Living Car Free - Forced down to a single car?

My wife and I own two cars. She needed one to commute approx. 100km to school every day. I ride my bike to work whenever weather permits, so my car remains parked much of the time.

Since my wife finished school about three months ago, she has been driving my car to her job, and I've been riding to work. Yesterday, my car needed servicing, so I drove it to the mechanic and she followed in her car (which hadn't been driven for months). It was about two bolts short of becoming a total wreck! The engine idles too low and stalls at lights, the brakes squeal and shudder, and the CD player overheats.

So now, we are at a crossroads of sorts. My car will be fixed up and should run fine for a while longer. We'll definitely need it; there's no question about that. However, we are considering repairing her car to driveable condition (especially the brakes!) and then selling it. We just bought a house, and may not be able to afford full repairs OR continuted maintenance on the second car.

There's one thing that stands in our way: winter.

Now, I've got no problem with riding to work on my bike in a total downpour. Unless it's cold. I hate the cold. If we were to sell the other car, then there would be many times during the winter when I would have to ride my bike (or take the bus). I suppose my question is, can I do it??

The ride to work will be 6km over 50 and 60km/h roads. The traffic is always decent, and the roads are almost always cleared of snow relatively soon. My ride will be a recumbent trike, outfitted with knobby tires. I will also need to get:

- better lights
- a flag (with lights)
- reflective strips
- winter commuting gear, including jacket, gloves, face shield, clipless winter shoes...
- more storage (panniers)
- maybe even a fairing (to protect against cold wind and precipitation)

Is there more that I need? Have you got any other suggestions that will prepare me for this possibility? Thanks for your help, car-free gurus!

Can you cab it or take public transit on the worst days, or have your wife drive you? Six km wouldn't be far out of her way, especially at highway speeds. At worst, you could walk it in an hour.

So now, we are at a crossroads of sorts. My car will be fixed up and should run fine for a while longer. We'll definitely need it; there's no question about that. However, we are considering repairing her car to driveable condition (especially the brakes!) and then selling it. We just bought a house, and may not be able to afford full repairs OR continuted maintenance on the second car.

I though I would comment on the brakes thing. I drove my partner's car to the shop yesterday after it had been sitting for about three weeks, during which there was some heavy rain. It was a 9 mile drive with quite a few traffic lights (meaning i used the brakes). For the first block the brakes seemed to be rubbing (rust maybe) even with my foot off the brake pedal. For the next 3 miles or so, the brakes seemed uneven kind of like when you brake on a bike with a rim that's uneven. After that they were fine! I figured whatever rust or grit had gotten on the brakes was knocked off by the braking.

By the way, we may be getting rid of her car soon because it apparently needs its gas tank replaced at a cost of $740, and if we did that the resale value of the car would be (i'm guessing) $1000.

Yeah, it could just be rust buildup on the brake rotors, I'm not sure. The problem didn't get any better after about 10km of driving, so I'm not sure what it is. I certainly don't want to find out the hard way!

And yes, I could take a cab or the bus for some trips (the bus would take about 25 mins to get to work). It's all of the other trips, where a bus would take 90 minutes (and a bike would take 30), that I'm concerned about. There are some times when my wife could drive me, but others when she can't. She works some odd hours at a group home, so most times she'd only be able to take me one way.

There's one thing that stands in our way: winter.

Now, I've got no problem with riding to work on my bike in a total downpour. Unless it's cold. I hate the cold. If we were to sell the other car, then there would be many times during the winter when I would have to ride my bike (or take the bus). I suppose my question is, can I do it??!

I hate cold. I despise it. I get this sick feeling in my stomach every year in November, and feel like I'm being attacked every time I go outside. It's bad enough that I have to make a conscious effort to not become angry and stressed just at the thought of going outdoors.

I cycled through the winter for the first time this year - and it was a heck of a lot easier than I thought it would be. You don't get cold cycling in winter, if anything you will be too warm. The only times I really felt cold when unlocking the bike. Once you get moving, though, you're fine.

I used real winter boots, not cycling shoes. I wanted warm feet when hitting the pavement, thanks. Good gloves helped too, and I used sky goggles of the winter. A t-shirt, fleece top, and thin shell with the vents open was fine for most of the winter. I winterised my helmet too.

If the bus is a viable back-up plan for you, you should have no problems at all making it through the winter. By spring you'll wonder why you worried about it so much. Everyone will think you're butch and a tough guy - or insane, it's all good - for cycling all winter. You can have an extra helping at Christmas dinner, because while everyone else is putting on the pounds you're losing them. When other cyclist pull out their bikes in the Spring, completely out of shape, you will still be racing along.

I might actually not entirely despise winter next year.

The other thing is simply to dress properly for winter...not just on the bike where exercise keeps you warm, but as a pedestrian. When we have access to a car we tend to underdress. Get a proper set of winter boots, goose down coat with insulated hood, toque, warm mitts, maybe even long johns, or whatever you need. Waterloo is hardly the arctic, so I'm sure you can do it.

patc further proves my point. there isn't a need to buy the $500 goretex suit. layers of regular clothes and some kind of outer shell when it's wet is all you need. gloves and regular winter boots are good. the only cycling specific gear i used all this winter (my first too) was a balaclava and arm warmers.

Even where I reside (Southern California) there are times that I do not ride my bikes. Wet weather is one since people do not know how to drive in rainy conditions here. Night riding is another since the gangs and the transients that roam around most parts here might try something-like a bike jack or worse. So I use public transit (buses, trains or taxicabs) as a back-up for those times.

#1. Don't fix the car. Sell it as-is.

Take it to any dealer and have them sell it for you on consignment... or just have them buy it from you for whatever they'll give you ...

In most cases, it doesn't make sense to fix the car before you sell it because the cost of fixing it will not be fully recovered by selling it... for instance...

Suppose you have a car thats worth $ 2000 (regardless of its condition), and it needs $ 200 worth of repair work... If you spend the $ 200 on repair work, the most you'll get for the car is still $ 2000, so if you spend the money to fix it, you actually only end up with $ 1800 .... !!!!!

My point is " see # 1 ".

You don't get cold cycling in winter, if anything you will be too warm. The only times I really felt cold when unlocking the bike. Once you get moving, though, you're fine.



Our worst weather isn't as cold as Canada's it is what they call "winter mix", some mix of snow sleet and rain at the same time. But Patc's observation holds for me. You want to feel cold but not too cold when you start or you'll be peeling layers in a few miles. I don't get angry but it feels like a huge shock or insult to feel that freezing rain. Then, once I get moving its refreshing and I'm glad I'm not driving a car. Still, I might take the bus if my winter were a lot colder than it is.

.... My ride will be a recumbent trike, outfitted with knobby tires. I will also need to get:

- better lights
- a flag (with lights)
- reflective strips
- winter commuting gear, including jacket, gloves, face shield, clipless winter shoes...
- more storage (panniers)
- maybe even a fairing (to protect against cold wind and precipitation)

Is there more that I need? Have you got any other suggestions that will prepare me for this possibility? Thanks for your help, car-free gurus!

Don't be scared! Winter riding is fun, and it's real easy once you get the hang of it. Plus you'll really impress your friends an co-workers if you don't tell them how easy it actually is.

It's a common misconception that you will be cold if you cycle or do other outdoor activities. But the only time I've been cold in the winter is running from a car to the door, dressed in loafers and dress slacks, for example. I never have been cold riding in the winter, after 3 seasons of everyday winter riding. (It might be a little warmer here in mid-Michigan, but probably not that much diferent.)

Your list is pretty complete. You probably already have fenders? I know nothing about fairings, and I don't even know what a flag or face shield is, so those items are far from necessary, but maybe they're nice to have.

Your gear sounds OK except your legs will get cold. I wear bike shorts and longjohns under regular pants. If it's real cold I wear flannel lined hiking pants. Tights will not keep you warm at 10F or even 20F. Layering is definitely the way to go! We can get into specifics if you're interested. (If you're committed to wearing only cycling-specific gear I don't know what to recommend. I wear my own goofy combination.)

Finally, you might want to rethink your tires. First, I would not use knobbies in the summer because they're slow and not needed on pavement. In fact, knobbies have worse traction on pavement than slicks. Try slick tires or semi-slicks. Second, I recommend studded tires in the winter. While not essential, they give you much better "gription" on ice and you can ride faster and stop better on them. (I assume that this tire advise applies to trikes, but you might want to check that.)

Thanks for all the help so far. My trike is outfitted with high-pressure slicks in the summer, I'll only use studded tires in the winter.

The trike rides about 6" from the ground. This is why I need a flag. There will be snow banks, and I want cars to see me. In the summer, I don't use a flag.

The face shield is to protect against the cold wind and spray from cars. I suppose that ski goggles and a balaclava would do the same thing (or perhaps be better).

For pants, I am considering buying some winter jogging pants. I've seen a few of these, and they are usually fleece pants with a partial or full nylon wind/rain layer on top. I guess I could wear these, then change into jeans when I arrive.

I really do think that winter cycling shoes would be best on a trike. I really wouldn't even consider riding a trike without clipless pedals; they provide an incredible improvement in performance and are safer, too. They prevent the dreaded "leg suck," which is what happens when your foot comes off a pedal at speed and touches the ground...

Keep the comments coming, they are very helpful!

I use ski goggles when snow is actually coming down. It not only protects your eyes, but it stops all the glare from the white snow.

I use ski goggles when snow is actually coming down. It not only protects your eyes, but it stops all the glare from the white snow.
I wear eyeglasses, and the worst thing about winter riding is when heavy wet snow is falling, and I need to pull over on every block to wipe them off. :( Do you think ski goggles would help me out?


The other thing is simply to dress properly for winter...not just on the bike where exercise keeps you warm, but as a pedestrian. When we have access to a car we tend to underdress. Get a proper set of winter boots, goose down coat with insulated hood, toque, warm mitts, maybe even long johns, or whatever you need. Waterloo is hardly the arctic, so I'm sure you can do it.

I think I would be too warm in the goose down, unless temps were well below zero F. I like a lightweight shell, like patc said. I agree with the pedestrian part. Nothing is colder than waiting for a bus in city clothes, unless it's walking your bike home in the event of a major breakdown. I carry an extra layer in my backpack just in case. For the same reason, you might want to consider mountain bike shoes for clipless, just in case you end up walking. :eek:


For pants, I am considering buying some winter jogging pants. I've seen a few of these, and they are usually fleece pants with a partial or full nylon wind/rain layer on top. I guess I could wear these, then change into jeans when I arrive.


That should be good IF they're real sturdy. I bought a pair of cheapo hiker's rain pants and the seams tore out pretty quick on the bike, where they're subject to a lot of stress.