Living Car Free - xmas trees

So I 've been without the car now since it died in June and had no problems at all,even going to buy a new bike in the spring,but last weekend saw my first worry,how do you take the Christmas tree home on a bicycle? I managed it just,without breaking my neck,and I have to say if thats the bigest problem I have to face during my first car free year I can live with it. Nod.

How much will the tree sellers charge to deliver it to your door?

How much will the tree sellers charge to deliver it to your door?

Probably more than the cost of the tree.

Also- buying live trees every year requires fuel to be burned every season to get it to market.
A fake tree only takes this trip once, and will last decades. My parents have a 30 year old
fake tree that still looks great.

As far as avoiding fuel to transport the tree to the market, well, depending on where you live, you can always go out to the actual tree farm and cut your own tree down and haul it yourself using a bicycle trailer. That might make it an all day affair though. Being car free, it might be a good idea to get yourself a trailer anyway. Or, if you don't want to get a trailer and still want to avoid the fuel used to transport your tree, you can search for a fallen branch and use it as a tribute to the charlie brown christmas tree.

I haven't put up a tree or lights or anything since 1996, and that was because I was in the army and wouldn't be making it home that year. I hung the lights on the wall so that they spelled "30JUN97" the date I would be going home. :)

I managed it just,without breaking my neck,and I have to say if thats the bigest problem I have to face during my first car free year I can live with it. Nod.

good job, I am impressed. How did you do it?

i would suggest a good utility trailer - I think Nashabr has em for around $100. or if you're a DIY kinda guy, build yer own.

Cheers

Get a fake tree delivered to you door with free delivery and place cheep Wal-Mart pine auto-scents in the tree. Of course, I am boycotting this year. No decorations at all.

I've seen a few tree sellers in Manhattan using utility trikes or specially made hand trucks to deliver trees. One of the hand trucks was really cool, built up from two butchered and re-welded bike frames.

I think you'd need a trailer on your bike to get the tree home. If there was fresh powder snow you could drag it behind you, of course. If there's a tree lot within a few blocks of your house, carry it home on foot. Why don't you choose this as one of those times to be a little less than "pure"? For example, get a ride from a friend who's also getting a tree.

So you cut down a perfectly good tree that was just hanging around, minding its own business, and stick it in your living room. Then you take this good looking tree and turn it into a garish clown of a tree that would be embarassed to hang out in any respectable forest. One month later you take said tree (now a dead, dried out corpse) and toss it on the curb. Seems a bit wasteful to me.

For the tiny minority of people out there who can relate to what I just wrote: http://www.xmasresistance.org/

good job, I am impressed. How did you do it?

i would suggest a good utility trailer - I think Nashabr has em for around $100. or if you're a DIY kinda guy, build yer own.

Cheers

I have that nashbar trailer. They aren't kidding about the 45lb weight capacity. That one wheel model
can put a lot of leverage against the bike, possibly causing loss of balance and a fall. After hauling
camping gear in mine with a lot of trouble, Ive decided that groceries are the most heavy thing that
should go in the trailer.

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/250/NA-TLR-NCL-ANGLE.jpg

I have that nashbar trailer. They aren't kidding about the 45lb weight capacity. That one wheel model
can put a lot of leverage against the bike, possibly causing loss of balance and a fall. After hauling
camping gear in mine with a lot of trouble, Ive decided that groceries are the most heavy thing that
should go in the trailer.

http://www.nashbar.com/nashbar_photos/250/NA-TLR-NCL-ANGLE.jpg

45 lbs???

I haul twice that weight on my bike with no trailer!

They dont tell you, but the rear tube that comes with it has a schraeder valve.
Pretty inconvenient for some of us.

45 lbs???

I haul twice that weight on my bike with no trailer!
My wifes has a yak which is similar to that. It is nice for big bulky items like TP and Paper Towels. The heavy stuff goes on my xtracycle so I don't look like a vagrant with all the paper towels and TP up on the top of the snapdeck.
I think if you had to have a live x-mas tree you could drag it behind a bike. Just put something tough to wrap around the part that will be dragging like some tyvek envelopes? If you are putting in a corner you could put the dragged side towards the wall and no one could tell.

My xmas tree is a bush in front of our house. Presents go in front of the fireplace though since I don't want the squirrels to get em.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cleverchimp/2120992517/

and the next day: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cleverchimp/2120992301/

I just did it the other night on my new Xtracycle actually.

I agree though, if you're going car free, having some kind of high volume carrying accessory like a good trailer or a Freeradical really helps out. Beforehand, I just had some panniers, which work fine for groceries and the like, but this just opens up opportunities. Now i'm carrying home flooring and finishing projects that've been shelved a long time due to no decent transport for materials!

So you cut down a perfectly good tree that was just hanging around, minding its own business, and stick it in your living room. Then you take this good looking tree and turn it into a garish clown of a tree that would be embarassed to hang out in any respectable forest. One month later you take said tree (now a dead, dried out corpse) and toss it on the curb. Seems a bit wasteful to me.

For the tiny minority of people out there who can relate to what I just wrote: http://www.xmasresistance.org/

Merry Christmas to you too! :rolleyes:

well I'm dissapointed by the news on the Nashbar trailer. ah well.

I still wonder how the heck the OP got a tree home without a trailer or anything.

good job, I am impressed. How did you do it?

i would suggest a good utility trailer - I think Nashabr has em for around $100. or if you're a DIY kinda guy, build yer own.

Cheers

well I got a pair of excellent Ortlieb classic panniers,& I bought a small tree 2ft with the roots in a pot so I can use it again next year,& I just droped the whole thing in the pannier & rode home,a littlle tricky when you cock the leg over & you gotta remember when you get off but the trees ok & so am I.so Happy Christmas 2 u all.& remember if you put 5ltrs of wine in one side you gotta put 5ltrs in the other or else you never get off the roundabouts.

well I got a pair of excellent Ortlieb classic panniers,& I bought a small tree 2ft with the roots in a pot so I can use it again next year,& I just droped the whole thing in the pannier & rode home,a littlle tricky when you cock the leg over & you gotta remember when you get off but the trees ok & so am I.

so Happy Christmas 2 u all.& remember if you put 5ltrs of wine in one side you gotta put 5ltrs in the other or else you never get off the roundabouts.

LOL! :D

you'll fit in fine here, newb:p

Cheers & happy holidays to ya too.

So you cut down a perfectly good tree that was just hanging around, minding its own business, and stick it in your living room. Then you take this good looking tree and turn it into a garish clown of a tree that would be embarassed to hang out in any respectable forest. One month later you take said tree (now a dead, dried out corpse) and toss it on the curb. Seems a bit wasteful to me.

For the tiny minority of people out there who can relate to what I just wrote: http://www.xmasresistance.org/

So, are you breaking out the aluminum pole and engaging in the feats of strength? :rolleyes:

So, are you breaking out the aluminum pole and engaging in the feats of strength? :rolleyes:

Don't forget the airing of the grievances.


The BOB Yak can carry up to 66 lbs (30 kg). I've had almost this amount in it, it makes starting up a bit of a challenge, but you just have to get the technique down.