Quote of the day: you know it's time to buy a bicycle when..
 

:D

(Why? Because oil from the tar sands is inherently expensive to extract, and it's a sign a lot of things - not just fuel - are about to get a lot more expensive too.)

The person who said it is a well known Canadian bank economist who quit his job and/or was let go when he announced he was writing a book about the impact of increasing oil prices on future economies.

Source: Global economy to get 'shock of its life' when oil hits triple digits - The Hill Times - Newspaper Online.

We have a similar problem here in Utah. We have lots of oil shale which is also very expensive to extract from. Something like, near or over $3 a gallon end result of production which is why we haven't heard much about it till gas was over $3. Current argument is it takes lots of water also for this process which is also a precious resource here in the desert.
You rarely hear them talking of cutting back on usage or fuel alternatives any more around here. Drill baby drill, drill baby drill.....is the mantra. Despite the production costs being usually unmentioned they always talk of how much oil is available in the sands and shale and how many years we can live off that. How short sided. Unfortunate.

It's ALWAYS a good time to buy a bike!

Not if you've already got two :-)

But a good time to start telecommuting, plant a garden, upgrade the insulation on your house, maybe think about solar space & water heating...

[QUOTE=jamesqf;110068]Not if you've already got two :-)

Especially if you ONLY have two:D

I already have three bikes that I ride (2006 Diamondback Sorento mountain bike, 1990 Trek 1000 road bike, 2006 Jamis Comet tri bike). Plus a few more project bikes. I sold my recumbent. I discovered I am just not a recumbent kind of guy (recumbent owners are kind of wierd).

But I do keep an eye on craigslist for bikes in case something jumps out.

Err... Explain why any reasonable person (e.g. not competing in races) would need more than two. One road bike, one mountain bike: more just seems like conspicuous consumption :-) And I don't even use the road bike that much, since I started telecommuting full-time. Oh, I could go do some touring for exercise & recreation, but the dog gives me such pitiful "why are you leaving me behind again?" looks that I wind up either taking the mountain bike, or decide to hike instead.

Oh!! I forgot a fourth bike! I have an older Raleigh with 27" wheels. I ride this bike on errands sometimes, or to the pool. This bike is one I am not affraid to leave chained up out front.
So reasons to have more than 2 bikes:
1. Mountain bike-for riding on trails
2. Tri bike-for racing and training
3. Road bike-for spinning and riding
4. Cheap road bike-for errands where I can leave it outside unattended.

And don't forget you need a spare parts bike for each of those, too!

Every bike I own came off the curb :/ (mixed emotions about that one) I really like the le-tour though, it glides forever with them thin high psi tires.

So many mountain bikes on the street around here, seems stupid to me, as do all the SUVs that never leave the pavement.

Awww

What, like you stole them?!?

Lol I don't understand what that means.

It means that people just put them on the curb when they are done with them around here, and you have to get to them before the scrappers.

Yes, like around here where most townships have a yearly spring cleanup and most houses have a good pile at the end of their driveway. Amazing the perfectly usable things people throw out, or even things that need a simple fix. Bikes are everywhere, last season we picked up like 7 or so, fixed some, scrapped some others. Forget Christmas, spring cleanup is the most wonderful time of the year. :) The wife is hooked on pile hunting now too.

I like hunting

Not enough bikes at the curb around here. Plenty of TVs, couches, and satellite dishes though.

I have my road/tri bike for racing and training and a hybrid for errands. I'd like to get a dedicated tri bike and leave my roadie for group rides and such.

+1 to telecommuting if riding is out of the question. Wish I could do either.

I want to start biking again but I worry about sucking down gas and diesel fumes, so I wear a 2 filter trademans gas mask on my scooter.

I've seen these bandanna thingys http://www.wiggle.co.uk/c/cycle/7/Anti_Pollution_Masks/ with a carbon filter in them but they are kind of expensive and make you look like a ninja which cant be helped I suppose. They only last a month or so and their effectiveness has been queried.

Does anyone know of any techniques to reduce bad air while cycling? Avoiding rush hour and route planning (especially in relation to prevailing wind direction) seems a good place to start....

Apart from being to windward to use a sailing term...(upwind)

Normal person... Um, let me rephrase that :-) Person not interested in racing, so out goes #2. I live in a place where you can generally leave your bike outside (but locked, of course), and it will still be there when I get back, so combine 3 & 4, and we get two bikes :-)

Most of the time I could get by with one, as I did when I lived in Europe - a not very aggressive mountain bike with high enough gearing for roads.

Not that I look like it today, but I am still a biking advocate. When I lived in Hawaii I got back into cycling after too many years away. Two bikes? 4 bikes? At any given time I had 13 or more. Grabbed most of them before the trash truck got them. Rebuilt many of them for neighborhood kids, and disadvantaged kids in the program my wife I and participated in. Seeing a kids face light up over a simple bike never ever got old...

I had for myself, a KHS Fiero roadie that has been through many parts swaps. Still have this bike, and it is in need of a lot of work. Can't decide what to do with it right now.
I had a well built Iron Horse MTB until someone stole it (miss those Scott AT4 "aero" bars!!).
I had a Schwinn Varsity 10 speed that had one modification. Tubes filled with lead. If you can climb with that bike...
I had a handfull of just fun bikes, one was a single speed fixed, another was a single speed with brakes and cutdown old steel handlebars. You get the idea...

A couple years ago, a friend gave me his old Fisher Hoo-Koo-E-Koo. some no-name front spring fork and needed a good going through.

Currently I'm looking for a tandem. My wife is feeling better and really wants on a bike. She isn't strong enough to light up a Life Cycle currently... I only need a simple bike. I know I'll do most of the work. But I could sure use it...

Back on topic. I believe we need to be energy independent. Closing off areas where we have oil doesn't make us independent. We need to attack this on both fronts, produce our own oil and produce more efficient vehicles. Another front, educate drivers...

zjrog: that's a lot of bikes. I currently have 4 in working condition, most saved from the pound. And a little pile of parts bikes. I suspect when I'm a crazy old man I'll have a ridiculous heap of old bikes and multiple bike shaped projects on the go.

1 commute / touring road bike for general things (and towing the massive 10ft trailer for special bicycle events)
2 carbon bike for commuting (because I am always running too late to take the commute bike, and the race bike is just so much faster)
3 mnt bike for volunteer park ranger patrols
4 unicycle for the occasional parade
5 just got a folding bike in a dump run. I have no need for it, but come on, it folds up into a little cube. How cools is that? And it was free (better than free, I was paid to take it away). I bet it'll come in handy someday.

Wait - I thought this was a thread about tar sands?
I say, let 'em drill. Its there, they're gonna sooner or later either way. Let 'em pretend oil is actually gonna last forever, and smile quietly to yourself as you pedal past the gas station in a couple more years.

Drilling does nothing for tar sands or shale. You have to mine them, cook them, and pollute a LOT of water to get some oil. We can get oil from coal and water, too, but either way, if we can't safely recover and store the carbon dioxide, climate change goes out of control. I live close enough to the tar sands to hear about the dead ducks and the cancer rates downstream.

OK, but salvaging bikes, doing projects, or giving them away to kids is a hobby/charity. Not at all the same as going out and buying multiple bikes just to ride.

Sorry about the lag time... but to answer your question. A road bike for quick light loads, commuting. A mountain bike for off road adventures. A more sturdy road bike or hybrid for pulling a trailer of ....well whatever you need--or even your dog so he doesnt have to stay home again. A tandem so that you and your significant other can ride together with out one of you always having to wait for the other.

Then for those that are more competative.... a road race bike.... a tri/time trial bike, a mountain bike or cross bike for off road races.

My Dad told me to always use the right tool for the job, I apply it to cycling.

I thought that would work well in everyones health interest too.

Some say prostrate issues are relevant as well, and placing so much weight on THAT spot just aint natural, as well as isolating most muscle groups and exercising only a certain few.

I should take a photo of the dust covers on my filter mask to show the amount of road dirt and particulates that can end up in ones lungs... of course poisonous gases are extra and unseen, sometimes I wish I didnt live in a city

There may be some issues, but overall the benefits outweigh the risks.

Riding to work isn't an alternative to a full body workout, its an alternative to driving, which doesn't exercise any muscle groups.
Unless you run to work. (I did that once, but it took 2.5 hours, not gonna work as a regular thing)

And there are easy solutions anyway (better designed saddles, occasional cross training).

(Sigh) I wish. Haven't found a decent one yet.

More than a bit depressing, because my distance riding isn't limited by my legs getting tired, or aerobic capacity running out, but when my butt starts to hurt.

Have you tried riding a recumbent?

The vast majority of problems can be alleviated with proper bike fit and adjustments. Even if you have been riding a long time, it might help to go into a bike shop and ask for a fitting. A lot of times what seems ideal really isn't. An upright riding position or to big a bike are the most common problems.

The 2nd mistake is getting something soft and cushy (or gelly, or springy, or with some wacky design) instead of something firm which supports the sit bones.

Some very good information:

Bicycle Saddles

Bicycle Seats Explained | Bike Saddles

Sex and masturbation is good for the prostrate
 

Had a good read of bikeforums and cycleforums and it appears that prostrate cancer links are tenuous, though health issues could begin or become exacerbated, especially if cycle set up is poor.

I remember a U.S. study a few years back which put afro american men as higher and asian american men as lower represented. Weight lifters and sportsmen were higher as were meat consumers vs vegetarians.

4. Q: Can the sport of bicycle riding increase the likelihood of BPH, prostate cancer or other prostate problems?
A: Prolonged cycling on a hard seat is thought to affect potency by injuring the pudendal arteries that supply blood to the penis. Cycling can also traumatize the prostate, causing an elevation in the PSA level. No evidence, to my knowledge, shows that cycling can increase the risk for benign prostate enlargement or prostate cancer.

5. Q: Is ejaculation good for prostate health?
A: The short answer is “yes.” The prostate has innumerable tiny glands located in its periphery. Their function is to drain prostatic secretions through the tiny prostatic ducts into the urethra. Approximately 90% of the fluid that comes out with ejaculation is prostatic fluid. With long periods of abstinence from ejaculation, the prostate may become filled with secretions. This condition is called congestion of the prostate.

Symptoms associated with prostatic congestion can include voiding difficulties and discomfort in the region of the prostate. In some instances, accumulation and stagnation of prostatic fluid can contribute to the development of infection in the prostate (prostatitis). Regular ejaculation has the effect of keeping the prostate “flushed out” and healthy

A hard seat actually puts less pressure on the prostrate and other soft regions between the pelvis than a soft one, as explained in the two links I posted. A hard seat gives something for your pelvic bones to rest on. A soft seat distributes your weight evenly on both the bones and the soft tissues.

Also: not that I needed an excuse to have sex, but thanks for that!

Not in my experience, at least. The narrow hard seats put all the pressure on the soft tissues, not on the bones. They aren't even wide enough for the bones to make contact, and in addition most of the seat is well forward of where the bones are.

Sounds like you need a new seat or a better position (not all butts/saddles are the same); try moving your seat forward. My rear end is always more sore after riding my hybrid with the big, soft, suspension seat than it is after a much longer time on my roadie with its tiny, hard seat.

My neighbors thought I was nuts with bike stuff everywhere. I hung out at the local bike shop and lent a hand wrenching. Learned a lot about bikes that way. And since I gave bikes away, the shop often gave me parts and stuff. Not to mention, some mornings I'd leave for work and find bikes on my steps...

When I transferred from Hawaii to San Diego, I couldn't ride to work, too far and had to cross the bridge. No Joy. I did keep a bike on the ship, and when on deployment I got to ride lots of great places (and few not so great). Singapore is a great cycling city. Hong Kong, is just CRAZY! Pusan South Korea is only a bit better than Hong Kong. The area around Perth/Freemantle Australia is a BLAST! And the area around Hobart Tasmania is just too incredible to ever forget.

I've started to get back to my bikes a couple times. I keep telling myself I don't have time. But I probably do. And need to get a different dialogue going in my head. Need to actually pull put my Fisher...

Since my wife's most recent illness, there is no way we can ride 2 bikes. So, I am looking for an inexpensive tandem. I only intend to ride flat scenic stuff until either I'm stronger or she is up for more...

Of course, all my neighborhood kids bikes are in decent tune... (I really ought to get a trueing stand...)

Please note, I rode almost every one of my own bikes... If I didn't, I gave it away, or hacked it into something else useful... The bikes I used on deployments were trash bikes. Not like I was going to risk my good ones...