danis

We don't have a car (we just use my mother-in-law's car for grocery shopping 1 night a week) and I pretty much ride to work and back- and run most of my errands on my bike. I was wondering if there is anything special or anything to be aware of regarding this type of lifestyle... I don't do streching before heading on my bike (and it's about a half hour ride) and notice that compared to other people I see, I am prety slow (I only do about 10-15km/h on my bike). Am I doing something wrong? I am riding a mountain bike but if that's just the case then it's just the case...

Roody

Well that is pretty slow. I wonder if there are any age, health or fitness issues?

Platy

Hi danis, welcome to the forum. Many of the challenges of a car free or car-lite lifestyle relate to very local conditions. For example I'd expect that you might want to pay special attention to discussions of winter cycling. Eventually you'll be the expert on living carfree in Winnipeg. There are some general carfree issues but they also tend to hinge on local things like the availability of public transit.

As for your riding speed, it's strictly a personal choice. You'll find many ideas here on BF to improve your physical cycling ability if that's what you're looking for.

Platy

Isn't Winnipeg flat? A hybrid or a road bike would probably give a big improvement in speed just from the more efficient tires.

Edit: Maybe also lubricate the drive train if necessary and make sure the tires are inflated properly.

Roody

True about the MTB, but I ride one and I do more like 10 to 15 miles per hour rather than kilometers per hour. (That's still pretty slow, even though I'm 52 and overweight.) Also, the air pressure and lubrication are good ideas.

I'm not putting down danis--not at all. But if he/she would like to go a little faster, I think it's a good goal and we could probably help. And there are probably other people here who would also like to ride a little faster.

oneredstar

Your speed does seem slow but it is all relative to you and your bike. You could put some slick tires on to reduce rolling resistance, and that could speed things up. And of course the more you ride the more fit you will be, thus you can increase your energy output. I have never been to The Peg, but I live in Saskatoon. Winter will be rough at first. Street conditions can take a lot to get used to and the cold can be brutal. I ride everyday in Saskatoon, and I love it. I am sure by the time winter roles around you will be ready to take it on.

KrisA

Dude, you are soooooo missing out!!! Seriously, Winnipeg is a nice town though a bit rough around the edges, not so much different than Regina, Saskatoon or Edmonton. Love The Forks, it's the best place to hang out on the prairies, Calgary tried to do the same thing with Eau Claire and failed miserably.

Winter will be a challenge for you, winter cycling on the prairies is not for the faint of heart. It's cold, I don't trust the abilities of drivers on ice, those 50kph winds that hurt in the summer are BRUTAL in the winter, and plowing through snow takes some mighty quads. However, it's very fun! I love winter riding... the colder the better! Winterpeg has a hardcore cycling group there (lots of onespeeders) who likely don't let winter slow them down. My guess is that if you ask the guys at Woodcock cycles about winter gear they'll have you sorted ($) in no time.

Have fun out there.

SmithW6079

Hello danis, welcome to the forum. I'm a car-lite resident here in Winnipeg. I bike, the girlfriend drives "my" car. Your slow speed could be due to many things, wider and underinflated tires or maybe using the wrong gear. Are you finding it very hard to pedal and simply grinding away, or is pedaling too easy and you're spinning at a high RPM?

That said, speed is somewhat relative. My top speed is fairly decent but my average speed can be slow if there are many lights, stop signs, etc. Given time, your body will get better and more efficient.

As for winter cycling in Winnipeg, I just made it through my first winter here. I ride a short distance (5 km) through mainly residential streets. I got my hands on an old 10 speed bike and had it converted to a single speed that would require less maintenance and hassle than a geared bike. I was likely inspired by my father who rode the same 3 speed road bike year round for over 30 years. My theory was that narrower road bike tires would cut easily through fresh snow, which they seem to do. The downside is a day after a snowfall, the streets are very rutted until the the city cleans them. I'm thinking a bike with a wider tire may be the way to go for Winnipeg winters.

Other things I've learned in my years of cycling include the following:

1) Wear a helmet (I never wore one until I was 24 and it now feels strange to ride without one)

2) Front and rear lights (Pick up a cheap pair of LEDs at Mountain Equipment Co-op, they're worth the money)

3) Fenders (They'll let you ride through a much wider range of weather, I have no clue how I rode so long without them)

4) A rack and panniers (Not really "essential" but more pleasant than having a sweaty back with a backpack) You can also pick up a relatively inexpensive pair at MEC. But if you're happy with a backpack, then that's fine too.

If you have any further questions, don't be shy to ask. Good luck with car free living!

Cheers...

danis

Thanks everybody for their reply!!

I took your guys advice... We have a metal fabrication shop here at work, so I brought my bike to the shop manager and he said that the noticed my tires were really low when he saw me on my bike yesterday! So he pumped them up (we have an industrial strength air pump), and I took the bike on 1 minute test ride and it seems a lot easier to pedal.

Regarding winter biking, I'm not quite sure if I trust myself & drivers around me during the winter enough to bike in it. Last year I ended up carpooling with a co-worker and paid him $10/wk. I think I will do the same next winter or just take the bus to work (I'm no stranger to public transit), it's MUCH cheaper than owning cars...

My ride is only about 6km each way and it has taken me about half an hour to get through it. I usually take 2-3 minute breaks (most of the time at stoplights) but maybe it will change now that my tires are filled! I will keep everyone updated! Thanks again for your help...

Now just 1 question, what is the drive train on a bike? Sorry, not only am i a newbie to the forums, I just got back into biking after 10 years of not having one!!

cooker

Danis, you really need to be here If a bike is going to be your ride, you need to be a lot more aware of routine maintenance and mechanical issues than your average car driver is with their car. Fortunately it's easy and fun

Keep tires properly inflated and check for wear. Learn to fix flats and carry a repair kit. You can fix a bike flat in under five minutes, so it needn't make you late for work. Lube the chain. Make sure the bike is well fitted to you (seat height, handlebar position). Check the brakes. Make sure the shifters function properly. Learn safety techniques for riding on the road. Get lights, rack and fenders, and panniers for your luggage. Check the commuting forum as well as car free. Enjoy.

cooker

Pedals, cogs, derailleurs and chain.

Roody

No, YOU can change a flat in 5 minutes. So can I. But the first time I did it, it took an hour, and I flatted again 15 minutes later because I didn't have the tire seated properly.

But your advice is spot on. Danis might want to practice changing her tires a few times before she/he has to do it on the roadside. It's easy with practice, especially on a mountain bike. Of course one nice thing about a short commute is that if you really HAD to, you could walk the bike home.

cooker

Good point, and although I lived in Winnipeg for 22 years, I never did a roadside repair at -20F!

Danis...what's the connection between a Winnipeg metal shop and a German Metal band?

danis

On the way home today I was going between 25-30km/h for most of the ride!!! I guess I will KNOW when I need to fill my tires up next time... I couldn't believe how quickly I got home today! (it was less than 20 minutes plus i had spent a few minutes answering a phone call!)

Cooker: Nothing that I know of! Actually the German band is my favourite band and I decided to make a website about them and love to advertise my site... And actually I work in IT for a construction company... and fortunately have a metals shop to visit when I need my bike tuned up hehe

Also, where in TO are you from? I'm from there but moved out to the peg just a few years ago...

Guys, Are there any how-to guides or online resources for all of the mentioned things? Like changing / repairing flat tires (I can do it in a car!)?

FYI- sorry my name is kind of misleading, I am a guy although I spell my name Dani and since that name was taken, I decided I would throw in the first letter of my last name (to make my nickname DaniS).

cooker

I'm originally from Crescentwood and many years ago attended Kelvin High School, just a few years too late to overlap with Neil Young. My brother still lives in River Heights. Now I'm in North Toronto near Avenue Rd and Lawrence. Ironically, my kids go to Lawrence Park Collegiate, Neil Young's other high school.
How about you?

cooker

There are many excellent online bike resources. Park Tools has a site on bike mechanics with many kinds of repair instructions; and an amazing man called Sheldon Brown, who often posts in these forums, maintains perhaps the richest and most complete bike resource on the internet. Sadly, he is ailing and unable to ride at the moment.

www.sheldonbrown.com
www.parktool.com

Just to name those two.

bgilchrist

Danis,

I too am from winnipeg, and although I haven't been as bike free as I have in the past, I do try to bike to work as often as I can lately.

Although your commute isn't that long ( I'm 25km one way), a couple of tips:

Watch the weather (wind!!!) and adjust route accordingly. If I have a head wind I'll stick to the major routes ( cars do a wonderful job of blocking wind), but if it a tail wind I'll take routes with less traffic.

I had a front suspension with rear rack and panniers, but now I have a dual suspension, and use a backpack, just takes some time to get used to.(although I am trying to find a rack bag large enough to carry all my work stuff)

Winter cycling can be done in Wpg. I have biked in a blizzard and at -26C ( darn, 4 more degrees and I could say I biked in -30!!). I have clipless pedals, but in the winter I switch to cages and boots - in fact Sorels work really well in the cold). You don't need to spend major $$ to outfit your bike for winter. I skipped shelling out $50 for studded tires and built my own spiked front tire for $8 ( and it works waaayy better than studs ever could)

Which direction is your ride, mine's south end into downtown, so maybe I could give you some ideas for routes?

crazybikerchick

Excellent! Must feel so nice to be going so much faster! Usually if a person cannot pedal 20 km/h on flat ground without a headwind and they have no special fitness issues, there's probably something wrong with bike setup (low tire pressure, too low seat, etc)

I recommend picking up this floor pump from MEC.
https://www.mec.ca/Products/product_d...=1182986926353

You may also want a portable pump for contigency if you get a flat tire on the road, but its really nice to have a floor pump because its much faster and easier to put in air, and there's a pressure gauge so you know when you are at the recommended pressure for your tires.

For flat tires you'll need a pump, new tube or patches and glue (there are glueless but they won't hold forever) and maybe tire levers. With a mountain bike often you can use your hands and don't need the levers. If the hole in the tube is in the valve stem you need a new tube you can't patch it. I am cheap so I use patches if I can but I will bring an intact tube with me - its easier to change the whole tube on the road, and then patch the old tube later at home.

This site has a pretty good explanation and there's also two videos here to watch:
https://www.jimlangley.net/wrench/flattiretwo.htm

Don't worry if it takes you a while - I am much slower at this process than the vids!

Its useful to practice swapping the tube at home to be prepared to know how when you get a flat on the road.