Kipchoge Spencer, president of Xtracycle.
Keepin' It Wheel
As a bicycle commuter, how do you balance the joy and euphoria of an excellent ride with the inevitable rage from being abused by idiot drivers? -- Todd Holland, Amherst, Mass.
First of all, I'm lucky to have an off-road commute that doesn't involve direct contact with motor-vehicle operators. Second, there aren't nearly enough mean idiot drivers to ever override the joy and euphoria. Third, I try to use such exchanges as a means of transcending the emotional response of rage. In the meantime, there's always the trusty finger.
Does not having a car prevent you from participating in certain activities, such as late-night visits or travel to places off the beaten path? I've always believed that carlessness is a decision that has to go along with the development of a lifestyle that supports that carlessness. How have you gone about creating that lifestyle? -- Forrest Fleischman, Eugene, Ore.
I started by choosing to live within biking distance of my work. I see this as a crucial eco-lifestyle choice that has its own rewards, whether or not you're car-free. I also live close to my favorite food store and to several friends. The most efficient kind of transportation is already being where you want to go.
I love riding at night and find that the energy always wells up to support late-night bike trips. I do occasionally miss out on opportunities. I'm testing out the Stokemonkey human-electric hybrid Xtracycle for long, hard, in-a-hurry trips.
I have friends with cars, and I can borrow or rent one if need be. I might even help start a local car-share someday. I do depend more on other people who are going my way. Being car-free doesn't mean never using or riding in a car. It means being free of the temptation to drive frivolously, free of the payments, and free of the energetic burden that full participation in the oil economy brings. I've written more about selling my car in my blog.
What is the most radical thing you've ever seen while commuting by bike? -- Christopher Ryan, Boulder, Colo.
I saw a 6-foot rattlesnake with a freshly smooshed head. I put it in my bag, and we ate it for dinner.
How do we transform the bike industry into a utilitarian, eco-based industry, rather than a narcissism factory? -- Christopher Ryan, Boulder, Colo.
For better or worse, the narcissism is part of our culture. I believe in co-opting it for our own ends. This means selling the image that riding your bike to work is hip and that doing it will give you the sexiest butt in the office. Industries are transformed by disruptive small companies with better ideas. Start one or find one that needs you.
My husband and I live in Iowa, where we get snow and ice in the winter, high humidity in the summer, and winds just about any time. We live seven miles from town -- some gravel road, some hills. We're in our 60s and fairly fit, but not spring chickens anymore. We'd both like to help the environment by reducing our gas consumption, but we're concerned about safety on the road, e.g., visibility, good handling, and braking. Would you recommend a sport-utility bike for us, and if so, what brand? -- Carole Connet, Fairfield, Iowa
I'd recommend an SUB to almost anyone who wants to reduce gas consumption, for the simple reason that you'll be able to make a lot more trips without a car if you can carry stuff easily. It's especially suited to riding on snow, ice, and gravel, because the long wheelbase makes it so stable and less prone to fishtailing. Many riders in the Midwest use studded tires in the winter. Your local bike shop should have some comfy, reflective clothing to keep you visible, warm, and dry. And there are lots of lights to aid visibility, too, from regular blinking LEDs to hyper-groovy neon tubes made by my friend MC Fossil Fool. As for bike choice, I usually like to find out more about the kind of riding you have in mind, your experience, and what you imagine carrying before making a recommendation, though from what you've said so far the Marin Novato SUB with some fat tires could be a good choice. Feel free to email or call.
I'm also a kayaker and have a hard time justifying the burning of fossil fuels to get myself to the put-ins and take-outs of rivers. Do you use your bike and trailer to haul your boat? -- Angela Mallard, Telluride, Colo.
No trailer, just a mountain bike Xtracycle with the appropriate kayak-hauling accessories. My partner Ross and I are in the middle of making a film about so-called "Slow Boating." The feeling of getting to the river by your own power -- outside in the world rather than cooped up in the cage -- seems to make every river trip the trip of a lifetime.
How worried should I be about inhaling diesel fumes while biking? Is it a big enough concern that I should be going out of my way to bike on a less congested street? -- Neil B., Pittsburgh, Pa.
I would go out of my way just to avoid the congestion and have a more peaceful ride to work. I hate the smell of diesel exhaust and would seek to avoid it, too. It is likely bad for you, though maybe even worse for the drivers who breathe it right in the middle of the roadway where it's most concentrated.
Groups like the Sierra Club, PIRG, and Conservation Northwest compromise with big business over and over again. I think it's time to start demanding total protection for our public lands, and not just the rocks, peaks, and ice that we've defended so strongly in the past with efforts like the roadless rule. Isn't it time to say zero cut and set a standard that can actually be enforced? What do you think? -- Jay Kaye, Seattle, Wash.
Isn't it time for who? I think we each need to do the work that draws us and feels effective. Sounds like you're not feeling like compromise is all that, so you should put your energy toward demanding total protection. Anything less would feel like a sellout, right? My current interest lies in finding common ground and working it boldly. I think there's a place for every kind of activism. Just don't compromise in being true to your heart.
Would your organization be able and willing to donate some bicycles to a small, low-budget environmental canvass crew or a group of dedicated activists who would love to go gas-free but can't afford to? -- Joshua Knapp, Seattle, Wash.
We do sometimes make donations to causes we believe in, though usually we encourage people to raise the money to purchase our bikes, since we're still small. Feel free to email me with more details.
How about marketing a longbike (Bigga Boda) frame model here in the U.S. as well, using disc brakes and high-quality frame materials? What about a recumbent design? An LED headlight/down-low light accessory package powered by a very low-drag, modern dyno-hub or solar? Or solarized rear platform? -- JD Hohmann, Bexley, Ohio
We will likely have a high-quality, uni-frame longbike by the end of this year. People have added the Xtracycle FreeRadical Hitchless Trailer to recumbents with success. These LEDs are battery-free, as are these. And yes, people do put solar panels on their Xtracycles occasionally, primarily to charge battery-driven geekery on long trips.
Where I live, in winter it snows almost every other day and temperatures can drop to 30 below. I have a friend who has a jogger's baby carriage that can convert to skis in winter and includes a plastic bubble over it to keep the baby warm. Why can't we have a winter bike like that for us Northeasterners? -- Priscilla Rhodes, Bethlehem, N.H.
Such bicycles exist. In fact, it seems that every kind of bicycle imaginable exists! Pre-1900, there were two U.S. Patent offices: one for bicycles and one for everything else. I guess bikes were mainstream back then. I personally like bundling up and heading into the elements.
I've always wanted to join the bicycle-riding movement, but for the life of me I can't figure out how I can bike around, especially in summer, and still "stay fresh." Any advice? -- Dror Etzion, Barcelona, Spain
Get an Xtracycle so you can carry a change of clothes or two with you. Ask your employer to provide showering facilities.
Do you use electrical energy to amplify your music? Why not switch to human-powered acoustic? -- Hans Noeldner, Oregon, Wis.
I love to play unplugged, especially around the campfire, but I also like to play for large crowds. I'm no purist. I try to focus my energies -- and especially my sacrifices -- for optimal impact. My amp uses 250 watts at peak output. That's (at most) one kilowatt-hour of energy for a four-hour gig. A 35-mpg car uses 1 kWh of energy to drive one mile! By avoiding a round-trip, cross-country airplane ride, I could use the "saved" energy to power my amp for about five years, continuously. That's a lot of rock. I don't advocate a complete return to aboriginal existence, just a wise shift to appropriate-scale technologies and uses. I consider amplified music to be appropriate and sustainably powerable.
What will you be doing in 10, 20, and 30 years, when old activists like me are out of the picture and depending on your cohort to carry the torch? -- Michael Kinsley, Snowmass, Colo.
Out of the picture? You'll finally be getting old enough to have some real clout!
Where did your name come from? I'll bet five dollars that your parents were hippies. -- Angela Mallard, Telluride, Colo.
My hip, pie-loving parents named me after Kenyan track star Kipchoge Keino.
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