I should have bought a used bike. I know that, I do. There’s no reason to go out and buy something new when something used would have worked just fine. Other than the fact that my old ride was stolen week before last, and has probably been sold since. How’s that for a dilemma – add to the demand for stolen bikes, or add to the demand for newly manufactured ones, with all the corresponding environmental impact?
But I bought the new one, a Specialized Tricross that’s a reasonable facsimile of the one that got swiped, and I’m in love already. It’s not the bike so much as it is the familiar feeling of it down in the garage, ready for the ride in to work on Monday morning.
I’ve been a solid bike commuter to the San Francisco Terrapass office since moving here in 2007. In my previous work life up in Seattle, my drive was long enough, and the winter icy enough, that I was never able to commit to the bike commute. Here it’s a different story, with the geography and climate cooperating to enable a year-round habit.
Bike To Work Day is coming up May 13 (check out plans in San Francisco and everywhere else), but why wait? It hit 92 degrees in New York City last week after all. So pull your ride out of the garage, head down to the local bike shop for a tune up, and hit it this coming week. The earlier you get your bike out, the earlier you’ll wish you did it even sooner!
Oh, but buy a good U-lock. I’ve finally learned my lesson about even the very strongest of cable locks. They just don’t get the job done, apparently because they can all be snipped, whereas the U-locks have to be ground down, with all the attendant noise and sparks. For more on bike security, here’s a solid overview.
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