On Thursday, May 10, 2012 9:42:13 AM UTC-7, TibetanMonkey, the Beach
All the more reason to ride one. It works like this: You won't take a
loan to buy a bicycle. You won't feed Big Oil. You won't feed the
Insurance Industry. You'll be healthier, so you won't feed the Medical
Industry. You'll be an elusive target for lawyers and police that aim
at drivers. They won't nail you for DUI as easily. In other words,
YOU'LL BE FREE!
But freedom isn't free. You got no rights and any idiot in a car
(consumer) can push you around. And it works. Most people (the 99%)
simply stay away from enjoying a bike ride and end up getting into a
loan or driving a jalopy they can't afford. The other day I heard that
"feeding" a car amounts to feeding a family of four. That's why they
probably go hungry or miss a higher education. If this is not class
struggle, what is?
But that's only my humble opinion.
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http://webspawner.com/users/BANANAREVOLUTION
What percentage of bicycle related purchases are made with a credit
card? Also, the price of bicycles being what they are, how long do you
think it will be before financing is common? As far as Wall Street is
concerned, cycling is a consumer-driven industry. Given the current
state of the world, the bicycle industry's outlook looks great!
I also see plenty of people on jalopy bikes because they either can't
afford a jalopy car or they can't get a license for whatever reason.
From what I've witnessed, this seems to be a significant population of
cyclists that are generally ignored by the cycling illuminati but they
are not ignored by Wal-mart.
...
von
* * *
Von,
I could not read Tibetan Monkey's post...
Wal-mart, Kmart, or Target. Same bicycles in all big boxes stores, with
different decals on a Pacific products I am guessing.
A friend I and I were stopped for hydration and some food, at one of the
local casinos. We were at the bicycle racks, and three riders in Jeans
arrived for there work shift, and two of them were giving one rider a bad
time about his new form of transportation: Revoked drivers license, (DIU)
and he was was riding a new Next boat anchor with front and rear
suspension...
His new bicycle must weight 45 pounds, without the 5 pound chain & Lock
he needed. Since January, I have seen the number of bicycle commuters
double, and most are riding inexpensive fat tire (boat anchor) downhill
replica bicycles.
But some of the the riders that were on a bicycle last year, seem to have
upgraded to craigslist mid 90 hybrids, dumping the suspension style
bicycle.
Good move but around here they seem to cling to the clunker. The
reality is that those clunkers don't get stolen that much and if they
do they can another one in the black market for 30 bucks. I'd start
requiring lights and papers before we can find a solution. Call it
"profiling" if you will. ;)
Occasionally now I will see an aluminum hybrid & light weight road
bicycle, but for the most part the upgrades I am seeing are steel frame
hybrids under the more experienced riders I remember last year...
Last year it seems like all the commuters were riding fat tire (boat
anchor) downhill replica bicycles, and that is changing along with the
increased number of commuters riding to work here in the Vegas Valley.
A beach cruiser can do a great job without going light. Throw in a
rack and you get a "perfect urban cruiser." You may say I have one of
the best bike collections in America, and today I'm riding my steel
beach cruiser with rack and basket that's a beauty to ride. And I'm
not tempting the "rats" with it. ;)
We need more bicycle lanes, that intersect and are cleared of glass more
than one a month/year. A slow ride home in 100 degree weather can become
a hassle with a flat tire on the way home.
In extreme hot weather (me and you) one perfect solution is to ride
more at night. Sadly that's not a solution for me. All my paths are
nearly impossible to negotiate, just one outing to the market some 2
miles away remains nearly trouble free.
I would think there is enough bicycle traffic in some locations to
support a bicycle mobile repair vendor. Not all of the older bicycles
appear to be in the best shape and in some areas the bicycle trails or
right side of the road appears to be littered with glass most of the
week...
I agree it would be a good idea, maybe promoted by some bike
manufacturer and a membership like AAA.
Bankers like to finance larger purchases, cars. Maybe easy credit for
Bicycles might increase the ridership and local Bike shop business, along
with more construction of interconnecting well lighted tree lined bicycle
trails to avoid some of the summer heat...
JR
The landscaping is here our worst enemy. ;)
It happens that it drains the public money while providing nothing but
grass. New corner spaces in my community make turning a nightmare. And
landscaping in the middle squeezes cyclists even more.
Teams upon teams of landscapers tend to this growing trend. I think
they are green as in "dollar" not trees.