtb
Euan
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:31:16 GMT
> Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Codswallop.
>>
>>I use my bike for shopping and commuting. It's a Trek 1200 fitted out
>>with a rack and panniers. With a 30km commute the time it takes to
>>detach the panniers (2 seconds) detach the lights (5 seconds) and lock
>>it (20 seconds) is negligeable.
>
>
> Problem I think is that you assume everyone's like you. IF they were,
> there'd be lots of bikes doing what you do, but there aren't... So
> maybe everyone else isn't.
Not everyone certainly, but there are a lot of people who do.
>>You've got to lock your bike to something, it's trivial to pick up a
>>locked bike and dump it in the back of a Ute.
>
>
> If it's wanted. An expensive bike with expensive stuff is wanted....
>
> A Trek 2300 with ortliebs? Yes. A chinese "work bike"?
Absolutely. Think it makes a difference to someone feeding their drug
habit?
Zebee Johnstone
Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:31:16 GMT
>> Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>Codswallop.
>>>
>>>I use my bike for shopping and commuting. It's a Trek 1200 fitted out
>>>with a rack and panniers. With a 30km commute the time it takes to
>>>detach the panniers (2 seconds) detach the lights (5 seconds) and lock
>>>it (20 seconds) is negligeable.
>>
>>
>> Problem I think is that you assume everyone's like you. IF they were,
>> there'd be lots of bikes doing what you do, but there aren't... So
>> maybe everyone else isn't.
>
> Not everyone certainly, but there are a lot of people who do.
BUt we are talking about why people aren't using bikes for shopping.
No reason to talk about the ones who do.... What's at issue is those
who aren't.
That you find things easy or doable isn't useful as to why others
don't.
To say "but they should" is both arrogant and foolish if you want more
riders.
Zebee
Zebee Johnstone
Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>
> Absolutely. Think it makes a difference to someone feeding their drug
> habit?
How many druggies who steal do you know?
The ones I know are quite knowledgeable about what they can get money
for and what they can't.
Zebee
Euan
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 08:35:50 GMT
> Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>>>In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 07:31:16 GMT
>>>Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>Codswallop.
>>>>
>>>>I use my bike for shopping and commuting. It's a Trek 1200 fitted out
>>>>with a rack and panniers. With a 30km commute the time it takes to
>>>>detach the panniers (2 seconds) detach the lights (5 seconds) and lock
>>>>it (20 seconds) is negligeable.
>>>
>>>
>>>Problem I think is that you assume everyone's like you. IF they were,
>>>there'd be lots of bikes doing what you do, but there aren't... So
>>>maybe everyone else isn't.
>>
>>Not everyone certainly, but there are a lot of people who do.
>
>
> BUt we are talking about why people aren't using bikes for shopping.
Are we?
Number one reason, there aren't that many supermarkets which have
adequate bicycle parking. Southland (large Westland shopping centre) is
a lot easier for me to get to by bicycle than it is by car and there are
a few bicycle hoops. Would I feel comfortable leaving my bike there
while I go watch a movie, have some food, do the shopping then head
home? Not on your nellie.
Same with DFO just down the road. The village, well it's a ten minute
walk so why would I take the bike?
> To say "but they should" is both arrogant and foolish if you want more
> riders.
Which I have not said, so why are you saying this?
Euan
So because the ones you know know something about bikes we're to assume
that all druggies who steal do?
cfsmtb
Euan Wrote:
>
> So because the ones you know know something about bikes we're to
> assume
> that all druggies who steal do?
Your arrogancy is astonishing Euan. A tip for this Sunday evening.
Get off the computer.
--
cfsmtb
Euan
> Euan Wrote:
>
>>So because the ones you know know something about bikes we're to
>>assume
>>that all druggies who steal do?
>
>
>
> Your arrogancy is astonishing Euan.
How am I being arrogant? If you're going to personally attack me, back
it up.
Zebee Johnstone
Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>> BUt we are talking about why people aren't using bikes for shopping.
>
> Are we?
That was the post I replied to, yes.
> Number one reason, there aren't that many supermarkets which have
> adequate bicycle parking. Southland (large Westland shopping centre) is
Is that wnat people are telling you?
It's not why I don't shop on a bicycle and never have. (I probably
would on the bent if it was not in walking distance as it is, but it
would also have to be flattish, and I'd have to have the bike properly
set up for it. If I was shopping for a family instead of for one
person, then the bike would have to have a lot more load space than
one pair of panniers. And not be fiddly and annoying, because a car
is so damn *easy*. (or in my case a motorcycle with lots of carrying
capacity)
So are non-shoppers telling you this?
> a few bicycle hoops. Would I feel comfortable leaving my bike there
> while I go watch a movie, have some food, do the shopping then head
> home? Not on your nellie.
THe only time I've talked about it to non-riders, that's not even on
the radar. It's the low carrying capacity and the idea that it's hard
work.
When I was on a bike where I had to take lots of things off, I was
asked once if I found it annoying to have to do that.
I have always set my bikes up as much as I could to minimise the
amount of stuff I have to remove. It's quite an issue for me, and is
something that has stopped me stopping in places where I might have
otherwise if I didn't have to do it.
>> To say "but they should" is both arrogant and foolish if you want more
>> riders.
>
> Which I have not said, so why are you saying this?
YOu have implied it, including the "codswallop"commment. That because
you have no problem with unclipping things, that the original poster
(who did) and I (who also does) are somehow wrong. If those are
reasons given for not shopping - and the OP did give that as a reason
- then to call it codswallop is to say "but they should".
And you have definitely said it in a commuting thread where you dismissed
concerns about clothes and showers, saying that people should not think
like that, because you didn't.
Zebee
Zebee Johnstone
Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
> Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>> The ones I know are quite knowledgeable about what they can get money
>> for and what they can't.
>
> So because the ones you know know something about bikes we're to assume
> that all druggies who steal do?
I didn't say they knew about bikes, they don't. THey do know what
they can sell though.
They want flash looking things, they want brand names, they want
something that looks common so that it's not easily traced.
They also don't often come equipped with vans that I've noticed. The
only one who mentioned stealing bikes (after mine was stolen) said
"probably rode it away after cutting the cable. Serve you right for
using a pissy little cable lock".
Zebee
cfsmtb
Having a bad day Euan?
Anyway, for the rest of us, good news, although it's OT & non-cycling.
The folks back home certainly require good news after this week.
:) :) :) :) :) :) :)
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1627094.htm
Beaconsfield miners found alive
In an extraordinary feat of survival two miners missing underground in
a gold mine in Tasmania have been found alive.
Todd Russell and Brant Webb have been trapped one kilometre underground
since Tuesday night, when an earthquake caused a rockfall.
Little hope had been held for their survival.
The body of a third trapped miner, Larry Knight, was recovered on
Thursday
--
cfsmtb
Euan
> In aus.bicycle on Sun, 30 Apr 2006 09:37:31 GMT
> Euan <euan...@yahoo.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Zebee Johnstone wrote:
>>
>>>BUt we are talking about why people aren't using bikes for shopping.
>>
>>Are we?
>
>
> That was the post I replied to, yes.
Fair enough :-)
>>Number one reason, there aren't that many supermarkets which have
>>adequate bicycle parking. Southland (large Westland shopping centre) is
>
>
> Is that wnat people are telling you?
No, that's why I sometimes choose to take the car rather than ride my bike.
> It's not why I don't shop on a bicycle and never have. (I probably
> would on the bent if it was not in walking distance as it is, but it
> would also have to be flattish, and I'd have to have the bike properly
> set up for it. If I was shopping for a family instead of for one
> person, then the bike would have to have a lot more load space than
> one pair of panniers. And not be fiddly and annoying, because a car
> is so damn *easy*. (or in my case a motorcycle with lots of carrying
> capacity)
Ortleib's are not fiddly, they snap on in seconds. I seriously doubt
you'd be able to fit a family's shopping in a pair of Ortleibs though,
you'd have to bring the family down, all on bikes and all with Ortleibs.
A logistical nightmare I'm sure.
What you would really need for such a task is an Xtracycle.
http://www.xtracycle.com/
> So are non-shoppers telling you this?
No one's telling me this, it's why I sometimes choose the car over the
bike. Sometimes it's just more secure and easier. I was telling you my
personal reasons for not always using the bike.
>>>To say "but they should" is both arrogant and foolish if you want more
>>>riders.
>>
>>Which I have not said, so why are you saying this?
>
>
> YOu have implied it, including the "codswallop"commment. That because
> you have no problem with unclipping things, that the original poster
> (who did) and I (who also does) are somehow wrong. If those are
> reasons given for not shopping - and the OP did give that as a reason
> - then to call it codswallop is to say "but they should".
I'm sorry you read it that way, that was not the intent.
For me taking my panniers off my rack is quicker than opening the boot,
lifting out my stuff and closing the boot. I don't know if you've had
experience of Ortleibs but it's literally as easy as pulling on the
handle to release them.
I am a utility cyclist, yet just about all the bike gear I use you
dismiss as being for leisure cyclists (clip on lights, clip on panniers
etc.). That simply isn't true, hence the codswallop comment. If
inferred from that that everyone should shop by bicycle then you've
misunderstood.
> And you have definitely said it in a commuting thread where you dismissed
> concerns about clothes and showers, saying that people should not think
> like that, because you didn't.
Did I? That doesn't sound like something I'd say. When I first started
commuting I joined a gym just FOR the showers, I didn't use that gym for
anything else. I shower and change after every ride to work and would
find it difficult to commute by bicycle without those facilities.
Cite please, Google is your friend.
Euan
Fair enough. Was it a pissy little cable lock out of interest?
Euan
> Having a bad day Euan?
No, I'm not. Thanks for the concern though.
> Anyway, for the rest of us, good news, although it's OT & non-cycling.
> The folks back home certainly require good news after this week.
>
> :) :) :) :) :) :) :)
>
> http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200604/s1627094.htm
> Beaconsfield miners found alive
Excellent news.
Vincent Patrick
I might have it wrong Zebee, but I think Euan was trying to say that it
SHOULD be easier to use a fancy bike for shopping, even if it is not always
convenient now. Maybe Euan just didn't like the implication that it was
necessary to ride a clunker with a shopping basket.
I am with you, in that I would probably use a cheap bike in practice. But
in an ideal world, I would rather be cycling on my usual bike with the nice
curvy handlebars. It's those handlebars, not the seat. Hmmm... an
analysis of that statement deserves a whole thread by itself. :-)
It is interesting anyway that many of us commuters are not happy taking our
favourite bike on the short trips to local shops, for security reasons. It
is not something that you read about in the government websites on bicycle
riding. If anything, they suggest that short trips are ideal for bicycles.
Cheers,
Vince
p.s. Did I say that I hate flat handlebars?
Random Data
> If you park it in the same spot at uni, just cart in a humungous chain
> and padlock and leave it in place.
Already do that. Best chain on the rack for the shittiest looking bike on
the rack.
--
Dave Hughes | da...@hired-goons.net
"If you're bored, find something and break it" Jamie Rapson - 1996
Dancier
Euan Wrote:
>
> What you would really need for such a task is an Xtracycle.
> http://www.xtracycle.com/
>
>
> --
> Cheers | ~~ __@
> Euan | ~~ _-\<,
> Melbourne, Australia | ~ (*)/ (*)
thought it was something he made up himself. I know better now.
--
Dancier
rooman
oh!, Euan, no reflection on you at all by cfsmtb, just that you and
me, well we are both are on the receiving end of some ones "word of the
day" a certain holier than anyone , the little lurking fencer foiler who
dwells under bridges and lurks behind lesser than verdent verbage...
good Sunday night to watch telly and eat marshmallows before they
dissolve in the hot chocolate :)
--
rooman
Bean Long
> On Fri, 28 Apr 2006 09:21:55 +1000, Bean Long wrote:
>
>> And a road bike is what helped me chop a massive 28 min off my
>> ride time since my first attempt.
>
> Must have been red!
>
> I was looking at buying an OCR2 or something. But only about a quarter of
> the ride was flat; I got the time down to 55 min. on the MTB once I was fit
> enough to keep some speed up the hills and pedal on the downhills; the MTB
> is maneuverable; and I am much happier locking a 2 year old MTB up to
> street sign than new $1500 road bike.
>
> At the moment my commute is an easy 25 minutes so the MTB is fine for that.
>
> dewatf.
>
I have a TCR2. Was after an OCRzero but they didn't have my frame size.
Went for old stock which was being flogged for up to $700 off! My old
bike was a crappy hybrid which I bought second hand. It moved like a
piece of lead, hence the first trip taking 1 hr. After I got the TCR2 I
had the time down to 40 min but with a bit of pushing and maintaining my
cadence at around 90 most trips I have now cut the time down to 32 min
on average. Fastest is 31:11 !!
The trip home is a little more difficult and I'm working on shaving a
few seconds off the pace. I have that down to about 38 min.
Most importantly though... I enjoy the commute!!
--
Bean
Remove "yourfinger" before replying
Bleve
Euan wrote:
> What you would really need for such a task is an Xtracycle.
> http://www.xtracycle.com/
Way easier than that, get a posty pushbike. They get sold off 2nd
hand, or try and get one direct from Aust post. Also, many LBS's, if
*asked* will show you utility bikes with racks etc, or will be able to
supply them. They're not in the shop window because they're ugly and
heavy and don't sell well, but they exist and are much *much* more
affordable than a car. If you have a lot of shopping to cart around,
then trailers are also a good option on a cheap hybrid or something
else non-attractive to highend bike thieves. You can whack a trailer
on a $100 k-mart shitter with bolton everythings and a dynamo light
system for probably no more all-up than $500.
Zebee, this is the same furphy you used yonks ago when you complained
about there being no utility motorbikes, which was also "codswallop".
There's heaps, you're just not looking, and then blaming the shops who
want to sell high margin or high price stuff for catering to their
market.
And yes, most people drive because it's easy. There's *nothing* we can
do about that except to make it harder for them to drive. We can't
make bikes easier to ride, 150 years of bicycle evolution has topped
out, HPV's are as advanced as they can get and have been for decades -
all that changes now is a few grams here and there on racebikes.
Some perspective, I'm trying to get my mum to ride, she can't ride a
bicycle, so we're looking at some other HPV (probably a tricycle of
some form) - so I'm not just making this up, I've done my homework.
She has good intentions (as we all do) of riding, but weaning her off
her car is not a case of making the HPV work, that's the easy part.
The cost of a custom made HPV for her is still less than 3 months of
regular car use.
flyingdutch
Bleve Wrote:
>
>
> Some perspective, I'm trying to get my mum to ride, she can't ride a
> bicycle, so we're looking at some other HPV (probably a tricycle of
> some form) - so I'm not just making this up, I've done my homework.
> She has good intentions (as we all do) of riding, but weaning her off
> her car is not a case of making the HPV work, that's the easy part.
> The cost of a custom made HPV for her is still less than 3 months of
> regular car use.
--
flyingdutch
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
> They also don't often come equipped with vans that I've noticed. The
> only one who mentioned stealing bikes (after mine was stolen) said
> "probably rode it away after cutting the cable. Serve you right for
> using a pissy little cable lock".
I took heart in the fact that my pedals are not flat, which would
cause them problems in the riding away bit. But then I remembered the
guy I saw on the train that looked like he had stolen a pretty flash
bike. He certainly didn't have cleats for the egg beaters.
I really should get a U-lock. In related news, I wasn't thinking a
few nights back, and left my backpack on the ground next to my bike
while shopping (I put it down to get the cable lock out, then failed
to pick it up). Came back out to find it still there. Phew!
--
TimC
If my head were spinning at relativistic speeds,
it would appear to everyone else that my brane had slowed down.
-- Dan E. Macs on RHOD
TimC
was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
Dude! Northcote has far more upmarket hardwaste than Chadstone.
--
TimC
But if I ever have a child, I will certainly be naming it "Sun
Microsystems". -- Hipatia
Bleve
Nifty, thanks FD :)
Euan
> uOn 2006-04-30, Zebee Johnstone (aka Bruce)
> was almost, but not quite, entirely unlike tea:
>
>>They also don't often come equipped with vans that I've noticed. The
>>only one who mentioned stealing bikes (after mine was stolen) said
>>"probably rode it away after cutting the cable. Serve you right for
>>using a pissy little cable lock".
>
>
> I took heart in the fact that my pedals are not flat, which would
> cause them problems in the riding away bit. But then I remembered the
> guy I saw on the train that looked like he had stolen a pretty flash
> bike. He certainly didn't have cleats for the egg beaters.
I remember meeting Vlad at Threshmans, he'd ridden his egg-beater
equipped Bad Boy from Northcote in sandals.
Shane Stanley
flyingdutch <flyingdut...@no-mx.forums.cyclingforums.com> wrote:
Bait and switch: it's red in the pic, but the copy says "Blue only".
--
Shane Stanley
Euan
I've seen a lady running around in one of these in the city, it would
appear that she needs crutches to bear her weight as there's always a
set in the back.
Zebee Johnstone
Bleve <carl.I...@gmail.com> wrote:
> There's heaps, you're just not looking, and then blaming the shops who
> want to sell high margin or high price stuff for catering to their
> market.
Oh they sell it, that's true, and for that reason, also true.
But if they aren't out there being obvious, then most people aren't
going to think about them, let alone buy them.
How would people start to think about these things?
I can see that something cheap and ugly enough to be a viable shopping
cart isn't going to make money for bikeshops, but if all that people
see and are sold are things that aren't viable for that job....
> And yes, most people drive because it's easy. There's *nothing* we can
> do about that except to make it harder for them to drive. We can't
> make bikes easier to ride, 150 years of bicycle evolution has topped
> out, HPV's are as advanced as they can get and have been for decades -
> all that changes now is a few grams here and there on racebikes.
I agree with that too, but there has to be incentive both ways.
people will keep driving while driving is easy, but they also won't
think about not-driving while there's no obvious alternative.
There's got to be a tipping point somwhere, where enough people and
machines are seen that bikes are on the agenda, even if at the bottom,
rather than not on the agenda at all.
Chicken and egg I suppose - won't get lots of people riding as transport
without having lots of people riding as transport.
It's a major change of culture, to have a significant number of people
think of bikes as transport.
Zebee
Zebee Johnstone
Bleve <carl.I...@gmail.com> wrote:
I've seen a few leaning ones written up in various places. I don't
know if they'd be suitable, eg
http://www.stitesdesign.com/hpv_chameleon.htm
http://www.kerrelcycles.com/ Which looks to be an amazing item, but
maybe not for what you want!
I don't know if there are any affordable ones readily available
though.
Zebee
Bleve
Zebee Johnstone wrote:
> In aus.bicycle on 30 Apr 2006 17:46:46 -0700
> Bleve <carl.I...@gmail.com> wrote:
> > There's heaps, you're just not looking, and then blaming the shops who
> > want to sell high margin or high price stuff for catering to their
> > market.
>
> Oh they sell it, that's true, and for that reason, also true.
>
> But if they aren't out there being obvious, then most people aren't
> going to think about them, let alone buy them.
>
> How would people start to think about these things?
This is what BV (or BNSW etc) is supposed to do. Ride to work days,
school programs etc, but we're getting confused between the
availability of generic utility bikes and bikes as transport. One is a
subset of the other (sorta)
The LBS's won't do it, it's not worth their time to do it on a large
scale - *especially* as this is about cheap shitters that if they get
popular, will get sold by kmart etc and the LBS won't benefit from it
(except to fix the k-mart shitters all the time, and cop flak from
punters whinging that the repairs cost more than the bike!).
> > And yes, most people drive because it's easy. There's *nothing* we can
> > do about that except to make it harder for them to drive. We can't
> > make bikes easier to ride, 150 years of bicycle evolution has topped
> > out, HPV's are as advanced as they can get and have been for decades -
> > all that changes now is a few grams here and there on racebikes.
>
> I agree with that too, but there has to be incentive both ways.
> people will keep driving while driving is easy, but they also won't
> think about not-driving while there's no obvious alternative.
For what it's worth, I doubt that most joe averages don't think bikes
are viable, I think joe is just lazy (or some more politically correct
expression for the same thing :) ) Joe does what's easiest that he can
afford. Cars are easy. And, really, for doing the shopping, on a
dark, cold and rainy evening after work with 2 kids or a hot day with a
nasty northerly and you want the icecream to get home without melting,
cars *are* easy and bikes are hard. Always will be until petrol gets
unfeasably expensive. Airconditioning, heating ... a big boot ... etc
etc. Cars win for most people purely on the fact that they're
comfortable in any weather and don't get upset by hills. Heck, I'm a
loony cyclist and today I rode my motorbike to work ... it's easier and
I felt lazy and didn't feel I had the legs to make it up the hill to
get home. Tonight I'm scunging a lift to the shops in a friends car to
get some big, awkward stuff and it'll be cold and wet and I don't feel
like riding and towing stuff around.
> There's got to be a tipping point somwhere, where enough people and
> machines are seen that bikes are on the agenda, even if at the bottom,
> rather than not on the agenda at all.
I don't think that bikes have ever been invisable or not considered
viable by a lot of people, just that cars are easier. Bikes are on the
agenda, which is why we're awash with bike lanes, bike paths etc. This
is why city councils are trying to find ways to get less people
driving, they know that they can't just keep making roads bigger and
carparks bigger anymore.
> Chicken and egg I suppose - won't get lots of people riding as transport
> without having lots of people riding as transport.
Lots of people *do* ride as transport. I can't make any observations
about where you live, but here, in my office, 50% of the staff ride to
work. Around here (Southbank, Melbourne) a -lot- of people ride to
work. A lot of my friends ride places rather than drive when they can.
I go to client sites and am often pleasantly suprised to see bikes
parked all over the place by commuters. One of my clients (who I would
have -least- expected to be full of commutter cyclists) has a 10%
cyclist commuter poplulation. Most of my friends ride to work at least
when the weather's good.
> It's a major change of culture, to have a significant number of people
> think of bikes as transport.
So here's an interesting one, Dutchy et al talk about how much more
people ride in Europe than here (Amsterdam etc). Why is that? Is it
the lanes and the support, the very high cost of petrol? The higher
population density so everyone's closer to where they work? The nice
cycling weather? What's fuel a litre in Holland? I believe it's around
twice what it is here? Cars are a luxury, and if they're very
expensive, they're a luxury less people can afford. Our unsustainable
credit fueled outer suburban growth is part of the problem too. My Dad
lives 50km from where he works, because at the moment he can afford the
fuel. Not sustainable ...