Value Update

I wrote a post titled "value" about 3 years ago, and my views on the topic have evolved since.  Rightly so.  I was riding (one of) my bikes to school last night and thinking how privileged I am to be able to do that.  Not that I'm special, but "having the rare opportunity to do something that brings particular pleasure."  We were brainstorming the theme for Earth Day 2017 and we came up with "Biking is for Everyone."  Which is to say that everyone has access to the privilege of riding a bike.

$0.15 per week

I was thinking about the bikes that I ride.  The first is a 1987 steel MTB.  I've been riding the mountain bike since I could stand over the top tube, maybe like 1993.  Taking into account the amount my dad paid for it and the length of time I've been riding it, it's like he paid 15-cents per week for me to have the privilege of riding this bike.  I read an article about custom steel frames and this bike isn't custom to me, but I feel like it is because we are aging together.  In the article, the frame builder points out that the bike will often outlive the rider.  I hope to keep riding this bike until it costs $0.10 per week, which is only about 11 years from now.  By then, I'll have my student loans paid off.  Everyone has goals, right?

The red bike has had about 3 or 4 different seats, 3 or 4 sets of handlebar grips, and now has front and rear racks.  The picture above makes it look like the bike has front suspension, but it doesn't.  Instead there is a lovely curving front fork that is graceful and attractive.  Also the top tube is more horizontal.  Right now, the bike has 1.95 inch wide tires, which are a comfort on pothole-infested streets.  They are knobby on the outer edge and smooth where the rubber meets the road, causing some people to say, "hey your tires are bald," but the tires were made like that.  In the past, I've bolted a milk crate to the rear rack, which was fantastic for carrying things like textbooks and birthday cakes.  This bike has only one water-bottle cage.  I have a cup-holder that could be attached to the handlebars, but it's not on there now.  I use a dog hiking backpack as a mini-pannier toolbag when we go out on group rides.  Also, I have a sweet flag mount that fits on the rear wheel quick release, and we ziptie the flag to the rear rack to prevent it from flapping around too wildly.

$0.61 per week

The blue bike is a repurposed mountain bike that I found on Craigslist back in 2010.  It was made in the late 1990s, and is branded Performance M505.  It's a steel frame, but some components are aluminum (like the handlebars).  It's a fantastic city bike.  The bike has a sturdy rear rack that I hook panniers on, or bungee my backpack on top of.  Of the time that I've had it versus how much I paid for it, it's cost me 61-cents per week.  It easily fits on the rack of a bus.  I rode it from San Francisco down to Salinas loaded down with camping gear.  I ride it back and forth to Pasadena, loaded down with textbooks and homework.

I've been looking for pedal toe clips and straps to make climbing easier, either new or vintage, but for now the bike has platform pedals.  This bike has two water bottle cages. My coffee in a 40 oz hydroflask is bungeed to the rear rack while milk and an empty coffee mug are in the bottle cages.  Perfect for work.  I am considering a handlebar bag.  I had one on a bike that I rode as a kid, and totally loved it.  What would I put in there?  My new big smart phone, which is too big for the old seatbag that I used to put my old phone in.  I always carry a pump, spare tube, tire irons, and a patch kit in my backpack.  By the time the price of this bike comes down to $0.10 per week, I will be 68 years old.  I could still be riding a bike then!  Why not?

$3.40 per week

The road bike I have is the only rack-less bike.  It's great for traveling ultra-light, with the exception of two water bottle cages.  I include a pump on the down tube and a seatbag with tire levers, spare tube(s), patch kit, and an emergency phone.  This bike has clipless pedals.  On a recent layover at LA Union Station, we had 2 minutes to run from the Metro Red Line to the Metrolink Orange County Line.  On the marble floors, my shoes made quite a horrible noise.  Maybe I should get some shoe covers.  I would have to live to be 336 years old for this bike to cost $0.10 per week, so I'm guessing that won't happen.  But I do think of this bike as a gym membership.  We pay $40 to use the YMCA per month, and after owning this bike for over 7 years, it has been cheaper than paying a monthly fee for gym access.  When I belonged to Bella Fitness, that was $80/month and so it would have worked out to pay for the bike within 2 years (in case you're looking to justify buying a new bike).

We're going down to the beach this weekend for a pre-4th of July LACBC Sunday Funday ride. I'm considering going to the party store to get some patriotic decorations and cover the bikes in stars and stripes.  Reminds me of the J. E. George 4th of July Parade that went through my neighborhood in Omaha, NE.  This year is the 66th year of the parade.  Although I won't be there, I really want to decorate our bikes with streamers and such.

Strava Heatmap

Speaking of my new smartphone, I'm starting to use Strava.  All the data from Strava users is put on a map, which city planners can use to justify adding more cycling infrastructure where people actually ride.  So I'm trying to ride where I wish there were more infrastructure and mapping it on Strava.  For other stuff like walks and regular commutes, I am still using MapMyRide.  No more Nike+ device, no more Garmin Forerunner 110, just one smartphone with GPS.

I tried to ask myself if I could exist with only one bike and one pair of shoes.  It would be difficult for me.  But we're definitely working to simplify our lives as much as possible.  As we're approaching an ideal level of space vs. clutter, I will try to make a vlog about our tiny house and post it/share about it here.