I’m seeking advice and opinions about choosing to go carless. I have a decent road bike that I enjoy. I live in a metro area and can walk to one of my jobs. The other is about 3 miles. It does rain a lot here. Car maintenance expenses have been really stressing me out for about 2 years. I’ve been riding a lot this summer and fall, but previously didn’t have much street riding experience. I’d love to hear about commuting experiences as I decide whether or not to rely on my bike for most transportation.
by Berkberkberkberk
7 Comments
Road bikes are not practical car replacements. They’re less comfortable, no fenders, no racks/baskets can’t carry much weight on the skinny tyres, huge theft risk, parts wear out faster and are expensive.
I commuted on a road bike for years – when it’s just me, a change of clothes and a laptop a road bike works really well. It’s the other errands that are harder – groceries and such. I’d give it a shot anyways – even if you end up needing a different bike you’ll still be way ahead on the cost front, and n+1 is rarely the wrong answer
I’ve been commuting on bike and train for 6 months now, and I’m about to invest in a really great bike so I can continue doing so. I’m loving it, and I hope you will, too!!
Do eet
The main reason I keep my car is for trips to national parks cause I do a lot of camping. Otherwise, I rarely use my vehicle.
My family has been car-free for 4 years now. We use bikes and public transport, and, yeah, things are a bit slower, but that’s ok by us. There is a local car-share program where we are, which we use when we do need a car (once every few months?), and when we need a car for a few days, we get a rental. Yeah, it’s a little bit of a hassle, but much less of a hassle than car ownership and everything that comes with it.
And we’re not even sporty – I’ve got arthritis pretty much everywhere (unrelated to cycling – my bike actually gave me my mobility back, and helped my arthritis pain), my kid has special needs, including dyspraxia so can’t ride independently yet but loves the cargo bike, and my husband has a desk job and little time for other things, so the bike keeps him healthy.
We also live in a place where it’s -20c in winter, and I *still* use my bike (you need to change your riding style when there’s snow on the ground though)
Honestly, if you can use your bike (and public transport) exclusively for a month without using your car, then I would say you’re as ready as you can be to go car free.
And if you find you need something bigger to carry groceries/big items, then either get a cargo bike (I have a non-electric and they are very affordable), or a trailer for your bike (we use a dog trailer my dog hated) – either way, it’s still cheaper than owning a car!
But, if you live in a place that has cold winters, definitely pick up some pogies for your handlebars, it makes SUCH a difference! No struggling with gloves and brakes, and they are a lot warmer than gloves too!
$1,060 on just one car repair bill?! I guess that might be fairly normal, but that’s got to be painful to your wallet!
I’ve been going carless since February, so about 8 months. Even though my city isn’t very bike friendly, it was one of the best choices I ever made. I use a hybrid, it’s a Trek Verve 1. The step through frame is a godsend. I keep a rain suit in my backpack for rainy days and 50L panniers for running errands. A 50 pound rack over the rear wheel, too.