Living Car Free - The best bike for carlessness

If you're carless, or sort of carless, what kind of bike do you use? What are the advantages/disadvantages of your particular bike choice? In your opinion, what kind of bike is a good replacement for a car?

In my case, I have a hybrid bike that I bought at a used bike store two years ago. It has a steel frame, very heavy, and clip pedals with the clips removed (I ride in traffic almost exclusively, and the clips were a real pain). It has road tires, but they're a bit wide. I put on a good rack, and use waterproof panniers if I need to haul anything. If I need to haul a lot, I use the panniers plus my old Army dufflebag, which has shoulder straps. ( I can actually haul over 100 lbs this way, so don't scoff.) It's not fast -I typically do about 20-25 mph over flat ground, and about 5 mph uphill- but I love that bike. I've been hit by a car that was going 25-30 mph, and the bike had less damage than the car. The advantages are its tank-like nature, ability to deal with potholes, lack of attractiveness to thieves, and reliability; the disadvantages are its lack of speed, and cheap bracket assembly and gears. (It makes a clicking noise uphill that kind of annoys me, and the gear transitions are clunky...)

20-25 while carrying 100 pounds? What a stud!

I got a trek 520. I do about the same speed with no head-wind. Never carried much more than 40 pounds in my pannier though. I highly recommend the Arkel utility basket by the way. that thing will hold anything.

20-25 while carrying 100 pounds? What a stud!

I got a trek 520. I do about the same speed with no head-wind. Never carried much more than 40 pounds in my pannier though. I highly recommend the Arkel utility basket by the way. that thing will hold anything.

Well, no, I don't do 20-25 while carrying 100 lbs; that's my usual speed while carrying normal loads, more like 10-15 lbs. With a big load, it's more like 10 mph on a windless day. I'm not a stud by any stretch of the imagination, just a normal person. What's an Arkel utility basket?

Well, no, I don't do 20-25 while carrying 100 lbs; that's my usual speed while carrying normal loads, more like 10-15 lbs. With a big load, it's more like 10 mph on a windless day. I'm not a stud by any stretch of the imagination, just a normal person. What's an Arkel utility basket?
Yeah, I kinda figured thats what you meant.

The Utility basket is just a pannier with a very simple design that allows you to carry a lot of cargo (for a pannier). Its practically indestructible. I think its ideal for a car-free commuter and its pretty damn cheap compared to a lot of panniers (I think its made in canada too). Anyway check it out for yourself.


http://www.arkel-od.com/panniers/utility/overview.asp?fl=0&site=

There is no one answer to this. Your choice of bike depends on your lifestyle. Where you live, if you have kids, what you haul, how far you travel a day, etc. Each person has their own needs and thus their own "best bike."

There is no one answer to this. Your choice of bike depends on your lifestyle. Where you live, if you have kids, what you haul, how far you travel a day, etc. Each person has their own needs and thus their own "best bike."

+1. A commuting bike and setup is as individual as the commute and the person themselves.

As general rules, I'd go with two, but its really going to depend on your situation.

1) Steel or otherwise bombproof frame (if you're living carless, you need a durable frame and you don't get much tougher than steel)
2) mounts/brazeons etc for racks and panniers or at least compatability with some kind of towing device.

A third might be to splurge on some tough-as-hell tires.

There is no one answer to this. Your choice of bike depends on your lifestyle. Where you live, if you have kids, what you haul, how far you travel a day, etc. Each person has their own needs and thus their own "best bike."
Yeah true, but what's your best beast?

With all that money you save, buy a few bikes!

I use a trike. Right now I just have a rack bag and some cargo nets, but I'll be adding some panniers or a cargo trailer eventually. It hauls stuff around quite well.

It's fun reading about all the different kinds of bikes that people like to ride. I love bikes, and I love threads like this. :)

My main bike is a Specialized Hardrock that's a few years old. This is a rigid mountain bike (no suspension) with a steel frame, an old 8 speed with a triple chainring that covers lots of different riding conditions. I have street tires on it in warm weather, and studded knobbies in the winter, I currently have it pretty stripped down, with only a bottle cage accesorizing it--no racks, panniers or fenders--so most of you probably wouldn't like it the way it is now. What I like about it is that it's very comfortable and easy to ride. I ride it in lots of conditions--mostly urban streets, but also off-road, gravel, and country highways. It's very strong and reliable, but it's getting to the point that the components are starting to show some wear. What I don't like about it is that it isn't real fast (minor detail), and the seat post is jammed with the seat about 1/4 inch lower than I would like it. Also it doesn't look so sexy any more, so I've got my eye open for a new bike.

I want a Long Haul Trucker or a Trek 520.

I ride a Thorn, all Reynolds 531 steel with thick, solid braze ons for everything under the sun.
Full mudguards (SKS chromoplastic)
Steel rear rack
Brooks B17 saddle
1970's Karrimor saddlebag and rack permanently attached behind the saddle for "everyday" loads (bread, milk, jacket, change of clothes, books, tools, lock, etc.)
Ortlieb Back Roller Plus panniers for rainy days, or bigger loads
BOB Yak in case I need to carry something big

EDIT: Photos attached

Pictures would be nice from those who have embraced that technology.

buy a few bikes!
:)

My take is that it has to be at least as reliable and convenient as a car, otherwise, why not just drive?This led to the following functional requirements:

Go at least 5,000 miles between flats.
Have a self-contained generator and lights that are unaffected by rain, snow, mud
Suited to all-weather operations, including winter with salt and sand.
No additiona care required after riding in salt and sand.
Require servicing/washing/lubrication no more frequently than every 3-4 months
Does not require that I change clothing before riding it; must work with suit and tie, long coat
Able to attach a Trail-A-Bike or trailer for carrying a child.
Be able to make it up the steepest hills in my area while carrying a child.
Be able to carry a rainsuit and overshoes.
Be able to mount bike without leg gyrations that could tear clothing.

Which led to the following bike:
Kettler Sliverstar with Nexus-7 internal gears, full fenders, rear rack, partial chaincase, step-through frame, and drum brakes
upgraded with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for summer and Nokian Hakkapilita W-106 studded tires for winter, Shimano front dynohub, Trail-A-Bike, and InStep Turbo Trailer

Advantages: Saves $12 per day, mostly in parking; gives me enough exercise to be healthy. Normally slightly slower than driving but much faster when there is snow or ice.

Disadvantages: Twist shifter hard to use when hands are wet, Rohloff would be better for climbing steep hills with child. Bike and accessories were difficult to find. Difficult to get bike into station wagon


Paul

Disadvantages: Twist shifter hard to use when hands are wet, Rohloff would be better for climbing steep hills with child. Bike and accessories were difficult to find. Difficult to get bike into station wagon


Paul
Sounds like you could almost get the station wagon onto the bike! :p

Yeah true, but what's your best beast?
In the winter it's a flat bar Kona Sutra touring bike with disc brakes and a stainless steel Tubus rack.

In the summer it a flat bar Surly LHT with a Tubus rack.

In the winter it's a flat bar Kona Sutra touring bike with disc brakes and a stainless steel Tubus rack.

In the summer it a flat bar Surly LHT with a Tubus rack.
Cool bikes. Why the winter/summer distinction?

We were looking at Tubus racks yesterday. Pricey but nicey. :)

I have a Rhoades Car on order. It
will arrive in about 3 weeks. It is
on the heavy side but climbs hills
well and can haul up to 2-300 lbs
of stuff in addition to the rider.
Mine will look just like this:
http://www.rhoadescar.com/4w1p-j.jpg

I expect a top speed on slight inclines
of about 12 or 13 mph. Which isn't too
bad considering that I average 15 mph
on my EZ-1 on all day rides over varied
terrain.

Right now I use my EZ-1 with a nice
big basket on the back big enough
for 1 bag of groceries. But with the
Rhoades Car I will be able to buy up
to a months supply of most items.

Besides, I ride my bikes everywhere
and shop on the European model of
several times a week anyway.

At 55, on a limited income, and with
gas on the way to $10 a gallon in my
lifetime I figure this machine will get
me comfortably into old age and the
return on investment in terms of gas
$ saved will have it paid for in 5 years
at the latest.

I will post a ride report
when I take delivery.

Disadvantages: Twist shifter hard to use when hands are wet,
Why is that? Slippery? Doesn't seem that way to me. No harder than holding on to the handlebars. Something else? I don't have any problem with either a Shimano or Sachs 7 speed twist shift in any weather.

Cool bikes. Why the winter/summer distinction?

We were looking at Tubus racks yesterday. Pricey but nicey. :)
Becuse I live in Lativa where the winters are very harsh. It is snowy, icy, and the temp can reach -30c in winter. Two different bikes for two very different types of riding.

Why is that? Slippery? Doesn't seem that way to me. No harder than holding on to the handlebars. Something else? I don't have any problem with either a Shimano or Sachs 7 speed twist shift in any weather.
For me, the twist shift on the Sachs (SRAM) 7 and the Nexus 7 and 8 got slippery from my sweat but not from the rain. I don't wear gloves. What I do if I have a t shirt is lean forward and shift through the shirt to get a better grip. Today I will take the long way home through the park and will have to do this after I climb the second hill. I sweat alot when the heat index is 105 f.. A design upgrade would be to make the shifter a little grippier with deeper sharper ridges. Maybe my sweat is slimmier for some reason?

Which led to the following bike:
Kettler Sliverstar with Nexus-7 internal gears, full fenders, rear rack, partial chaincase, step-through frame, and drum brakes
upgraded with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for summer and Nokian Hakkapilita W-106 studded tires for winter, Shimano front dynohub, Trail-A-Bike, and InStep Turbo Trailer

Advantages: Saves $12 per day, mostly in parking; gives me enough exercise to be healthy. Normally slightly slower than driving but much faster when there is snow or ice.

Disadvantages: Twist shifter hard to use when hands are wet, Rohloff would be better for climbing steep hills with child. Bike and accessories were difficult to find. Difficult to get bike into station wagon


Paul

It sounds like your bike IS a station wagon... :)

I use an Al MTB with trekking bars, rigid fork, Eggbeaters, a mountain triple, front and rear racks, 26X1.5 tires, and a Brooks. I'm probably like many of you in that my current favorite ride is the sum total of many years of trial-and-error and figuring out what works best for me. If I have big cargo or my dog wants to tag along, I have a kiddie trailer for it, too. I feel about this bike the way a cowboy feels about his horse.

Why is that? Slippery? Doesn't seem that way to me. No harder than holding on to the handlebars. Something else? I don't have any problem with either a Shimano or Sachs 7 speed twist shift in any weather.

The main problem is that, at something like 13,000 miles, the rubber ridges on the shifter have worn off.

Paul

bike and bag, not much else needed

http://home.columbus.rr.com/pedex/000_0110.jpg
http://home.columbus.rr.com/pedex/000_0111.jpg

Hey pedex your gears fell off. Want me to help you look for them? Maybe we'll find your rear brake too.

less=more

maybe I should post a pic of my legs, the lack of gears would be understood

less=more

maybe I should post a pic of my legs, the lack of gears would be understood
hmmmm....

Which led to the following bike:
Kettler Sliverstar with Nexus-7 internal gears, full fenders, rear rack, partial chaincase, step-through frame, and drum brakes
upgraded with Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires for summer and Nokian Hakkapilita W-106 studded tires for winter, Shimano front dynohub, Trail-A-Bike, and InStep Turbo Trailer

Advantages: Saves $12 per day, mostly in parking; gives me enough exercise to be healthy. Normally slightly slower than driving but much faster when there is snow or ice.

Disadvantages: Twist shifter hard to use when hands are wet, Rohloff would be better for climbing steep hills with child. Bike and accessories were difficult to find. Difficult to get bike into station wagon


Paul

Sounds lovely! Where did you purchase yours, if I may ask? Also, what is a Rohloff? And are you able to make it up the hills with your kiddo in tow?

While awaiting Paul's response, I just wanted to add that I purchased a Kettler Nena, which has most of the features of the Silverstar, from http://abikestore.com/

It arrived in two-and-a-half weeks in an oversized box, shipped directly from Kettler's factory in Germany. The gears and brakes needed some minor adjustments. Besides that, all that was necessary was to straighten the handlebars and attach the pedals.

I highly recommend this dealer. I believe a Web site called http://giftwarehouse.com also carries Kettlers. They're real works of art, have excellent componentry and are priced competitively with the also-excellent Breezers.

Kona Jake cyclocross bike with Freddy fenders and rack for faster and long-distance riding, Trek L200 (soon to have trekking bars) for bad weather, utility, night, and family riding. Adams Trail-A-Bike and Burley d'Lite for kids and cargo.

In general I'd say the best bike for carlessness would be either a touring, cyclocross or mountain bike with at least one rack.

In general I'd say the best bike for carlessness would be either a touring, cyclocross or mountain bike with at least one rack.
And which of your bikes is the best all around for a carless existence?

And which of your bikes is the best all around for a carless existence?
My mountain bike with front and rear rack.

Sounds lovely! Where did you purchase yours, if I may ask? Also, what is a Rohloff? And are you able to make it up the hills with your kiddo in tow?
After beginning the process of importing a Gazelle from Holland, I discovered that a bike shop about thirty miles away, Bikes @ Vienna (mostly a recumbent shop), had one in stock. I hurried over, test rode it, and bought it. All the virtues of Dutch bikes, but a lot lighter.

A Rphloff is an 18 speed internal hub. It has a much wider range of gears than my Nexus-7 does, which means that one can spin easily up a steep hill instead of having to attack it.

The bike trailer weighs about 25 pounds and the child weighed abput 45 pounds when we were using the trailer. That's 70 pounds to pull -- meaning that the total weight went up by nearly one third, relative to the bike with no trailer or child. I was able to make it up all the hills that I encountered, although the effort was significant, especially on a hot morning. Now we have switched to the Adams Trail-A-Bike. It weighs about as much as the trailer, but is much easier to pull, empty or full. If my daughter is on it and pedaling, she cancels out the weight of the Trail-A-Bike, and it is just like riding without anything attached, except for a bit of "twitchiness." Daughter loves the thing, and is disappointed when I pick her up in one of the cars. The bike makes her feel more grown up and self-reliant, since she is helping power it.

It is surprising how much extra weight a bike can tow. However, it does feel very nice in the Fall, when day camp season ends and I can unfasten the Trail-A-Bike.

Paul

this:

http://antbikemike.com/Big%20Bike%20Pages/frontal3big.html

:) :)

My carless bike is an alloy Trek hybrid, running 700x28c wheels (Shwalbe Marathon in the front, Conti Top Tour in the rear), Brooks B-17, front fender, bar-ends and, of course, an Xtracycle back end, with Footies attachment for wife conveyance. I carry a tool kit and two fold-down grocery totes at all times: add my lock, light, and cyclocomputer and I'm set for a ride...

Oh, yes, and I have a blue Hokeyspoke in the front wheel, which makes me eminently visible from the side at night, which is the angle that concerns me the most. I'd take a picture but I'm out the door and by the time I get back to this thread it'll have been awhile...

In my opinion, the ideal bike for car-free living needs to be dependable to take you where you need to go, carrying what you need to carry. Obviously, this differs depending on where you need to go, and what you need to carry. There isn't one car that suits all folk, and there isn't one bike that would suit all folk either.

Some factors that are going to be pretty important are:
1. Reliability/Durability - Can it withstand the bike-crushing forces of dirt, weather, miles, knocks, road debris, and time?
2. Load carrying ability - Can the bike handle your loads 80% of the time? (Can you plan and manage yourself around the other 20% of the time?)
3. Comfort - Say no more
4. Flexibility - At some point you might need to travel at night, or across gravel, grass, mud, perhaps pick up a loaf of bread on the way home.

All sorts of bike might fit the bill... You could start with a mountain bike, touring bike, road bike, or a recumbent trike. You could add racks or a trailer. Get some strong wheels and thorn-resistant tyres. Perhaps a decent derailleur setup or internal hub gears. Add on a kickstand, comfy saddle, bag (backpack, messenger bag, saddle bag, handlebar bag, basket, ...), locks, lights, mirrors and there ya go!

I agree with those that have suggested more than one bike. I wiped out on ice on my Trek 520, during slow speed braking at a stop sign. As I posted at the time, that type of fall happens faster than falling over on dry pavement, since the bike skids out from under you and you drop more directly to the ground rather than arcing sideways and then down. The Trek is a 1984 vintage with 27" by 1 1/8" tires (approx 28 mm, so a bit wider than racing tires). But a mountain bike with fatter tires is too slow and heavy for commuting on hot days, so at a minimum you need a winter bike with fatter tires and a summer bike with skinnier tires.

Or at minimum two sets of tires: my rims are running 700x28c but I'll bump them up to 36c in the winter.

While awaiting Paul's response, I just wanted to add that I purchased a Kettler Nena, which has most of the features of the Silverstar, from http://abikestore.com/

It arrived in two-and-a-half weeks in an oversized box, shipped directly from Kettler's factory in Germany. The gears and brakes needed some minor adjustments. Besides that, all that was necessary was to straighten the handlebars and attach the pedals.

I highly recommend this dealer. I believe a Web site called http://giftwarehouse.com also carries Kettlers. They're real works of art, have excellent componentry and are priced competitively with the also-excellent Breezers.

Also a beautiful bicycle! I'm curious though... why did you choose the Kettler over the Breezer? Was it the 700cc wheel vs the 26" that tipped the scale for you or another reason?

After beginning the process of importing a Gazelle from Holland, I discovered that a bike shop about thirty miles away, Bikes @ Vienna (mostly a recumbent shop), had one in stock. I hurried over, test rode it, and bought it. All the virtues of Dutch bikes, but a lot lighter.

A Rphloff is an 18 speed internal hub. It has a much wider range of gears than my Nexus-7 does, which means that one can spin easily up a steep hill instead of having to attack it.

The bike trailer weighs about 25 pounds and the child weighed abput 45 pounds when we were using the trailer. That's 70 pounds to pull -- meaning that the total weight went up by nearly one third, relative to the bike with no trailer or child. I was able to make it up all the hills that I encountered, although the effort was significant, especially on a hot morning. Now we have switched to the Adams Trail-A-Bike. It weighs about as much as the trailer, but is much easier to pull, empty or full. If my daughter is on it and pedaling, she cancels out the weight of the Trail-A-Bike, and it is just like riding without anything attached, except for a bit of "twitchiness." Daughter loves the thing, and is disappointed when I pick her up in one of the cars. The bike makes her feel more grown up and self-reliant, since she is helping power it.

It is surprising how much extra weight a bike can tow. However, it does feel very nice in the Fall, when day camp season ends and I can unfasten the Trail-A-Bike.

Paul

What a lucky find, Paul! And good for your daughter - she sounds like she's got her head screwed on straight.

Also a beautiful bicycle! I'm curious though... why did you choose the Kettler over the Breezer? Was it the 700cc wheel vs the 26" that tipped the scale for you or another reason?
Thanks!
The Silverstar is here. http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=3384533&size=lg
The key advantage of the Kettler Silverstar over the Breezer is that the Silverstar has drum brakes, whereas the Breezer has external rim brakes. In the winter, when there is salt and sand on the roads, rim brakes require frequent pad replacement and rapidly wear out the front wheel. This is a particular problem when the front wheel is an expensive handbuilt unit with a hub dynamo built in. The drums also are cleaner (no messy dust on my clothing) and work better in rain and snow. Disks would have been even better. When I got the Kettler, I don't think the Breezers had even been released.

Paul

I bought both. A Breezer Citizen for me, a Kettler Nena for the wife.

The Kettler is nicer to look at, has better tires and lighting system.

The Breezer's got a better bell. :)

Sweet bike, Paul.

If you don't mind, could you tell us about your experience
trying to import a Gazelle from Holland? I'd kill to get my
hands on a fully loaded Batavus or Gazelle three-speed, but
I haven't figured how.

Sweet bike, Paul.

If you don't mind, could you tell us about your experience
trying to import a Gazelle from Holland? I'd kill to get my
hands on a fully loaded Batavus or Gazelle three-speed, but
I haven't figured how.
You could try this guy. Last time I looked he didn't have Gazelle or Batavus but he
had Azor and some others. The bikes with the front cargo rack attached to the frame
rather than the handlebars interest me.

The Dutch Bicycle Company
6 Aviles Street | St. Augustine, FL 32084 | USA | 904.824.3416 | www.dutchbikes.us

I imagine if you were getting hardcore about it, this one would come in handy:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/183532715.html

http://b.im.craigslist.org/T0/ej/WTuQHVKtwOBrrF1zUTILdecCUouM.jpg

I'd hate trying to find space for it in my apartment or carry it up the three flights of stairs...

I imagine if you were getting hardcore about it, this one would come in handy:

http://minneapolis.craigslist.org/bik/183532715.html

http://b.im.craigslist.org/T0/ej/WTuQHVKtwOBrrF1zUTILdecCUouM.jpg

I'd hate trying to find space for it in my apartment or carry it up the three flights of stairs...

Is that bike even real?! It reminds me of those postcards of "jackolopes" you see in gas stations in Wyoming... How do you even steer the thing?