Bike Commuters

One of the reasons I was really eager to get an Xtracycle was so I could schlep my son around town — he’s outgrown his tow-behind trailer and seemed willing to try something new.

So, I thought I’d make the rig a little more “passenger-friendly”: a nice padded area to sit on and a place for the passenger to grab onto.

For the pad, I used interlocking floor mats as the raw material. These mats are available all over the place (big box DIY stores, chain stores, etc.). We had a few of them laying around in our shed just waiting to be repurposed. Using the Xtracycle’s Snapdeck and a big mixing bowl as templates, I traced the shape I wanted onto the back of a sheet of the foam. Then, I cut it out using a common utility knife. I figured three thicknesses would be nice and cushy, and I had multiple colors on hand, so I went with a “Rasta” theme.

I laminated the three pieces together by spreading Liquid Nails project adhesive between them (using a putty knife to get the adhesive right up to the edges) and stacking overdue library books on them to hold them in place while the adhesive cured. I then used more of the adhesive to mount it to the top of the Snapdeck.

Once the adhesive was all the way cured, I knocked down the sharp edges of the foam pads with a sanding disc, shaping the edge to a radius similar to the edge of the wooden deck. It feels quite nice on the tush and inner thighs!

The next modification was to add a handlebar for the passenger to grip. This was easy — I used a spare pair of handlebars and a threadless 1 1/8″ stem I had in my parts bins and some shims cut from a soda can. Simply pull out the seatpost of the bike and clamp the stem onto it, using shims as needed to make sure the assembly won’t move around. Piece of cake!

One consideration is what handlebars to use. As I discovered once I bolted everything together, an old pair of moustache handlebars curved forward too much, hitting me in the backs of the legs as I pedaled. That just wouldn’t do, so I dove back into my parts bins for a pair of “chop ‘n flops”…a vintage 3TTT “Merckx” handlebar that had been butchered by a well-meaning but misguided friend. Still, only the finest Italian craftsmanship for my passengers!

The total cost of these projects was $11.00 — and that was for the WTB grips I used (my son HAD to have red grips, his favorite color). Everything else I had on hand. Even if you had to go out and buy some of this, the raw materials are extremely cheap…the only real expense would be a stem and bars if you don’t have spares laying around.

My boy loves riding back there — he gets a better view of the world and it really helps him feel like he’s growing up — no more “baby trailer”, as he calls it. And, he got to select some of the appointments for his new perch…pretty red grips and a red pad to protect his butt.

For some other cheap Xtracycle mods, check out:

RL’s homemade Footsies.

and RL’s “Bike on a Bike” carrier.

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Well, we rolled the dice with a new web host company, and it looks like we achieved the same result: CRAP!

We are now running on a backup server and we hope to be fully functional soon. Meanwhile, we are working on some cool reviews and we will be giving away the Day6 bike, so keep coming back!!!

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Our next Bike Commuter Profile is from a rider that calls himself the ‘Lazy Bike Commuter‘, read on:

How long have you been a bike commuter?

Aside from 1.5 mile rides to college, I have been biking to work on and off since Feb 2006. I really didn’t start regularly biking to work until April of this year tho, due to a change in city and job.

Why did you start riding your bike to work and how long is your commute?

I really enjoy biking, and like to do it every chance I get. I also have a tendency to be overweight, and riding a bike more is a whole lot more palatable than eating less (palatable–get it?). My current commute is just a little bit over 8 miles each way if I go the more direct route, I have been known to increase it to 18 each way if I had other errands to run though.

How does Bike Commuting help you with your lifestyle (economics, health, relationships)?

I recently had an appendectomy after starting my new job–my old health insurance lasted 60 days, my new insurance took 90 to kick in, and I was in the hospital on day 67. The going price for that procedure in this area is around $42,000. I managed to get it down to more like $17k, but I can still definitely use the money I’m not spending on gas.

Other benefits–definite weight loss benefits. There is a very good feeling that comes with discovering you have to wear a belt with pants that used to be uncomfortably tight. If course, the increased size of the quads means that if I buy a smaller waist the pants will fit even worse, but I would say that a belt is indeed a small price to pay. I dropped 50 pounds one year.

What do you do for a living and in what city do you bike commute?

I work in data operations–very sedentary. Getting out and biking is pretty necessary for me to maintain sanity. The job is in Beavercreek, Ohio, and I commute from Dayton. The rail trail system here constantly amazes me.

What kind(s) of bike do you have?

By far my most-ridden bike is a Surly Long Haul Trucker, from the first shipment of “complete” bikes they did last April. It’s a comfortable ride, and it’s plenty fast enough to get me to work on time. The cargo rack is also a high point, and the super low gearing is a life saver when I am towing my Burley cargo trailer with 100lbs of groceries up a steep hill. I also have aspirations of fully loaded touring before too long.

I also have a Santa Cruz Heckler for when I have a chance to play in the dirt, and a Giant TCR1 for when I want to go fast and care less about comfort.

Any funny or interesting commuting story that you may want to share?

I have had two flats while commuting to work. One was during bike to work week, and was discovered while leaving the park where the film crew was. I got to be on the news changing my tire, giving a quick voiceover for my boss that I have proof as to why I was late that day.

The other flat happened 3.5 miles from work just last week. Unfortunately, the spare tube was on the bike at the time. Lesson: Never ride without a spare, or you will be 50 minutes late for work.

What do people (coworkers, friends) say when you tell them that you are a bike commuter?

They seem pretty impressed with the whole idea, though I can’t get many of them to consider that the idea could work for anyone but me. They also like to tell me that my saddle looks really uncomfortable (Brooks B17).

How about bicycling advocacy? Are you active in any local or regional advocacy groups?

In my last hometown I tried to be active in our effort to try to get Bowling Green, KY certification as a Bicycle Friendly Community, but since moving I have been little help on that front.

I would also help out with trail maintenance at Sal Hollow, our local mountain bike stomping grounds.

Anything else that you want to share with us?

If I have anything worth saying, it can be found at http://lazybikecommuter.blogspot.com

Big Thanks to Tommy for sharing his profile, I will mail your stickers shortly. By the way, you can still submit an article, review or your complete bike commuter profile to info@bikecommuters.com, I still have a few stickers left. If you have submitted your profile, be patient, I will post it in the coming week.

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A few days ago, the date for the 2008 Bicycle Bash By the Bay was announced. This year, the event will be on October 19th from 11:00AM to 4:00PM at Vinoy Park in downtown St. Petersburg, Florida.

This promises to be a huge event…the organizers expect TWICE the crowd as last year (and we had well over 3000 people in 2007). And, Bikecommuters.com will be there to cover it, manning a table, meeting folks and taking photos to share with you. With a little luck, we’ll have goodies to give away raffle off. It should be a blast, if it is anything like last year’s amazing event!

Check out our coverage from last year.

And, for more information, stay tuned to the Bicycle Bash’s official website.

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My kids are now out of school so that means that my car gets parked and I ride all the way from home to work. Another benefit is that I don’t have to worry about the frantic, careless drivers that plague schools when I ride by them.

I really love my rear rack!

However, riding all the way from home means that I have a longer commute and my route is no longer flat. This can be a challenge by the end of the week, I do feel tired and a little sore but gas prices keep me motivated to keep riding.

I’ve also noticed an increase of bike commuters, not so much so on the river trail, but on the streets. Could it be that since people don’t have to drive their kids to school they actually decided to ride to work?

Anyhow, I leave you with a picture from a museum that I ride by that it is sort of of an oxymoron:

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Here’s an interesting question…and one I’m pretty well stumped on. Readers, we need your help with this one! If you’ve had experiences like those mentioned in the article, please leave your comments so we can help Karen out.

Karen submitted the following question:

“My husband and I live in Northern Arizona where it is quite expense to live even a modest middle class lifestyle but having no kiddos we just squeeze by. With the price of gas though, we looked for ways to cut back and since we live less than 5 miles from our work, we decided to sell one of our cars and buy bikes. We’ve been at it for over a month and probably bike in 3 – 4 days per week. It has really reduced our time at the pump since we also geared up with panniers and saddlebags. We make brief stops at the grocers from time to time rather than haul the car out of the garage. Since we also run the biking has been great cross-training.

Although we know several people at our work who also bike in we also get some remarks from a few people who seem to subtly suggest that we are trying to make a political statement or trying to look ‘hip’ or ‘holier than thou’. Yes, I am a liberal but I am also a hair and makeup girl and getting to work slightly messed up has been a mental barrier I had to overcame solely because I can’t stomach or afford $4+ a gallon – we have a mortgage to pay.

Do you ever get this?? If so, how do you handle it? Some of this comes from people who are a little higher in rank at work than us. I am a little tired of it but don’t feel like poor mouthing when so many other people are in far worse shape than us.”

We’re all pretty aware of how hot it is to be “green”…everywhere you turn, there’s some celebrity spouting off about how they’re making a difference. While that’s great — people coming around and realizing that living a more eco-friendly lifestyle makes sense — the incessant media attention on “outgreensmanship” gets kind of tiresome. On the whole, the bike commuters we’ve had the pleasure of riding with and communicating with through Bikecommuters.com are not evangelical about their choice of transportation. We just do it because, for the most part, we love to ride bikes! And, of course, we’re getting exercise, reducing our carbon footprints and saving money.

So, my first “gut reaction” response to Karen was that negative comments like this arise from jealousy. While I’ve never personally been accused of being “holier than thou” (well, at least about bike commuting ), I’ve perceived a fair bit of jealousy in comments from coworkers, neighbors and friends. It’s something we’ve talked about around here for a long time — the folks who “would try to commute by bike, but…”

As far as the higher-ups with negative or snide attitudes, I sense that there’s a bit of territoriality at play here. After all, they’re the supervisors or senior staff members…THEY should be the ones with the brilliant ideas and the smart solutions — not some slightly-rumpled junior partner (who, by the way, is looking mighty fit and healthy these days)!

So, I’ve thrown out a couple of ideas as to where these comments come from, but I’m sure there are more. As far as solutions go, I try to stick to a fairly modest tactic my wife uses at work: “Why do I bike commute? Well, I can’t really think of anyone who couldn’t use some more exercise…and I’m saving money, too.” It’s better to deflect gently rather than to get hot under the collar (something I am NOT good at doing). Gentle deflections beat evangelicalism any day!

Now it’s your turn: have you faced these kinds of comments? What is up with that kind of attitude? And, what do you do to deflect the naysayers? Please leave your comments below.

Have a cycling-related question? Just Ask Jack! Click on the link in the right-hand column to send me your questions.

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Here’s a little more low-key commuter couture for you. If you don’t have dollars to drop for a nice front rack they have at VeloOrange or Rivendell you can still make the front-end of your bike a little more useful.

Exhibit A…the Nashbar Mini Front Rack…the poor man’s Nitto (I bought mine for the princely sum of $12). Apparently, there’s a lot of poor men since this thing is out of stock at the moment. Don’t worry, they periodically show up.

Mounted, it looks like this.

Simply mounted, it isn’t carrying a whole heck of a lot. BUT, combine it with any number of Wald baskets and now you have something more useful! I purchased a medium-ish basket and cut off the long struts with a pair of bolt cutters, so I could just have the basket.

Now your bike is exponentially more useful. Throw in some leather toe-straps (as a general rule, leather toe-straps make excellent fasteners…stronger and reusable compared to zip ties and oh-so-classy) and it’s even MORE usefull and stylish!

I’m carrying an inflatable sleeping pad, a small soft cooler with lunch, tent stakes and a little folding Ikea tripod chair! Perfect for my upcoming S24O or a picnic!

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Let me first say, I’m not one for small gestures. I’ve posted about ZeroPerGallon before and there has been some discussion about the 9/10ths thing. I’m okay with it. It’s the wacky language of how gas is priced (and it breaks up all the zeros).

I dig the patch so much, I decided to get the larger one Well, it came in the mail today. Can’t wait to see the reaction from this big boy…

It’s large. Comically so on my smaller Carradice. I just orderd a Camper Longflap so it should actually fit nicely on that. Don’t have a Carradice? Well, rock it on your Xtracycle! That’s what the FreeRads are for, decorating Definitely a bit of “commuter couture” (you’re hearing this phrase here first!).

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Editor’s Note:This post keeps receiving interesting comments so we decided to bring it ‘back to life’. Be sure to check the comments, there are times that comments are more interesting to read than the post itself.

The following post was written on August 25th, 2007.

I’ve noticed that Fixed gear bikes made by major bike companies such as Giant, Specialized or Trek don’t retain their value as much as a Bianchi, IRO or Swobo.

Giant Bowery

Specialized Langster

Trek T1

Is it because it is not hip to ride a bike that’s from major bike companies?

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This week’s coffee review is the Guatemalan Organic Dark Roast

Here are the specs:

Hang with a smooth Guatemalan. Well-rounded and complete. Layers of deep solidarity from a dark roasted chocolate place. A fat favorite all around. Big.

Roast Level: Dark
Acidity: Medium – Low
Body: Heavy
Aroma: Dark chocolate
Flavor Notes: Bitter-sweet chocolate with dark roast smokiness and a slight remainder of citrus.

Farmer Cooperatives: ADIPCO, Apecaform, Nahuala, Rio Azul & Chajulense

Here’s how the beans look. Now I’m no Starbucks Barista but from what I’ve learned over the years, the darker the roast the more visible oil is on the bean. It’s hard to tell from the photo, but these beans are glistening as if they’ve been sunbathing on the beach with baby oil.

Once the beans were grounded, the sweet scent of a fine dark chocolate hits the air. Eventually the whole room smells awesome.

Much like the last reviews we did with Peace Coffee, the French Press has been the standard for the test. Look how rich the coffee looks. You just can’t get that with an automatic drip. Oh and here’s the thing, I TRIED to use my Mr. Coffee Auto Drip machine for this test…you know to be different. But those machines literally murder the flavor and texture of the coffee. It wasn’t until I used the press that the flavors came back to life and greeted my taste buds.

What’s great about using a press is you get a full bodied and richer coffee. Usually if you use a drip machine, the coffee looks more like a shiny dark tea. But the press gives you texture, flavors and that nice little frothy foam..

So here’s how this coffee did…the specs show that this has a bitter sweet chocolate flavor. As I sipped my cup of sweetness…well not really since its a dark roast and it was black…anyhow, the certain flavors do jump out then lounge on your tongue; think of a Dove Dark Chocolate Bar. If you’ve ever had one of those then you’ll understand that this is the exact flavor the Guatemalan provides. It’s smooth, rich…oh wait, I already said that, and overall delicious. Though it’s a dark roast it doesn’t mean that it is super bitter. No, not at all — what happens is when you drink this, you do get the smokey flavor that it has been roasted longer than other beans, but it’s not like it is a kick in the mouth where you feel violated because the “dark roast” is taking advantage of your mouth. No the Guatemalan is very smooth and easy to drink. Acidity level is rated at low to medium, not bad considering darker roasts typically have a higher level. Plus I never experienced any stomach aches or heartburn after drinking it.

From this coffee lover to another, my gift to everyone reading is this review. You really have to give Peace Coffee a try. I’ve been really blown away on their coffees. They’re nice people too! Peace sells the Guatemalan Organic Dark Roast for about $9.99 per pound, and I guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

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