I bought a bicycle today.

My response to high gas prices. I live in a town that's not too big and very flat. No reason to drive for in-town errands.

The bicycle cost me $60. That's four dollars less than what it cost me to fill my gas tank last week.

My thigh muscles hurt now, and I'm finding it difficult to light my cigarettes in the breeze, but I'm not putting money in Exxon's bank account, and that feels good.

for a few minutes each day, I am 10 years old and worry free!

I bike or walk for nearly all my in-town travel. Have to drive to my 2nd job because the drivers here are downright dangerous to bicycles hereabouts for one thing and I'm not as young as I once was - the hills are harder to handle the older I get.

Seriously. In case you didn't know, that's where Lance Armstrong trained for his comeback.

After that the "hills" in Raleigh will be no problem.

(not to mention, stronger legs) with the deal! :D

and ride everywhere..not just "errands". In 90 days you will
be in the best shape you've ever been in and probably save enough
to get a nice light weight bike for those "Century" rides.

rather then 4

"bicycle, bicycle, bicycle"
love it, kpete

My favorite thing EVAR was when mom would be making us a treat on the weekend, be out of vanilla, and go looking for a kid willing to "run up the street" to get it for her. By the time we were done we'd have 6 kids on bikes headed 4 miles to the grocery and then back. Took poor mom a good 4 hours to get her vanilla but oh what fun we had.

My legs are paralyzed now, and even if they weren't this is not a good place for bikes. Too many people here consider their car a battering ram.

I miss it probably even more than dancing.

I do the bike and walking thing
I fill my tank about once a month if that.

I have a double biker stroller and I hitched the kids to the back and we go all over the place on nothing but mommy power

I not only don't want to put $$$ into Big Oil's pocketbook, I don't want to add any unnecessary pollutants to an already overcrowded atmosphere. I am really trying to reduce my carbon footprint whenever possible.

Plus I might get toned up and lose some weight in the process! Can't beat that - win/win combination :hi:

Keep going. Use your gears as much as you need to to not be puffing and blowing. It won't be long til you'll find yourself staying in high gear all the time (since you live in Flatland).

Now if you can also quit smoking tobacco, you'll REALLY have something going.

I walk quite a bit, but I'm surprised how much work bicycling is, at least right now, as I get re-acclimated to it. I'm assuming it will get easier as I get those biking muscles back in shape.

But somehow I seem to get a ittle boost of energy whenever I think of the money I'm not spending on gas.

I'd been riding an old 3-speed Dunelt (think Raleigh) built in 1969 for the last several years. The poor old thing finally gave out in January - you know how difficult it is to find replacement parts for a 40 year old bike? - and I wound up walking until a couple weeks ago when I gave up on trying to get it repaired and bought a new bike. Could not believe how much of a difference 4 months made - hills I used to go up in 3rd just KILLED me. I couldn't consider riding some of the hills - had to get off and walk up (and boy did I feel silly - I imagined all the passing drivers pointing and laughing at the fat old man who was pushing his bike uphill).

And all the time that I was walking I thought I was staying in relatively good shape - walking between 3 and 8 miles every day. It's coming back, but not the way it did when I was just 10 years younger (55 next month).

after having my knees replaced. Have courage and hang in there.

Ms. Bigmack and I now ride about 3,000 miles a year. We don't do long rides, but we try to do it every day. We live in an out-of-the-way place in hilly country, so it's a workout to go to town. Our personal best shopping adventure was bringing a frozen turkey home... 22 lbs.

We're already planning on electric assists for our bikes when we get really old.

my puppy ate the pedals and the seat.

I'm going to replace them now that Her Toothiness is older and less inclined to eat every that doesn't move. Cyclists get a lot of support in town and it'll be nice to travel light again. :)

I used to keep up, patching the tubes, but found it was impossible to keep their little footsies off my bike, so gave up.

Love my bike...it's practically my only asset now, ha!

My bike is in the bedroom because I'm an idiot and didn't put it downstairs. Oh, she also ate my skates except for the hardware. :silly:

Moved out west to ocean, mts, woods. And hills. There are hills everywhere. Not just the dips by rivers, but up and down and up and down. I miss biking in the flatlands. Of course, we don't have tornadoes, mosquitoes or months of snow, but still.

Next, about those ciggies...

I'm using the money to buy a scooter and a new bike.

It's sad that I can't afford to have a fun/project car any more, but I guess it's all for the best.

My legs feel good. My lungs are telling me something else. Just keep hammering away and you'll be Lemond before you know it. Make sure to get a good front light and a flashing red rear one for early morning/night riding!

looking for an old no-speed bike. It's hilly out here,so I'll have to walk uphill untill I'm in better shape. About the smoking, Zippo's light under nearly any condition!Also, nicotine gum is not that bad,especially if you ever want to quit smoking,it kind of eases you into it.I used to chew it at work,until I was ready to quit smoking entirely.

Unfortunately,I am still using nicotine lozenges nearly a year later....... But I'm not complaining,I feel better than I did smoking 2 packs a day for 25 years,so i guess if this is the best I can do,I'll take it!

..Bcuz I'm a 53-year-old amazon woman, and a little road bike doesn't cut it for me! Anyway, this bike is great on hills (and I live in San Francisco), I've never had to put it in its lowest geer to climb. And since the gas price hike, I ride everywhere.

Seriously, you are a kid again once you get on your bike. In a car, I'm screaming thru the windscreen at the idiot who cut me off or didn't signal a left turn, wondering in not so polite terms how he got his license. But on my bike, I'm just happy and free, the endorphins flowing through my blood, letting out a whoop when I've climbed a hill and then get to fly down it.


A highly recommended activity, succeeding on a myriad of levels!

They're too dangerous. I'd get hit by a car for sure! :scared:

I realize that everyone's situation is a bit different but there's nothing inherently dangerous about riding a bike.

The only basic skill you need is the ability to avoid collisions. If you don't have that skill you shouldn't be driving a car either.

My bicycle has been my primary mode of transportation for 20 years and I've never had a physical incident with a car. (Unless you count when I was an idiot teenager and ran a stop sign)

If someone with my poor levels of coordination and reflexes can do it anyone can.

Bikes are only dangerous if their riders behave like idiots. Much like cars. And legs.

As for the thigh muscles, did you stretch before & after you rode? Just a couple of minutes of warm-up and cool-down stretching go a looooong way to getting rid of the soreness.

Happy riding!

... a hose clamp can affix it to the handlebars. Then no problem in the wind. It's still a bitch keeping it lit in the rain. A full-face motocross helmet can help. Or switch to a frame-mounted hookah.

Ridin' with style. I like it.

I haven't ridden a bike since I had my car accident in 97. Before that I rode my bike to work, rode it everywhere! I loved riding my bike. I went and bought a bike about a month ago, but it was too big and I couldn't find any ladies bikes that were shorter. So I became discouraged. It's hard to find a bike that 'fits' you. But I really want to get one and try to see if I can ride one again. It's kind of scary thinking about it. What if I fall over??!! And I have put on weight since I was 24. Had two kids. It's rather depressing. But remembering how great it was just peddling away my stresses and anger.... I am sure it will be hard, but I am willing to try if I can get a good bike. I also live in the country where we have windy roads and crazy drivers. It makes me fear getting the tow thing to put my 2.5 year old in.

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I'm not sure how healthy or safe a $60 bike is. Please maintain it very well. I've seen real disasters out there because of ill maintained bikes. I replace many teeth (dentistry is my profession) because of cycling mishaps.

Please be safe. Wear a helmet. Use front and rear lights near dawn and dusk. Check your brakes and tire integrity and pressure often. Make sure everything is bolted-on tightly. If you don't know how to do bike maintenance thoroughly have it checked over by a local bike shop regularly.

I gave up a car in 2004. I do lease a four cylinder Nissan for my S.O. that I use occasionally. I ride to and from work every day, rain or shine, and do most of my shopping using my bike to transport much of my lifestyle, and I just shake my head in dismay at the proportions of large SUVs occupied by one person.

My primary bike is a high-end custom made road bike costing several thousand dollars, but it has more than paid for itself in car payments, gas, and insurance savings.

Not to mention the health benefits and the absolute joy cycling and the cycling community brings to my life.

I ride more than 15,000 miles a year, and would ride more if time permitted


Yeah baby! Kudos to you! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:


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