# Life without the car from monday.



## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

After a lot of thought and consideration after monday we will be ditching the car and seeing if we can live without it.The road tax is up for renewal so instead of throwing 115 quid in the governments pocket i'll be buying some triple panniers and at some point a cargo trailer.
The biggest challenge is that we live in a village,we are very lucky though to be located very close to a cycle track which leads directly into town,approx 4 1/2 miles each way.
The way we see it is the car is costing over 200 a month after tax,fuel and breakdown cover and not being in work that is a lot of money.So on-line shopping at Asda,free delivery from Iceland and a garden centre round the corner that sells veg etc we really dont actually NEED the car.
Wish us luck,after 25 years of driving i'm finally going to attempt to ditch 4 wheels in favour of 2.
Actually really excited about the prospect of using the bikes as every day transport.


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## Piemaster (29 Oct 2011)

Wish I could do it! Good luck.


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## Rohloff_Brompton_Rider (29 Oct 2011)

good luck


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## ianrauk (29 Oct 2011)

You don't need luck.
You have a great decision, well done.





Soon you will wonder why you had the car in the first place.


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## Titan yer tummy (29 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> ...After a lot of thought and consideration after monday we will be ditching the car and seeing if we can live without it....


A very brave decision. I wish you well?


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## apollo179 (29 Oct 2011)

£200 a month - thats gonna hurt.
Great decision, well done.




Cars are handy for some stuff but you can hire a car for £30 a day in extremis, but otherwise almost everything is manageable with a little adaptation.


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## Strick (29 Oct 2011)

Hope it works out well for you.


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## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

apollo179 said:


> £200 a month - thats gonna hurt.
> Great decision, well done.
> 
> 
> ...


We got to Yorkshire 2 or 3 times a year to visit family and that was one factor that was difficult in deciding to ditch the car but as you've pointed out car hire is'nt too expensive for a weekend so thats what we'll be doing.
Cheers for all your wishes though,for me it is a huge step,i'm so used to jumping in the car to pop to Homebase or to just pop into town purely because the car is there and its convenient,thats probably 80% of using the car,convenience and laziness.For us it is anyway


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## Little yellow Brompton (29 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> After a lot of thought and consideration after monday we will be ditching the car and seeing if we can live without it.The road tax is up for renewal so instead of throwing 115 quid in the governments pocket i'll be buying some triple panniers and at some point a cargo trailer.
> The biggest challenge is that we live in a village,we are very lucky though to be located very close to a cycle track which leads directly into town,approx 4 1/2 miles each way.
> The way we see it is the car is costing over 200 a month after tax,fuel and breakdown cover and not being in work that is a lot of money.So on-line shopping at Asda,free delivery from Iceland and a garden centre round the corner that sells veg etc we really dont actually NEED the car.
> Wish us luck,after 25 years of driving i'm finally going to attempt to ditch 4 wheels in favour of 2.
> Actually really excited about the prospect of using the bikes as every day transport.



I did the same thing 2 years ago, and only returned to using a car this month.
What did I find...

I was a lot less stressed.
Taxi Drivers really are crap.
It is possible to do, no matter what everyone says.
You save a fortune on shopping
It can become limiting on socialising.
The biggest cost is on time.
It's a bit like smoking, all the drivers are itching for you to re start so that they can justify them not giving up in the first place.


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## Little yellow Brompton (29 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> We got to Yorkshire 2 or 3 times a year to visit family and that was one factor that was difficult in deciding to ditch the car but as you've pointed out car hire is'nt too expensive for a weekend so thats what we'll be doing.
> Cheers for all your wishes though,for me it is a huge step,i'm so used to jumping in the car to pop to Homebase or to just pop into town purely because the car is there and its convenient,thats probably 80% of using the car,convenience and laziness.For us it is anyway



And that's where you save the real money!


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## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

Little yellow Brompton said:


> And that's where you save the real money!


Popped to Sainsbury the other evening (14 mile round trip) for milk and bread and ended up spending 28 quid,would'nt have spent that if i did'nt have the car


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## diapason (29 Oct 2011)

I'm seriously thinking about getting rid of my car. I live in a small town and usually shop locally - the Co-op is about 200 yards. I use the car for trips into the nearest main town, about 22 miles return. I can bike this, so, really the car is a luxury. Tax runs out in January, so I may make the split then


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## gary in derby (29 Oct 2011)

Wish I could, but need van for work.


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## cloggsy (29 Oct 2011)

Well done for having the courage to ditch the car! I'd love to as all it does is eat and drink money, but the wife and kids might moan...

Keep us up to date with how its going; maybe do a blog/vlog?


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## 400bhp (29 Oct 2011)

I sold my car 2 weeks ago. It It feels [strangely?] liberating. I'm a big petrolhead and it was my pride and joy. 

However, it has been sat on the drive more and more over the last 18 months. IIRC I had driven 2k miles over the last year and certainly in the last 2-3 months of ownership it was only driven to a mechanics for work to be done on it.It was costing upwards of £2k p.a without the accelerator pedal being lifted and ignoring depreciation.

I found that driving was becoming less enjoyable, more crowded, less free. I'd often wish I had taken the bike. 

We still have a car in the family, for one my wife needs it for her work.

Cycled 15 miles this morning down the Trans Pennine Trail with my daughter in a bike seat, to have breakfast with my mum. The freedom the bicycle appears to give is very nice.


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## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

cloggsy said:


> Well done for having the courage to ditch the car! I'd love to as all it does is eat and drink money, but the wife and kids might moan...
> 
> Keep us up to date with how its going; maybe do a blog/vlog?


Will certainly keep you all updated with the progress.We will bbe keeping the car on the drive just in case things dont work out but only untill the end of January,on monday it will be put on sorn,the insurance and breakdown cover will be cancelled and it will have a cover thrown over it.
If by the end of January we still find we are coping without it then it will be sold and i will buy myself and the wife a new bike each  
Hav'nt told our 2 lazy teenage daughters yet they are away on holiday


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## 400bhp (29 Oct 2011)

I would personally keep the breakdown, tax and insurance cover until it is sold. You just never know.


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## smokeysmoo (29 Oct 2011)

400bhp said:


> I would personally keep the breakdown, tax and insurance cover until it is sold. You just never know.


+1 for at least the insurance, if something did happen to it your new bike fund would be goosed


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## 400bhp (29 Oct 2011)

And, don't just leave the car sat on the drive. Drive it for 30 mins or so once a week.


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## al78 (29 Oct 2011)

I was thinking of selling my car when the VED is due at the end of February. I'm currently minimizing its use until then to see that I can get through a winter with just a bike as transport (with the exception of giving it a run once a fortnight or so). I've worked out that the occasions where a car is essential are so few and far between that I could just hire one in those cases. The only issue is that riding a bike day after day after day after day is going to take its toll on me eventually, it shouldn't do but occasionally I do get these run down feelings where every ride feels like a huge effort, and there is no public transport option to get to work.


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## cloggsy (29 Oct 2011)

It might be more trouble than it is worth keeping it; you may as well get it sold than leave it to rot on your driveway...

I don't know what car it is, but £100 to X x thousands of pounds will be better in your bank account than sat on your drive won't it?


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## Little yellow Brompton (29 Oct 2011)

400bhp said:


> I sold my car 2 weeks ago. It It feels [strangely?] liberating. I'm a big petrolhead and it was my pride and joy.
> 
> However, it has been sat on the drive more and more over the last 18 months. IIRC I had driven 2k miles over the last year and certainly in the last 2-3 months of ownership it was only driven to a mechanics for work to be done on it.It was costing upwards of £2k p.a without the accelerator pedal being lifted and ignoring depreciation.
> 
> ...



Liberating is exactly how it feels. This is from someone that was involved in motorpsort at an international level for over 30years. It'#s a wonderful feeling and it's only family circumstances that have drawn me back in, and even now I feel the morass dragging me deeper and deeper into dependancy! :-(


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## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

The insurance and breakdown cover is costing us 50 odd quid a month alone so to be paying that with the car being idle would be a waste,theres no issues with anything happening to the car to have to make a claim,we're lucky enough to have an off road driveway behind a heavy set of farm gates and hidden by our hedgerow,plus we live out a bit in the sticks so could pretty much say theres no risk of anything happening to it.
I do all my own maintenance and repairs so if in 3 months time it was to go back on the road then it would only take an hour tops to have it ready,quick phone call and its insured then straight online and its taxed.After January it'll either be sold or back on the road.


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## Cycletrax (29 Oct 2011)

+1 for it being liberating, we,ve ditched two vehicles in the last year and have not owned a car for 6 months now and can honestly say that upto date, we have not missed it one bit. And more then ever it made us both realize just what a slave we were to it. For us the negatives far out weighed the positives of owning a car. What we have discovered is that we look after/clean our cycles a lot better then we looked after the cars. 

We are geographically close to everything we need, work 0.3miles,doctors 80 yards away, hospital 0.3miles, Shopping facities 0.5 miles, City centre 0.8 miles, my beloved football stadium 0.2 miles, DIY shed 0.2 miles in fact the furthest we need to go is 1.8miles to our allotments.

Its amazing the reactions we got from some of our freinds/family etc when they discovered we dont drive anymore, "How do you get your shopping now", "what if its raining when you go to work", I even had my best mate pull me to one side "mate if you need to borrow a bit of cash to buy a cheap 2nd hand car, you know you only have to ask" which was nice, but made me laugh when next time he came to my house I brought down £5k cash, to show him I,m not skint and that I really dont want to drive anymore. Which to my mind shows how much it is instilled in us that we must want to have a car. No upto now We,re doing fine using our "Push Hogs" and our, "Shanksy,s Ponies" thankyou...


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## jig-sore (29 Oct 2011)

well done to anybody who gives up their car.

however there is an alternative if you find the "need" to go back... moped/motorbike.

50cc -125cc bikes only cost £16 a year tax. my 125 will do 90mpg and is only costing 20 a month insurance despite having not yet built up any no claims.

i know i should be 100% behind cycling but it's worth knowing the facts


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## DiddlyDodds (29 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> After a lot of thought and consideration after monday we will be ditching the car and seeing if we can live without it.




More room on road for me in my car then.

best of luck , i did it for 2 years and in the end got sick of delayed and cancelled trains , cold winter days in traffic commuting and instead of thinking " i will just nip over to ..." having to decide how long it would take on the bike , and what time i would get back , the weather and what i needed to cary etc ,,, 


Thank god for Cars and bikes ,, i love em both and god help anyone who tries to take one of them off me.


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## biggs682 (29 Oct 2011)

on average we only do about 70 miles a week in ours and if i had my way it would be far less .


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## Bluebell72 (29 Oct 2011)

I drive too far for work to do it, and my OH also has a van for his job.
But this fortnight we've had both our cars MOT'd and taxed, it sure mounts up.

I have really tried to do more 'social' journeys on my bike this summer and keep a tally of the mileage, and was amazed - 2 trips to corner shop a week, 3 trips to see the in-laws, 1 to my sister, 1 to the library and swimming baths, once a month to hairdresser. None of these trips need panniers, and I worked out that over the year, that is about 3400 miles. 
Don't want to think how much that costs in diesel, but it's better off in my pocket!


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## betty swollocks (29 Oct 2011)

I ditched my car twenty five years ago.
Incredibly liberating.
On the rare occasions I require one now, I rent one.

Good luck and enjoy.


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## Chris-H (29 Oct 2011)

I have to admit that at the moment i do have reservations every now and then which is the reason we're goingto keep the car before deciding its fate.The thought of having to ride into town in pouring rain is'nt too appealing but we do have a bus stop at the top of our road,i hate public transport but i'm sure i'll get used to it if need be


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## PoweredByVeg (29 Oct 2011)

Well done there, keep us up to date with how you get on, could be some good stories come out of it


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

I'm ashamed to say I have a works van (white




), the wife has a new car and I have a people carrier. The kids have left home so between just me and the wife we have 3 vehicles. When the kids were young and money was tight we had one old banger.

I do prefer our old life when I had little kids and a crap car and life had more of a purpose. I'm really jealous of people who have a more alternative lifestyle i.e. no car, vegetable patch, bike with basket.

Anyone want to swap a shoot life in Salford for something a bit different ?


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## coffeejo (29 Oct 2011)

Blimey, tomorrow marks a year sans car for me. There have been a handful of occasions when I've missed it but they've generally been the "it's raining and I need to go to the shops" situations. And that is pure laziness on my part  .


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## gavroche (29 Oct 2011)

Why are so many of you anti cars? Cars are very useful and here to stay. I wouldn't like to be without mine.


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

gavroche said:


> Why are so many of you anti cars? Cars are very useful and here to stay. I wouldn't like to be without mine.




They are useful - at a price.......

Cars have killed more people than the people who have been killed in both world wars combined. Then the environmental costs/noise pollution. 

Merde non ?


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## mattobrien (29 Oct 2011)

I have more cars that bikes, so can't see me going without one, not that I drive that much anymore.
The fleet consists of a track car, no. 1 hobby, a sports car (for road use) and an old truck, which is useful for taking the bike about in if I need to go farther a field.
I fully intend to cycle more miles than I drive next year, but do love my cars, so unless this go drastically wrong I can't see me losing any cars, but I do hope to better address the bike to car ratio




Matt


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## andylaw79 (29 Oct 2011)

We got rid of our second car at the end of June as it was used so little and to be honest we haven't missed it one bit. With one small child and another on the way I don't think we could be totally car free.


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## ianrauk (29 Oct 2011)

gavroche said:


> Why are so many of you anti cars? Cars are very useful and here to stay. I wouldn't like to be without mine.



Well it may of escaped your notice, but this forum is called Cycle Chat.
Which by my reckoning would mean that the majority of posters are cyclists and many of those cyclists would rather cycle then own a car.

That's my theory anyway


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

I need a world without cars and without facebook and without mobile phones.

Unfortunately I'd have to go back in time to the 19th century so I'd have to contend with TB, cholera and dysentery.


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## al78 (29 Oct 2011)

gavroche said:


> Why are so many of you anti cars? Cars are very useful and here to stay. I wouldn't like to be without mine.



It is not that people are anti-car (I don't hear many people advocating a total elimination of cars), it is the excessive use of them and the resultant destructive side effects that people have a problem with.


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## deptfordmarmoset (29 Oct 2011)

I'm coming up for 3 years without a car now. I have occasional access to my mother's car in return for occasionally driving her around after dusk because of her deteriorating eyesight but I don't think I've borrowed the car more than 4 times this year. Living in London makes it very easy not to have to - or want to - drive. And my parents, daughter and granddaughter all live within easy cycling distance. About 2 years ago I put around £20 onto an Oyster card and I've still got about £13 credit left. It must be over a year since I last caught a bus or a train - and the train ride was to get my bike down to the coast for a ride with a friend. 

Various car insurance companies still send me ''please insure with us'' letters and I take great pleasure in tearing them up and putting them in the recycling. I'm really not missing the costs and the worry, and while the legs are still working, I'm definitely not looking for another car.


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## doog (29 Oct 2011)

ianrauk said:


> Well it may of escaped your notice, but this forum is called Cycle Chat.
> Which by my reckoning would mean that the majority of posters are cyclists and many of those cyclists would rather cycle then own a car.
> 
> That's my theory anyway





You are missing the point.

This forum isnt that militant i'm sure..........its easy to get swayed by commuting horror stories but die hard cyclists who dont own cars probably do it out of necessity rather than being anti car.

I mean for most cycling enthusiasts where would the TDF be without cars?

Where would most tourers be without the cycling express coach, planes and car ferries? All polluting monsters but thats not the point

The point of cycling is that we cycle because we can.


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

WOAH !!......the BUS....the TRAIN - you mean be trapped in a small metal box with other members of society who could easily be mentalists (probably more likely to be mentalists if they can't afford a car or bike).

I'm glad I kept my car now





Seriously though, I must review what I wish for.....No cars, no phones, no Facebook, no diseases......and no crowds of people !

(it's not so much the crowds of people I have a problem with.....just the individuals in the crowds)


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## ianrauk (29 Oct 2011)

doog said:


> You are missing the point.
> 
> This forum isnt that militant i'm sure..........its easy to get swayed by commuting horror stories but die hard cyclists who dont own cars probably do it out of necessity rather than being anti car.
> 
> ...



You're missing the point.
The little winky smiley in my post means that it should be taken in a light hearted way. 
Oh well...


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## doog (29 Oct 2011)

ianrauk said:


> You're missing the point.
> The little smiley in my post means that it should be taken in a light hearted way.
> Oh well...






i guessed that .I just jumped into the debate and spouted off







as usual


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## dave r (29 Oct 2011)

I've been with out a car since the late 1970's. When I've needed one I've hired one, day trips and holidays, I've also holidayed by coach and train. Day to day I cycle and we walk, use the buses, have lifts off friends and once in a while we will use the trains. I've been thinking lately it may be nice to have one again, but with my youngest son having passed his test this year and brought a small hatchback I've been hearing whats it been costing him and I'm thinking yes it would be convenient but is it worth the cost? My wife has her bus pass and I'll have mine shortly so I'm not sure I will have one again.


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## gavroche (29 Oct 2011)

Without my car how could I bring my wine and cheese back from France? How could I go to Portsmouth in 5 hours from here? I love riding my bike but it is purely for exercise. Pollution? Grossly exaggerated I think.


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## Thomk (29 Oct 2011)

Our second car is up for sale and it is one of the reasons/motivations/excuses for starting to cycle commute. I think we'll be fine with one car and maybe one day, perhaps when the kids are a bit older, we'll be brave enough to ditch the other. Well done chap. You can always spend £1K or more on hiring/taxis in need per year and still be quids in.


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

dave r said:


> I've been with out a car since the late 1970's. When I've needed one I've hired one, day trips and holidays, I've also holidayed by coach and train. Day to day I cycle and we walk, use the buses, have lifts off friends and once in a while we will use the trains. I've been thinking lately it may be nice to have one again, but with my youngest son having passed his test this year and brought a small hatchback I've been hearing whats it been costing him and I'm thinking yes it would be convenient but is it worth the cost? My wife has her bus pass and I'll have mine shortly so I'm not sure I will have one again.



Yeah Dave........it's called freeloading


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## dave r (29 Oct 2011)

brokenflipflop said:


> Yeah Dave........it's called freeloading




??? You'll have to explain that one??? I see the smilie so I'm not taking it seriously, I'm just curious.


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## montyboy (29 Oct 2011)

Live without a car, couldnt do it!

I have 4 plus 2 race cars. I spend an absolute fortune on them and I love it, thats what I go to work for.

I like to cycle and it keeps me fit but my cars are my passion.


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

dave r said:


> ??? You'll have to explain that one??? I see the smilie so I'm not taking it seriously, I'm just curious.



Lifts off friends = freeloading


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## dave r (29 Oct 2011)

brokenflipflop said:


> Lifts off friends = freeloading



Everybody has lifts off friends now and again, I've given lifts to family and friends when I've been driving, nothing freeloading there.


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## brokenflipflop (29 Oct 2011)

dave r said:


> Everybody has lifts off friends now and again, I've given lifts to family and friends when I've been driving, nothing freeloading there.



Ok. Sorry


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## dave r (29 Oct 2011)

brokenflipflop said:


> Ok. Sorry



Thats OK


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## DCLane (29 Oct 2011)

Mine's been sat on the drive for much of the summer. Yes, it's good to take the kids to school (1 and 5 miles away), but they could walk/take the bus - which they do occasionally.

I also do at least one trip to work by car just to take in work that's been done/bring it back. That _could_ be done by bus, just.

Certainly I'm thinking "I've got a convertible that's hardly been used this summer, apart from a trip to France. Why've I still got something with the roof that goes down if I take the bike in all weathers?"


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## smokeysmoo (29 Oct 2011)

I had decided to ditch commuting and sell a bike a few weeks ago, but circumstances have now changed so I've come full circle and will be commuting full time again from Monday.

I can't get rid of my company car, but I don't need to go to work in it every day. I only have a short commute of around 3 miles each way, but I've still been having to put £20 worth of diesel in the car each week, (includes pottering about at weekends too)!

I used to absolutely love cars and driving, but now I view the car as a necessary evil and driving as an all out pain in the @rse, (40-50k a year for several years does that to you!). I'll never be apart from cars as I work in the industry, (and can't see a way out of it), but the love affair has definitely come to an end for me.


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## Xiorell (30 Oct 2011)

I think I am in a way, lucky to never have been a driver (aged 27) , probabley makes the idea of cycling everywhere alot easier. My town is only 6ish miles across so local trips are pretty easy to cater for.


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## Arch (30 Oct 2011)

gavroche said:


> Without my car how could I bring my wine and cheese back from France? How could I go to Portsmouth in 5 hours from here? I love riding my bike but it is purely for exercise. Pollution? Grossly exaggerated I think.



So you only cycle for leisure. fair enough. Many of us see cycling as the more efficient way to travel. I don't need a car, and if I had one then it would cost me a fortune, eating up all the money I currently have for fun, and I wouldn't have anywhere to park it at my flat anyway. I don't feel the need to travel hundreds of miles to buy cheese, when the continental market brings it to me every month...

(Not quite Portsmouth, but I could be in Southampton (from York) in a little over 5 hours, on a single train).

Your part of North Wales may not seem very polluted. Near my flat is one of the worst air quality streets in Europe, apparently, which is commonly nose to tail traffic in the day time, a huge proportion of that being individual people sitting in cars, probably travelling a few miles. Not only is the air quality poor, which is hard to see, all the shops on that street have a slightly grubby dusty look. 

All that said, I can drive, I can hire a car if I need to, or arrange to travel with someone who has one, and have nothing against using one for a frivolous day out. I just chose not to pay day in day out for something I rarely need.

Tips for car free living. Live in a city, or be a little bit organised and have a good freezer! (I'm sure the OP knows, but both bread and milk, those 'pop out for' items, can be frozen in order to stock up).


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## Little yellow Brompton (30 Oct 2011)

brokenflipflop said:


> WOAH !!......the BUS....the TRAIN - you mean be trapped in a small metal box with other members of society who could easily be mentalists (probably more likely to be mentalists if they can't afford a car or bike).



One of the best things about not having a car was the humanising factor of using public transport.


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

.

Tips for car free living. Live in a city, or be a little bit organised and have a good freezer! (I'm sure the OP knows, but both bread and milk, those 'pop out for' items, can be frozen in order to stock up).
[/quote]
Yup know what your saying,already looking to get a second freezer today or tomorrow before d-day so we can stock up,its a pain in the arse running out of the essentials and i found having a car really does add to the feeling that if it runs out i can nip to the shop and get what we need,without the car we are going to have to plan ahead a lot more.What makes this more worthwhile is i can now justify getting a nice night vision evo jacket and waterproofs without feeling guilty


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## Arch (30 Oct 2011)

Trailers are great for load lugging, by the way. My boss at Velo Vision (Bikepete on here) has a huge one that can transport a sofa!


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## Little yellow Brompton (30 Oct 2011)

smokeysmoo said:


> I used to absolutely love cars and driving, but now I view the car as a necessary evil and driving as an all out pain in the @rse,.... the love affair has definitely come to an end for me.



+1*


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## CopperCyclist (30 Oct 2011)

Congratulations on your decision. Ditched my car in April for money reasons too (though the wife still has one). It's meant my only way to get to work, whatever the weather, is cycle. Ditto if I want to go out for a drink with friends.

Haven't missed it at all, and don't think you will either  Until children appear in my life, can't see us going back to being a two car family.


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

Arch said:


> Trailers are great for load lugging, by the way. My boss at Velo Vision (Bikepete on here) has a huge one that can transport a sofa!


 bet he's legs are like tree trunks !!!!!
That'd bloody kill me,i am looking at getting a cheap 70 quid cargo trailer though along with some triple panniers


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## Fran143 (30 Oct 2011)

Go you! Brave choice considering it's coming into winter.....that said I very rarely turn a wheel on my car whatever the weather. Kepp us updated on how you get on.


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## palinurus (30 Oct 2011)

Just doing some decorating. Every weekend now involves a trip to the dump (fair way too- the local one was closed, have to ride to a neighbouring town- however there's a good flat route). Last week I took a trailer full of scrap wood and the old living room carpet strapped to the top.

Although I'm paying extra for it I live close to the town centre and to two stations, tube and mainline- I still save by not running a car or two. I'm a little further from the Supermarkets now (as they tend to be on the edge of town) but I've found the local independent shops to be cheaper in many ways- yesterday I popped out for some limes- I got four for 50p. In particular fruit, vegetables and staples like rice and flour are often cheaper, much cheaper in some cases. Pretty much everything can be obtained within a few minutes walk (except good bread- there's no bakery in the area but I do cycle past a good Italian place on the way home from work). I almost never use the trailer for shopping- except if it's for furniture! but I would if I lived further out.


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

Fran143 said:


> Go you! Brave choice considering it's coming into winter.....that said I very rarely turn a wheel on my car whatever the weather. Kepp us updated on how you get on.



I certainly will do,thank you


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## brokenflipflop (30 Oct 2011)

Little yellow Brompton said:


> One of the best things about not having a car was the humanising factor of using public transport.



I've seen people on public transport............some of them are not human !!


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## Telemark (30 Oct 2011)

palinurus said:


> Pretty much everything can be obtained within a few minutes walk (except good bread- there's no bakery in the area but I do cycle past a good Italian place on the way home from work).



I recommend investing in a bread machine ... you can have fresh bread in the morning with the smell wafting through the house as you wake up . It only requires 5 minutes the night before to set it going... if you use it regularly, you'll very quickly save money, as good bread is often quite expensive. 
You can also use the machine to prepare the dough for you, so you can bake it in any shape you like, rolls, round loaf etc., it makes pizza dough, too!  
With the timer function our machine can be set up up to 14 hours in advance.

Back on topic ... I never had a car of my own, we live in the city and can do most daily/weekly jobs on foot, by bike or public transport. I am not anti-car at all, they can be very handy to transport larger items, go on holiday or to places you can't get to on public transport (which is a lot of the Scottish Highlands) - it's great to be able to rent the right kind of vehicle for the job. They are mostly nearly new and it's great to be able to hand them back when you are done, without the worry of maintenance, parking permits, MOTs, insurance etc.  I never calculated the savings, but it must be quite a bit, to be spent on bikes, holidays etc instead.  

Good luck with your experiment  

T


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## lulubel (30 Oct 2011)

smokeysmoo said:


> I used to absolutely love cars and driving, but now I view the car as a necessary evil and driving as an all out pain in the @rse



This could be me. I used to love driving and cars, did some night rallying when I was younger .... but it feels like more of a chore than fun now. The car barely gets used now, and we're moving into town soon, so I really hope I can convince my OH we don't need it any more.

Then I can use some of the money from selling it to buy another bike


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## Little yellow Brompton (30 Oct 2011)

lulubel said:


> This could be me. I used to love driving and cars, did some night rallying when I was younger .... but it feels like more of a chore than fun now. The car barely gets used now, and we're moving into town soon, so I really hope I can convince my OH we don't need it any more.
> 
> Then I can use some of the money from selling it to buy another bike



I did my last night event about 11 yrs ago. I remeber when I was in my teens/20's we used to rock up to the start, 200 miles plot and bash, to the finish , I would have a pint or two whist waiting for the" washing line" to be filled , then doze on the way home , waking whenever the driver needed instructions. a bit of kip Sun afternoon and ready to start the week, with another event next weekend. When I did my last event ( A rerun of the Gremlin) I slept all of Sunday through to Monday morning, and was wrecked until Thurs! :-(


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## baldycyclist (30 Oct 2011)

I am keeping my car on the drive this winter now that 'cold weather tyres' are compulsory for getting around!!

I have also saved well over £10,000 in the last two years with living closer to work and not using my car as much.

I actually walked to work the other day after I could not run or cycle due to doing the Great North Run and only being able to run like a dog with four dicks, never mind two.

All in all, I have not spent any of my wages for 18 months due to moving house and cycling.

The more we do this the better.

Might be time to leave work and set up a LBS!!!!!


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

I used to be a big petrol head,i actually still co-own a Vauxhall owners 
club/forum,i have built a couple of show cars and have messed around and 
modified cars for years now but this last year or so has seen a rapid decline in 
my interest in cars,they're too damn expensive and the government are just 
getting greedier by the day and hitting the motorist with ever increasing 
inflation busting taxes and i'm sick to death of it,why the hell should i 
continue to pay 1.36 per litre of fuel when over 1.00 of it is in tax? Sod that 
i'll keep my money in my pocket from now on


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## sheddy (30 Oct 2011)

driving would be nicer if the motons could just keep a lid on their anger...


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

sheddy said:


> driving would be nicer if the motons could just keep a lid on their anger...



The problem,i think,is that theres just too many cars on the road,people are in too much of a rush that when they get held up by a few seconds they go into a ridiculous rage.


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## smokeysmoo (30 Oct 2011)

baldycyclist said:


> I am keeping my car on the drive this winter now that 'cold weather tyres' are compulsory for getting around!!



I see a severe weather front has hit the Eastern US, LINKY. I guess we'll get the @rse end of it in about a week, so better order up some studded tyres now


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## Brandane (30 Oct 2011)

I am seriously considering giving up my car, after 30 years of "car dependency". I am fortunate in the fact that I receive a pension from a previous job. It is just about enough to survive on; IF I don't have the added expense of car ownership.

At the moment I am driving HGVs to supplement the pension, so that I can have added extras like holidays, and owning a car. However it is slowly getting through to my thick head that it is not worth the hassle. A low paid, long hours, hard physical job just so that I can keep a car??? WTF! If I am not working I do not NEED a car (current work is 25 miles away and not on a cycle commutable route). Due to the hours, public transport is not an option. 

So; time for a serious re-evaluation of my life at age 49. Give up work, and with it the car? The more that time goes on, the more appealing an option it is becoming. I live within walking distance of a big supermarket, a train station, and bus stops. As an added bonus, I can stop contributing 30% of my wage in direct tax and NI, plus £8 per day in petrol.


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

Brandane said:


> I am seriously considering giving up my car, after 30 years of "car dependency". I am fortunate in the fact that I receive a pension from a previous job. It is just about enough to survive on; IF I don't have the added expense of car ownership.
> 
> At the moment I am driving HGVs to supplement the pension, so that I can have added extras like holidays, and owning a car. However it is slowly getting through to my thick head that it is not worth the hassle. A low paid, long hours, hard physical job just so that I can keep a car??? WTF! If I am not working I do not NEED a car (current work is 25 miles away and not on a cycle commutable route). Due to the hours, public transport is not an option.
> 
> So; time for a serious re-evaluation of my life at age 49. Give up work, and with it the car? The more that time goes on, the more appealing an option it is becoming. I live within walking distance of a big supermarket, a train station, and bus stops. As an added bonus, I can stop contributing 30% of my wage in direct tax and NI, plus £8 per day in petrol.


Good for you mate,thats exactly how i feel,if you decide to go for it then i wish you the bet of luck


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## 400bhp (30 Oct 2011)

Little yellow Brompton said:


> Liberating is exactly how it feels. This is from someone that was involved in motorpsort at an international level for over 30years. It'#s a wonderful feeling and it's only family circumstances that have drawn me back in, and even now I feel the morass dragging me deeper and deeper into dependancy! :-(



I still have my racecar - thing is I don't have the time to race it any more.

As I'm sure you're aware, there's always something to do on them - I cound easily spend 20 hrs + at a weekend fettling/tinkering etc. 

I'm loathed to sell it as I'll get FA for it


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## Chris-H (30 Oct 2011)

400bhp said:


> I still have my racecar - thing is I don't have the time to race it any more.
> 
> As I'm sure you're aware, there's always something to do on them - I cound easily spend 20 hrs + at a weekend fettling/tinkering etc.
> 
> I'm loathed to sell it as I'll get FA for it



Christ i know that feeling,spent months on an Astravan to promote my forum,fitted Calibra v6 running gear etc etc,when i came to sell it had all sorts of idiots offering ridiculous amounts,ended up breaking it for spares


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## Arch (30 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> bet he's legs are like tree trunks !!!!!
> That'd bloody kill me,i am looking at getting a cheap 70 quid cargo trailer though along with some triple panniers



Not really. He's fairly fit of course, but pulling a trailer isn't actually all that much extra effort, until you're going uphill. On the flat, a well balanced trailer makes virtually no difference, and downhill it helps - bear in mind that you'll need to make sure your brakes are working well, to stop the extra weight.

I ride one of these at work, some days:

http://www.cyclesmaximus.com/

in load bearing set up. On an average day, I can be shifting the trike (50kg), me (69kg) and 150kg of recycling. Admittedly, on the slightest gradient I'm down to walking pace, but I can do it, and my legs aren't remotely tree trunkish. It's all in the gears. 

I have colleagues who are much stronger and faster than me, but none of them are built like Olympic athletes especially.

Here's me with a small load...


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## smutchin (30 Oct 2011)

I would dearly love to get rid of our car but there's no way I could persuade my wife (or son) that it would be a good idea. 

I would spend some of the money I saved on a decent trailer and/or cargo bike, which would cover most of those occasions when I might feel the need for a car. 

d.


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## Cosmicned (31 Oct 2011)

We cut down from a two car to one car family- effectively the car belongs to my partner- but after much thought I ditched my car after watching rot on the drive after cycling to work for the past year. WAAAY better off and fitter... its a no-brainer if you can do it...


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## SavageHoutkop (31 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> Will certainly keep you all updated with the progress.We will bbe keeping the car on the drive just in case things dont work out but only untill the end of January,on monday it will be put on sorn,the insurance and breakdown cover will be cancelled and it will have a cover thrown over it.
> If by the end of January we still find we are coping without it then it will be sold and i will buy myself and the wife a new bike each
> Hav'nt told our 2 lazy teenage daughters yet they are away on holiday



Good luck! We don't have a car either. Only downside for you is you've picked a bad time of the year to start; as it's getting cold and miserable  - but keep it up; definitely worth it. You did say you were off the beaten track; I've just joined a car share for those 'need to pick up something bulky from XYZ' jobs; might be worth seeing if there is one nearby. I've used it all of once though!


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## SavageHoutkop (31 Oct 2011)

deptfordmarmoset said:


> Various car insurance companies still send me ''please insure with us'' letters and I take great pleasure in tearing them up and putting them in the recycling. I'm really not missing the costs and the worry, and while the legs are still working, I'm definitely not looking for another car.



Hmmm there's a thought - my junk mail just goes straight in the recycling unopened, but tearing it up must be more satisfying!


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## jdtate101 (31 Oct 2011)

Brave decision, but good luck. Put some of that saved cash towards some really nice warm winter bike gear.....



.

would love to have a local job that meant I could cycle to work and ditch a car...


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## Chris-H (31 Oct 2011)

SavageHoutkop said:


> Good luck! We don't have a car either. Only downside for you is you've picked a bad time of the year to start; as it's getting cold and miserable
> 
> In a way i'd say its the best time to start,yep the crap weather is coming in soon but if wecan get through the winter then the rest of the year should be a doddle
> 
> ...


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## 400bhp (31 Oct 2011)

Chris-H said:


> In a way i'd say its the best time to start,yep the crap weather is coming in soon but if wecan get through the winter then the rest of the year should be a doddle



Absolutely!


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## Chris-H (1 Nov 2011)

Well 24 hours in now and believe me thats a record already for me.My cars have always been as much a part of me as my legs,often carrying me more than my legs.I have always been a motorist and have loved driving passionately right up until the last year or so.

Spent my day tidying the garden,walking my dog with my 3 year old son,fitting my new panniers to my mtb and also fitting my new Schwalbe blizzard sport tyres to my road bike and generally pottering around.I know for a fact if the car was on the road i would've driven it somewhere today,and it would've been needless.Tomorrow i have to go to Wickes for some wire wool and sandpaper,12 mile round trip and already looking forward to the ride,that will be in the morning,in the afternoon i'll take the road bike out and try out my new tyres.God i love not having the car.

Will update next week and let you all know how the first week went


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## cloggsy (1 Nov 2011)

Cool!


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## Brandane (1 Nov 2011)

Good on ya; Chris! I can appreciate what it must be like to go from being a car lover to a non car user. My own car free plan as outlined in reply # 78 came a step closer today. Had a bust-up with a manager at work and told him where to stick his job. I have only been with them for 3 weeks and it was a horrible place to work, so no big deal. 

I will keep the car for a few months in case it is needed for a new job (should I find something suitable). If not; well it's goodbye car................


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## Chris-H (7 Nov 2011)

Well week 1 is under our belts and......................best choice we've made in years  
I cannot believe how unnecessarily dependant on the car i was.Shopping is a doddle,Asda deliver and for all the other stuff we need the panniers and my sons cycle trailer are ample.Went to town today which is a 12 mile round trip in the grey drizzly damp weather and thought nothing of it.Got home feeling very content.The amount of times i have now been out on the bike and seeing all the traffic being held up and cars driving for ages trying to find parking spots really has made me realise that the decision to ditch the car is by far the best one i've made.Went to town on saturday,the first saturday for months upon months and really enjoyed it,i used to avoid the town on saturdays due to congestion and parking but now i think i'll be looking for a reason to go,i just love town on Saturdays.
Car is now up for sale so if anyone wants a cracking little Vauxhall Astra,52 reg 1600 8v then get in touch.
Will update the thread again next week.


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## Flying Dodo (7 Nov 2011)

Coming up for 4 months without a car for me.

I've worked out that in the preceding 12 months, with the VED, insurance, repairs, MoT, tyres etc, I'd spent the equivalent of £208 pm just for the car to be sat on the drive. Petrol was in addition.

Just think how many bikes I could have bought by now if only I'd got rid of the car earlier.


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## Chris-H (7 Nov 2011)

Flying Dodo said:


> Coming up for 4 months without a car for me.
> 
> I've worked out that in the preceding 12 months, with the VED, insurance, repairs, MoT, tyres etc, I'd spent the equivalent of £208 pm just for the car to be sat on the drive. Petrol was in addition.
> 
> Just think how many bikes I could have bought by now if only I'd got rid of the car earlier.


Nice one mate,well done,i've worked out i'll be saving just over 200 quid a month,and having lost my job a few weeks back that is a lot or money,especially this close to xmas.


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## Chris-H (28 Nov 2011)

Well a little update,now a month into our car free life and still under the belief its the best decision in years.I've even devised a way of getting a 25kg sack of spuds home on my panniers,a garden centre plant basket thingy strapped to my pannier rack with some old rubber straps from a long deceased car rack.Being in a village it was the spuds and bags of coal that we were concerned about getting home but alas our worries are over.Someone is giving us an old double childs trailer this week so that will be converted into a flat bed trailer with some strap eyelets for securing loads.All in all we're absolutely loving it.


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## fossyant (28 Nov 2011)

Brill !


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## ianrauk (28 Nov 2011)

Well done. 
The trailer will be a great help.


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## Piemaster (28 Nov 2011)

Good job.
I've just converted a bike with an Xtracycle kit. I've found it very handy as its always with me, taking the trailer was a will I/won't I need it decision and I'm now not having to shop as carefully as with just a couple of panniers (not decided if thats actually a good thing though). Spuds and a bag of cat litter (20kg total) on one side of the xtracycle were no bother.


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## Chris-H (29 Nov 2011)

Piemaster said:


> Good job.
> I've just converted a bike with an Xtracycle kit. I've found it very handy as its always with me, taking the trailer was a will I/won't I need it decision and I'm now not having to shop as carefully as with just a couple of panniers (not decided if thats actually a good thing though). Spuds and a bag of cat litter (20kg total) on one side of the xtracycle were no bother.


Wow thats some bit of kit,how long does it make the bike in total?


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## Piemaster (29 Nov 2011)

It lengthens the bike by around 15". It's sort of a cantilever affair, theres a tongue that rests on the chainstay bridge at the front and in the frame dropouts at the rear. 15" doesn't sound like much but all the rack/bags is useable as it's all out of the way from heelstrikes when pedalling. All sorts of cargo carrying goodness on Practical Cycles (no connection). Main xtracycle website


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## Chris-H (29 Nov 2011)

Theres some good stuff on practical cycles but out of my price range at the mo.


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## twowheelsgood (30 Nov 2011)

Hmm, mixed feelings about this. I lived without a car for 4 years in Zürich which has one of the finest transport infrastructures on the planet. To be honest it wasn't really much of a challenge day to day, however what I did miss was the leisure side, being able to go anywhere at the weekends and during holidays at a whim. Driving over the Alps to the Med in 4 hours or going somewhere remote for some mountainbiking. Not that these places were totally inaccessible mostly be other means it was just the time factor. Secondly it was all very well doing this and being single but as soon as my wife joined me here, the costs of public transport doubled and suddenly the car didn't look so expensive; I have an old Audi A4 diesel now which is worth nothing but it'll top 50mpg easily enough. I would have thought for families this would apply even more.

I however would like to agree with the tip of buying a trailer. I bought a Vitelli camping which is the rolls-royce of cargo trailers second hand for about £40. Best buy ever, 60kg capacity and extremely stable, beautifully engineered. Shopping for the week even for a family is surprisingly easy, with panniers 100kg is easily and safely doable.

I think we sometimes forget how recent universal car ownership actually is. I seriously think town planning is storing up some serious issues when this is no longer tenable. Those edge-of-town developments won't look so attractive then and hopefully we can re-generate our cities.


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## Chris-H (8 Dec 2011)

Well its final now,the car sold at the weekend leaving the drive looking nice and clear and empty,still loving it and really enjoying the extra money in my pocket each week


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