More people riding their bikes than driving their cars?

[obie]

Noticed here, too (Boston/Cambridge/Somerville). Yesterday was absolutely gross - mid-90s and HUMID - and as I rode into Boston for the Sox game, I have never ever ever seen so many people on bikes commuting back out of town. At every intersection there were 5-10. It was unbelievable! Especially because it was so gross out; I would have thought that lots of new commuters (and plenty of veteran commuters) would be turned off by the sweat and heat.

And as for buses, I was stuck behind one today on the ride in, and I was amazed to see how many people were getting on.

Things are changing!

[Aggie_Ama]

They are breaking new ground on a grocery store one mile from my house, sounds like a good excuse to get one of these. Right now the closest store is a 10 mile bike ride.

[PscyclePath]

They are breaking new ground on a grocery store one mile from my house, sounds like a good excuse to get one of these. Right now the closest store is a 10 mile bike ride.

Grocery-bag panniers would probably be a better investment... I tried tooling around with one of these tricycles a couple of weeks ago when we were helping out with an event at the local bike rental place. It just felt wierd, and wobbly...

A good set of panniers will hold about as much and the bike will likely be easier for you.

And yep... it's 15 miles from my little abode to the nearest grocery store of any sort.

Tom

[Trek420]

It just felt wierd, and wobbly...

Wobbly? I would think it would feel stable yet slower

There's a grocery store mmmm, 3 blocks from me. More of my neighbors walk there now, walk back with the carts leave the carts in the green space round here.

I get a sprint workout. Like last night ran 4 carts out to the sidewalk so the guy who picks up "escaped carts" can find them

[Aggie_Ama]

A good set of panniers will hold about as much and the bike will likely be easier for you.

Well my commuter bike is a road bike and is comfortable with a moderate load but not sure about groceries.

Maybe I can get a BOB trailer and connect it to my mountain bike? My husband thinks I am crazy but my real reason is I want to park near the exit.

[Tuckervill]

The middle school near here has a bunch of bikes, and I helped with a race they had on Field Day. Two of the bikes are trikes like that one, for kids who need them. Apparently no one who actually needs the trikes actually rides them. Two boys hopped on and did the entire race with one rear wheel cocked up off the ground! Needless to say they were very slow, but they were having the BEST time, and I wanted to try it, but I was afraid to "go there" and get in trouble with the other adults. lol.

Karen

[Melalvai]

They are breaking new ground on a grocery store one mile from my house, sounds like a good excuse to get one of these. [picture of trike]

Or get a trailer.

[surgtech1956]

The other day we were on the expressway and passed this one exit where there is a I call it a 'park and ride' - where people leave their cars to carpool, the lot was packed with at least 30 cars. Over the years the most I've seen there were maybe 5-6 cars.

[bikerHen]

Well my commuter bike is a road bike and is comfortable with a moderate load but not sure about groceries.

Maybe I can get a BOB trailer and connect it to my mountain bike? My husband thinks I am crazy but my real reason is I want to park near the exit.

A+ recomendation for a BOB trailer. I got one for christmas and have been using it to haul all sorts of things. I got an "atta girl" for beating the cost of gas, from an elderly gentleman as I was loading BOB up at the grocery store on Monday.

And . . . I saw four bike commuters on my way home yesterday. That's three more than I have ever seen on my commutes! bikerHen

[Geonz]

This is the creature to get, tho' now they are getting so popular they're hard to find.

(here's mine: )




You can put it on the bike you have. Turns the back of hte bike into the back seat of a car.

[Aggie_Ama]

Sue- You're my idol. Actually that is pretty darn cool.

The store is still a year or more from completion, so it is not any time soon. I might convert my mountain bike to an errand bike with a rigid fork and do the BOB trailer. My mountain bike was always intended to be a starter. She doesn't see the trail enough but she does get me to the community swimming pool! It is so odd all the neighbors will drive the .5 mile to the pool. It is a 10 minute walk from any house in the neighborhood, takes us 2 minutes or less to bike!

I met another commuter today who has just started. He was lamenting that I was riding way too fast to keep up. On Mondays I usually see Mr. Gary Fisher, that is what I call him since he rides his Gary Fisher and talks to me. He just started for this year, did some last summer.

[mudmucker]

Geonz, I love that!

I've just started commuting myself. A 22 mi one-way trip biking with still a half hour or so 30 mile drive. I posted in another commuter thread earlier. I have a 104 mi/day roundtrip to work. I saved 88 miles of driving this week. I see several commuters on the road, but I am probably new to them as I've just started.

Unfortunately there are no buses and trains where I am. The nearest commuter train is still a 25 minute drive and it wouldn't take me northwest to Lowell where I work, but due east into Boston.

I know many people I talk to are very conscious on saving trips, thinking twice about that trip to the store until they can bundle it up with other errands nearby. I think it really is on the forefront of people's minds. Although these people I know wouldn't get groceries with a bike.

My nearest really good has everything grocery store is about 14 miles in either direction. There is one closer convenience store for emergencies that is about 6 miles although there is a 3 mile hill between me and it on the way back. If I wanted yogurt or anything good like that I'd have to go the 14. I make a lot of things from scratch just to save me a trip to the store.

Since I still am driving for my commute to work I always stop to get groceries on the way home. But I am going to refurbish my old mt bike and make it into a commuter of sorts. It has a broken sun-tour derailler, now obsolete (now you know how old it is - front suspension, what is that). A friend actually sold me an entire xtr used gruppo for $60 so I'll overhaul with that. I have an old rack with panniers from the early 90's which are still in excellent condition.

Right now there are quite a few existing rail trails throughout the state here in MA. Some link to each other, some link to those in NH. The longer ones seem to go north-south. There are a few proposed rail trails. My company is bidding to do the environmental permitting on a 26-miler that goes from Danvers through Newburyport past Salisbury Beach up to the MA-NH line. I would be jealous over that one. There is also one that is proposed in Townsend. Unfortunately here in MA, several abutters are contesting the rail trails. NIMBY, Not in My Backyard.

Even though our state budget is hurting like everyone else's, I think there is a new mindset as there is funding for these rail trails. As gas prices increase I believe there will be pressure for things to happen.

[Melalvai]

A+ recomendation for a BOB trailer. I got one for christmas and have been using it to haul all sorts of things. I got an "atta girl" for beating the cost of gas, from an elderly gentleman as I was loading BOB up at the grocery store on Monday.

I think the Xtracycles are very cool, but I don't have one. (yet.)
I used a Bob trailer once and hated it. Everyone I know either loves it or hates it.
For a very cheap trailer, buy a used kiddie trailer. Even if the cloth or plastic seats are unusable, it's really easy to take the axle & hitch off the old trailer and put it on a piece of plywood. Or just use it as is until the plastic falls apart, then salvage it.

[KnottedYet]

I have "plans" for SKnot's Kona Smoke, when he outgrows it.

Mmmm, 26" wheels, sturdy steel frame, comfortable stable geometry, simple reliable components.... Xtracycle!!!!

The boy is almost 6' these days... got it for a 5'8" rider... I can see the future, and the future is almost now!

[Trek420]

Knott, where do you "plan" to put this? Are there x-tra bike racks