Bicycle in the boot (weight penalty smaller than benefit of biking to a few errands?)

[gltux]

Hi,
I was wondering, does anyone else sometimes take a bike, folding or otherwise, with them to reduce the distance they drive?

I drive to work then use my folder for fetching and errands. It's an ancient steel thing and I know extra weight uses more petrol so does it cancel out?
I suppose I'd have to use it to replace the car for the distance the car would go on the fuel the extra weight uses. But I ain't got a clue how to work it out

Also I'm curious as to what people thought to the practicality of using a bike to shorten journeys.

[Bicycle Bob]

Take the weight of the bike as a percentage of your gross car weight, and consider that 4% more weight might reduce mileage by 1% There are spread sheets for your exact situation, if you want precision, if the gains are not obvious from a quick estimate.

My finest commute was with a car pool to go 20 miles. I'd coast down a hill to the car, take off the front wheel to fit it in the trunk, ride out of the city, and then ride a few miles of lanes and trails to my job site.

[MadisonMPG]

More than likely, it's offsetting.

[winkosmosis]

How many miles of driving do you save by using the bike? I guess if the percentage is greater than the percentage the bike increases vehicle weight, you win...

[Lazarus]

I would think that if you used the bike for any running around it would save lots of gas.

I've a very long commute and when I first started sometimes I drove half way with the bike in the car and finished out the rest until i got in shape. I've also put the bike in the car and transported it through the dangerous areas until I have gotten to a more friendly bike environment and parked.

[thatguitarguy]

Short runs with lots of stops and starts are horrible for mileage, and great for a bicycle. If it makes it out of the boot and you ride it anywhere you're making a contribution for the greater good.

[Clev]

How heavy could it possibly be? An EV Warrior is only 67 pounds.

I have a Dahon folder that I used to do part of my commute with, but has been hanging in the basement for four years. Maybe I should drag it back out this spring/summer.

[gltux]

I'd guess it's about 20Kg or 44lbs, all steel 3 speed hub gears from 1977, when folding just meant it had a hinge in it.

I drive 2 miles, shocking yes, but only one day a week when I take the card and paper to the recycling centre. That's got to offset it slightly eh
And the first mile is coasting, engine off.

The car is an ancient carb design with a hideous auto choke that won't come off until the car is at full temp. So the bike can't do too much damage when it's in there and definitely saves on the fuel the car would use in "cold start" mode on later trips.

So I guess the best thing to do is rip out the auto choke and get a manual one and keep bringing the bicycle.

[orange4boy]

The bike will absolutely save gas. Remember that the weight makes a very small addition to your fuel usage but when you bike it does the same thing to your mileage as coasting everywhere with the engine off. That makes a huge difference in mileage. No calcs needed.

[RobertSmalls]

Making a habit of using a bike for transportation will save huge amounts of energy. Next time you're looking for a house or a job, you'll think a bit about whether you'll be able to commute on a bike, or take the bike to the store. It may be enough to keep you out of the suburbs, or at least in a dense suburb. It's a relatively energy-efficient way to live.

Habitual cycling will keep you flexible and lean, so you'll fit in that low hatchback that gets good gas mileage, instead of deciding you need a minivan to haul your large frame around.