A reassessment.
12-17-10, 06:45 PM
#1
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Southern california
Posts: 3,498
Bikes: Lapierre CF Sensium 400. Jamis Ventura Sport. Trek 800. Giant Cypress.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
A reassessment.
Let me explain. I had thought that I had cut my car usage down to about as low as I could get it from a family perspective. My wife has shown interest in cycling but no follow through so 2200 to 2600 a year seemed about as good as it was going to get. I use the car to go to Church, the doctor’s office, the pharmacy and the occasional trip to the relative’s house and our semi monthly big food shopping trip. Small trips I do on my bike alone.
The other day out of the blue my wife says she wished there weren’t so many cars running around and that we had better mass transit. Well we don’t so I figured it was a moot point. However she has now decided that when we get back from Colorado after Christmas we can look at getting a Recumbent Trike so we can ride more together and if I get a basket for it we can do the grocery shopping by bike. This could knock another 500 miles off my yearly average. No one is more surprised than I am but I am also pleased. I better make sure there is air in the trailer tires.
The other day out of the blue my wife says she wished there weren’t so many cars running around and that we had better mass transit. Well we don’t so I figured it was a moot point. However she has now decided that when we get back from Colorado after Christmas we can look at getting a Recumbent Trike so we can ride more together and if I get a basket for it we can do the grocery shopping by bike. This could knock another 500 miles off my yearly average. No one is more surprised than I am but I am also pleased. I better make sure there is air in the trailer tires.
12-17-10, 07:48 PM
#2
In the right lane
Why the sudden interest? Is it just a concern about the number of cars running around?
12-17-10, 07:58 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,251
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
damn, that's awesome. it's so hard to get family and friends to accept a car-free lifestyle. they act like it's a punishment to ride.
12-17-10, 09:07 PM
#4
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Southern california
Posts: 3,498
Bikes: Lapierre CF Sensium 400. Jamis Ventura Sport. Trek 800. Giant Cypress.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
I have no real clue. It may be the Christmas Traffic, people are not paying attention and lots of people are out. It may be she realizes we live close enough to the store we could walk but it would be easier to carry groceries in the trailer. All I know is I will strike while the iron is hot. As soon as we get back from Colorado we will look for a Recumbent trike. She doesn't feel like she is well balanced on her hybrid but after a few months on the trike who knows? It was out of the blue. However my niece was killed in a car accident about three weeks ago so it might have started he thinking.
12-17-10, 09:29 PM
#6
In the right lane
Yes... sorry to hear about your niece. I'm very interested in why people suddenly make a change of plan... or what they sometimes call a "paradigm change". A tragedy like this does make you think I guess... but perhaps there are other factors too, like concern for health.
12-17-10, 10:05 PM
#9
xtrajack
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Maine
Posts: 2,058
Bikes: Kona fire mountain/xtracycle,Univega landrover fs,Nishiki custom sport Ross professional super gran tour Schwinn Mesa (future Xtracycle donor bike)
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
12-17-10, 11:31 PM
#11
nw commuter
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: Washington, US
Posts: 183
Bikes: trek antelope, trek 3900
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Definitely strike while the iron is hot. But don't forget to keep it fun...mix more than the grocery store in there, go to the movies, art walks, pubs, whatever you like to do together.
12-17-10, 11:50 PM
#12
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Southern california
Posts: 3,498
Bikes: Lapierre CF Sensium 400. Jamis Ventura Sport. Trek 800. Giant Cypress.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
My hope is to go on Weekend coffee shop rides as well. We have several with patio seating and she loves that kind of thing. If I can just get her used to doing a few easy miles during the day she should get used to it. Nothing is much more comfortable than a recumbent, I had a semi recumbent when I first decided to ride more and drive less. Sometimes I wish I had kept it but that is another story. The advantage the trike will have is you always have your chair with you.
12-18-10, 11:29 AM
#13
In the right lane
One suggestion is to get in the habit of doing one destination by bicycle.
For example, if you regularly go to the library and if it's a pleasant bike ride, make sure you always do that trip by bike. After a while, you'll always look to do the trip by bike and doing it by car will seem strange and probably unpleasant.
Over time you might start adding to these destinations... the grocery store, a particular restaurant, work... whatever.
For example, if you regularly go to the library and if it's a pleasant bike ride, make sure you always do that trip by bike. After a while, you'll always look to do the trip by bike and doing it by car will seem strange and probably unpleasant.
Over time you might start adding to these destinations... the grocery store, a particular restaurant, work... whatever.
12-18-10, 05:43 PM
#14
Sophomoric Member
Robert, Those trikes are cool. She will be dropping you very soon--at least she will downhill, lol. Don't make her climb until she's hooked on riding. Sorry to hear about your neice.
__________________
"Think Outside the Cage"
12-19-10, 12:35 AM
#15
Banned.
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2008
Location: Southern california
Posts: 3,498
Bikes: Lapierre CF Sensium 400. Jamis Ventura Sport. Trek 800. Giant Cypress.
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time
in
1 Post
Climbing has never been a Recumbent’s strong suite. Anywhere we go close to town is pretty flat and I was thinking of getting at least a 21 speed if not a 27. I believe the one I am looking for has a triple in the front and I can always put a bigger rear cassette on the back. If however she gets used to riding to the store I could convince her to start using it when we go to the pharmacy and maybe even to the mall. The Doctors office might be a stretch but I never thought she would consider riding to the store so I guess you never know.
One day I may be looking at one for myself. I had a good friend that I would see all the time that was riding till he was 84. He bought a Cat trike when he was about 78 and kept plugging along.
