Biking questions

[vivian]

Hi. I've been lurking for several months. My husband and I are semi-mustachian without really intending to be and now we are trying to find ways to improve. My question has to do with biking to work. I currently walk to work about 40% of the time. I've been thinking of switching to biking to take less time. I have biked to work in a previous city we lived in, but our current situation is different. Here are the things I'm worried about.

1. Transporting my toddler. Our child care situation is directly next door to where I work. So the two of us need to commute together. I am worried about biking with a trailer. How much harder is it to bike with a trailer? When I biked to work previously, it took me a good two weeks to get in shape and over the initial hump and I imagine that would be even harder with an extra 22 pounds and whatever the weight of the trailer is. And can the child see much out of the trailer? He seriously loves the stroller so he can look at all the buses, trucks, etc.

2. How easy it is to take the trailer on and off? As I think about where to park the bike, there are some options that would be feasible if they could be separated, but I'm not sure if this is something that is feasible to do twice a day.

3. Rain. Does the trailer protect the child from rain? Our walking to work is primarily limited by the chance of rain. I would be willing to have a greater risk of myself getting wet on the ride home if my toddler was still protected from the elements.

4. How much time do you think you save by biking? It currently takes me 25 minutes to walk 1.2 miles. Another reason I walk only less than half the time is that I just can't get out the door early enough to make it in time to work. I'm hoping that the time I save biking could decrease the days I have to drive to save time.

Thanks!

[girly mustache]

Hi Vivian - I've pulled my daughter in a trailer for years (when she was younger I had front and back child seats on the bike - I'll give you my experiences on your questions:

1) Do you have to ride up hills or is it flat? Flat is easy - hills, if they are steep, can be challenging - but all depends on you, your bike, and weight of your child + trailer. Best way to find out? Borrow a trailer and try it.

2) Generally very easy - a few seconds

3) yes, most trailers have rain covers to keep the kid dry. When they get older you can let them snuggle in a warm blanket with a small thermos of hot chocolate for the ultimate enjoyment in rain travel :)

4) 1.2 miles? Maybe 5 minutes...


Best option for all of this is to rent/borrow a trailer and try for yourself - for 1.2 miles - I think this is very doable and enjoyable...

[Mr.Macinstache]

Instead of starting a new thread... I'll ask a few here too.

I have an older heavy GT mountain bike. Is it worth spending the money for new street tires on it? I only paid $115 for it. I'd really like something lighter for my commute..is it worth selling to look for something that is lighter and more road friendly?

[GuitarStv]

When hauling stuff by bike, weight is only really a concern when acceleration comes into play.  If you aren't biking up many hills, the added weight will be hardly noticeable.  It will take you slightly longer to start up from a stop, and slightly longer to slow down though.

A 1.2 mile bike ride usually takes me about 3-4 minutes.  If you're going really slowly (no sweating) you might take 5-6.

[lauren_knows]

To OP:

1. It's only really harder on hills. Flat surfaces, I hardly notice my trailer.

2. This mostly depends on whether or not you have space to keep the trailer fully assembled.  If it's fully assembled and sitting in your garage, it'd take 10 seconds to attach it to your bike.  For me, I have to keep the trailer in my basement (townhouse without a garage) so it takes me a couple minutes to set the thing up, then attach it.

3. My trailer has a mesh screen for general debris, and an optional plastic cover to cover from rain.

4. Conservatively, going super slow, possible traffic stops, I'd say you'd be to work in 10 minutes tops.

Instead of starting a new thread... I'll ask a few here too.

I have an older heavy GT mountain bike. Is it worth spending the money for new street tires on it? I only paid $115 for it. I'd really like something lighter for my commute..is it worth selling to look for something that is lighter and more road friendly?

A lot of variables to answer that question.  Are you pretty much 100% riding on the road (and not doing dirt trails)? Slimmer road tires would be a huge boost.   Is it worth selling? Totally depends on your financial situation, and how many miles you're putting on the bike.  If you have a shorter commute via bike, I'd say get new tires and see how it goes.  If you're riding 15 miles each way, and long rides on the weekend, I'd say consider a new(or used) hybrid.

[lauren_knows]

When hauling stuff by bike, weight is only really a concern when acceleration comes into play.  If you aren't biking up many hills, the added weight will be hardly noticeable.  It will take you slightly longer to start up from a stop, and slightly longer to slow down though.

A 1.2 mile bike ride usually takes me about 3-4 minutes.  If you're going really slowly (no sweating) you might take 5-6.

Not to nitpick, but are you sure you're remembering your rides correctly? Isn't 1.2miles in 3 minutes = (1.2 / (3/60)) = 24mph?  Personally, I consider less than 10mph a "casual" pace (but maybe I'm a slacker).  That'd be closer to 9-10 minutes.

[Mr.Macinstache]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

[lauren_knows]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

Having both a hybrid and a road bike, I will tell you that bike weight makes a huge difference in hills.  That said, if you're only riding 2 miles 5x a week, and not much recreationally, whats the difference?

[Mr.Macinstache]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

Having both a hybrid and a road bike, I will tell you that bike weight makes a huge difference in hills.  That said, if you're only riding 2 miles 5x a week, and not much recreationally, whats the difference?

Probably not much. I just hate the thought of putting nice road tires on an old heavy mt. bike. I do like the thought of making some money selling it and finding a great deal on a used one more suitable though. =)

[Hamster]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

At 2 miles, I wouldn't worry too much about the tires or the weight of the bike. If you wanted to change to slicker road tires, you could get something like these. 26 x 1.75 would be comfortable and roll pretty fast. $32 total for front/back pair. These are another option for $13 each on closeout. Either one would do fine on bike paths, gentle gravel trails as well as the road, although the first is a more road oriented.

If you want to get another bike, go for it, especially if you think you can get a  better deal in transaction. But, I think for <2 miles, the right tool for the job is the one you have available as long as it's not dangerous to ride. For longer rides, I'd recommend something more road-oriented. Regardless of what you ride, you'll need to replace tires now and then.

[vivian]

This is very helpful and motivating to give biking a try again. It is relatively flat, so it is good to know that the  trailer is mostly an issue for accelerating. Thanks!

[Jwesleym]

I recently got road tires for my heavy old MTB, they are Nashbar 26 x 1.5 inch tires. There was a huge difference in my ride to work, it was a very nice upgrade. I ride about 3 miles one way and have hills and wind to deal with.  The new tires made the ride much more smooth, and I could definitely feel the change in weight during hills.  The bike also coasts downhill much faster.  I consistently use higher gears than before the upgrade, and go faster. They are 65 psi tires, which is fine for me since the roads I use are not very well maintained.  I think the upgrade was well worth it, and cheaper than a road bike.

[frompa]

to the OP:  Let us know how you make out, after you've given it a try.   The kids I know who are transported by bike, whether by seat or trailer, absolutely LOVE it.  (Mine did.)  Have fun.

[FLBiker]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

Having both a hybrid and a road bike, I will tell you that bike weight makes a huge difference in hills.  That said, if you're only riding 2 miles 5x a week, and not much recreationally, whats the difference?

Seconded.  Personally, my favorite commuting set up (here in relatively flat Florida) is an aluminum frame, no shock mtn bike with slick tires.  I tend to be kind of rough on my bikes, and I like the freedom to go over curbs / veer off road is need be.  I ride a Gary Fisher Mako (their bottom-of-the-line bike) with a rear rack and a milk crate.  It's not the lightest set up, but that just means I'm burning a few more calories.  For tires, I love the Michelin city tire with reflective sidewalls.  You can find them for about $20 online.  And my absolute favorite accessory is my Safe Zone helmet mounted mirror.  They're a bit expensive ($40 on Amazon) but far and away the best mirror I've found.

[GuitarStv]

When hauling stuff by bike, weight is only really a concern when acceleration comes into play.  If you aren't biking up many hills, the added weight will be hardly noticeable.  It will take you slightly longer to start up from a stop, and slightly longer to slow down though.

A 1.2 mile bike ride usually takes me about 3-4 minutes.  If you're going really slowly (no sweating) you might take 5-6.

Not to nitpick, but are you sure you're remembering your rides correctly? Isn't 1.2miles in 3 minutes = (1.2 / (3/60)) = 24mph?  Personally, I consider less than 10mph a "casual" pace (but maybe I'm a slacker).  That'd be closer to 9-10 minutes.

I do the 11 miles to work in just over 40 minutes.  That's a relatively hilly commute, in city traffic, with multiple stops at lights.  I was calculating by the ratios . . . 11:40 works out to 1:3.6.  Usually you'll be a lot quicker for short distances too, since you don't have to pace yourself . . .

[Mr.Macinstache]

My commute is under 2 miles. I do have a back rack and will need to haul my man purse with a hard drive, lunch and about a half gallon of liquid. There are a few hills too.

I don't do much of any off road riding, so this has me thinking, I need to trade out for a lighter bike instead of trying to fix up the wrong tool to use. GT's do well around here, I think I could get what I paid for it pretty easily. Maybe more.

Having both a hybrid and a road bike, I will tell you that bike weight makes a huge difference in hills.  That said, if you're only riding 2 miles 5x a week, and not much recreationally, whats the difference?

Seconded.  Personally, my favorite commuting set up (here in relatively flat Florida) is an aluminum frame, no shock mtn bike with slick tires.  I tend to be kind of rough on my bikes, and I like the freedom to go over curbs / veer off road is need be.  I ride a Gary Fisher Mako (their bottom-of-the-line bike) with a rear rack and a milk crate.  It's not the lightest set up, but that just means I'm burning a few more calories.  For tires, I love the Michelin city tire with reflective sidewalls.  You can find them for about $20 online.  And my absolute favorite accessory is my Safe Zone helmet mounted mirror.  They're a bit expensive ($40 on Amazon) but far and away the best mirror I've found.

I'm a little jelly here... I want a lighter road bike!

I'm going to try my bike as it is next week and see how it works out. I like the milk crate idea... that might work out for me. I already have the rear rack and crate.

[Eric]

Lots of good ideas here.  I just started commuting 21 miles round trip this week, my first time bike commuting.  I love it so far, but I'm just on an old regular mountain bike, a low end Trek, and I'm pretty slow.  (about 50-55 min for the 10.5 one way, part of the slowness is the sheer number of stoplights though)  I just ordered some smaller slicker tires, figuring that's gotta help a lot.

I'm going to try my bike as it is next week and see how it works out. I like the milk crate idea... that might work out for me. I already have the rear rack and crate.

I also ordered a rear rack and am planning on zip tying a milk crate to it to hold my stuff.  $80 panniers?  No thanks.  I'll take the milk crate that will make my bike look junkier, hold more stuff, and make me less of a target for thieves.

[StarswirlTheMustached]

Milk crates? No no no no no.

Okay, maybe this is personal preference, maybe my balance sucks, maybe I go way too fast through curves on gravel trails, but--crates cause wipe-outs. Putting your centre of gravity that high is just not a good thing. For only slightly more effort, you can rig up something pannier-like which will let you carry way more weight way more securely. You'll claw my panniers from my cold dead hands!

[Mr.Macinstache]

I'm finding some on Amazon for less than $30
http://www.amazon.com/M-Wave-Double-Tripper-Bicycle-Pannier/dp/B001NGD4UI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1377212079&sr=8-2&keywords=panniers

Here's one for $15. This is all I need for lunch I think.
http://www.amazon.com/Multi-functional-Bicycle-Shoulder-Handbag-Pannier/dp/B007MJHFUA/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&qid=1377212146&sr=8-12&keywords=panniers

[chicagomeg]

Milk crates? No no no no no.

Okay, maybe this is personal preference, maybe my balance sucks, maybe I go way too fast through curves on gravel trails, but--crates cause wipe-outs. Putting your centre of gravity that high is just not a good thing. For only slightly more effort, you can rig up something pannier-like which will let you carry way more weight way more securely. You'll claw my panniers from my cold dead hands!

+1. I have the cheap pannier you just posted & I'm quite satisfied with it. Nothing wrong with it for the price. The next most expensive ones are like $70 and I just can't see that they'd be 2x better.

[Hamster]

  I just ordered some smaller slicker tires, figuring that's gotta help a lot.

When going from big tires to narrower tires, make sure to check your tire inflation pressure more often if you aren't already in the habit of checking. Narrower tires need to maintain higher pressures to avoid pinch flats.

[theSchmett]

I put road/hybrid tires in place of some dirt/hybrid tires, on a relatively lightweight sport hybrid (2007 gary fischer kaitai) and its made all the difference.

I'd never suggest this with something expensive like a car, but a bike, especially a used one? Get another! You can always sell the GT.

[TrulyStashin]

A milk crate causes balance issues???  That's news to me.  I have a milk-crate-like plastic bin zip tied to the rack over my bike's rear wheel and I bike to and from work every single day (about 5 miles, roundtrip).  I plop my backpack, purse, and coffee into the bin, pull a bungee over the top of it all and off I go.

Balance issues?  Huh?  Never had a problem.  Never even had an inkling that this was an issue.  I've also toted groceries -- a pork shoulder and a watermelon, even!

The bin was free -- sitting in my garage, unused.   Shortly before I thought of using it, I bought a set of panniers ($65) which I have never used because the bin is more versatile.

Try the bin/ milk crate.  If it causes you balance issues THEN you can try something else. 

[Eric]

  I just ordered some smaller slicker tires, figuring that's gotta help a lot.

When going from big tires to narrower tires, make sure to check your tire inflation pressure more often if you aren't already in the habit of checking. Narrower tires need to maintain higher pressures to avoid pinch flats.

Thanks for the tip.  Is once a week about right?  (100 miles for me)

[Hamster]

  I just ordered some smaller slicker tires, figuring that's gotta help a lot.

When going from big tires to narrower tires, make sure to check your tire inflation pressure more often if you aren't already in the habit of checking. Narrower tires need to maintain higher pressures to avoid pinch flats.

Thanks for the tip.  Is once a week about right?  (100 miles for me)

If you have a pump with reasonably reliable pressure gauge on it, I'd just check it/top off before each ride for a little while, and that will give you a sense of how fast the pressure drops between rides with that tube/tire combo. Generally, the higher the pressure and the skinnier the tires, the faster they lose pressure (which is normal for bike tires), and the more you need to maintain an adequate pressure to avoid pinch flats or damaging your rims when you hit bumps, potholes, etc. My "racing" bike generally gets a top off before each ride (I run it at >110 PSI with 23mm wide tires), and my commuter (~75 PSI 38mm tires - equals about 1.5 inch) about once to twice a week. 

If you want to go crazier than necessary about determining "ideal" tire pressure, put your front and rear wheel each on a different scale, sit on your bike, and check out this old issue of Bicycle Quarterly (referenced of course by Sheldon Brown, RIP)

[GuitarStv]

Milk crates? No no no no no.

Okay, maybe this is personal preference, maybe my balance sucks, maybe I go way too fast through curves on gravel trails, but--crates cause wipe-outs. Putting your centre of gravity that high is just not a good thing. For only slightly more effort, you can rig up something pannier-like which will let you carry way more weight way more securely. You'll claw my panniers from my cold dead hands!

I used a big honking plastic basket on the top of my bike rack for the longest time to haul groceries.  The weight up high does take a little bit of an adjustment to get used to.  I find that it will throw you off balance mostly when you're going really slow and almost stopped.  Once moving, it's quite stable.

Don't get me wrong, I love having panniers . . . but it's very handy to just have a bucket at the back to throw stuff in whenever you need, especially if you're only carrying a few things now and again.

[FLBiker]

A milk crate causes balance issues???  That's news to me.  I have a milk-crate-like plastic bin zip tied to the rack over my bike's rear wheel and I bike to and from work every single day (about 5 miles, roundtrip).  I plop my backpack, purse, and coffee into the bin, pull a bungee over the top of it all and off I go.

I do exactly the same thing -- milk crate ziptied to the bin, bungee over the top of my backpack.  I really like being able to use a regular sized backpack with no repacking.  Plus, it's easy for me to keep my lunch level (useful when bringing soup).  And I got my crate for free, too.  In my experience, if you bike commute for a week or two, you can't help finding a milk crate!  And I've never had any balance issues.  The few times I've fallen have either been to me hitting something I wasn't expecting or mechanical failure (broken crankshaft -- that hurt).

Two other things I really like -- I got a $3 mesh reflective vest at Dollar General and a $7 sheet of reflective dots here: http://www.mcmaster.com/#6042t9/

I put dots all over the frame (and still have a ton left) and the thing lights up like a Christmas tree whenever headlights hit me.

[Mrs WW]

For such a short, and flat commute, biking will be much faster than driving. I dont have trailer experience, but i ride with my three yearold in a seat daily, rain or not. If you and the child are waering rain clothes you wont get wet. An under 2 km ride should not take you more than 10 minutes from the moment you lift your child up on the bike, to the moment youre opening the door to daycare. Fit or not. I promise it wont be a hassle, just fun!

[StarswirlTheMustached]

A milk crate causes balance issues???  That's news to me.  I have a milk-crate-like plastic bin zip tied to the rack over my bike's rear wheel and I bike to and from work every single day (about 5 miles, roundtrip).  I plop my backpack, purse, and coffee into the bin, pull a bungee over the top of it all and off I go.

Balance issues?  Huh?  Never had a problem.  Never even had an inkling that this was an issue.  I've also toted groceries -- a pork shoulder and a watermelon, even!

The bin was free -- sitting in my garage, unused.   Shortly before I thought of using it, I bought a set of panniers ($65) which I have never used because the bin is more versatile.

Try the bin/ milk crate.  If it causes you balance issues THEN you can try something else.

Oh, I agree. If you've got a free crate lying around, give it a shot! But don't give up commuting if it throws you off. It could just be I have awful balance.

[Eric]

Okay, so I did some work on my bike over the weekend.  I changed my tires to skinnier ones, added a rear rack, and then zip tied the milk crate to it.  I had to break out the drill to make a hole in the milk crate plastic to screw my rear bike light into.  That was fun.

The lessened tire rolling resistance is mostly offset by the extra weight of the rack and crate and the increased air drag, but it still makes a little bit of a difference.  I feel like I'm about 5% faster.  That said, I LOVE my milk crate!  I did groceries this weekend, and rode to work this morning.  I can only feel the difference in weight transfer when accelerating while standing from a stop.  So if I get on it to get to top speed quickly, I can feel my extra weight sloshing around a little back there.  But on normal starts, general riding, and around curves, I didn't notice any difference.  And the difference between wearing a 15-20 lb backpack and having it in my crate is incredible.

Check this bad boy out:

[Mr.Macinstache]

That's awesome Eric. No one is going to miss that milk crate either. Additional safety points there. You could also use a couple bungie straps to secure any cargo in the milk crate too, if you need to. Sounds like the tires are a nice upgrade.

[Hamster]

Nice, and even has a baguette!!!

 If you get tired of the milk crate, you can try these home-built panniers

[vivian]

Hi all, I just thought it was overdue to provide an update. I've been biking to work with my son in a trailer and he loves it! I didn't think the trailer made it much more difficult at all. There is one spot on our way home where I've had to get off and walk the rest of the way up a little hill, but it's definitely getting easier.

One thing I've noticed is that the front wheel of the trailer (the small wheel that is on the pole that connects to the bike) never really seems to stay on the ground. I wasn't sure if this was a problem or not.

Thanks for all your encouragement!

[GuitarStv]

*Hi-5*


Typically with trailers the big rear wheels and the arm that connects to your bike are the only support you need, and they make a strong triangle.  Small front wheels are usually just for pushing around the trailer when it's not connected to the bike.