Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bicycle and transportation

What kind of zippy bike to get?

readymade — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 22:58:29 -0800

What bike to get? Indulge me, oh mighty bike warriors. Road, cyclocross, touring, zippy. I've done my best to make a responsible bike purchase, one that recognized my needs/desires/limitations. I wanted slow and steady, reliable, reasonable, maybe even cute. I'm tiny: 4'11" which has been a huge hurdle in finding a good bike as well: still no bike after patient searching over the last year-and-a-half.

Tired of whinging I went to a bike shop two days ago and tried the polar opposite of these bikes to mix it up:Trek 1.5. And I hauled ass up this hill that would have murdered me on any of my Dutch-commuter-hybrid tests. I was shocked, liberated. Wowed. All of the sudden hills didn't seem like something to avoid, they seemed like mere pimples I was empowered to leap. I wanted one.

I can afford one too, not fancy, but good: $1500. But I know it's not practical to use a road bike in the city for a daily bike. I still want an awesome bike, but one with fenders (light ones--gotta keep the speed!) and a small rack (I'm a realist after all). I tested the Surly Long Haul Trucker and have been dreaming about the Buena Vista Soma Mixte but maybe there are some good options I don't know about? (Remember, little person here--difficult to fit). Custom? Jamis?

I want to go fast. But I need just a wee tad of practicality too.

Cheap travel from Delaware to NYC?

viewofdelft — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 13:23:54 -0800

What are the cheapest ways to get from Newark, Delaware, to New York City? I'm a research assistant at the University of Delaware and as part of a long and wonkish I-95 corridor project, we've decided to produce a map or informational pamphlet letting students know the cheapest ways to get from here (Newark, Delaware) to New York City.

A few things to keep in mind:
1. Any mode of transportation is fair game (air, rail, highway, seaports, etc.), as is any type of vehicle (plane, train, automobile, bus, shoes, etc.).
2. Be creative, but within reasonable limits of safety (i.e., no airmailing oneself).
3. It's alright if many of the suggested travel methods begin in Philadelphia (and maybe even Baltimore) if these departure points are more familiar to you.
4. Cost is the most important factor, although I don't want to discourage that outlandish teleportation idea you've been waiting to uncork.

After we've completed the map or pamphlet, I'll contact each of the contributors about mailing them a finished product. Thank you.

Escaping Toronto with a bike in tow?

anthill — Sun, 11 May 2008 11:06:14 -0800

How to escape the Greater Toronto Area for multiday bicycle tours? Difficulty: no car. My girlfriend and I just bought a tandem touring bike, and we're both keen to get out to the Ontario countryside for some summer tours. The catch is we have no car.

I know that the GO Train is one option for downtown cyclists trying to escape, but from what I can tell only the Lakeshore line runs trains that fall outside their rush-hour bicycle ban. The Lakeshore area is pretty nice, but I'd rather get to the Barrie area to access Tobermory, Parry Sound, or Algonquin.

Any tricks for escaping the GTA on a low carbon footprint would be much appreciated.

new to biking

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Sat, 02 Jun 2007 20:29:10 -0800

I got a bike. Now what do I do? I bought a hybrid and a lock for it; it seem like a good bike and I feel comfortable on it. However, I did not really have a childhood filled with biking and only really had a bike that I rode briefly five years ago or so. Thus, I do not really know how to get into using the bike for fun and transportation.

How do I get to feel more comfortable riding the bike? Is there anything that I need to know that seems obvious? Do I actually need a helmet? (if so, how do I fix helmet hair? also, any tips for riding in a skirt?) What else do I need to know?

I don't have a car so aside from walking, this would be my only real mode of transportation other than bumming rides from friends.

Hey, that's my bike?

ontic — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 09:39:29 -0800

I want to start bicycle commuting to work. It's about 6 miles each way. I have no idea what kind of bike I need. I have no experience with bikes in general. I want to be comfortable and, if possible, not look like a dork. I guess I need help with the very basics of choosing and outfitting a bike. Question balloons further out of control inside. I have no intention of ever riding long distances or trails. The road conditions are pretty good and the route I've chosen is fairly flat: paved roads, mostly state maintained with a few potholes here and there. They're country roads, so very little traffic until I get into town (small town, not much traffic there either). My work requires me to dress somewhat nicely (slacks/jeans and a button-up shirt), and bring books back and forth. No real place to shower, but I can change and don't sweat too awfully much.

A brief bit of research seems to suggest there is something called a "racing" bike and a "touring" bike, but then the discussion seems to turn to technical things. I've also seen some webpages and former AskMe's about "comfort" bikes, which sounds very promising, including bikes that let you sit up-right, which sounds really promising. But what are the trade-offs for sitting up-right in terms of ergonomics, speed, etc? I've read some things about getting a bicycle "fitted" at a bike shop. Do I need this? Will they do it for any kind of bike? Will any bike shop be willing to do it for a bike I don't buy from there?

Also, what else do I need other than the bike? A helmet, I suppose. Any special kind? Do I need a rear-view mirror?

Vital stats: I'm shorter, not terribly light guy, yet (but I'm hoping the commute will help with this). The first few times riding in will probably be a little challenging for me, even given the flat surfaces. And I have always had bikes that certainly weren't very comfortable for me to ride, so I didn't ride them.

Pittsburgh to Washington, PA?

nervestaple — Sat, 22 Jul 2006 13:18:05 -0800

What's the easiest/quickest/cheapest way to get from Pittsburgh to Washington, PA without a car? I live in Pittsburgh (oakland/squirrel hill, if that matters). I have a city bus pass, a bicycle, no car, and little money. Are there any transportation solutions that will be able to take me to and from Washington, PA on a somewhat regular basis? The farthest south the city buses seem to go is Upper St. Clair, which is about halfway to Washington.

The only thing I've been able to think of so far is taking my bicycle with me on the bus (if they'll let me), then biking the rest of the way. This is less than optimal. Help, yinzers!

How can I give up driving to become a bike commuter?

croutonsupafreak — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 00:16:59 -0800

Help me get in shape & learn what I need to know so I can start biking the seven miles to work (and seven miles back)! Right now, I'm getting cardio exercise at the gym for 30 or 35 minutes five days a week -- mostly on elliptical machines, but sometimes on recumbent bikes. I walk a lot on weekends. It will take me about a month to save up the cash to get my bike in the condition it needs to be in where I can start riding it to work. I'm looking for things I can do now to get in biking shape, and after I get my bike to prepare for a full fledged commute.

My goal is to be bike commuting 14 miles round trip five days a week by the end of the summer. What should I be doing in the next month to get in shape before I am able to start riding? What should I do once I have a good bike to gradually build up to full commuting?

I'd also love advice on practical stuff I should know before becoming a bike commuter. (Example: a friend tells me that a comfortable seat and padded bike pants should be a high priority.)

Some background: my office is extremely alternative-transportation friendly, with safe bike storage, a locker I can use, and a shower. For a while in high school I was biking 10 miles a day to stay in shape, but that was more than 12 years ago. Since then, I haven't ridden much. Until about six weeks ago, I hadn't even worked out regularly for close to a year. I don't know much about bikes, but I live near a non-profit community cycling center in Portland.

SF Bike Map + Google

atom128 — Fri, 23 Dec 2005 21:39:14 -0800

I have no coding skills, but I have an idea for a really usefull san francisco based google maps hack... I think it would be great if someone could mash google maps with the SF Bike Coalitions bike map pdf but I have no idea how to do it myself or where I could find someone who would be interested in doing it. Anyone have any ideas? I don't have a car and finding the best way to ride without having to deal with hills would be an amazing resource for a lot of people around here.

What kind of bike should I get for city riding?

Slimemonster — Sat, 28 Feb 2004 10:26:58 -0800

I'm in the market for a new (or used) bicycle because it would be insanely practical for both fitness and transportation, but I havent really had one since i was 11, so I don't know what I'm looking for. I'm looking to mostly ride it on city streets and sidewalks (in Seattle: lots of hills) , but i don't know what other bells and whistles i should be looking for or avoiding. Can anyone point me in the right direction?