Frugal Bicycle Thread

Skyblue

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Jul 29, 2007, 9:02:14 PM7/29/07

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This thread comes with approx 3k investment in bicycles/related stuff
and a lot of time learning things. By reading all the links above,
several things are greatly simplified for those following this path.
Bicycles and frugality seems greatly undermined in the frugal
community, no solid comprehensive articles exist in this regard. This
thread is an attempt about getting a frugal bicycle and the savings it
has on our lives. I wanted to do this thread for a long time and have
been dealying it. Will slowly do this piece by piece based on the
experience I have so far.

By just having a bicycle instead of a car, one can save between 20K to
40K in two years (this is just my rough estimate). Moreover, there are
several other advantages to cycling as discussed here:
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/807.aspx

In the Book Divorce your Car, the Author describes in great detail the
enormous savings of using a bicycle as opposed to a Car, in the few
instances that a car is needed, one can rent a Can. This situation
however varies for those with children etc., etc., Review of this can
be read at Amazon.com

If buying a new Bicycle, buy it towards end of season, where I live
this starts around mid july. Plan everything in advance and have
backups.

Several who buy bicycles are not sure how to use/maintain them and
throw them away or sell them at real low prices. These can be obtained/
fixed easily and then profitably used. Here is a site that helps in
rebuilding old bicycles:
http://oldroads.com/
Another site on fixing used/vintage Bicycles:
http://www.geocities.com/randyjawa/BicycleRestorationGettingStartedArticle.html

A Whole Bunch of Do It Your Self Bicycle Projects (thanks to
bicycling.about.com Guide for this)
http://www.instructables.com/tag/keyword:bicycle/?limit:type:instructable=on&q=bicycle

Frugal Bicycle Touring Article (thanks to bicycling.about.com Guide
for this):
http://www.dirtragmag.com/print/article.php?ID=859

Learning Bicycle Mechanics is frugal as these repairs can run more
than the cost of the bicycle itself:
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/

Visit a few local bicycle shops and have a few backup plans for
repairs that need pros.

Good bicycles are stolen easily. Preventing this is important:
http://howtofixbikes.blogspot.com/2006/08/how-to-prevent-bicycle-theft.html

Bicycle Theft Video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4237529553314186861&q=bike+steal&hl=en

Several car lubricants can be used for bicycles. For eg.,:
Degreaser, Grease, Chain Lube etc.,

Checkout local library for books on bicycling. Read books on the
following topics:
1. General Urban Cycling
2. Long Distance Cycling
3. Bicycle Mechanics

Getting Tuffy the anti puncture tape, puncture resistant tube/tyre
etc., are all frugal. Flats cost time, energy interms of repair,
specially are not good in remote places, at high sun, rain, on a
slope, closer to dusk etc.,

Having a good basic set of bicycle repair tools, repair stand is
frugal.

Some Sites on Bicycle Uses specially in Emergency:
http://www.biketexas.org/content/view/504/71/
http://www.co.gaston.nc.us/GEMSHP/teams/BERT.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Police_bicycle
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bicycle_infantry
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling

Join a local bicycle club, specially one that teaches bicycle repair
courses. Networking with other key cyclists in your area is also
frugal.

Good Bicycle Related Links:
http://www.bikely.com/

This site is excellent:
http://www.kenkifer.com/

Dime on the Dollar - Bicycle Trailer
http://www.motherearthnews.com/DIY/1981-07-01/Dime-on-the-Dollar-Bicycle-Trailer.aspx

Usenet Bicycle FAQs
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/bicycles-faq/

Usenet Newsgroups Related to Bicycles:
http://draco.acs.uci.edu/rbfaq/rbnewsgroups.html

Learning about Bicycling can lead to related careers:
1. Bicycle Mechanic
2. Bicycle Tour Guide
3. Bicycle Salesperson
4. Bicycle Messenger etc.,
5. Bicycle Sports
6. Writing bicycle related articles/books

Several Tips here such as what to do in case of an accident etc.,
apply to bicycles also:
http://www.mopedarmy.com/resources/articles/survivalguide/

A Great Bicycling Online Community:
http://www.cyclingforums.com/

Those with experience feel free to add anymore.

Thanks in advance and happy exploration.

Regards,

Vijay

Source:
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/p/987/9547.aspx#9547

Zuke

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Jul 30, 2007, 10:40:39 AM7/30/07

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On Sun, 29 Jul 2007, Skyblue wrote:

> This thread comes with approx 3k investment in bicycles/related stuff
> and a lot of time learning things. By reading all the links above,
> several things are greatly simplified for those following this path.
> Bicycles and frugality seems greatly undermined in the frugal
> community, no solid comprehensive articles exist in this regard. This
> thread is an attempt about getting a frugal bicycle and the savings it
> has on our lives. I wanted to do this thread for a long time and have
> been dealying it. Will slowly do this piece by piece based on the
> experience I have so far.
>
> By just having a bicycle instead of a car, one can save between 20K to
> 40K in two years (this is just my rough estimate). Moreover, there are
> several other advantages to cycling as discussed here:
> http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/807.aspx
>
> In the Book Divorce your Car, the Author describes in great detail the
> enormous savings of using a bicycle as opposed to a Car, in the few
> instances that a car is needed, one can rent a Can. This situation

Like the few times it rains or dips below 40 degrees during the year?

Stay tuned for my thread on how you can save money by never leaving
your house.

Cindy Hamilton

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Jul 30, 2007, 1:05:32 PM7/30/07

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Or, in my neck of the woods, the weeks on end when you'd be riding
through a slushy mix of snow, water and salt, having it sprayed all
over you by trucks doing 60 in a 45 mph zone, on a road with no
shoulders but with potholes the diameter of a bicycle wheel? And of
course there are those weeks when the salty slush freezes because
we never see temperatures above 20.

Honestly, anybody who thinks a bicycle commute is feasible for
everyone is welcome to try my 5-mile commute. In February.

Cindy Hamilton

Don Klipstein

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Jul 30, 2007, 3:07:36 PM7/30/07

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In <Pine.OSX.4.64.07...@ucfilespace.uc.edu>, Zuke wrote:
>On Sun, 29 Jul 2007, Skyblue wrote:
>

>> In the Book Divorce your Car, the Author describes in great detail the
>> enormous savings of using a bicycle as opposed to a Car, in the few
>> instances that a car is needed, one can rent a Can. This situation
>
>Like the few times it rains or dips below 40 degrees during the year?
>
>Stay tuned for my thread on how you can save money by never leaving
>your house.

I ride bikes just fine in temperatures well below freezing. I sometimes
even commute by bike when it rains, though sometimes I leave the bike at
work and take mass transit home and back in the next day if rain is in the
forecast.

- Don Klipstein (d...@misty.com)

Message has been deleted

Greg

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Aug 3, 2007, 11:16:23 AM8/3/07

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Riding a bicycle in the rain is beyond your comprehension, is it?
What a delicate little daisy you must be. 40 degrees is no barrier
either. Ice and snow would be reasonable to avoid. For many people,
that only means a couple of weeks a year that a bicycle can't be
used. That sounds like a viable option to me.

Greg

max

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Aug 3, 2007, 11:45:52 AM8/3/07

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"Zuke" <m...@privacy.net> wrote in message

> Like the few times it rains or dips below 40 degrees during the year?
>
> Stay tuned for my thread on how you can save money by never leaving
> your house.

What are you, a sugarcube? Give me a break. I ride from -20F to 105F,
24/7/365
in every weather condition extant in northern Illinois.

poor little buttercup.

..max

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max

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Aug 3, 2007, 11:47:50 AM8/3/07

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"Cindy Hamilton" <angelica...@hotmail.com> wrote in message

> Or, in my neck of the woods, the weeks on end when you'd be riding
> through a slushy mix of snow, water and salt, having it sprayed all
> over you by trucks doing 60 in a 45 mph zone, on a road with no
> shoulders but with potholes the diameter of a bicycle wheel? And of
> course there are those weeks when the salty slush freezes because
> we never see temperatures above 20.
>
> Honestly, anybody who thinks a bicycle commute is feasible for
> everyone is welcome to try my 5-mile commute. In February.

tag, you're it.