What percentage of your time/distance doing what?

[Robert Uhl]

"Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> writes:
>
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?

Over 5%

> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)
> Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
> Racing?

Zero

> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club
> ride?

Less than 5%

> On an indoor trainer or similar?

Zero.

--
Robert Uhl <http://public.xdi.org/=ruhl>
For entertaining gas contamination I always liked concentrated sulphuric
acid and elemental iodine. The result of mixing these is a mixture of
gaseous iodine, hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide, so it stinks,
stains everything, is poisonous and corrosive.

 

[David L. Johnson]

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 18:50:02 -0700, Claire Petersky wrote:

> Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
> you...
>
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?

15% (I live too close to work...)

> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)

20%

> Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)

20%

> Racing?

Not in many years.

> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club ride?

45% Let's see, does that add up to 100%?

> On an indoor trainer or similar?

Zilch.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | What is objectionable, and what is dangerous about extremists is
_`\(,_ | not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant.
(_)/ (_) | --Robert F. Kennedy

 

[Little Meow]

Claire Petersky wrote:

> Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the
> bike are you...
>
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?
> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride,
> etc.) Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
> Racing?
> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club
> ride? On an indoor trainer or similar?
> Other?
>
> Some of you love to log miles, so I'm sure there's some pretty
> accurate counts out there, as well as broad guesses.
>

Per week:

24 miles commute
50 miles recreation

 

[dgk]

On Mon, 29 Aug 2005 18:50:02 -0700, "Claire Petersky"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
>you...
>
>Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?
>Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)
>Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
>self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
>Racing?
>Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club ride?
>On an indoor trainer or similar?
>Other?
>
>Some of you love to log miles, so I'm sure there's some pretty accurate
>counts out there, as well as broad guesses.

99% commuting. I used to do weekend rides with the 5 boro bike club
but I seem to have lost the desire since I spend so much time just
biking to work.

 

[John_Kane]

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
> you...
>

Transportation/utility 95%
Touring/ rec 5%

Racing etc Never!

 

[Paul Hobson]

Robert Uhl wrote:
> "Claire Petersky" <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?
>
>
> Over 5%
>
>
>>Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)
>>Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
>>self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
>>Racing?
>
>
> Zero
>
>
>>Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club
>>ride?
>
>
> Less than 5%
>
>
>>On an indoor trainer or similar?
>
>
> Zero.
>

ok...you're missing "roughly" 90% of your riding. You've sparked my
interest

--
Paul M. Hobson
Georgia Institute of Technology
..:change the words numbers
if you want to reply to me:.

 

[Robert Uhl]

Paul Hobson <[email protected]> writes:
>
>>>Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?
>> Over 5%
>>
>>>Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)
>>> Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
>>> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
>>>Racing?
>> Zero
>>
>>>Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club
>>>ride?
>> Less than 5%
>>
>>>On an indoor trainer or similar?
>> Zero.
>>
>
> ok...you're missing "roughly" 90% of your riding. You've sparked my
> interest

Doh! That should have said Commuting/Shopping: 95%. And probably it's
quite a bit more than 95%, since almost all of my riding is between home
and work, or to the grocer's, or whatever. I really don't like
exercising (it seems rather pointless and a bit childish to run around
in circles or mindlessly lift weights), so I don't do much of it. A
charity ride here and there is about it, and I do practise ahead of time
so that I don't embarrass myself, but that's about the limit.

Although part of me thinks that maybe I _should_ cycle for exercise
after all.

--
Robert Uhl <http://public.xdi.org/=ruhl>
The cubic inch (1ci = 16.387cc) has been the traditional displacement
measurement of choice because 409 sounds better than 6702 in a song
(has there been a UK or European pop song about a sports car engine?).
--Peter Barrett

 

[Roger Zoul]

Robert Uhl wrote:
:: Doh! That should have said Commuting/Shopping: 95%. And probably
:: it's quite a bit more than 95%, since almost all of my riding is
:: between home and work, or to the grocer's, or whatever. I really
:: don't like exercising (it seems rather pointless and a bit childish
:: to run around in circles or mindlessly lift weights),

I don't mindlessly lift weights....I have a goal in mind...the same is with
cycling.

so I don't do
:: much of it. A charity ride here and there is about it, and I do
:: practise ahead of time so that I don't embarrass myself, but that's
:: about the limit.
::
:: Although part of me thinks that maybe I _should_ cycle for exercise
:: after all.

Cycling is fun. Do it for that reason alone if you don't like exercise.

 

[jj]

On Tue, 30 Aug 2005 17:06:28 -0400, "Roger Zoul" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Robert Uhl wrote:
>:: Doh! That should have said Commuting/Shopping: 95%. And probably
>:: it's quite a bit more than 95%, since almost all of my riding is
>:: between home and work, or to the grocer's, or whatever. I really
>:: don't like exercising (it seems rather pointless and a bit childish
>:: to run around in circles or mindlessly lift weights),
>
>I don't mindlessly lift weights....I have a goal in mind...the same is with
>cycling.

Roger forgets to mention that excepts everytime a fitness Instructor walks
by in a cute outfit.

-jet
(or -any outfit-) ;-D

> so I don't do
>:: much of it. A charity ride here and there is about it, and I do
>:: practise ahead of time so that I don't embarrass myself, but that's
>:: about the limit.
>::
>:: Although part of me thinks that maybe I _should_ cycle for exercise
>:: after all.
>
>Cycling is fun. Do it for that reason alone if you don't like exercise.

 

[Dane Jackson]

Claire Petersky <[email protected]> wrote:
> Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
> you...
>
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?

88%

> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)

Maybe 2% lifetime, nothing recent though.

> Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)

Zero, but one day...

> Racing?

Zero

> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club ride?

10%, mostly just circles around Lake Washington. I've found some neat
things by bike I never would have found if I've was driving from point A -> B.
Unfortunately my freeway/car based navigational skills have withered. I'm
always trying to give directions more suitable to someone going via bicycle.

> On an indoor trainer or similar?

Zero


--
Dane Jackson - z u v e m b i @ u n i x b i g o t s . o r g
XML is like violence -- if its not solving your problem, use more.

 

[Brian Kerr]

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
> you...
>
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?

0 - though I plan to change it eventually and ride 10 miles per day
(to/from work) if I ever get off my lazy duff and get it started.

> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)

10%? - I did a 200 mile charity ride (not a true double century, just
100/day for 2 days), and also 2 metric century rides so far this year.
I have another 100 miler planned and another metric century before
season's end.

> Touring? (multi-day type thing with overnight stop(s), whether
> self-supported, credit card or fully supported)
0
> Racing?

0 - maybe at some point in the future but I'm not ready yet

> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club ride?

This is nearly all my riding, maybe 90%? I didn't have a computer
before I did my 200 mile ride so I don't have good logs this year until
July. I ride about 30 miles/day 4-6 days a week.

> On an indoor trainer or similar?

I started off in the winter on an exercise bike at work for 15 minutes a
day. I went from 240lbs down to about 190lbs on that thing. Once it
got warm enough outside I gave it up for the real thing. I'm thinking
about getting a trainer to ride this winter so I can get in better shape.

> Other?
>
> Some of you love to log miles, so I'm sure there's some pretty accurate
> counts out there, as well as broad guesses.
>

What are your numbers Claire?

 

[Claire Petersky]

"Brian Kerr" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

> What are your numbers Claire?

I started this thread with two thoughts. One is that most of the bikes sold
at the bike shop are bikes for purely recreational rides -- and those rides
not in the rain. In other words, these bikes have no fender room, no ability
to put on a rack -- things that make a bike suitable for utility/commuting
use. My second thought was, maybe I made a horrible, horrible mistake by
sinking a great deal of money in a custom light touring bike, which is
relatively heavy compared to many cheaper road bikes.

What I then thought was, where do I put the majority of my miles? I don't
compulsively log my miles, but my broad guess for relative proportion for
the last 12 months would be:

15% touring
10% events
10% recreational/club riding
65% commuting/utility

With those sorts of proportions, the bike I bought makes a lot of sense. A
fast recreational bike would only suit about 20% of the riding I do. I don't
know if that would justify buying a fast bike one day, but that "one day"
is, at this point, a long ways away.

What really, really strikes me is, so far, how much of this group spends the
vast majority of its miles in commuting/utility miles. Based on the bikes
that are sold, I would have figured that the majority of the miles would be
doing recreational rides and events. Either this group is seriously weird,
or the bike stores are missing a market.


--
Warm Regards,

Claire Petersky
Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
http://bookcrossing.com/referral/Cpetersky

 

[rdclark]

Claire Petersky wrote:

> Either this group is seriously weird,
> or the bike stores are missing a market.

Those are not mutually exclusive conditions, Claire!

The lack of "all-around" bikes in the US market, especially as compared
to the European market, has been a topic on this group for years, as
you know. It's encouraging that more manufacturers are introducing
bikes that are pre-configured for commuting, with lights, fenders, and
racks already integrated. But it's still unusual to see many of them in
bike shops, and I've yet to see a single Breezer or such actually in
use here in Philadelphia.

I do see a fair number of tourers and 'cross bikes set up with racks
and fenders, though. And it's actually not that common to see
better-quality mountain bikes and racing-style bikes used for commuting
(plenty of toy store MTBs, of course).

What I suspect, however, is that many (most?) of us with newish touring
bikes, 'cross, bikes, and other all-round style machines used for
utility riding *also* have other bikes, at least one more, that we use
for whatever recreational riding we do. It might be a racing style road
bike or a cross-country bike or even a tandem, but I bet a lot of us
don't do centuries on the same bikes we use for commuting.

And I speculate that the multiple-bike syndrome is also a
distinguishing characteristic of many of the people in this group.
Which makes us an extreme minority in the bike-owning world, and
definitely "seriously weird."

RichC

 

[Zoot Katz]

Mon, 29 Aug 2005 18:50:02 -0700,
<[email protected]>, "Claire Petersky"
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Just sort of curious...what percentage of your time or miles on the bike are
>you...
>
>Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?
75%

>Racing?
I still limp when I sprint.

>Pure recreational riding, either alone,
15%

> with friends, or on a club ride?
10%

>On an indoor trainer or similar?
10% extra (20 Km per week, or else the nice lady makes me crawl)

>Other?
In my dreams? The latest bike dream featured owls. I was following
them or they were following me or maybe it was the same owl that just
kept reappearing. Anyway, I looked at the trip odometer before I woke
up and it said 111.1 Km. It looks like a did a metric century in my
sleep and my legs weren't even tired.
--
zk

 

[Mike Kruger]

"rdclark" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> And I speculate that the multiple-bike syndrome is also a
> distinguishing characteristic of many of the people in this group.
> Which makes us an extreme minority in the bike-owning world, and
> definitely "seriously weird."
>
I don't keep records by ride purpose, but do keep a log by bike. For the
past 6 years, here's the percentage by type of bike:

Recumbent (BikeE) 8%
Fat-tire bikes rigged up as commuter (fenders, generator, bulletproof
slicker tires, 2nd wheelset with studs, sturdy rack for errands) 51%
Road bikes used for club rides, tours, etc. 36%
Other: tandem, rentals, mountain bike off-road 5%

 

[Robert S. Dean]

> And I speculate that the multiple-bike syndrome is also a
> distinguishing characteristic of many of the people in this group.
> Which makes us an extreme minority in the bike-owning world, and
> definitely "seriously weird."
>
> RichC

Does it? I have been riding my recently rehabbed 1980s touring
bike since early June (~1230km by the Cateye), which makes it
tolerably serious riding by most peoples' (low) standards (i.e.,
everyone at work thinks 10 miles is an amazing ride). With the
price of gas going through the roof, I'm going to try commuting
this week, and at ~40 miles round trip, that'll add a lot of
"commuting" vice "rec" miles if it even comes close to working.
Anyway, the bike I have is good for that sort of riding, but
I was starting to think about adding something with some off
road capability, since it seems that my few biking friends are
more gravel-trail riders. It makes perfect sense to me that
you might need two tools for two significantly different tasks,
but I'm been "seriously wierd" for a long time. (-:

Rob Dean

 

[Neil Cherry]

Interesting turn of events (yesterday), several of my coworkers asked
me about cycling to work (gas prices jumped $0.50 in one day). This is
a big deal for some of them as it's 7 - 10 miles each way for them
(mostly non-cyclist but fairly healthy). Of course their biggest
concern (after the price of gas ;-) was dealing with the traffic. That
is a problem for them as the roads are quite narrow, twisty and
extremely busy during rush hour. I will help them plot a route and I
think the solution to their problem may be as simple as leaving
earlier (about 1 hour). The work we do is not 9 - 5 though we do have
some meeting to attend. We also have excellent shower facilities.
I'll work with various folks to see what we can work out.

BTW, I thought about riding in with them (what's a few more miles when
you ride centuries on weekends) but the problem is that I am very
agressive in traffic (unless you're from the NY and I know I'd
scare them with my tactics. I also ride very fast in traffic (even
with the trailer). My riding style is to be at a certain point at a
certain time to make drivers behave a certain way. I make the
descisions for them so they don't have too.

We're also exploring 'tele-commuting' for a few days a week.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email protected]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog

 

[jj]

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 12:04:43 -0500, Neil Cherry <[email protected]> wrote:

>Interesting turn of events (yesterday), several of my coworkers asked
>me about cycling to work (gas prices jumped $0.50 in one day). This is
>a big deal for some of them as it's 7 - 10 miles each way for them
>(mostly non-cyclist but fairly healthy). Of course their biggest
>concern (after the price of gas ;-) was dealing with the traffic. That
>is a problem for them as the roads are quite narrow, twisty and
>extremely busy during rush hour. I will help them plot a route and I
>think the solution to their problem may be as simple as leaving
>earlier (about 1 hour). The work we do is not 9 - 5 though we do have
>some meeting to attend. We also have excellent shower facilities.
>I'll work with various folks to see what we can work out.
>
>BTW, I thought about riding in with them (what's a few more miles when
>you ride centuries on weekends) but the problem is that I am very
>agressive in traffic (unless you're from the NY and I know I'd
>scare them with my tactics. I also ride very fast in traffic (even
>with the trailer). My riding style is to be at a certain point at a
>certain time to make drivers behave a certain way. I make the
>descisions for them so they don't have too.
>
>We're also exploring 'tele-commuting' for a few days a week.

Excellent. On the riding style, I do a little of that 'make drivers behave
a certain way', but I'm a novice compared to you. ;-)

What you might do is go with them on a practice ride over the same route on
a low traffic period, say a weekend while riding at a slower rate, and give
them tips, such as 'here you'd want to accelerate to make sure no one can
get close enough to right hook you...'.

Or you could do your normal type of riding but when they get too far
behind, pull over and wait. If done at the right time in their learning
process it will give them an idea of what smart, quick riding can do to
ameliorate the dangers.

jj

 

[SlowRider]

Claire Petersky wrote:
> Commuting/shopping/other transportational riding?

When I started, it was nearly 100%; now it's about 5%.

> Participating in some sort of one-day event? (century, charity ride, etc.)

As often as I can, but this year was only 3 events. "Just wait 'til
next year!"

> Touring?

Never done it.

> Racing?

Never done it.

> Pure recreational riding, either alone, with friends, or on a club ride?

90%, almost always by myself.

> On an indoor trainer or similar?

About 5% of the time spring-fall; 50-60% of the time over the winter.


-JR

 

[Neil Cherry]

On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 14:02:15 -0400, jj wrote:
> On Thu, 01 Sep 2005 12:04:43 -0500, Neil Cherry <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>Interesting turn of events (yesterday), several of my coworkers asked
>>me about cycling to work (gas prices jumped $0.50 in one day). This is
>>a big deal for some of them as it's 7 - 10 miles each way for them
>>(mostly non-cyclist but fairly healthy). Of course their biggest
>>concern (after the price of gas ;-) was dealing with the traffic. That
>>is a problem for them as the roads are quite narrow, twisty and
>>extremely busy during rush hour. I will help them plot a route and I
>>think the solution to their problem may be as simple as leaving
>>earlier (about 1 hour). The work we do is not 9 - 5 though we do have
>>some meeting to attend. We also have excellent shower facilities.
>>I'll work with various folks to see what we can work out.
>>
>>BTW, I thought about riding in with them (what's a few more miles when
>>you ride centuries on weekends) but the problem is that I am very
>>agressive in traffic (unless you're from the NY and I know I'd
>>scare them with my tactics. I also ride very fast in traffic (even
>>with the trailer). My riding style is to be at a certain point at a
>>certain time to make drivers behave a certain way. I make the
>>descisions for them so they don't have too.
>>
>>We're also exploring 'tele-commuting' for a few days a week.
>
> Excellent. On the riding style, I do a little of that 'make drivers behave
> a certain way', but I'm a novice compared to you. ;-)

And I a novice when compare to others in higher traffic areas such as
Phili and NY.

> What you might do is go with them on a practice ride over the same route on
> a low traffic period, say a weekend while riding at a slower rate, and give
> them tips, such as 'here you'd want to accelerate to make sure no one can
> get close enough to right hook you...'.

My behavior in traffic is automatic, I don't even think I just do it
like an instinct. It has become the habit of some of the ride leaders
to put me on the front when we get into high traffic areas. This is
for 2 reasons, the first is that the pace jump 2 levels (on NJ Rt 36 I
pulled for a 2 mile stretch at 27 mph during the 6 - 7 pm rush
hour). The second is that I seem to be psychic (psycho which is
really just making the traffic do what I want and knowing when they
won't.

Now having said this I can't take a novice and drag them out and
demonstrate these things. First I'll scare them and second at the
lower speeds my actions are totally different. Behavior is dictated by
speed, position and surroundings. Worse yet is that I am a very poor
instructor. I tend to frustrate myself when teaching and riding on
thes roads during non-rush hour. They're still busy tertiary roads, by
NJ standards, where frustration tends leads to stupid decisions.

--
Linux Home Automation Neil Cherry [email protected]
http://home.comcast.net/~ncherry/ (Text only)
http://hcs.sourceforge.net/ (HCS II)
http://linuxha.blogspot.com/ My HA Blog