If you live in the Northeast and you like to ride, every once in a while you end up stuck on the wrong side of your commute during rain, light snow, hail, or heavy winds. While some would say that this is a perfect opportunity to use some of the money that you've saved from not driving to call a cab or take the bus, I like to take a different approach.
Instead of immediately giving up on the idea of cycling, I assess the potential risks versus the potential benefits of taking my bike as I had planned versus relying on public or private transport.
So long as I am not jeapordizing my safety by riding in situations where there is poor visibility, unsuitable road conditions, or a high likelihood of being hit in the head with something heavy, I usually try to tough it out.
Today is a great example. I made it to my destination this morning without a hassle, but the forecast says rain.
I should be fine on the bike path to get back home, visibility is likely to be good and there is little traffic or heavy wind. If it looks like things are a little hairy, I have my cell phone and the cash for a cab, so I have little to worry about.
If the weatherman is incorrect and the predicted shower is a true deluge, I might just try to hitch a ride with someone back to my place. Safety comes first.
Remember why you ride your bike. I ride my bike for fun first and frugality second. If I'm not having fun, I don't ride.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Sunday, May 17, 2015
A thought on frugally purchasing tubes and tires
I will be the first to admit that it can be daunting selecting which tires and tubes to put onto your bicycle. If you ask online there are a lot of "wise old men of the forums" that will tell you to buy Gator Skins or some other more expensive tire, and either go tubeless or buy special tubes.
I have also found the mentality that will tell you to buy the cheapo Chinese tires and tubes and just keep repairing them until they fall apart.
I am actually somewhere in the middle (and below) both camps. I actually have never purchased tires individually for a bicycle, but I have purchased wheels with tires installed,and I've bought a number of tubes and patch kits.
In my opinion, tubes will pop and tires will get nails and screws in them. That is just the way of things. If you choose to go tubeless, you could still run over some broken glass or nails, or just come down too hard after a bump or pothole, burp a few PSI out of your tire and leave yourself running flat.
I recommend just holding onto your tires, whatever ones are on your bike, until you can't manage to keep riding them due to poor traction, and then replace them with whatever your local shop has in stock to fit your bike. As for tubes, they are very cheap, so I just keep an extra one on hand (duct taped to the top tube) and a pump strapped to my bike in case I need to replace on on the road or the trail. While I have run into this necessity before, I am usually able to walk to an air machine at a gas station and use my emergency cash stash in my seat bag to fill the replacement tube.
As for the cost, as I said I've never had to purchase tires, but I have bought well over 10 replacement tubes. My local shops sell replacement tubes for my wheel size for 2 or 3 dollars, and I normally buy 3 at a time.
I have also found the mentality that will tell you to buy the cheapo Chinese tires and tubes and just keep repairing them until they fall apart.
I am actually somewhere in the middle (and below) both camps. I actually have never purchased tires individually for a bicycle, but I have purchased wheels with tires installed,and I've bought a number of tubes and patch kits.
In my opinion, tubes will pop and tires will get nails and screws in them. That is just the way of things. If you choose to go tubeless, you could still run over some broken glass or nails, or just come down too hard after a bump or pothole, burp a few PSI out of your tire and leave yourself running flat.
I recommend just holding onto your tires, whatever ones are on your bike, until you can't manage to keep riding them due to poor traction, and then replace them with whatever your local shop has in stock to fit your bike. As for tubes, they are very cheap, so I just keep an extra one on hand (duct taped to the top tube) and a pump strapped to my bike in case I need to replace on on the road or the trail. While I have run into this necessity before, I am usually able to walk to an air machine at a gas station and use my emergency cash stash in my seat bag to fill the replacement tube.
As for the cost, as I said I've never had to purchase tires, but I have bought well over 10 replacement tubes. My local shops sell replacement tubes for my wheel size for 2 or 3 dollars, and I normally buy 3 at a time.
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