car free income/employment?

[Don Johnson]

OK, going car free is one thing but how many have, in some way, incorporated a bicycle into their source of income? I don't care what aspect it may be...if you use a bike or bike parts (retailing, manufacturing, etc.) to generate revenue, let's hear about it...with pictures if applicable.

[Roody]

Well, Don Johnson, I know you've had a hard time since they cancelled Nash Bridges, but hang in there. I'm sure something will turn up.

[Don Johnson]

Oh god...you're killing me. Please tell me being a comedian is not your primary source of income, especially if you perform while riding unless you are on a trike or still use training wheels.

[notfred]

Car-free is pretty different than pro-bike. I program computers. It's a pretty car-free profession, but it has nothing to do with bicycles. Are you looking for people who do car-free work, or people who work with bicycles?

[Roody]

I hope cabana4life sees this thread. He owns a pedicab and also sells cool bike paraphernalia.

[Roody]

Oh, and pedex owns a bike messenger service, I believe.

[attercoppe]

Car-free is pretty different than pro-bike. I program computers. It's a pretty car-free profession, but it has nothing to do with bicycles. Are you looking for people who do car-free work, or people who work with bicycles?
Well, let's see, he said:

OK, going car free is one thing but how many have, in some way, incorporated a bicycle into their source of income?
I guess you don't qualify.

That being said, I don't think it's necessary to be car-free to make a bicycle-related living (though it can't hurt!) - maybe the thread title should be "bicycle-related income/employment". Technically, I incorporate my bike into my source of income by riding it to work. But I know that's not what's being asked for here.

Roody's right about cabana4life and pedex, and thanks for asking this, Don. I've been thinking lately I'd like to try a bike messenger/courier service here in my small town. I'd have to either do it part-time, or save up enough to give up a regular job while I try it. But there may be other things I could do instead.

[Don Johnson]

My first thought was to see how many people work on or with their bicycle(s), that being pedi-cabs (which were mentioned earlier), folks that have rental services, delivery services, etc. I posed the question on this forum specifically to see, since the main topic is being Car Free, if there are any that have found a way to make money in this fashion thus enabling a carfree lifestyle or at least one much less dependent on cars. I guess, in the end, it doesn't really matter but it'd still be interesting to see the ingenuity of some that have devised ways to carry, tow or transport their stuff.

I guess I should have thought the question out a bit more before I posed it to the Forum but I'm certain the thread will take a life of it's own and it'll be interesting to see where it goes.

Personally, I don't make money on or with a bike other than, like attercoppe and many others, I use it to get to my place of employment. I'll admit also that our family is far from car free, but it is something I aspire to and admire those that have broken the addiction to gas and the infernal, internal combustion vehicle.

[patc]

I have, in a way. One of the taglines for my business (I am self-employed) is "Environmentally responsible photography." Using the bike, or bike plus trailer, to get to meetings and shoots is a big part of that. I was at an all day business show on Saturday and people kept asking if I biked there with all the stuff on display on my table.. and I would tell them "Sure, that was only about half my trailer's capacity."

[Don Johnson]

I guess if I were more adept at "data mining" I'd have found these sooner. I'm still intereested in seeing more responses to my original post/thread. I could post more links but if one follows those listed below, they will lead to many more and so on....

Best regards,
Don


http://bikesatwork.com/
http://zerocouriers.com/workbike/