I’m an “athlete”, right? I have a short commute, my office has a shower, my car is getting older, gas prices are miserable, so why the heck am I not biking to work? Because I am a lazy athlete. This ended today. I put butt on bike and started pedaling. It took me under 30 minutes to go from bedroom to desk, including 4, yes FOUR, school buses. It was slightly slower than if I drove, but not much. I was not trying to break a sweat, I obey stop signs and signals, so your speedy ride could be quicker.
Total commute, including a regular detour on the way home, 8 miles. Direct cost savings, courtesy of the LA Metro calculator, $2.60 for today. If I can do this three days this week, weather permitting, then I’m saving $7.75 each week. Over six months of the year (it is New England), that’s a gas savings of $200. A bicycle isn’t free to maintain, but it is cheaper than a car.
For commuting, I am using my lounge-bike. It is a Raleigh Venture in deep magenta. I have the 2007 model, but this picture gives you a good idea. Add a child seat to the back and a basket to the front (a cute wooden basket) and you get the general idea. This is NOT a go fast bike. This is a be very cushy and comfortable while you cruise around town in a skirt bike. If my other bike (a 25-year old road racing Raleigh) is the equivalent of a older model Mustang, this is a Cadillac CTS.
The biggest danger is traffic. Parts of my commute, especially the commute home, is fairly urban and the traffic can be intense. We are well covered with reflectors, thanks to their inclusion in the pedals, wheels, and the back of the child seat. I have a light that I mount on the front, in case of dusk. I have a blinky light for the rear as well. We are both wearing helmets. I will do my best to be visible and obvious. I will watch out for people with their car doors, and we will hope for the best.
I may be new at this, but I learned a first lesson. I can ride in a skirt, but the cotton knits that are all the rage stretch out across the seat and leave you with “triangle butt” (thanks to Sandi for noticing). I may use a pair of shorts and save my skirt for when I arrive. Not those goofy padded bike shorts but, ya know, shorts. Bike clothing for average riding goes against my low-tech athletic ethos (shared by the great folks at Rivendell Bicycle, among others). Most of my skirts can pack up into my basket without any trouble and still look respectable at the office. That will buy me some time to get smoother about how I mount up and, perhaps, prevent me from stretching out one of my dresses.
