2009 bike mileage challenge - Gas Savers

Lug_Nut · 01-06-2009, 06:12 AM

The 2007~2008 thread was starting to get long. I think it's time for an "annual" thread for the bicycling miles data. And I think calling it a "competition" was a bit too aggressive (that's probably because I didn't have the greatest distance

). Since it's the beginning of another year this would be the time to make the change to a new thread for the year.

The data you post in this thread can be whatever you wish.
Some had posted only displacement miles, those miles that would have otherwise been traveled by private auto. Examples are: commuting, shopping, travel to meetings. The bicycle is used as a substitute to an auto as a means of getting to another destination.
Some had included recreational miles, those miles that would otherwise have not been traveled by other means. Examples are: bicycle club rides, training on rollers or wind resistance trainers in your home. The bicycle IS the purpose, and not a means of getting to another location.
There is no 'litmus test' or requirement to a type of mileage for submissions, but in keeping with the intent of GasSavers.org, the desire is to use less fuel. Displacement miles are preferred, but don't worry about separating displacement miles from recreational miles if you have a combination.

And let's open it to ALL human muscle powered transport.
You rowed a boat 10 miles to work instead of taking a cab? Post it!
You ran TO the marathon, and then home again after completing it? Post it!
You roller ski to shop at the grocery store? Post it! and pictures, too!
You loaded your bikes on the car's roof rack then drove 40 miles to the state park solely for a 3 mile bicycle ride? You probably used more additional fuel getting there with the bikes on the roof than the bikes 'saved', but post the 3 miles anyway.
You took a bicycle camping trip instead and left the car home? THAT I definitely want to hear about.

DRW · 01-06-2009, 10:18 AM

I park a couple miles from work and ride the rest of the way, so count me in for 16 miles per week. I also park about one block away from home so I don't have to waste gas by doing U-turns or idling through a parking lot with a cold engine. It's also quick and easy to get my car rolling on my route.

low&slow · 01-30-2009, 06:20 AM

Hi, last Tuesday, I did something I had thought about for a while; ride my bicycle to work. My job in Fremont is about 28 miles away from my house in Livermore but there is a Bay Area Rapid Transit ( BART) train station 13.5 miles away in Dublin. The Fremont station is about 1/4 mile away from my office.
So Tues. I rode away to the BART station at 4:30 AM to be sure to get to the BART station before 6:30 AM when bikes are not allowed on the train. The morning ride was cold and dark but I made it in about an hour. There was plenty of room on the train and I got to work at ~6:30 AM. I had left a change of clothes and we have a shower and locker room at work. I left work early since I started early and was home at 5:30 PM. This avoided a ride home in heavy traffic in the dark. I was tired and hungry on arrival but nothing a hot shower and dinner couldn't fix. I'm going to try to do this at least once week.
gas-free miles: 27 by bike, 29 by rail.
low&slow

low&slow · 01-30-2009, 06:20 AM

Hi, last Tuesday, I did something I had thought about for a while; ride my bicycle to work. My job in Fremont is about 28 miles away from my house in Livermore but there is a Bay Area Rapid Transit ( BART) train station 13.5 miles away in Dublin. The Fremont station is about 1/4 mile away from my office.
So Tues. I rode away to the BART station at 4:30 AM to be sure to get to the BART station before 6:30 AM when bikes are not allowed on the train. The morning ride was cold and dark but I made it in about an hour. There was plenty of room on the train and I got to work at ~6:30 AM. I had left a change of clothes and we have a shower and locker room at work. I left work early since I started early and was home at 5:30 PM. This avoided a ride home in heavy traffic in the dark. I was tired and hungry on arrival but nothing a hot shower and dinner couldn't fix. I'm going to try to do this at least once week.
gas-free miles: 27 by bike, 29 by rail.
low&slow

Lug_Nut · 02-01-2009, 05:38 PM

Not a good month here in the snowy and icy north east.
January's monthly displacement miles is a paltry 61.2 miles.
That includes the 1/4 mile detour to the hospital for x-rays when I fell attempting to bunny-hop across the railroad tracks the morning after yet another snow storm. Just a sprain they say, but 2 weeks later it still hurts.
Here's to February...

Mike T · 02-11-2009, 10:19 PM

I won't even touch my bike until March and late March at that, it's too yucky out. But I'll be back.

striegel · 02-15-2009, 11:26 AM

Last year I missed out on a few weeks of riding in the early months due to a pulled muscle. This year I'm ahead of 2008 for bike miles to date (304 miles vs. 250), but since I'm working out of town more than expected, February may be about as light as last year.

Lug_Nut · 03-03-2009, 05:52 PM

February is over. Good riddance! I think I have more miles on my snowthrower this month than on the bike.

February: 81.34 miles
YTD: 142.54

and my thumb still hurts.

Bruce · 03-11-2009, 06:29 AM

Logged an average of 8,387 miles over the last 14 years prior to 2009 for a total of 117,420 miles.

January 600 miles, February 621 miles, YTD 1,454 miles total. My current commute is 33 miles round trip.

We've had above-average snowfall this year in Boston Metrowest.

Mike T · 03-15-2009, 11:26 AM

Well then, you win. I don't think most pro riders do much more distance than that.

striegel · 03-20-2009, 06:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce

Logged an average of 8,387 miles over the last 14 years prior to 2009 for a total of 117,420 miles.

...

Wow, did you wear out a number of bikes in the process?

I'm up to around 540 miles for 2009 as of this afternoon's commute.

maximilian · 03-20-2009, 06:15 PM

Does distance traveled on my elliptical qualify?

Kohote · 04-01-2009, 10:12 AM

Laziness and bad weather kept me off the bike in January and February.

March: 68 miles

Lug_Nut · 04-01-2009, 06:48 PM

My first trip of April came to an early end today. Some fool ignored the slight creak last week and had a left side crank arm come loose about 2 miles into this morning's commute. That fool also had begun the transfer of tools from the winter mountain bike to the summer road bike so no tools were available for roadside repairs. I had just finished descending a long hill and had to pedal with one foot back up the road I had just come down to get home. "Granny" gearing and good cleats did the trick.
March's displacement miles: a pitiful 86.01
YTD: 228.55
and my thumb still hurts from my mid-January crash/fall.

**theholycow** · 04-01-2009, 07:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lug_Nut

I had just finished descending a long hill and had to pedal with one foot back up the road I had just come down to get home.

Quote:

"Granny" gearing and good cleats did the trick.

I have the same problem with close-ratio gearing in bicycles as I do in cars. What use do I have for 9 cogs all one tooth apart from eachother unless I only ever ride on level land?

My road bike has a crazy wide-range mountain bike cassette (IIRC 32-11) and a triple crank. It came with a double crank and close-ratio cassette...I had to change out the derailers and probably some other stuff I don't remember.

SloSaturn · 04-06-2009, 03:04 PM

Very few cassettes come as straight blocks (one tooth steps) but they're grand when you're really on the boil and it's not "too" hilly.

BUT... whatever gets you out the door is alright by me.

-----------

April begins with my first 64k round trip to work of the year.

Mike T · 04-10-2009, 12:11 AM

I've done only 108 km so far. The weather up here has been awful.

Mike T · 04-15-2009, 11:13 PM

Well after Thursday dinner time I will be at 216 km. It's still freakin' cold in the morning!

SloSaturn · 04-19-2009, 03:04 PM

Just got back from a point to point road/railtrail/dirt road/offroad race/enduro. As is customary among a few friends rather than taking one of the buses back to the start to get our cars, we rode back. Now I appreciate that our 34km return trip didn't offset personal transportation, we did however, avoid the 68km roundtrip afterwards to go and fetch our bikes. Can't help but feel there must be a better way, especially for those who live much,much nearer to the start like myself (I've about 15 minutes further drive to home).

Mike T · 04-28-2009, 09:58 PM

I've ridden 322.2 km so far in April and another 55 km will be served up tomorrow.

This is encouraging because my first ride last year, when I topped 3000 km, was on May 22nd. I was in Europe last April and early May, which was my excuse. I'll be there again this fall, but only for about 10 days. So I hope to exceed 3000 km by a fair margin.

Lug_Nut · 04-30-2009, 06:37 PM

I think my straight cog days are over. My 13-18 Regina America (ultra-six freewheel, baby!) will probably never be used by me again. My 13-24 six speed freewheel is now becoming not low enough (42-53 chainrings). I'm seriously considering setting up either the DeRosa or the Vitus with a triple and touring ratios. The Ibis Mountain Trials has a 24-34-44 and a 14-34 six speed cassette. Combine that with the 24 inch rear and it's faster to walk uphill than pedal the granny, but rolling and wind resistance!

April's monthly displacement miles is 204.1 for a calendar 2009 tally of 432.65 miles.

Mike T · 05-01-2009, 10:58 PM

I am at 430 km as of today.

My bike is a Raleigh Super Course from 1978, and it has a 6 speed rear cluster by the extinct company, Suntour, which replaced the 5 speed cluster it came with.

The largest once was a 30 (I lived in a place where 30% hills were common) and the smallest was a 13....but now the largest is a 25 (WAY too big for where I live now) and the smallest is a 14, because my NOS Suntour supplier is out of 13s. So now I have no top end at all, even with my Campagnolo Record 53 on the front. I wear out the small cog every three years or so and they are of course quasi-unobtainable.

I think in a few more years it might be time to retire this old hag of a bike, whose frame is rusting in a few spots - I touch it up every year and more rust pops up. This bike has served me well for 31 years, but then again, I may have three kids in university all at the same time then (only two this year!), which costs a few dollars. So maybe it will have to go on, and on and on.

Mike T · 05-08-2009, 08:45 PM

There was crap weather this week and I only added 55 km to my total.

striegel · 05-10-2009, 08:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike T

I am at 430 km as of today.
...
I wear out the small cog every three years or so...

Wow! I have no idea how that can happen. Every sprocket on the original 5-speed freewheel of my 1973 Paris Sport is still in great shape after more than ten thousand miles.

Are you not cleaning and oiling the chain? Do you leave it out in the rain a lot?

I very seldom ride this bike any more since I commute on a Dahon now for most of my riding, but I had it out two weekends back and it's still as smooth as butter.

By the way, this week I passed 1,100 miles on the bike since the start of 2009.

DRW · 05-10-2009, 12:43 PM

New bikes have thinner cogs and chains to make room for more gears, so they wear out much faster. Old 5 speed freewheels have thick cogs and chains. Riding in the same gear will wear it out quicker. Smaller gears wear out quicker because theres fewer teeth to carry the load. That's why I like to ride in the largest chainring possible without cross chaining.

Ford Man · 05-11-2009, 02:07 PM

I wish I was still able to ride a bike and get in on this, but since I injured my back about 10 years ago I've tried to ride a bike short distances a few times. Once I rode about 1/2 mile and had to climb a hill to return home, when I got home I had to go to bed because of back pain. Back when I was 13-16 years old it wasn't uncommon for me to ride a bike 25-50 miles a day because it was my only transportation besides hitch hiking, but being near 50 now I know I couldn't ride that far even if I didn't have the back injury. I would always put a speedometer on my bike so I could keep track of the miles. I probably logged close to 10,000 miles during my early teenage years.

**theholycow** · 05-11-2009, 02:16 PM

Would a recumbent be more compatible with your back?

Any bent riders out here?

LOL:

Mike T · 05-13-2009, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by striegel

Wow! I have no idea how that can happen. Every sprocket on the original 5-speed freewheel of my 1973 Paris Sport is still in great shape after more than ten thousand miles.

I have about 28,000 miles on my 1978 Raleigh Super Course and virtually all of that is post-1986 on a six speed rear cluster.

If you ride with the chain being stretched for a while, it will wear the smaller cogs to the point where the chain can jump under high torque conditions (like pounding up a steep hill in a tall gear, standing up). Usually you will only notice this once you put a new chain on worn cogs.

I have had to change the smallest cog twice now, so once every 9000 miles or so. As I say, you usually will notice the jumping of gears when you fit a new chain. Chains should be changed every couple of years, if you ride say 1500 miles a year, as a rule, to avoid this.

If you have an original chain on a 10,000 mile bike, it is mega-stretched and as soon as you put a new one on, it will skip on the smaller cogs.

The chain is meticulously clean at all times.

I really should invest in a chain gauge.....

striegel · 05-14-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike T

...

If you have an original chain on a 10,000 mile bike, it is mega-stretched and as soon as you put a new one on, it will skip on the smaller cogs.

The chain is meticulously clean at all times.

I really should invest in a chain gauge.....

Well, I never said the chain was original; in fact I've replaced it several times. But there's nothing wrong with either the alloy chainrings or the steel sprockets of the rear cluster.

I don't have a chain gauge myself but I think about it sometimes. My current commuter bike gets such all-weather abuse that I replace the chain when I feel like the surface shows too much rust.

Mike T · 05-15-2009, 08:27 AM

Good, that's probably why your cogs are OK then. Replacing a chain several times in 10,000 miles pretty much ensures that none of them were stretched.

And I DO need a chain gauge. My cogs wore out due to overstretched chains.