So after a summer of riding my Trek Madone, it was time to get a car. I’ve driven 450 miles on $28 bucks; an average 49 miles per gallon. Not only is the gas mileage great, but the ride is great and the interior is loaded with gadgets. If you are thinking about a Prius then all you have to do is test drive this car, and you will be sold. I love my Prius! I am so spoiled (I’ll post a real picture soon).
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Archive for the 'Going Green' Category
I hit the 600 mile mark today on my bike heading home from work. Not bad since I bought my bike in April. That’s about 5 miles a day. I need to build a feed or a counter for my mileage to post on the blog.
Commuting is fun; I just wish I lived further away from work!
I’m also saving a gallon or more of gas a day by riding my bike.
Ok, the Enertia is not really cooler than a Harley, but I would probably choose the electric motorcycle over the gas guzzling pollutant hog. I’m probably in the minority of Americans, who could fall in love with a motorcycle that doesn’t rumble the windows of your neighbors. But there is a growing demand for green, and like the Prius the Enertia is pretty cool.
CO2 emission grams per kilometer is 22 g compared to 140 and 130 for the average motorcycle and Toyota Prius respectively. Granted this can be reduced further if you are recharging the Enertia w/ a renewable source i.e. Wind or Solar.
Unlike a Harley you won’t be screaming 70 mph down the highway heading to Sturgis because the Enertia only does a top speed of 50 mph for approximately 45 miles, which makes this bike very much a commuter, and roam around the neighborhood cruiser.
At $11,000 - $15,000 the price is a little steep, but if mass production can get the Enertia down around $5,000 or $6,000 then this becomes a great alternative to driving your car during the spring - summer - fall months. Until then I think I’ll ride my ZEV (Zero Emissions Vehicle) and eventually buy a Prius.
Here’s a little love for my local bike shop. If you are in the provo/orem area this is a great shop. They carry a variety of brands including Trek, Gary Fisher and Specialized. They have a great selection of Womens bikes too. They will throw in free service for a year and 20% off accessories if you purchase a bike from them; not a bad deal. They also promise a class on bike maintenance. Don’t hold your breath I have yet to see that scheduled.
Anyone out there training for a triathlon? I want to start, so any advice would be great.
What the hell happened? Did those crazy philosophy professors at UVSC get a hold of me and brain wash me? Nope. I can sum it up in two problems: I got fat, and so did the oil companies. The solution: I bought a bicycle, and to ensure I used it I sold my 4Runner.
Crazy? Just a little. But since riding my bike, in March, I’ve lost 20 lbs, and saved about $500.
I haven’t been perfect at riding my bike everyday, but 98% of the time my fat butt is riding down 500 West at 7 am. My commute is only 8 miles, but to make it worth my while I climb all 8 flights of stairs carrying my bike, and on my way home I take the long way and some day when I’ve lost another 10 lbs I’ll take the very long way which includes a ride up Provo canyon.
What about the oil companies? They are getting rich, and honestly that is fine with me, but not at my expense. I don’t believe everyone should ride a bike, but those who can should. We live in an oil economy where products are bought and sold because transportation is cheap and convenient, so their profits are really a by-product of a strong global economy. By riding my bike I’ve removed those variables (cheap and convenient) from my purchasing decisions; now it really rests on the basis of necessity.
What about the environment? I haven’t watched an Inconvenient Truth; let’s face it Mr. Gore doesn’t fly to the Emmy’s in a commuter airliner, and he definitely has not downgraded his mansion to live like the middle-class American. But I do care about the environment, so my zero emission commute everyday is my contribution. My contribution doesn’t include my need to be an activist. If you are not motivated on your own to take care of the environment, and spend your $$$ accordingly, then there is nothing I can say or do to change your mind.
Hmmmm….a few words about buying a bicycle. Buy the best bicycle you can afford, if you know you are going to stick with it, or if you are like me and force yourself by selling your car. I bought the Trek Madone 5.2 and I’m kicking myself. Don’t get me wrong I love my bike, but it really is only in the middle of the road. Upgrading components will cost me nearly the price of a new bike, and buying a new bike puts me a two thousand dollars in the hole for my current bike. I don’t know enough about bikes to tell you which is the best brand, but you can’t go wrong w/ Trek, Specialized or Felt. But most important get the better components (Shimano Dura-Ace), racing seat, racing tires/wheels, and all the other bells and whistles. Why? Because if you start loving the ride the way I do you’ll wish your bike was a little lighter and a lot faster.
Oh. One last thing. I don’t and won’t wear spandex 
