The Pain At The Pump

[Conan71]

How do you intend to deal with the pain at the pump as gas prices keep rising?  Drive less?  Buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle?  Better trip and errand planning? Take mass transit? Walk/bike/run?

We'd gotten off topic on another discussion about my neighborhood (Lortondale) being sort of a micro city with everything I need within a comfortable bicycle ride a week or two back. 

Since yesterday was such a nice day, FMC and I decided to see how practical that could be on our vintage "tank bikes".  We rode from 27th & Darlington up to Hudson, over 31st St. at Hudson, around the traffic circle at 36th and to the Reasor's at 41st & Yale.  We got what groceries we needed and fit them in our back packs.  Went to Sports Authority for ping pong balls for the cats (great cat toys, if you've never tried it) rode west on 41st to Whiteside, then meandered to 27th & Harvard to Braum's for milk & OJ, then back home.  Then we rode around for another hour around the neighborhood.

Once I find a couple of baskets for the bikes, we can get bigger items. One thing we didn't have room for was a big jug of cat litter, so we saved that trip for later in the day when I needed to run to Lowe's with the car.  Higher gas prices won't affect me adversely financially, if anything they result in an uptick in business where I work. 

As well, FMC is in the process of moving here at a pretty good time which means the days of one of us commuting every weekend are pretty well over which will result in more savings.  Both our cars get fairly good mileage, but we do get an obvious health benefit from cycling.  I also figure by being forced to buy fewer groceries at a time due to limited carrying capacity on a bike, that means less likelihood of spoilage when you are only buying a few days groceries at a time.

I figured it was finally time to quit talking about doing more bike commuting and doing it.  Great time of year for it.

[RecycleMichael]

Bravo for you. Most Americans only see bicycles as exercise, not as transport. I see pictures of bicyclists in other countries and they all have bikes with baskets. I never see them in this country.

I think we need to get pictures of celebrities riding bikes with baskets. Making them cool would change our ways.

[carltonplace]

I like your approach to this topic; rising fuel prices are inevitable regardless of the promises of any particular politician, regardless of stripe. Any plan to keep prices low will always be temporary due to the nature of the resource.

Taking my bike rather than my car makes each trip more of an adventure and less of a chore (weather permitting). I experience the world differently, I see things I wouldn't notice behind the wheel. Currently I also keep my purchases to what i can carry on my back, but I plan to buy a rack and some paniers to be able to carrier more (like a six-pack or bottle of vodka or gallon of milk). Meeting friends for a drink is almost always done by bike rather than car, trips downtown are done on bike (hassle free parking!). Saturday I rode my bike to Turkey Mountain to meet a friend for a hike along the trails.

Eventually my old Pathfinder will need to be replaced. I hope that when I'm ready to buy a new vehicle that there will be more choices for alternative fuel vehichles, and I'm leaning towards that type of purchase over a traditional gasoline only powered combustion engine. I promise not to produce too much "smug".

[Conan71]

I like your approach to this topic; rising fuel prices are inevitable regardless of the promises of any particular politician, regardless of stripe. Any plan to keep prices low will always be temporary due to the nature of the resource.

Taking my bike rather than my car makes each trip more of an adventure and less of a chore (weather permitting). I experience the world differently, I see things I wouldn't notice behind the wheel. Currently I also keep my purchases to what i can carry on my back, but I plan to buy a rack and some paniers to be able to carrier more (like a six-pack or bottle of vodka or gallon of milk). Meeting friends for a drink is almost always done by bike rather than car, trips downtown are done on bike (hassle free parking!). Saturday I rode my bike to Turkey Mountain to meet a friend for a hike along the trails.

Eventually my old Pathfinder will need to be replaced. I hope that when I'm ready to buy a new vehicle that there will be more choices for alternative fuel vehichles, and I'm leaning towards that type of purchase over a traditional gasoline only powered combustion engine. I promise not to produce too much "smug".

Too much smug, love it! 

Most people don't realize you really can get just about anywhere in Tulsa from the middle of town in about 30 minutes or less by bike.  No I'm not trying to become a bicycle activist, but rather an advocate.  I can definitely see the health benefits since I started riding seriously 2 1/2 years ago.  I've primarily ridden for recreation or when I would commute to work last summer it was part of training for a major event and I needed every extra training mile I could get.

One other thing impressed me: As FMC and I rode through the parking lot of the center the Reasor's is in, I was wondering if they had a sign or something to lock our bikes to and was impressed to learn they had a bike rack out front.  I think it's pretty cool stores will cater to cyclists somewhat.  I've noticed the rack is almost always 1/2 full at Whole Paycheck, that really isn't much of a surprise though.

I suspect my car mileage will drop by at least 1/2 or more this year.  Over the last 12 months, I clocked just about 30,000.  The every-other week commute to OKC didn't help, but I also had quite a few longer trips via car.  The only long car trip we have planned for this year is Colorado in August.  I was in the high country six times this last year.

For me, it's somewhat of a return to my roots.  I used to ride everywhere when I was a child.  We lived at 25th & Delaware until I was 11, I'd ride to Barnard Elementary, Utica Square, Steve's Sundries, plus I had a paper route I did on the bike.  Of course that's back before we had all the worries in letting our kids out of our sight as we do now.

[Gaspar]

Too much smug, love it! 

Most people don't realize you really can get just about anywhere in Tulsa from the middle of town in about 30 minutes or less by bike.  No I'm not trying to become a bicycle activist, but rather an advocate.  I can definitely see the health benefits since I started riding seriously 2 1/2 years ago.  I've primarily ridden for recreation or when I would commute to work last summer it was part of training for a major event and I needed every extra training mile I could get.

One other thing impressed me: As FMC and I rode through the parking lot of the center the Reasor's is in, I was wondering if they had a sign or something to lock our bikes to and was impressed to learn they had a bike rack out front.  I think it's pretty cool stores will cater to cyclists somewhat.  I've noticed the rack is almost always 1/2 full at Whole Paycheck, that really isn't much of a surprise though.

I suspect my car mileage will drop by at least 1/2 or more this year.  Over the last 12 months, I clocked just about 30,000.  The every-other week commute to OKC didn't help, but I also had quite a few longer trips via car.  The only long car trip we have planned for this year is Colorado in August.  I was in the high country six times this last year.

For me, it's somewhat of a return to my roots.  I used to ride everywhere when I was a child.  We lived at 25th & Delaware until I was 11, I'd ride to Barnard Elementary, Utica Square, Steve's Sundries, plus I had a paper route I did on the bike.  Of course that's back before we had all the worries in letting our kids out of our sight as we do now.

When are you going to start growing the Skullet?

[Conan71]

When are you going to start growing the Skullet?

JFC!!!!! DID YOU REALLY HAVE TO GO THERE?!?!?!

Bleach!!! Where's the bleach?!!!!

[DolfanBob]

Is it me or does he look like a "Lord of the Rings" troll ?

[Townsend]

Is it me or does he look like a "Lord of the Rings" troll ?

Now that you mention it, he's starting to look like Gollum.

   

[Hoss]

Now that you mention it, he's starting to look like Gollum.

   

What's worse now is that I have the phrase 'my precious' juxtaposed now.  Thanks a damn lot you guys! 

[Ed W]

When I was commuting by bicycle, my annual car mileage was about 6,000 miles, half of that from driving back east on vacation.  I drove to work so little that it felt strange to have to find a parking space.  The bike rack is directly in front of the building.  My car sat in the driveway for weeks without moving, and one evening some neighbors came by to see if I was OK. 

There are lots of ways to carry stuff on a bike.  If you need to move heavy items, say, a couple of gallons of milk, orange juice, or the like, remember that it weighs 8 pounds per gallon.  You can put 3 one gallon jugs in a messenger bag, for instance, but it makes your center of gravity very high.  Getting out of the saddle or climbing hills is difficult as it sways a lot.  Front baskets can increase wheel 'flop' when weighted down, so the best choice is a pannier or similar rear bag.  Sure, you can fix a milk crate atop a rear rack, but it has the same effect on CG as the big messenger bag.

It can get a little weird if you really get hooked on bike commuting.  You'll discover a tremendous need for a second bike.  In my case, I wanted a bad weather bike with fenders, lights, and a fixed gear so my good weather bike could be unencumbered.  It eventually sprouted fenders too.  They really extend the usefulness of the bike in wet conditions. 

[Conan71]

When I was commuting by bicycle, my annual car mileage was about 6,000 miles, half of that from driving back east on vacation.  I drove to work so little that it felt strange to have to find a parking space.  The bike rack is directly in front of the building.  My car sat in the driveway for weeks without moving, and one evening some neighbors came by to see if I was OK. 

There are lots of ways to carry stuff on a bike.  If you need to move heavy items, say, a couple of gallons of milk, orange juice, or the like, remember that it weighs 8 pounds per gallon.  You can put 3 one gallon jugs in a messenger bag, for instance, but it makes your center of gravity very high.  Getting out of the saddle or climbing hills is difficult as it sways a lot.  Front baskets can increase wheel 'flop' when weighted down, so the best choice is a pannier or similar rear bag.  Sure, you can fix a milk crate atop a rear rack, but it has the same effect on CG as the big messenger bag.

It can get a little weird if you really get hooked on bike commuting.  You'll discover a tremendous need for a second bike.  In my case, I wanted a bad weather bike with fenders, lights, and a fixed gear so my good weather bike could be unencumbered.  It eventually sprouted fenders too.  They really extend the usefulness of the bike in wet conditions. 

I don't suffer from a lack of bikes 

I've got my primary road bike, the carbon Bianchi, another other late model Bianchi which is set up for crit racing, then there is my old CrMo frame 1984 Bianchi (like riding a giant spring down the road)

Add to that:

Mountain bike
Cyclocross bike
Hank the Tank

Plus FMC's three bikes.  Think we have a cycling problem in my house?

I'm actually thinking about fitting the oldest Bianchi with panniers and a rear rack.  That would likely be the one I'd ride back and forth to the office the most or take when I've got more load to carry and keep a set of lights on it.  The rear rack on the old tank bike is sturdy but not really sure how many cycles of loaded weight and vibration it will take.  Might be just fine for lighter loads.

Do you have a web site or local outfitter you've been particularly happy with on commuter outfitting?

[Ed W]

I've bought cycling equipment from a variety of local shops, but out of all of them, Tom's is my favorite.  Maybe because he has more gray hair than me!

[sauerkraut]

Gasoline is like food we need it for our modern lifestyle and we have to pay whatever price they ask. I plan to deal with it by helping to get Obama out of office. Mitt, Newt or Rick anyone but Obama in 2012.... Domestic  oil  Drilling is down 40% on federal lands, we are short refinery capacity, Obama closed some Texas refineries. Gasoline is always high with democrats in control- remember the Jimmy Carter gas lines and dry gas stations, odd-even rationing, all because of OPEC's embargo, since we can't drill for our own oil.

[Gaspar]

We are being "Denied Access" to gasoline!

[sauerkraut]

The USA is said to be the OPEC of natural gas, we have natural gas up the wazoo-- but like with oil, the  democrats and the EPA choking are our nations fuel development. They want windmills that have been tryed and failed in the past, and solar power that is expensive and does not work well.. Natural gas in cars burns very clean, engines last longer, it's cheap. Why not a hybred that burns gasoline & natural gas? We have hybreds for gasoline and E-85, and gasoline & Expensive batteries... Another idea - What about making natural gas cars and also having gasoline cars? The compition between the two fuels will lower the cost of gasoline. Nothing like this will happen as long as we have radicals like Obama in control.