more pics - and a note about my job, bike commuting, e-bikes, and assorted fluff...

[Thank goodness for autosave - I thought I'd just lost this posting a few minutes ago!]

I have a few more bike-related pics to share with you from my new-to-me phone.

I took these first two during my trip to Seattle one day (DRIVING!) for a Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) meeting.

I saw this e-bike parked out front. I suspected a member of the committee might have ridden it over to the meeting, perhaps.



I have wondered whether e-bikes (I am not familiar with the model in the photo) actually benefits the commuter as much as a lighter bike (but built strong for hauling commuters' needs) with good gearing would *or* on the other hand, would a commuter be better-equipped with a bike designed with low-maintenance simplicity for multi-modal flexibility, like bike-to-bus, bike-to-train, ferry-to-bike, etc.

Regarding that last notion, this interesting bicycle was toted into the building by Every Day of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington. It is a Strida folding bicycle.



I think it is a Strida LT model - single speed, belt-drive, with disc brakes. Cool color too. I think the MSRP is $600, which might seem a little steep, but if it stimulates fewer car trips and more exercise - plus, stows away easily in an apartment or office, then it might be very well worth the price for some. There is a nice review on tree hugger's website. A video of it folding is below.



I don't have an answer other than to say I think both can co-exist, and they have, and every other option in-between. Despite what YLBS (your local bike shop) might tell you, there are a lot of people on the wrong bikes, wearing the wrong clothes, equipped with the wrong lights and bags, etc. but it is right for them. I have enjoyed David Madajian's take on setting-up a commuter bike.

Interesting to note... the Strida is an UK-invented bike. This week, I'd sent a US-designed innovation, a 1980s Stump Jumper, to the UK! Here's the last pic I took on my last ride on this 1980s "Stumpy".

Merry Christmas to me!

I bit the bullet - I ordered a DiNotte light (finally) after over a year of talking about doing it. I wasn't initially convinced that spending a lot of money (to me "a lot of money" = more than $50) on lights was worth it for the short bicycle commute I have and the few months out of the year it is dark during my commute to or from work or both. I noticed my speed has dropped a lot and I can only attribute it to my internal hesitance to ride faster than my lights can shine.

I found a really good deal at an online retailer that was offering a one-day sale of 25% off any orders over $100. I saved $15 even after adding shipping and taxes. (Now, I do generally stick with local bicycle shops for 99% of my cycling-related purchases, so I have some remorse about going this route).

I opted for the helmet-mounted 200L-AA-L. It features a front 200 Lumen light (equivalent to 15-20 watts Halogen) and a rear red flashing light within the same housing. A battery pack of four AA rechargeable batteries is stuffed into your jersey pocket or backpack. The batteries are not a proprietary style, so out on a trip, they can be replaced by virtually any rechargeable AA. I was hoping to find one that had a USB charger, but I admit I was pulled in by the sleek, small look of the DiNotte product.

As for the reason I selected the helmet style, I figured since I might be hopping from one bike to another (commuter bike to road bike) this is an easy way to switch rides without having to go through the hassle of transferring the lights over. Also, I like the ability to have the light sine where I am looking - at a pothole, at a pedestrian, motorist, etc.

Here is the light mounted... (stock DiNotte photo)


Here is a bicycle equipped with the DiNotte lights... (DiNotte stock photo)


Once the light gets here and I have a chance to test it out, I'll post my observations and recommendations.

stats

In the past month since getting the "Green Bike" I've commuted by bicycle roughly 70% of the time to work. I rode the bus one time and carpooled home once and drove alone the remainder. A big change from as recent as early September when I used to drive to work practically 100% of the time except for the month of May where I rode a handful of times (but never really committed to do it beyond the contest period during the Bike to Work Challenge held each May).

Yesterday I bought a cycling computer at REI. It is a Sigma 906 and it was $25 plus tax. I wanted to know how far I've been riding and how long it takes me. Miles per hour and other stats are a bonus. This seemed to be the least expensive model which did what I wanted it to do, though in retrospect, it would be nice to have a cadence feature.

According to the computer, which was fairly easy to install and set-up, it recorded these stats from my round-trip commute to work:
total distance: 4.38 miles
total time: 32.59 minutes
average speed: 7.96 mph
maximum speed: 26.43 mph

Using my car's odometer, I get around 4 miles round-trip, however, I have a tenths digit but that's it. Also, since I ride through an area where cars cannot go through, I guesstimated the length of this stretch. So I think 4.38 miles is probably pretty accurate.

Since I ride all downhill to work and all uphill home, that's why I have a high maximum speed but the average speed is fairly low. Glancing at the speedometer as I was riding home I think a lot of the ride I plugged along at 5-7 miles per hour. Probably decent progress given the bike isn't a featherweight nor am I. I keep telling myself as I gain muscle and perhaps eventually get more of a road bike like the Trek Portland or a Jamis Coda Elite. The Jamis has flat bars with road bike type equipment but more of a mountain bike frame geometry for more relaxed (less hunched over) riding. I like the looks of the Trek better and I think the option of having disc brakes is appealing since the ride downhill to work I'm clenching the brake levers a lot and sure stopping power would be an improvement.

commuter bike modifications

This month I added a few items to make my bicycle a more practical commuter bicycle.

The basic bicycle is a Schwinn High Plains from the early 1990s. Not shown in this photo are lights, a "tank bag" and a mini tire pump. You'll notice the rear rack and milk crate (something I had laying around the garage I zip tied to the bike rack for carrying bulky items not easily stowed in my backpack or other bike bags. There is also a mountain bike style rear fender under the rack to keep down spray and mud. I'd also a while back put on some comfortable grips.


The knobby mountain bike offroad knobby tires were causing a lot of vibration on the roads and sidewalks I was riding on. I found these tires, with new tubes, for about $50. They feature a kevlar lining to reduce chances for flats by a significant amount -- I've heard 65-90% less blown tires. This tire is a bit narrower than the off-road tires that were on the bike previously. This also helps make the bike roll better with less resistence.


I am experimenting with a homemade splash guard I made from a smoothie drink plastic bottle and a couple zip ties. I think I need a 2 liter size plastic bottle to get the coverage I need to block water kicked up by the front tire. Mainly this will keep ankles and shoes and socks drier.


I am also adding bar ends to provide another riding position for placing my hands.



I just bought a special seat designed to relieve pressure on an artery between the legs. Normally this retails for $89, I got it online for $30.