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1983 Nishiki International, 10-speed, Campagnolo Record components, chromoly frame I imagine. My bike for the past 20+ years, been tuned up exactly one time with chain replacement (couple months ago), and one spoke replaced (past week). Have changed tires probably 4 times at least. I love this bike, though it's probably half inch too tall for me. Use it 5-7 days a week.

Well, after 20 years of commuting to work by bike, I'm starting to come to the conclusion that I hate bike commuting.

What was once a great way to avoid the inconvenience of public transit and ridiculous traffic and parking costs, after the pandemic has become more of a giant time-waster: Packing up extra shit, including clothes, and toiletries, and now a work laptop and earphones and breakfast and coffee and iced tea for the day, actually biking in - which is the most enjoyable part, and then fucking around with all this 'stuff' in a shitty little shower room at work, get cleaned up, and then re-pack and un-pack this shit once more once I'm in the office. Then, at the end of the day, change clothes and pack up and haul all this shit home again. As opposed to grabbing my laptop and coffee, jumping in the car with my partner (who works a block away form me) and sharing parking costs, which are only 12 bucks a day.

I know, I'm doing my part, but what a pain in the aching ass.

If it was like the Dutch or Danes, where I was riding around at a leisurely 10 kph in my street clothes on a weenie bike with storage everywhere (and didn't need a giant heavy lock because their cities aren't filled with tweakers) and only had a few km to go, that would be quite pastoral and ideal.

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Geiginni wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 11:33 am I know, I'm doing my part, but what a pain in the aching ass.

If it was like the Dutch or Danes, where I was riding around at a leisurely 10 kph in my street clothes on a weenie bike with storage everywhere (and didn't need a giant heavy lock because their cities aren't filled with tweakers) and only had a few km to go, that would be quite pastoral and ideal.

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Holy shit, this could not be more accurate.

Even my dumbass who has shit balance would ride a bike around if I lived in Europe.

For USA, it’s very chicken/egg. Need more cities designed to accommodate bikes, but they won’t do it unless demand is through the roof.

e-bikes may be a way to get around the sweat thru your good clothes factor. I haven't actually ridden one but one of the bigger bike nerds I know got one in recent years.

penningtron wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:03 pm e-bikes may be a way to get around the sweat thru your good clothes factor. I haven't actually ridden one but one of the bigger bike nerds I know got one in recent years.

I've been considering it. I like the heavy cardio workout aspect that melds into a useful and necessary trip, but the wearing street clothes (and in the winter, raingear) is attractive. I also get jealous of weenies in street clothes zipping uphill in Portland on their e-bikes while I'm sweating the climb at half the speed. Maybe I'm waiting until I'm a few years older as an excuse.

jfv wrote: For USA, it’s very chicken/egg. Need more cities designed to accommodate bikes, but they won’t do it unless demand is through the roof.

Portland likes to think its bike friendliness is second to none, but Portlanders are also more parochial than they think. As hard as they try here, Chicago was still a far better city to commute in by bike.

Drivers here are awful too. Not sure if it's the mix of legal weed, meth, and fentanyl on the streets, but the drivers here are idiots on both ends of the passive-aggressive spectrum.

penningtron wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:03 pm e-bikes may be a way to get around the sweat thru your good clothes factor. I haven't actually ridden one but one of the bigger bike nerds I know got one in recent years.

I've got a Rad bike and it's the only thing that's made it possible for me to ride regularly around Seattle and the hills that are in every single direction. If I was in Chicago on one of those I don't think you'd ever break a sweat depending on how much assistance you might use.

Geiginni wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:18 pm I also get jealous of weenies in street clothes zipping uphill in Portland on their e-bikes while I'm sweating the climb at half the speed.

Challenging my 'all bikes are good bikes' stance: with their increase in popularity I've been irked by e-bikes passing me at nearly twice the speed on trails. MAMIL types do that too but at least it's somewhat earned, whereas the last time some slob whirr'd past me on an e-bike going at least 25mph I thought "maybe look a little less smug about it.."

(T-minus how many years until I buy one..)

penningtron wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:31 pm

Geiginni wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:18 pm I also get jealous of weenies in street clothes zipping uphill in Portland on their e-bikes while I'm sweating the climb at half the speed.

Challenging my 'all bikes are good bikes' stance: with their increase in popularity I've been irked by e-bikes passing me at nearly twice the speed on trails. MAMIL types do that too but at least it's somewhat earned, whereas the last time some slob whirr'd past me on an e-bike going at least 25mph I thought "maybe look a little less smug about it.."

(T-minus how many years until I buy one..)

I have that experience at least a couple times a week. Usually they're wearing skinny jeans and wingtips while riding their e-bike too.

Commuting in general sucks. You use time you don't get paid for to satisfy someone else's schedule. That said, I'm a dedicated bike commuter when I have to commute, which is 1-2 times a week (bless the pandemic). Things that make it pleasant:

1) a secure bike room in the building
2) a nice locker room/shower in the building
3) panniers
4) a nice bike

If I had to wear a backpack, lock my bike on the street and wipe off in the bathroom, well, that would suck and I probably would not be bike commuting.

Just recently got a Masi Giramondo as my off-road and commuting bike and am loving it. Replaced my old city-fied mountain bike and is better in every way, except that my old mountain bike looks like shit and I never give a second thought about locking it anywhere.

Geiginni wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 1:42 pm

penningtron wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:31 pm

Geiginni wrote: Tue Sep 12, 2023 12:18 pm I also get jealous of weenies in street clothes zipping uphill in Portland on their e-bikes while I'm sweating the climb at half the speed.

Challenging my 'all bikes are good bikes' stance: with their increase in popularity I've been irked by e-bikes passing me at nearly twice the speed on trails. MAMIL types do that too but at least it's somewhat earned, whereas the last time some slob whirr'd past me on an e-bike going at least 25mph I thought "maybe look a little less smug about it.."

(T-minus how many years until I buy one..)

I have that experience at least a couple times a week. Usually they're wearing skinny jeans and wingtips while riding their e-bike too.

I will own an e-bike someday I am sure. The ones that you don't have to pedal are what bug me. Motorcycle in the bike lane.