First Commute to Work

[IFFY]

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I've had my Huffy 15 Speed/BoyGoFast combo together for a couple weeks but finally rode it to work today. It's 5 Miles one way with the last 2 Miles on a gravel road. The trip was un-eventful with the exceptions being; having a car pass me with about 1 1/2 Ft. of clearance this morning (plenty of room for us both and plenty visibilty for him to have given me some room), and the County decided to send the road grader out today so my 2 Miles of gravel this afternoon was...well...slow and interesting, riding on the "ball bearings". In one section I have to option of avoiding about 1/2-3/4 Mile of actual 55 MPH highway traffic by taking an alternative route that has a "no motorized vehicle" bridge. No problem! I killed the engine, pedaled across the bridge and re-started on the other side! What a rebel I am.

I'll be interested, as days of commuting pass, to get an idea of my fuel mileage. From a time standpoint I think it only took about 5-7 minutes longer on the bike than driving my Tahoe. Savings should be about $2.00/day in gas, by my estimate.

Lynn

 

[MasterLink]

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I've had my Huffy 15 Speed/BoyGoFast combo together for a couple weeks but finally rode it to work today. It's 5 Miles one way with the last 2 Miles on a gravel road. The trip was un-eventful with the exceptions being; having a car pass me with about 1 1/2 Ft. of clearance this morning (plenty of room for us both and plenty visibilty for him to have given me some room), and the County decided to send the road grader out today so my 2 Miles of gravel this afternoon was...well...slow and interesting, riding on the "ball bearings". In one section I have to option of avoiding about 1/2-3/4 Mile of actual 55 MPH highway traffic by taking an alternative route that has a "no motorized vehicle" bridge. No problem! I killed the engine, pedaled across the bridge and re-started on the other side! What a rebel I am.

I'll be interested, as days of commuting pass, to get an idea of my fuel mileage. From a time standpoint I think it only took about 5-7 minutes longer on the bike than driving my Tahoe. Savings should be about $2.00/day in gas, by my estimate.

Lynn

hi man i been rideing all week to work iam doin 24 miles a day in Chicago its been a blast after 6 miles i could use a rest ..my seat is wrong .but traffic is bad in the morning rush hour guys driveing that are in a hurry and mad never give me room i have to give myself room i leave myself lots of room not the middle of the road and not next to the parked cars if i eat a door at 20 -30 miles hr. could kill me ..i eat a door on my bike with out a kit on it and flew in the air some ways cracked my noddle open stitches.. when i was younger i have the thought when iam riding that there all out to get me ..and cars never like to share the road the rules here is if u can keep up with trific on a bike get in the lane i demand respect cas my life is on the line every time iam out there other thing is iam geting to work in about 1 hrs are bus system is realy bad here it use to take over 2 hrs. to get to work ..now it takes me under a hour iam ver happy and the gas so far is 3 bucks i have put in all week i think i have a 4 stroke also this is the best toy in 10 years of my life

 

[Marktur]

I've been commuting to work this week...but had a few flats on the way

I think I have my issues worked out now..and I'm loving it! Saving gas and helping with the greenhouse effect and having FUN all at the same time! Woo-hoo!

I have 1 1/4 tanks through the motor now, and it's a lot of fun when everything works right!

Lynn...make sure you pack a toolkit...include fix-a-flat, maybe another tube, and wrenches for the motor's nuts (10mm) and for your bike...oh, and I bring along surgical gloves to keep the hands clean (from my RC Car days...)

It's really a blast to ride!
Mark

 

[MasterLink]

I've been commuting to work this week...but had a few flats on the way

I think I have my issues worked out now..and I'm loving it! Saving gas and helping with the greenhouse effect and having FUN all at the same time! Woo-hoo!

I have 1 1/4 tanks through the motor now, and it's a lot of fun when everything works right!

Lynn...make sure you pack a toolkit...include fix-a-flat, maybe another tube, and wrenches for the motor's nuts (10mm) and for your bike...oh, and I bring along surgical gloves to keep the hands clean (from my RC Car days...)

It's really a blast to ride!
Mark

yea no kidding i have new tires but i tell you this i have broke down a few times lost a masterlink once also needs to be on the inside so the grearbox dont hit it / i have my tools also looking forward to tonight ride to work its about 70 now whooo hoo

 

[Large Filipino]

I watched a roadie today riding his bike. It seems he pulls up to a light just like a car smack dab in the middle of the road and when the light turns green he seems oblivious to the cars behind him,but he moves a little to the right but a good 2 feet from the curb. And do you know what the cars do? They pass him.
Humm.
See when I ride I use the sidewalk and push the traffic button.
Maybe I should try this riding on the road thing. Maybe I won't look out for those %$^&# drivers on the side streets stopping way after the sidewalk and drivers pulling into a parking lot right in your path.
It's a jungle out there.

 

[SirJakesus]

Technically you're supposed to ride with the traffic and move to the right if you're going to hold up traffic. The good thing is that you can ride right up to the stop line at a red light in the same lane as a car even in left turn lanes and stuff. I think its illegal in most states to ride on sidewalks.

 

[loquin]

I think the term is to ride as far to the right as is practical. Not as far to the right as is possible. Car doors, potholes, road debris, etc, can make it impractical to ride all the way on the right.

MasterLink - do you have a suspension on the front end of the bike? I don't, and it can make your arms tired. Adding a suspension seatpost helps tremendously on the fatigue, also. I also really like the Easy Seat. Keeps the pressure off the tailbone.

 

[wayde]

Last year i rode my bike like i stole but i paid for it like i stole it too with tremendous back pain a few hours after every ride with that being said i went out and bought a $20 suspension seatpost and so far i've riden twice as much this year as last year and NO back pain what so ever. i found it amazing that one part could make such a difference in my riding experience. my round trip to work is 38 km all on road i do the speed limit on one road and try to on the other. when it's time to turn left on the four lane road i signal and sit in the left lane until the light is green or traffic is clear and everyone on the road has been patient with me. i was pulled over by a bike cop the other day not to get in trouble but to answer questions.

 

[eljefino]

nicely done.

I still need a light.

I work a split shift where i go home at 3pm sunday and come back in at 3pm monday. So I put a bike rack on my car, locked the car up, rode the bike 12 miles home one day and back the next. The other hours were well after dark so I finished the commute via car.

Around here to get an "A-rating" or whatever the state calls it, to have a speed limit of around 50 mph, a two-lane road needs a wide breakdown lane, shoulder, and visibility improvements. So I'm actually more afraid for my skin on a narrow 35-40 mph road.

 

[MasterLink]

I think the term is to ride as far to the right as is practical. Not as far to the right as is possible. Car doors, potholes, road debris, etc, can make it impractical to ride all the way on the right.

MasterLink - do you have a suspension on the front end of the bike? I don't, and it can make your arms tired. Adding a suspension seatpost helps tremendously on the fatigue, also. I also really like the easy seat. Keeps the pressure off the tailbone.

iam looking into that my *** been hurting and my lefy arm and thumb is goin numb i try to stand up at lights and take a brake at 6 miles .i no iam smashing that nerve ...i have a road bike i know what a good seat is and i dont have one on this bike (jaguar ) .do you think the springer is strong enough ? when i had a apple crate i remember thos to be a bit weak i loved that bike when i was a kid memory's a dude named kingpin stoled it from me the judge said he needed to give it back well he gave it back and it was sawed in 1/2 ..still hurts to type this anyways sorry just had to get that out cleansing lol .
if i put ape hangers and a banana seat with springs in the sissy bar and a springer front end and brake hub what you think that would look like heheh these frames looks just like the stingray frame from back in the day to me iam in Chicago and i remember the factory on knox st. i use to stop in there get there booklets in the office of all the new Schwinn's and see all the shinny frames hanging up as they were waiting on being made i think thats about 30 years ago holly **** ohh do you have a link for that seat you talking about sorry i was carying on