Biting the bullet.....hope this isnt just a fad

[rh100]

I've only gone and done it havn't I - after pondering over rising bills etc and realising a bit of improvement in my riding ability/endurance, I rang the insurance company yesterday and cancelled the car insurance as of the renewal date at the end of the month. The poor thing is going to be parked up in the back driveway incase needed in the future (cheap car - not sure of location of next job when/if contract ends - so might as well sit on it for a bit). The car only gets used for going to and from work, the GF's better car is used for all else.
i reckon i'll be saving about £70 a month insurance and fuel, let alone the rest of it.

So, I'm now going to be reliant on the bike or the bus (or even walking). Now don't laugh, but the commute is 1.5 mile from home to bike shed with a hill most people could probably roll up backwards, but it's enough to wear me out first thing in the morning, but I hope practice makes it easier on the legs.

One question, I was planning on saving up for a shiny new bike next year. But considering the short distance (therefore reliability not quite as critical) and the fact is parked up in bike sheds (reasonably secure as on site - but worried about a shiny bike being eyed up by thieving chav's), would I be better buying a second hand racer or hybrid just for commuting with? I'm thinking another benefit of this may be that it should be lighter than my sherman tank, oops i mean mountain bike and therefore easier on the hill?

 

[zimzum42]

Sounds liek a good idea.

You will get more bike for your money second hand anyway....

 

[Davidc]

For 1 1/2 miles surely it's not worth changing the bike?

Put 26 x 1 1/2 slicks on the mtb to cut rolling resistance and do anything else you can to make the bike road friendly.

I've never managed to save anything by using a bike - usually manage to spend more, but I wish you well in trying (you may have more willpower than I have!).

 

[asterix]

Last month we decided not to renew the car insurance for the foreseeable future as it's a non-runner at the moment. I have a carry freedom trailer for the shopping and for the bigger stuff we still have the tatty old van!

Second hand bikes can be made as good as new and there are some bargains around as Zimzum says.

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Congrats, rh. We have tentatively sold Mrs-LC's car to our neighbours (to be confirmed in the next few weeks) and so should be a single-car family by next month. We'll also be aiming to use the car we'll have left as little as possible ..

If your site's reaonably secure you could go for something shiny and new, but given that we're coming up on Winter it might be worth sticking with what you've got for a while. You could make some (inexpensive) improvements to it to make life easier. And the commute will get easier the more you do it, anyway.

 

[swee'pea99]

For a mile and a half I'd agree with others that you're probably best off sticking with what you've got for the moment (pump the tyres up as hard as you can). Get a good winter's exercise in, and use the time to do a bit more asking and thinking about what comes next.

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Good for you... agree with others though, no need to change the bike. If the weather's really awful (but icy maybe) then you can just walk that distance if you're not sure about using the bike.

 

[jimboalee]

I've only gone and done it havn't I - after pondering over rising bills etc and realising a bit of improvement in my riding ability/endurance, I rang the insurance company yesterday and cancelled the car insurance as of the renewal date at the end of the month. The poor thing is going to be parked up in the back driveway incase needed in the future (cheap car - not sure of location of next job when/if contract ends - so might as well sit on it for a bit). The car only gets used for going to and from work, the GF's better car is used for all else.
i reckon i'll be saving about £70 a month insurance and fuel, let alone the rest of it.

So, I'm now going to be reliant on the bike or the bus (or even walking). Now don't laugh, but the commute is 1.5 mile from home to bike shed with a hill most people could probably roll up backwards, but it's enough to wear me out first thing in the morning, but I hope practice makes it easier on the legs.

One question, I was planning on saving up for a shiny new bike next year. But considering the short distance (therefore reliability not quite as critical) and the fact is parked up in bike sheds (reasonably secure as on site - but worried about a shiny bike being eyed up by thieving chav's), would I be better buying a second hand racer or hybrid just for commuting with? I'm thinking another benefit of this may be that it should be lighter than my sherman tank, oops i mean mountain bike and therefore easier on the hill?

Where's the hill?

Yup, I can roll up Olton backwards.

 

[rh100]

Where's the hill?

Yup, I can roll up Olton backwards.

Up past Hobs Moat shops I told you it wasn't much. To be fair, it's short enough to push it up in no time if I wanted. Went up Olton hill last night towards Solihull, a nice little practice ride that one

Thanks for the advice everyone - will see how I get on once I'm familiar with it

 

[marinyork]

Good for you.

You may want to keep an eye on this development though http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring...ace-new-fines-under-new-Government-curbs.html

 

[rh100]

Thanks Marinyork, but FFS, as if one more rule and penalty is going to stop any crooks, who ignore all the rules anyway. Just another cash machine.

Luckily, it will off road and SORN'd anyway, if I remember right I can get a tax disc refund.

 

[Arch]

For 1 1/2 miles surely it's not worth changing the bike?

Probably not, but remember n+1...

(N+1 is the formula for the ideal number of bikes to own, where n = the number you currently have).

Certainly see what you can do with the bike you have. I came to York with a rather bog-standard Halfords 7spd ladies bike and then my new BF got his bike fettling hands on it (changed the bars, saddle, added a double chainring and dynamo lighting) and it served me well as a day to day hack and was suddenly much nicer to ride. Until it was nicked, and by then I had bikes 2 and 3 to fall back on.

By spring you'll have a good idea of what you need to improve, and then you can focus on a new fancier bike for the longer rides you'll be wanting to do by then.

 

[asterix]

Thanks Marinyork, but FFS, as if one more rule and penalty is going to stop any crooks, who ignore all the rules anyway. Just another cash machine.

Luckily, it will off road and SORN'd anyway, if I remember right I can get a tax disc refund.

Thanks for the info, too. However, is my car uninsured if I also own a van with insurance that covers me to drive other vehicles?

It's really an academic question as we sell the car as soon as it's fixed, anyway. I'd have done it sooner if I had been in the UK to do so.

ps: anyone want to buy a 2001 Scenic with low mileage?

 

[rh100]

Asterix, I suspect that you won't be insured in this case, I think the third party cover you get on other vehicles only applies if that other vehicle is insured in it's own right.

 

[Randochap]

Not that it saw much use, but my car's been parked for almost a year now. Don't tell me you actually used to drive 1 1/2 miles to work

I moved to present location -- a village w/ close by shops and services -- precisely to limit the need for a car.

No need for anything fancy for a short commute; however, the money you'll save on running a car should undoubtedly be spent on a shiny machine for recreational cycling.

Here's a page on commuting bike ideas.