The Money Mustache Community

General Discussion => Share Your Badassity => Topic started by: AlmostIndependent on April 27, 2014, 10:20:28 PM

Title: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on April 27, 2014, 10:20:28 PM
The one thing MMM preaches above all else is the one thing I have been most delinquent in doing. I went down to the local bike collective this afternoon and picked myself up a used bike with a rack already installed for a whopping $100. There are plenty of places (restaurants, bars, stores, the library, etc.) within 5 miles of my house. I really shouldn't use my car at all. Biking pretty much everywhere begins now.

(http://i.imgur.com/NRn68FZ.jpg?1)
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: Janie on April 27, 2014, 11:58:27 PM
Nice! Congratulations.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: FIreDrill on April 28, 2014, 12:41:19 AM
Nice!  I'm hoping to get a Cyclocross bike sometime this summer.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: spoonman on April 28, 2014, 10:41:19 PM
Congrats on the new wheels!  I've been guilty of not embracing a bike, but I just haven't had the need because our city is so darn walkable.  Right now we have a cover on our car because it just sits there collecting dust.  I might buy a bike when we move to another city.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on April 29, 2014, 12:06:06 AM
After what seems like an embarrassingly short 9 miles worth of errands today (the first of which was to get a new lock for my new wheels) I am a little sore (my ass more than anything) but overall I feel great. I dig my new mode of transport.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: Nudelkopf on April 29, 2014, 12:15:47 AM
Woohoo! :D Bike riding is the best!
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: Thegoblinchief on April 29, 2014, 05:35:58 AM
Nice! Make sure to get lights of some kind if you ride at night, and I hope you stick with it. It's great exercise and a great way to explore the city. I see things so much different than in my car
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: pachnik on April 29, 2014, 07:50:45 AM
Congratulations.  Your bike looks like a beauty!

I'm looking forward to buying a bike too (once i get my tax return).
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on April 29, 2014, 11:28:32 AM
Nice! Make sure to get lights of some kind if you ride at night, and I hope you stick with it. It's great exercise and a great way to explore the city. I see things so much different than in my car

Fortunately for me I have several months before it will be dark enough to warrant getting a light. It is on my list of bike accessories to acquire.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: LennStar on April 29, 2014, 12:00:23 PM
After what seems like an embarrassingly short 9 miles worth of errands today (the first of which was to get a new lock for my new wheels) I am a little sore (my ass more than anything) but overall I feel great. I dig my new mode of transport.
Haha! Thats what every new-in-anything has do endure - the pain of the bleeding noob.
It will vanish after a few rides. If not, you should ask someone on your saddle (softer is not necessarily better btw). You should literally sit on your bones. Try to ride every day, it does not need to be for long. Even 2 miles are ok to get used to it.

But you have none of the protective thingys? (mudguard??)
I wonder if you can put a bicycle basket on that back? I like it not only for shopping (dont forget a cotton bag, folded on goes on every pocket), but also for putting books in when going to the library.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on April 29, 2014, 01:14:30 PM
But you have none of the protective thingys? (mudguard??)
I wonder if you can put a bicycle basket on that back? I like it not only for shopping (dont forget a cotton bag, folded on goes on every pocket), but also for putting books in when going to the library.

Mud guards are definitely in order and Im not sure what exactly I want to do in regards to carrying stuff. The current rack came with the bike, I am considering a basket or maybe saddle bags. I figure I'll use it a bit and see what will work best with the stuff I end up doing.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: GuitarStv on April 30, 2014, 08:51:17 AM
I had exactly the same rear rack on an old mountain bike a few years ago.  Wald 582 folding baskets are very handy and fit well on it.  You can fold them up for times you need to squeeze the bike into small spaces and pop 'em out whenever you need to run an errand.  I used a pair of them for a couple years (would have kept using them, but they got badly bent in a hard wipeout I did on some ice this year).
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: prefrontalfinance on May 01, 2014, 03:05:55 PM
Another option is to buy/acquire a cheap (but not too cheap!) bin like this:http://www.tcindustries.net/pages/Milk_Crates.htm
Ziptie to the rack, you can throw whatever you want in.
What I have is a bungee net like this: http://www.bikemanforu.com/products/delta-bungee-cargo-net-fits-all-bike-racks.html
Also a pretty cheap option. The way I'll usually use it (I don't need it all the time), I'll throw everything into a bag (either a cloth grocery bag, or a thicker plastic clothes bag), try and make an even or balanced shape with the top rolled up or folded over, then hook it down.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on July 11, 2014, 12:29:53 PM
I have to give a shout out to GuitarStv and prefrontalfinance. I got the Wald baskets and the bungee cargo net, they have increased the errand capabilities of my bike immensely. I can do pretty much anything except trips for big stuff from Home Depot and Costco runs. Thanks!
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on July 11, 2014, 12:32:48 PM
I have noticed I put significantly less gas in my car. I filled up at Costco yesterday just because I was there already. The Subaru was only down to half a tank and I can't remember the last time I gassed up…at least a month ago…maybe more.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: YK-Phil on July 11, 2014, 12:42:21 PM
This is a doubly Mustachian: first, you got a bike. Second, you got a second-hand bike from a collective.
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on July 11, 2014, 12:48:31 PM
This is a doubly Mustachian: first, you got a bike. Second, you got a second-hand bike from a collective.

I actually went to the collective because I want to fix up my old Trek 6000 which I've had since high school. This was a way to get me off and running with a functional bike quickly. Besides why spend a metric shit ton of cash on a new bike when I can get a perfectly good used one for $100?
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: senorpanqueque on July 16, 2014, 01:09:05 PM
The one thing MMM preaches above all else is the one thing I have been most delinquent in doing. I went down to the local bike collective this afternoon and picked myself up a used bike with a rack already installed for a whopping $100. There are plenty of places (restaurants, bars, stores, the library, etc.) within 5 miles of my house. I really shouldn't use my car at all. Biking pretty much everywhere begins now.


What is a local bike collective? We have a good used bike store in town, but I don't think it would have bikes of this age or price. How would I know if my city has one?
Title: Re: Finally Got A Bike
Post by: AlmostIndependent on July 16, 2014, 02:12:46 PM
The one thing MMM preaches above all else is the one thing I have been most delinquent in doing. I went down to the local bike collective this afternoon and picked myself up a used bike with a rack already installed for a whopping $100. There are plenty of places (restaurants, bars, stores, the library, etc.) within 5 miles of my house. I really shouldn't use my car at all. Biking pretty much everywhere begins now.


What is a local bike collective? We have a good used bike store in town, but I don't think it would have bikes of this age or price. How would I know if my city has one?

It is a non-profit group that promotes biking in our city. The have a shop where you can go work on your bike, they ask for $5/hr donation. They have tools for you to use and a bike mechanic that you can ask for help/advice. They also hold maintenance classes and they have some used bikes that people donate and people fix up to learn bike maintenance. They sell the donated/repaired bikes and the proceeds go to help keeping the doors open.

Our bike collective has a website so a quick Google search brought their page up. If that doesn't work I would ask around in your local bike community.