[MountainMen]

Is there anyone in Omaha who lives car-free (by choice)? I've been looking at the cost of cars and the cost of bicycles, and some of the most expensive bikes are cheaper upfront and cheaper to maintain than a car. If there is anybody who uses a bicycle instead of a car, what kind of bike works best year-round for Omaha?

[iamjacobm]

A regular poster here does. I think harshbarj.

[harshbarj]

I use just your average city bike. It's an upright style bike built for utility use, and not for sport or speed. I have always been car free and used the bus system 100% until a few years ago when I switched to bicycle. Now I just can't see ever looking back to relying on just the bus.

European city bike - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I own 2 very much like the types shown here. They work well for what they are and for what they are for. Just don't think your going to race anyone, it's not going to happen on a 50lb bicycle.

[MountainMen]

Thanks. I think I could do it through the summer, but not sure about winter.

[harshbarj]

Originally Posted by MountainMen

Thanks. I think I could do it through the summer, but not sure about winter.

Both can be tough. In summer you get oppressive humidity (dewpoint of 82 last week on my ride home, heat index of over 115). In the winter you get cold. At least in the summer though the wind from riding helps, in the winter you get a wind chill effect that just adds to the problem. But I look at the money I save yearly and laugh at those passing by in cars spending up to 1/3rd of their income on travel. I spend on average less than 10% on travel and could go under 2% if I did not mind riding an ugly bike.

And for the record, I am not a sports cyclist and actually dislike that type of cyclist. They tend to give those of us that use our bicycles for a living a bad name. They tend to be the ones cutting in line at the lights and running stop signs, not to mention the spandex. Though that's just been my experience. I just wish our language could be like the dutch, and have 2 separate words for a sports cyclist and a utility cyclist, rather than the English way of just saying cyclist.

[MountainMen]

I agree, spending 1/3 of income on transportation is looney. Being entirely dependent on a car is looney. But cycling anywhere in the teeth of those winter winds might be just as looney.

[harshbarj]

Originally Posted by MountainMen

I agree, spending 1/3 of income on transportation is looney. Being entirely dependent on a car is looney. But cycling anywhere in the teeth of those winter winds might be just as looney.

Perhaps, but all last winter I never spent a dime on transportation. It was not till march that I needed to dump some money, and that was like $50 for new tires. If saving that kind of money is looney, then call me king looney .

[Gunluvver2]

I quit riding a bicycle at age 55 because of back problems (I am now 65). I rode my bike to work in Lincoln 365 days a year with maybe two or three days when deep snow forced me to take the car. I made my own studded snow tires for icy streets and typical snowmobile gear works great for bikes also. If you ride year around you will adapt to the conditions easily. The hot humid days bothered me more than the super cold days.
GL2