Jack's Electric Bicycle

Weekly Wrap 9.15.06

This week’s total mileage: 48.5 miles

This week’s mileage on e-bike: 48.5

This week’s mileage on regular bike: 0

Total mileage since July 10, 2006: 391

Total e-bike mileage since July 10, 2006: 386.50

Total regular bike mileage since July 10, 2006: 4.5

Gas savings this week: 3 gallons

Gallons saved since July 10, 2006: 27.2

Price of gas today: $2.85 (?)

Gas savings since July 10, 2006: $86.35

Notes: There’s a question mark near today’s gas price because I was in a rush and forgot to make a mental note of the price. But that’s pretty close.

I’m going about my business as I always have, just substituting my e-bike for an automobile. There’s no downside.

Do I really need the motor? Probably not. I’m pedaling enough as it is and could probably live just fine without it.

But there’s something very important to consider: the lazy factor.

When it comes to transportation, we all take the path of least resistance. We jump in our cars because they’re easy and convenient.

Some of us jump on our bikes and go for a spin after work, or on the weekends. But that’s just recreational riding for the purpose of fun and exercise. We ride for fun when we feel like it, and stay home when we don’t feel like it.

But the purpose of the e-bike – at least in my case – is to serve as a substitute for my vehicle as much as possible. Unless I have a load to carry that requires a car, or I have to travel a long distance, or travel with a passenger, I use the e-bike. I don’t just use the e-bike when I “feel like it.”

The engine is a tool that provides some extra speed, sweat reduction and basically eliminates the “lazy factor.” So far there hasn't been a single day in which I used the car when I could have used the e-bike, except for a couple times when I thought I needed the car to haul supplies from the hardware store. I later discovered that the bike can comfortably carry two one-gallon paint cans. They fit snuggly in the panniers.

But I’ve yet to battle the elements. The weather has been spectacular, although on Thursday it was extremely windy.

There was some light rain early this morning and I’ve noticed a slight chill in the air during some of my rides. Summer is slowly slipping away and I’ll have to adjust my riding gear accordingly.

A waterproof windbreaker and light gloves will soon become standard clothing.

I plan on packing my bike poncho into my old panniers for emergencies. I don’t recall when I obtained the bike poncho, but I do know that it was used extensively during my sophomore year in high school! That makes it “vintage,” or maybe "retro."

Wearing a poncho on a bike sounds like a bad idea, but I do recall that it was very handy last time I used it. There are leg straps to keep it properly positioned and prevent it from flapping around like a cape. In the front there are little thumb loops to keep it stretched out. It keeps you dry and there’s lots of ventilation to prevent sweat buildup.

It’s bright yellow and makes me look like a giant banana. If Bill the Chimp escapes from the Eureka Zoo again, it would be advisable to not wear the poncho unless I want to get gummed by an aging primate.

posted by Jack Durham @ 7:57 PM