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What’s Peak Oil Got to Do With It? Go By Bike Episode 44

elise — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:17:48 +0000

What is Peak Oil and what can we do about it?

I had the opportunity recently to listen to a talk and discussion about peak oil and climate change here in our local town . The talk was interesting and a good presentation of the topic, but also interesting was the reactions of people in the crowd. Here’s what happened:

It’s a serious issue that we shouldn’t take lightly, but it’s also easy to feel overwhelmed and get into gloom and doom mode. I found my way to take action on this issue, both personally and through starting Cycle 9. What about you? Is Peak Oil something that motivated you to ride more?

What are people in your areas doing about sustainability, climate change and energy use?

Here are some links to :

General information about Peak Oil

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peak_oil

http://www.energybulletin.net/primer.php

and the Transition Town Movement

http://www.transitionnetwork.org/

-Elise

o By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

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Bike safety vs. Bike fun. Go By Bike Episode 43

elise — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 15:38:29 +0000

Is biking at the gym better than biking on the street?

In a recent copy of our local paper, the Chapel Hill News, I read a column about a woman who biked on a stationary bike at the gym while imagining she was a kid riding on the street. Why didn’t she actually ride on the street? Listen to find out….

You can find the original column on the Chapel Hill News site here

What do you think? Have you run into people with this much fear? What’s your response? Write a comment below.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a daily video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike

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Super Bright Ebike Lights – Go By Bike Episode 42

elise — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 18:16:46 +0000

New ebike headlights are in!

Part of my ride home is over dark country roads with no overhead lights, so having a bright headlight is key. We recently got in new ebike headlights that are powered directly from your ebike battery and are SUPER bright. Check out this new video showing the new light.

You can find this light in our online store at under the Electric a-la-cart section

Ride On!

-Elise

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Get the Saddle right for comfort – Go By Bike Episode 41

elise — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 16:54:53 +0000

Bike not comfortable? Here’s one big reason.

Most bikes that are sold these days come with saddles that are really not all that comfortable. They might be fine for casual riding, but for riding regularly, a comfortable saddle can make a huge difference!

I recently ditched my so-so saddle for a new one that looks very promising. But besides just the saddle itself, getting it adjusted correctly is KEY for a good fit! A poorly adjusted saddle can lead to neck and back, terribly sore butts and less riding.

In this video, I show how to adjust your saddle yourself and talk about what to look for. I also show my new Selle Royal saddle which comes with an actual comfort guarantee (don’t like it in 120 days? bring it back!)

Ride on!

-Elise

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Which Cargo Bike is Right For Me? Go By Bike Episode 40

elise — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 14:31:33 +0000

Madsen, Big Dummy, or Yuba?

Lately, we’ve had a lot of questions around the idea of which cargo bike is the best. In my experience, each one of them has advantages and disadvantages, both in utility, style, and type of load. Finding the right bike depends on how you’re planning to use it. If you get the right one, you’ll use it a lot. If you don’t, you’ll probably wonder why so many people rave about these and lament the money you spent!

Watch the video for some comparison of these three cargo bikes. There are many other bikes out there now, and other options – best saved for another video.

Add your comment below!

-Elise

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Don’t Sweat the Heat! Go By Bike Episode 39

elise — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 18:28:21 +0000

It’s Summer in the South!

We’re well into summer now with scorching hot 90+ days, humidity, afternoon thundershowers and the like. Are you still biking? Here’s one thing I was thinking about (and very grateful for) on the last 100 degree day….

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Go CarFree outside of work – Go By Bike Episode 38

elise — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 15:30:24 +0000

More from How to Live Well Without a Car

Whether you want to just drive less or completely get rid of your car, here are 5 quick tips to think about when making the jump. It’s not just about getting to work and back. What about the non-work trips? Can you reduce your car use on non-wok trips? Check the video for some suggestions.

Have you tried some of these tips? What has worked or has NOT worked for you? Leave a comment below.

-Elise

Go By Bike is a video series that talks about how to be green by riding more and using your car less, including electric bikes, electric kits, cargo bikes, bike safety, and getting motivated to bike.

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How Fast does your car really go – Go By Bike Episode 37

elise — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 13:57:23 +0000

What is your true MPH on your car?

We think of cars being faster than bikes, but are they really? Sure, if you’re driving hundreds of miles the car is fast, but what about on your trips into and around town?

I remember the first time I was running late and decided to take my bike rather than my car. I was nervous about getting there on time, but using the electric, I was able to get to my appointment on time and in about exactly the time it would take for me to drive (actually less, because I didn’t have to search for parking in our downtown area). After that, I realized that time was often not a good excuse for driving rather than biking.

Here is the link to Mark Stosberg’s blog and “true mph” calculation spreadsheet. Be sure to look around for some of his great posts on transportaiton biking

http://mark.stosberg.com/bike/2006/09/calculate-your-true-mph.html

And here is a link to the Philadelphia commuting race

http://blog.bicyclecoalition.org/2010/05/commuter-race-results-are-inand.html

Ride on!

-Elise

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Can you live WELL without a car? – Go By Bike Episode 36

elise — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 14:48:04 +0000

What can you gain by living without your car?

Sure, you can live without a car, but did you know you can also live WELL and easily without a car? Check out this great new resource I found for just how to do this (And save thousands of $$ a year in the meantime…)

What do you think? Comment below and start a conversation!

-Elise

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Cargo Bike Businesses – Go By Bike Episode 34

elise — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:28:00 +0000

What can you do with a bike?

One of the cool things about the internet is all of the cool posts people put up about all kinds of unusual things! And one of the cool things about cargo bikes is all the cool uses people are putting them to. Beyond the typical “mini van” or “pick up ” uses, there are a bunch of people doing fun bike-based businesses. What a great idea!

These are just a few businesses I came across, so let me know what you’ve found! Post a link below.

Mattress delivery: http://bikeportland.org/2010/05/17/need-a-mattress-get-it-delivered-by-bike/

Soup: http://www.cargobikecult.com/?p=135

Bike Repair: http://www.cargobikecult.com/?p=229

Ride on!

-Elise

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