Greetings from Indiana
10-20-14, 09:10 PM
#1
Virgo
Thread Starter
Greetings from Indiana
Howdy, folks.
I'm 33 and have slowly gotten into riding over the last couple years. Always had a bike as a kid until I could drive.
I've never ridden very far, 30 miles has been the most in one day. I usually will do between 30-50 total miles a week. It's been less lately as I've grown frustrated with my finicky Raleigh Marathon. Traded a '70 Schwinn Continental that was too small for me with my dad for it. The Raleigh I think is a tad too big, but the tires are bad, the saddle is uncomfortable, the chainrings and rear axle are bent, the crank creaks - so I don't care to invest the time/money in parts to make it fit better.
Would love to commute to work, but 30 miles round trip is a little daunting at the moment.
Ideally, I'd be car free, but not quite able to make that work logistically, yet.
I just LOVE TO RIDE. Had a motorcycle for a few years and felt the same way. Nothing quite like being outdoors, in touch with the world around me. It slows me down, anyone know what I mean?
Picked up a new to me bike this weekend, a early 80's Schwinn Collegiate 3. Only rode it about 10 minutes so far but it's a total hoot to toot around town on. Everything works pretty well OK, and it's in relatively good shape and I felt like it was $40 well spent.
Well, I'm getting a little wordy and figure I should leave something to actually discuss in the forums.
Looking to learn and form friendships here.
Very kind regards,
Joe
I'm 33 and have slowly gotten into riding over the last couple years. Always had a bike as a kid until I could drive.
I've never ridden very far, 30 miles has been the most in one day. I usually will do between 30-50 total miles a week. It's been less lately as I've grown frustrated with my finicky Raleigh Marathon. Traded a '70 Schwinn Continental that was too small for me with my dad for it. The Raleigh I think is a tad too big, but the tires are bad, the saddle is uncomfortable, the chainrings and rear axle are bent, the crank creaks - so I don't care to invest the time/money in parts to make it fit better.
Would love to commute to work, but 30 miles round trip is a little daunting at the moment.
Ideally, I'd be car free, but not quite able to make that work logistically, yet.
I just LOVE TO RIDE. Had a motorcycle for a few years and felt the same way. Nothing quite like being outdoors, in touch with the world around me. It slows me down, anyone know what I mean?
Picked up a new to me bike this weekend, a early 80's Schwinn Collegiate 3. Only rode it about 10 minutes so far but it's a total hoot to toot around town on. Everything works pretty well OK, and it's in relatively good shape and I felt like it was $40 well spent.
Well, I'm getting a little wordy and figure I should leave something to actually discuss in the forums.
Looking to learn and form friendships here.
Very kind regards,
Joe
10-21-14, 01:24 AM
#3
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Cheers Joe, welcome to Bike Forums.
Commuting 30 miles round trip takes time. Can you ride part of it and take public transportation for the remainder? Or drive to work Monday morning, taking your bike with you, then ride home Mon evening, ride to work Tue morning, drive home Tue evening etc.
--J
Commuting 30 miles round trip takes time. Can you ride part of it and take public transportation for the remainder? Or drive to work Monday morning, taking your bike with you, then ride home Mon evening, ride to work Tue morning, drive home Tue evening etc.
--J
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To err is human. To moo is bovine.
Who is this General Failure anyway, and why is he reading my drive?
Become a Registered Member in Bike Forums
Community guidelines
10-21-14, 02:00 AM
#4
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Welcome to Bike Forums,Joe!
Be sure to check out the Commuting and the Classic & Vintage forums.
Be sure to check out the Commuting and the Classic & Vintage forums.
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10-27-14, 04:22 PM
#7
Virgo
Thread Starter
Thanks for the warm welcome, all! For some reason, didn't get an email saying I had replies :-/
10-27-14, 04:29 PM
#8
Virgo
Thread Starter
Cheers Joe, welcome to Bike Forums.
Commuting 30 miles round trip takes time. Can you ride part of it and take public transportation for the remainder? Or drive to work Monday morning, taking your bike with you, then ride home Mon evening, ride to work Tue morning, drive home Tue evening etc.
--J
Commuting 30 miles round trip takes time. Can you ride part of it and take public transportation for the remainder? Or drive to work Monday morning, taking your bike with you, then ride home Mon evening, ride to work Tue morning, drive home Tue evening etc.
--J
Thinking about trying the drive in, ride home - there also are a couple places I could park roughly 1/2 way there and ride the difference. Any way I slice it, I won't be saving much money by riding (38 mpg average in my civic) but it's not really about the money anyway. For now I'm still too much of a wimp to take it on, and I don't feel safe riding in the dark (the morning part will always be in the dark due to work schedule).
10-27-14, 04:45 PM
#9
Virgo
Thread Starter
Also, FWIW, I only tried the full 30 miles once, on a weekend, on the raleigh, and it was very uncomfortable. I thought about getting some riding clothes but it's just not me and that bike doesn't fit anyway so the Schwivendell makes more sense from a practical standpoint ('cause I can wear my regular work clothes) but it also will likely turn a 1 hour ride into closer to 1 1/2. See the predicament I'm in...
10-27-14, 05:34 PM
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Welcome fellow Hoosier. Classic steel is where it's at! Well, at least you've gotta have one classic steel bike in your collection, and a vintage Schwinn Collegiate fills that niche nicely. 70's would be better, but 80's will do.
The cost calculation of commuting via bike or car is tough because there are so many variables, particularly when you keep the overhead of owning a car. Find a way to ride some miles, one way or another. Here's a consideration: My employer offers annual health exams, and every year the Dr. looks at my numbers, looks at my age (now 54), shakes his head and says, "keep doing whatever you're doing". My four brothers are overweight, three have diabetes, all have high blood pressure, and all are on various medications directly related to decades of inactivity. My medication consists of ibuprofin as needed, which isn't often. This topic isn't really about saving a few bucks.
Again, welcome and enjoy.
The cost calculation of commuting via bike or car is tough because there are so many variables, particularly when you keep the overhead of owning a car. Find a way to ride some miles, one way or another. Here's a consideration: My employer offers annual health exams, and every year the Dr. looks at my numbers, looks at my age (now 54), shakes his head and says, "keep doing whatever you're doing". My four brothers are overweight, three have diabetes, all have high blood pressure, and all are on various medications directly related to decades of inactivity. My medication consists of ibuprofin as needed, which isn't often. This topic isn't really about saving a few bucks.
Again, welcome and enjoy.
Last edited by downtube42; 10-27-14 at 06:34 PM.
Another Hoosier!
