We Told You So!

One of the best choices for commuters

 Well, we always knew this was coming. Our transportation model here in the USA has been heavily tilted towards cars. If you live in the Northeast, or Atlanta, you have a decent transportation system that would allow you to ditch your automobile, truck, or any other internal combustion vehicle.

Otherwise, though, you are just sh*t out of luck if you need to get around. Here in sunny Central Florida, the only alternative is a spotty bus line to Tampa-St. Pete. And when gas prices were reasonable, well hey, no worries. But when they started to climb this year, game over for many people. It's sad to hear stories of people having to choose between food and gasoline, but that's the new reality. Karen and I have been riding  around town on bicycles here for the past 7 years after we closed the shop and I cached in my stock options. And it's a really good area to ride. Lots of side streets in a grid system, bike lanes on the major roads in and out of town, and the climate - well, it's Florida. 

But we seldom saw anyone other than us and homeless people riding a bicycle. The cashiers in the grocery store would always want to give us extra bags to balance on handlebars, and we had to patiently explain that we had panniers . People kept worrying about us getting hit from behind, or telling us it's too hot/cold/wet to ride. Anytime I went out on a run, I NEVER saw another runner. Still don't. On a three hour ride I MIGHT see one bus. And that one only comes through our town on one route, and that's only 4 times a day. Any transportation here is done strictly by automobile and truck. For anything else it's UBER or old fashioned taxi.

And then the pandemic happenned, and the War in Europe, and the gas prices soared. Now we see MANY more folks out on bicycles, many of them riding electrics, and for their sake I'm hoping they get more than 20 miles on a charge.  And the bicycles are pretty much anything that's been hanging around the garage for years. 

I have had plenty of conversations with Europens over the years, both there when I was racing, and here, and to a person they all identified the transportation problem in the US. It's all predicated on driving, and what train service we have is not electric. And if we ever have a long-term gas crises here, the whole thing will come crashing down.

And so it goes. It's crashing down, with no end in sight.

We closed the shop 7 years ago, but maybe now we will start it up again, at least online, with stuff for commuting, cargo, and automobile replacement. And information. I just built two new wheels for our steel commuters, and from what I have seen, people need to use decent 36 spoke wheels. 

If you are using your bicycle to get the groceeries, get a rack and saddlebags - panniers. That backpack will knock you off balance. If you must use a bag, get a real messenger bag. They have a stabilizer straps and won't swing around and knock you of your bike.

Be safe, folks. And ride on the right always.

 

 

Ready or not, the era of Transportation cycling is here.