Cyclaholic

You know what would be the absolute best for the environment? - no human beings being alive at all, but it kind of defeats the purpose wouldn't you say? What we're on about is the best stewardship of the environment untill we hand it over to the next generation.

squirtdad

To the OP ....... I think there is a wide personal definition of 'utilty'. and that definition probably affects an individuals style choices (though my wife might question whether I have and style or not) My personal definition of utiliyt is: A bike I can hop on and make a quick trip to pickup some...food,groceries, medicine...what ever, a bike I can do a quick ride with my son (10 miles or so). A bike I can ride to work in khakis and polo. A bike I can clip in if I want or not if I don't. A bike with fenders, kick stand and lights. So the clothes I wear depend on what I am doing....generally what i have on or need to have on at my destination. I like lycra on longer rides and if I had a longer commte "lycra" would be utilitarian, in that is effcient and helps me do what i am doing, better, faster and more comfortably.

A bike trailer would not be utilitarian for me......because it is more than what I want to deal with....not that it would not be highly useful at times.

fyiw

I-Like-To-Bike

Efficient it isn't nor is it practical when considering far simpler and probably cheaper alternatives; though by actually doing it, the pals show such moves are not theory, but it is possible to make a move in that fashion.

We will have to disagree over the semantics/meaning of practical vice possible. I'd agree the group hugging that goes along with such a move puts it in the category of adhering to the doctrine of utilitarianism for those involved.

donnamb 

I think you must have been on a different bike move. I have no recollection of such an activity. When did that happen?

cooker

Ha ha, you missed the group hug

donnamb 

Well, I did have to take a break every time a restroom was available. Probably happened then.

I-Like-To-Bike

Food Poisoning?
Did the sponsor of the move lowball his pals with day old donuts from the mission bakery? Next time demand first class chow from that cheapskate.

Elkhound

spelling, punctuation, and grammar are our friends. Granted, this is an informal forum, so one doesn't expect polished prose, but there are one or two posts that have so mangled the English language that I am not sure I understand what the person is trying to say.

wahoonc

There is also the community spirit and neighborliness, which cannot be priced. And is sorely lacking in today's society.

Aaron

donnamb 

Nope, just the stereotypical female bladder mixed with cold weather.

Scout!

This is like a comparison of eating at McDonalds versus going to a downtown bistro serving their own recipes of locally grown food. Measured in terms of calories per dollar, the local bistro is less economical, and less utilitarian, if you like; nevertheless, I would argue that it is better.

It's true that doing things by bicycle is often more trouble than many alternatives. But it is often better in the sense of being healthier and more fun.

I-Like-To-Bike

No doubt the "better" bistro would provide a "better" atmosphere with hanging plants, "better" New Age music AND more importantly, a "better" class of clientele, eh?

MattyP

i just followed this thread from the shift2bikes link, thanks Donna... i appreciate all the comments on the bike move.

In question to who had the heaviest load, it was probably Tom w/ the mattress & boxspring, plus various shelves & things on his 96" (yes 8ft) long trailer. I had the trailer w/ the couch & shelf, which seemed light comparatively, tho after 12mi i was rather exhausted, too.

I feel compelled to share my comparison of a truck vs. the bike move:

by Truck
--------
- more "move", less "fun" (your 4-5 buddies to help you load/unload all your stuff)
- embedded energy in the truck & the corporate biz (that someone already mentioned above)
- direct fuel costs (in $ & environment)
- inherent danger in using heavy vehicles that travel fast (to other humans walking, biking or in vehicles)
- more?

by Bike
-------
- more "fun", less move (27 people to move the same stuff)
- stresses community building & self-reliance (think barnraising)
- people who bike and/or are willing to help bike move tend (imho) to be more concerned with their health and where their food (calories) are coming from... thought processes that lead to more personal action and concern for others/planet
- you get exercise
- if more people considered moving by bike for local moves, we'd have need for less corporate personal move companies (and therefore less impact)
- bike moves aren't necessarily "safer", but... just like biking to commute or for other purposes, there's the potential for safer roads as more folks shift to bike from autos
- less chance of hurting yourself lifting heavy things (things are packed smaller - for bikes & there are many more people to help lift those things)

Overall the bike move supports the kind of future i want to have and the kind of future I think we're all going to have to adapt to considering the pressure we're putting on this planet and each other.

When someone asks me to help them move, i often say yes, but secretly think "ugh...moving sucks!"... when there's an opportunity to help bike move, i try to attend and it actually makes me happy.

-Matt

Spokebreaker

There were 3 "jumbo" trailers, one carried my desk and my bed, about 150-200 lbs. Another carried my dresser, a bookshelf, dining room table and 2 boxes - that was at least 300 lbs. The third one carried A bookshelf, the couch and a few other items, that one was probably at least 200 lbs. It's hard to say, since I don't have exact weights on most of the items.

One person carried my industrial-strength legal-sized file cabinet upright in a small trailer.

Spokebreaker

You hurt me to the quick.

I wouldn't recommend this type of move for the person trying to save money. In terms of utility, I'd much rather do this than a truck, because it got 27 people together who did all the work. I loaded 3 things onto my personal trailer, and everyone else did everyTHING else. They also unloaded everything at the other end. Since I have in the past had back problems, I can't overemphasize how much of a help that was.

It's not cheap, though - $207 worth of pizza, $40 of beer, $12 in donuts, $12 in vegan cupcakes (3! cupcakes), another $20-30 in miscellaneous items (cups, plates, tea, coffee, soy creamer, etc) - about $300 in total. I was willing to spend all that for the social aspect of moving by bike, and to accommodate people who are vegetarian/vegan. (I am still an omnivore) I have been on bike moves where there was nothing I found edible, or where everyone got one slice of pizza at the end. I was deliberately making an effort to ensure no one was left wanting. I could have done the move for $50 had I bought the minimum that was considered polite. Anything under $100 would have been cheaper than a truck.

So, utilitarian and practical? Absolutely, had I made it so. I chose to turn the move into more of an event, so the reality of this particular move is somewhat less practical than would otherwise be the case.

Spokebreaker

And your efforts were GREATLY appreciated - thanks!

I think Aaron actually had the heaviest load, but I could be wrong. And I forgot Tom had the 2 bins full of stuff, so his was probably significantly heavier than yours. 250-300 lbs, maybe. (again, I'm mostly guessing here)

I've never been to a bike move yet where I regretted going, or didn't have fun. I don't think I've been to more than one truck move that I found "fun".

Cyclaholic

My brother and father run a road freight co. Back in the early years when they were a 1-truck startup operation (they manage a fleet now) I used to help on the furniture removals jobs. It was about as much fun as gougin out your eyeballs with a rusty nail.

P.S. I love the direction this thread has taken.

dcb

Unfortunately, I don't encounter a lot of other bikers, I wave to the ones I see though and they usually wave back. I think the utilitarian path, e.g. a straight a line as possible to the store and back, is different than the recreational path, e.g. the one you put the bikes in the back of the SUV to get to

2manybikes

I agree.

But, I would help with a bike move.

Roody

Other than a few weirdos like sponges and clams, all animals move. They just don't use dangerous and polluting methods to do so.

Actually, if you want to get all science-fictiony, the most efficient plan would be to have all dwellings permanently furnished. When you move, all you would take would be a few sentimental objects like photo albums. (And if your photos were all stored electronically, you wouldn't even have to schlepp those around with you!) But I don't see this happening any time soon, except in sci-fi novels. We are very attached to our possessions--one characteristic that distinguishes us from other animals, including sponges and clams.

Anyway, besides being utilitarian and practical, the move looks like it was great fun. I think it's also great for the "image" of utility cycling. I hope the bike community in my town gets to the stage that permits such activities, as my image needs all the help it can get.

(BTW, I just rode by a house on the east side of Lansing with 7 bikes, including an Xtracycle and 2 trailers, parked in the front yard. So maybe we will be having a bike move here real soon.)

donnamb 

Some tips.

BAH

My wife and I are all for making utility cycling look fun and cool. Whether or not we succeed is another thing

I have a website about it even!

BAH

haha yes!!!

bmclaughlin807

I'd have to say that you both are VERY successful at making utility cycling look cool, fun, and stylish!

hotbike

My Daughter Mellisa designed this Fiberglass Ladies Bicycle. She intended it to go with the kind of skirts she wears.
Mellisa runs her Uncle's Trucking Company, so she "styled" the cargo box to look like the spoiler of a Kenworth Diesel Truck.
This bike looked so good, it went to number one in the Google search for "Ladies Bicycle":


I hope you all see now that there is room for a designer to have some freedom. A step-thru framed bike is required for a woman to wear a skirt. I suggest you guys ask you Girlfriend , Wife or Daughter to help you in the design phase of your next build.
This page of Google results is not the only time a woman's design influence led to a man's success; One time, right in this neighborhood, a man was building a house, and he asked his Wife how to design the Kitchen. She said the cabinets gotta go like this* , and the countertops gotta go like this* , and the wall between the Kitchen and Dining Room has gotta go like this*, etc.
And when the house was done, the couple sold the dwelling for 4.5 Million dollars, and they moved to Fort Lauterdale, Florida.


*-Note: Woman prefer to use their hands to show men the dimensions of what they want. Don't expect a woman to draft a set of blueprints, you will have to do that later.