Woohoo! 2 years multi-modal w/ Downtube NS
 

Feb 28, 2007: My First multi-modal commute (25 minute Amtrak ride each way and 8.5 mile round-trip commute) on my Downtube NS.

May 7, 2007: Amtrak revises their folding bike policy so that I could really commute almost every day instead of having to take the commuter rail in the PM.

March 1, 2009:
- Two Years!
- 262 round-trip commutes
- 780 complete folds/unfolds
- 2233 miles of biking
- one new tire
- total of $517 spent on bike & bike repairs (including $100 for sram x.7 upgrade)
- 13886 miles not driven by car!
- enough money saved (even counting train tickets) to buy a high end 50" plasma TV.

Job well done! Very impressive stats. There have been times when I wished I had a 9-5 job just so I could commute as much as some others do.

The SRAM upgrade is the best thing you can do for that bike. It improves it dramatically. I had a DT IX for 1 1/2 years and that was the first upgrade I did.

Cool, you must have raked up a load of amtrak guest rewards point !!

Great! I just passed my 4th year of commuting by bike. :)

It's nice to see real stats like that - makes you think!

You forgot to notate calories burned, girth of calves (before and after) though [kidding] :)

Congrats and kudos to you! :)

oh yeah, I get 150 points each way & get "select plus" status by May. So basically a $3 'rebate' each day (in the form of Macy's gift cards or free tix to NYC).

OK!

approx. 300 calories burned per round trip, 262 trips = 78600 calories, or 22 lbs (10 kg) of fat burned.

315 feet vertical hill on each afternoon's journey = 82530 vertical feet climbed = 15.6 miles

Congratulations!

What about your cholesterol numbers?

Speedo

I would use the 20,000 points for a cross-country train trip for 2 in a sleeper. See http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/

Excellent stats. Congrats.

I miss my DT, I sold it couple of months ago since I had upgraded my commute to be ~12 miles one way without a train and on an off-peak train way back with a single-speed, but mostly because I was moving to Spain and my commute involved grocery shopping etc and no trains/buses. Every week or so, there is an occasion where I miss having a folder too.

Last week, I bought a Yuba Mundo and now I am carrying everything on a bike.

Nice stats! I always said that train and folding bike is a good match.

Awesome!

I don't know if it's an option for you, but I use the Amtrak 10-Ride Pass instead of buying individual tickets. Saves me quite a bit in the long run.

--sam

I don't believe the 10-ride passes give you any points. For me, I value the points at 5-10 cents each as I use them for cross country trips in a roomette.

Trust me I've done the math.... For multi-ride you get points but only 2 points per dollar spent.

For my short trip, individual tickets are best for me... $6.50, minus 10% AAA discount, 150 in points (minimum 100 points per trip, 50% Select Plus Bonus, I value the points at 1cent each for gift cards) is net $4.35 each way.

A 10-trip is $59, and a monthly is $185.

My wife and I rented a car to go cross country for our honeymoon, and returned in a sleeper car. Awesome trip.

One thing that keeps me on a folder is that there's more room for groceries over the back wheel.

Stress levels reduced by not being stuck in traffic?

This is the best part for me. Sure, it takes me twice as long with my multi-modal commute... but it's a very relaxing trip. The only time I feel stress is if I'm running extra late and might miss the Metra train in the morning (only one per hour so if you miss it, it's a long wait). On the way home, though, all my cares melt as I ride the bike and read a book on the train.

Unfortunately, I can't really do it during the winter... so I've been stuck driving since it got cold and snowy. Ugh!!!

--sam