Weekly Bicycle Wrap 12.15.06

This week’s total mileage: 33.5 miles

This week’s mileage on e-bike: 0

This week’s mileage on a regular bike: 33.5

Total mileage since July 10, 2006: 1,038

Total e-bike mileage since July 10, 2006: 529.5

Total regular bike mileage since July 10, 2006: 508.5

Gas savings this week: 1.5 gallons

Gallons saved since July 10, 2006: 40.20

Price of gas today: $2.60

Gas savings since July 10, 2006: $174.11

Flat tires since July 10, 2006: 4

Found items on the roadway: One nice pair of tin snips (11/8/06)



Today I decided to conduct business on the Schwinn Suburban, a bike I purchased this summer at a thrift store. I had planned to fully refurbish it, but about halfway through the job I thought to myself "Screw it. I'm wasting valuable time that could be spent riding."

So I just greased it up, sanded off some (but not all) of the rust, applied a little spray paint, pumped up the tires and adjusted the brakes. That’s pretty much it. Not bad for $11.

As a bonus it came with tires that looked like they had never been ridden on.

It’s a sweet ride and all the bike you need to get around a town like McKinleyville.

The Suburban has five speeds, with a nice low gear and a more-than-adequate high gear. It has stock fenders – something which new bikes rarely come with.

It has a rigid, durable steel frame, a cushy seat with springs and old-fashion handlebars.




I wonder why new bikes don’t come with seats and handlebars like the Suburban’s? They make a lot of sense for someone who wants a comfortable commuter bike.

In fact, the Suburban makes more sense than most of the cheap mountain bikes and beach cruisers that they sell at the big box outlets.

How many of those bikes will still be on the road in 35 to 40 years?