Do you use your bike for useful stuff ?
Discussion
Pre-COVID I commuted daily by bike and 2 days in 5 was doing the nursery run at the same time (nursery is at work, on university campus). I specifically bought a ‘Dutch bike’ so I could fit a really sturdy bike seat for my first child and carried on doing the same with the second. Only 4.5 miles / 20 minutes each way but meant we went from a 2 car family to just running 1, saves about £900 a year in running costs/parking/etc.
Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
johnpsanderson said:
Pre-COVID I commuted daily by bike and 2 days in 5 was doing the nursery run at the same time (nursery is at work, on university campus). I specifically bought a ‘Dutch bike’ so I could fit a really sturdy bike seat for my first child and carried on doing the same with the second. Only 4.5 miles / 20 minutes each way but meant we went from a 2 car family to just running 1, saves about £900 a year in running costs/parking/etc.
Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
Pics !? Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
johnpsanderson said:
Pre-COVID I commuted daily by bike and 2 days in 5 was doing the nursery run at the same time (nursery is at work, on university campus). I specifically bought a ‘Dutch bike’ so I could fit a really sturdy bike seat for my first child and carried on doing the same with the second. Only 4.5 miles / 20 minutes each way but meant we went from a 2 car family to just running 1, saves about £900 a year in running costs/parking/etc.
Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
Excellent. If only more people thought like this. Once I had the Dutch bike I started using it for nipping to the shop in the village (10-15 minute walk each way) or for the odd occasion where I’d go into town. I have a bus stop immediately outside my house, but it’s marginally quicker by bike and you don’t need to wait for the bus when you want to come home.
On the rare occasion I go to the pub (in town) that’s by bike too. I can ride home via riverside paths, although after midnight the roads here are empty anyway. Saves me £20 in bus/taxi costs.
The Batavus bike I have has a frame fitting lock, that goes through the rear wheel, so i think it’d be hard for someone to actually ride the bike away. But I usually secure it with a fairly solid d-lock. It came from a local charity www.re-cycle.org and was only £125 so although it’d be a pain having to replace it, I’ve already had my money’s worth from it.
I used to take my lad to nursery/preschool on mine. My once gnarly shredder of an On-One Inbred initially gained a Hamax child seat which he'd sit in, and then when he was bigger we I had his bike attached to mine via a Trail Angel device.
I'm a pure octane-blooded PHer who loves all things automotive, however using the car for a 1 mile round trip did seem pretty wrong, especially when car parking at nursery was always such a lottery...there was very little in it time wise obviously by the time I'd faffed around with seatbelts at either end and got in and out of a tight parking space. The roads weren't too busy so it wasn't too risky, and it definitely whetted his appetite for cycling and being independent...since he learned to ride his Islabike properly we've since done 6 miles plus rides together which when you are 4 is pretty cool.
Many years ago I used to both ride to work (I was fortunate that it was mostly downhill to work, uphill home) and ride to the station for a commute, but now I really only ride for leisure. Although when I go bikepacking and my daily route is only one way, and if I need supplies it's a ride to a shop, it does feel a bit different I guess. However when I have a very posh carbon or ti bike outside, protected by the lightest of compact bikepacking friendly cable locks, the shop CCTV must pick up what looks like an episode of Supermarket Sweep with some lycra clad wierdo practically running up and down the aisles...
I'm a pure octane-blooded PHer who loves all things automotive, however using the car for a 1 mile round trip did seem pretty wrong, especially when car parking at nursery was always such a lottery...there was very little in it time wise obviously by the time I'd faffed around with seatbelts at either end and got in and out of a tight parking space. The roads weren't too busy so it wasn't too risky, and it definitely whetted his appetite for cycling and being independent...since he learned to ride his Islabike properly we've since done 6 miles plus rides together which when you are 4 is pretty cool.
Many years ago I used to both ride to work (I was fortunate that it was mostly downhill to work, uphill home) and ride to the station for a commute, but now I really only ride for leisure. Although when I go bikepacking and my daily route is only one way, and if I need supplies it's a ride to a shop, it does feel a bit different I guess. However when I have a very posh carbon or ti bike outside, protected by the lightest of compact bikepacking friendly cable locks, the shop CCTV must pick up what looks like an episode of Supermarket Sweep with some lycra clad wierdo practically running up and down the aisles...
johnpsanderson said:
PushedDover said:
Pics !?
Of?I could take a picture of my generic Dutch bike if you like as it's outride my window, in the rain and weather, waiting to be used. No garage queen! The patina of rust helps deter thieves. As to locks, it has the usual wheel lock that all Dutch bikes have and a selection of chains and cables depending on where I will be locking it. It has a folding seta on the back for kids. The handlebar seat went a few years ago as we have no toddlers anymore.
It has approximately 3 gears and some vague retardation devices - braking needs pre-planning. Crappy roller brakes.
It's worth approximately nothing and looks identical to around 10 million other bikes in Holland
I've got a old MTB I use as a single speed for shopping sometimes. I've found I can transport 6x2 litre bottles on the top tube. They come shrink wrapped and I sit them lengthways on the top and wedge the saddle in the gap of the end two, which holds them steady enough to push it back without even holding them. I've done four and ridden it but don't think I've done the six. Between my shoulder bag and a carrier bag on the bars that's about my limit.
PushedDover said:
I 'm expecting a dutch cargo bike or similar being used for various child carrying duties etc. Or did I misread it for a standard old school bike ?
I wish! I would have liked one of those massive things that look like someone stuck a wheelbarrow on the front, but there wouldn’t have been any cost savings if I’d got one!
I think this was a pricey bike when new, hub dynamo at front and 7spd SRAM hub gears with coaster brake at back, so felt like a bargain when I bought it.
Edit: when I bought it I assumed I’d loose the massive stem extender as soon as I got home. It was about a 12 mile ride home (probably the longest journey I’ve ever done on it!) and I realised it means your head is basically at the same height as someone in a Transit van, which makes it good for riding in urban traffic, so I kept it!
Edited by johnpsanderson on Monday 2nd November 13:04
I want a used kids cycle trailer to attach to mine so I can start using the bike for the weekly shopping run.
Wife thinks I’m mental, I think the prices of used ones during lockdown was mental.
Sadly her position of “you’re not getting one of those bloody things” is winning because I am out of storage space for even a folding one.
Wife thinks I’m mental, I think the prices of used ones during lockdown was mental.
Sadly her position of “you’re not getting one of those bloody things” is winning because I am out of storage space for even a folding one.
johnpsanderson said:
I wish! I would have liked one of those massive things that look like someone stuck a wheelbarrow on the front, but there wouldn’t have been any cost savings if I’d got one!
I think this was a pricey bike when new, hub dynamo at front and 7spd SRAM hub gears with coaster brake at back, so felt like a bargain when I bought it.
Edit: when I bought it I assumed I’d loose the massive stem extender as soon as I got home. It was about a 12 mile ride home (probably the longest journey I’ve ever done on it!) and I realised it means your head is basically at the same height as someone in a Transit van, which makes it good for riding in urban traffic, so I kept it!
Edited by johnpsanderson on Monday 2nd November 13:04
My cyclo-cross bike is very uncomfortable to ride slowly.
I don't have any transport other than the 4 bikes here in Budapest, so yes.
All the things you mentioned. Plus holidays via train/bike with a bigger backpack here too.
WFH has pretty much curtailed the commute. I did start going in Weds/Thurs for a few weeks but work asked us to stay away.
All the things you mentioned. Plus holidays via train/bike with a bigger backpack here too.
WFH has pretty much curtailed the commute. I did start going in Weds/Thurs for a few weeks but work asked us to stay away.
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