CycleMonth Challenge: Completed...with interesting results

As I posted in a previous thread, during the month of September I cycled all distances up to 8 miles round trip. This was far outside my normal cycling, which was sporadic at best.

So check out these stats:

Average miles I'd drive in my car a month: 1366
Miles I drove during CycleMonth: 614

Money saved during CycleMonth on gasoline/wear & tear/misc. car-related costs: Approximately $307

My weight first thing in the morning on Sept. 1st: 190.2 lbs.
My weight first thing this morning (Oct. 1st): 190.2 lbs. (haha!)

Plus I got 4 or 5 work outs in each week simply by cycling places like the grocery, the bank, the pharmacy, etc.

I also learned to true the wheels on my bike, do some brake work, and modify things too, such as putting a basket rack over the rear wheel.


The question now is: Do I continue CycleMonth indefinitely?

Could you use an extra $300 a month? I seem to remember someone with a pricey trout habit... ;)

ETA: Awesome accomplishment, btw. Do you feel healthier, stronger, if not lighter?

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Originally Posted by kib

Could you use an extra $300 a month? I seem to remember someone with a pricey trout habit... ;)

ETA: Awesome accomplishment, btw. Do you feel healthier, stronger, if not lighter?

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The $300 is nice. I was just thinking: "If I put $300 into an IRA each month..."

I do feel healthier. I wouldn't say I am in shape though. haha

Wow, that is a great challenge!
I can see that it might be hard to do in winter. Are there other reasons why would you not want to continue?

I'm just starting to seriously bike for transportation. The biggest drawback to me is that I can't carry much on my bike. I added a rear basket and have bungie strapped a milk crate to my rack, but sometimes it's not quite enough. Then I end up heading back to the store in my car, which seems stupid. I have also found that I needed to tweak stuff on my bike - new handlebar grips, front and rear lights.

I checked out an electric power-assist trike with a big basket on the back, and I'm thinking that might be the way to go.

Studded tires for snow. I put them on my winter bike every year. Slow and steady is the way I ride in that type of Michigan weather. It is not a fast ride for me, but gets me out when I want. Proper clothing is a priority with inclement weather riding. A few winters ago I made a mindset to head out everyday no matter what and no matter how far. I rode to the end of the road just to say I rode if that was what I could do. Ok Winter strong wind or Ice I stay home.

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Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler

The $300 is nice. I was just thinking: "If I put $300 into an IRA each month..."

I do feel healthier. I wouldn't say I am in shape though. haha

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$3600 per year extra saved is a lot. Even if you ride eight months that is $2400. Plus your car will last longer. I would say reducing car use and not driving expensive cars was the # 2 thing that got us to early retirement. (Cooking everything from scratch every day was #1. ).

Just do do a little research on tweaking your diet a little to lose a little here and there if that is your goal. Not dieting, but making healthier substitutions and cutting down 100 or so calories a day. In a year that is ten pounds.

I used to ride my bike everywhere. It saved me a lot of money. I bought a Burley Travoy bike trailer and loved it. They're kind of pricey, but very well made. I still use it. I'm now car light again, but may start biking again soon.

Glad to hear you are saving all that money. It really adds up over time.

We were car-free for eight years until our oldest daughter got into a charter middle and high school way out on the edge of the city. I am still unhappy about having a car. The money we save by having the mortgage paid off is, to a great extent, offset by the money we spend owning, insuring, maintaining, and fueling a car, (and two scooters). My preference still runs bicycle-scooter-and as very last resort-car. I'd be happy to get rid of it, but my kids have been making up for lost time in terms of needing to be driven to activities. In some ways, I'm fine with that, but in others, I wish they had developed the patience to ride the bus and bicycle through their early childhood training. My 14 year old son does still bicycle, walk and ride his bicycle fairly long distances. My 16 year old daughter prefers to ride her Yamaha Vino scooter or get a ride from one of us.

We do have one bike with studded snow tires. It's very nice riding in the winter, though you have to pick a good gear, because the derailleurs freeze up.

I could go back to the bus if I had to...I used to put my bike on the bus. I love having a car, but it is more expensive. The bus pass was only $32.00 a month. However, it involved a lot of waiting. It was a challenge during our hot summers, and there was also the hassle factor. But, I know I could go back to it if I needed to do so. I just spent $1,300. replacing the timing belt in my Beetle. But, it's a wonderful little car, and I inherited it. So, I look at the big picture.

The auto industry has a little something to say about reversing the trend of Americans spending large percentages of their monthly net income on cars. It's called advertising but it is truly mind programming. I mean my favorite commercial right now is subaru, dog bucket list. So I looked at my daughters Subaru Crosstrac and thought, "yeah! I could be comfortable in this and it is all wheel drive". Never mind I already have a Ford Escape that is only 2 years old.

A bicycle is impractical in a lot of ways especially in the northeast. There are no berms to ride them on. You can't carry much with you. Inclement weather reduces you to seasonal use. I have two bicycles and a bike rack that fits on a tow hitch. Just what the auto industry would like to see......even if I ride my bike, I Have to drive it to the bike trail.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Gardenarian

Wow, that is a great challenge!
I can see that it might be hard to do in winter. Are there other reasons why would you not want to continue?

I'm just starting to seriously bike for transportation. The biggest drawback to me is that I can't carry much on my bike. I added a rear basket and have bungie strapped a milk crate to my rack, but sometimes it's not quite enough. Then I end up heading back to the store in my car, which seems stupid. I have also found that I needed to tweak stuff on my bike - new handlebar grips, front and rear lights.

I checked out an electric power-assist trike with a big basket on the back, and I'm thinking that might be the way to go.

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The Xtracycle is something worth looking into. http://www.xtracycle.com/

Quote:

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Originally Posted by flowerseverywhere

$3600 per year extra saved is a lot. Even if you ride eight months that is $2400. Plus your car will last longer. I would say reducing car use and not driving expensive cars was the # 2 thing that got us to early retirement. (Cooking everything from scratch every day was #1. ).

Just do do a little research on tweaking your diet a little to lose a little here and there if that is your goal. Not dieting, but making healthier substitutions and cutting down 100 or so calories a day. In a year that is ten pounds.

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I would love to start cooking everything at home from scratch. I would be quite the hard ass frugal type then! My two problems are:
1. I get weak -- or sad and depressed -- or I have no grit after a tough day. Then I end up getting a pizza. :/ Though this does not happen much at all anymore. I used to go out to eat 4 times a week, sometimes more. But now it is way less frequent.

2. My girlfriend LOVES to go out to eat. So date night usually involve going out to eat. But this past weekend, for example, I made homemade pizza for her (deep dish) with four cheeses, tomatoes, two kinds of onion, and spicy pesto for her. I also made Tunisian shakshuka (yums!). I am hoping to show her that making food together can be more fun than a restaurant but still as tasty. :)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Williamsmith

The auto industry has a little something to say about reversing the trend of Americans spending large percentages of their monthly net income on cars. It's called advertising but it is truly mind programming. I mean my favorite commercial right now is subaru, dog bucket list. So I looked at my daughters Subaru Crosstrac and thought, "yeah! I could be comfortable in this and it is all wheel drive". Never mind I already have a Ford Escape that is only 2 years old.

A bicycle is impractical in a lot of ways especially in the northeast. There are no berms to ride them on. You can't carry much with you. Inclement weather reduces you to seasonal use. I have two bicycles and a bike rack that fits on a tow hitch. Just what the auto industry would like to see......even if I ride my bike, I Have to drive it to the bike trail.

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Check out How To Live Well Without Owning A Car by Christopher Balish. He has all sorts of work-arounds so that just about anyone could go very "car-light" and a huge swath of the population could go car-free.

I live in Columbus, OH where we do have a decent number of bike trails for joy riding. But as for commuting, the city is set up for CARS, CARS, and more CARS! It is like mania. And every other car is driven by a nimrod on a cell phone.

But here is how I am currently managing my car-light ways. :)

I live in a place where my doctor, dermatologist, Atheist community office, pharmacy, grocery (Krog's, Traders, Whole Paycheck, Big Bird, Aldi, and the Evil Empire) are all within an 8 mile ride (total, not one way). I am also within a couple miles of "little India" where my favorite restaurants are! There is also a sporting goods store with fishing stuff 2 miles away and a pet store. There are other things, but they don't spring to mind.

I mostly just have to drive long distances to go crappie fishing, to visit my girlfriend, to take my girlfriend on date nights, and to go to work.

Here is a little thought-of secret to living a car-light life:

Just live close to a major grocery store. They almost all have things like household stuff, school supplies, kitchenware, etc. and a pharmacy. Simply by living near a grocery store you can cut your driving way, way down!

That Xtracycle is cool! I'm thinking of a trike for shopping and stuff because I'm almost entirely deaf and also have some balance issues. I'd love to be more visible and more stable! My regular bike is great for recreational riding, but it can be pretty scary on busy roads.

This is the one I'm looking at: http://ashlandelectricbikes.com/rogue-sherpa/ Pretty expensive, I know - but we are hoping to get down to just one car.

That'll be me, the crazy lady in the trike with the flags and the flowered basket!

Hmm, just had a thought...this would make a lovely Xmas gift, to me :)