Folding Bike
It finally happened. We had been planning for it for years and all our friends knew it would happen soon enough and recently it did. No, not the adoption of our baby boy but instead, the avalanche of stuff that came with him. One of the best things about my job is that I can ride my bike to it. For the past few years I have saved the bus fare (and hopefully a little bit of the earth) by riding my mountain bike to work. But my mountain bike is very big. New York apartments are very small. So, now with the new little guy and all his gear: the strollers, the cribs, the toys, something had to go. I took my big mountain bike to work and gave it to one of my students (It was old and not very expensive, the bike, not the student!) and got myself a folding bike. My life has been changed. Yes, yes, the new father thing has changed me, but this new bike. Wow. I feel so cool whipping it out and dashing across the city every morning. I feel like a superhero. And does it whip and dash! Last year there was a perfect storm moment here in New York for bikes. Gas prices shot up to crazy levels, the buzz about global warming started to really get some traction, and we had a subway and bus strike. All of a sudden there were bikes everywhere. And as I said above, our apartments are small, tiny little things, it would only be a second before bikes followed suit. They were everywhere, these cute, slightly clownish gizmos careening around taxis and down the paths along the Hudson. Folding bikes have been around for years but they have been a badge of very aggressive environmentalists or the English. Here in America the foldies have mainly been stowed away in campers or brought on sail boats. But their time has come. There is a range of high quality, easy-to-fold bikes with wide price points. (Everywhere from $300.00 to $1,400). Today's high energy lifestyles have been waiting for these sweet machines. A folding bike would allow folks who commute by train to save that bothersome next leg of their journey and get in a little exercise too. You bike to the train station, fold the thing up and get on the train. Unfold it and bike it from the station. No need to lock it up outside your office, just take it in. The business traveler could explore his or her new city, get some exercise and not have to lug a big bulky bike around. A folding bike can easily be checked as regular piece of luggage. Campers and boaters have long known the delight of a foldy. Any place where space and size is a concern is the place for a folding bike. A folding bike may not ride exactly like a full size bike. The wheels are smaller so going up hills means you push a little harder. The balance takes some getting used to as well. But after a little practice you feel quite comfortable, even nimble and light. Some very tall people may have to have one custom made ($$$) though. The higher end models come very close to replicating the ride and performance of a full-sized bike. Some fold smaller and more quickly than others. Some have only three gears, some come fully equipped with bells, lights and racks. The world of folding bikes is broad enough that bike novices or hard core riders both will find what they need. Geoffrey Perry/son of Janet and LeRoy Schaeffer - owners of www.anythingtravelrelated.com
Geoffrey is the son of Janet and LeRoy Schaeffer - owners of www.anythingtravelrelated.com. He lives in an apartment in Manhattan and travels to work on a Folding Bike. He graduated from Oxford University and teaches at Dalton School in New York City.
Related Tags: travel, bike, camping, apartment, boat
Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- Online Shopping Articles - Dress Your Kids Smartly This Halloween
Lets all have a bright and colorful Halloween. With the brightest, wackiest yet smartest Halloween c - Online Shopping Articles - Scrabble Cheat? Hmmm, How does Scrabble Cheat Work?
A data base that is loaded with the official Scrabble word list was created so that when the letters - Online Shopping Articles - Bushnell
The laser sight may well also be considered for close combat. The laser sight "projects" a little do - Online Shopping Articles - Tips to Find Affordable Mens Shoes
With changing fashion trends, there are several shapes, designs and styles of mens' shoes available. - Online Shopping Articles - Towards An Organized Wedding
If you are planning a wedding where your invitees are coming in fancy and designer costumes then the - Online Shopping Articles - Job Security With A Home-Based Business
The construction industry has had its fair share of ups and downs in the last few decades. As a 13-y - Fashion & Cosmetics Articles - Hair Straightening Different Methods
Hair styling has become the call of the day and styling hair in accordance to the situation is the p - Construction Articles - Porter Cable C3151 Air Compressor - Reliability Time After Time
The Cable Porter C3151 Air Compressor is a mighty piece of kit which gives outstanding performance - Consumer Articles - Sony MHC-EC79i Mini Hi-Fi System
Sony MHC-EC79i Mini Hi-Fi is dependable system that comes with an iPod herb. It consists of a nuclea - Fashion & Cosmetics Articles - Does Your Anti Wrinkle Firming Cream Work? Find Out Why Or Why Not Right Now!
For many women, the use of an anti wrinkle firming cream is one of the best solutions for the signs
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Free Article Splash Out This Mothering Sunday
This Mothering Sunday, why not treat your Mum to a special Mothering Sunday Gift from Scentstore - Show Them You Care With Online Greeting Cards
I thought that online greeting cards were the coolest things ever during the first time I saw them. - Why Its So Hard To Find Authentic Louis Vuitton Online
Are you tempted by the millions of websites that show authentic Louis Vuitton handbags at drastical - Celebrate Life with Only the Best Wedding Gifts
Each and every association in our life creates a likeable and lasting feeling and several specia - British Birds
BRITISH BIRDS; Ten Things You May Not Know About Them. Naturalists are no longer keen to dismis - LG Phones: Fashionable Gizmos for Tech-savvy People
Heard of the latest fashion-conscious slider phones? Here come the stylish gadgets from LG mobile ph - Safety Measures While Shopping Online
This year's online shopping is expected to reach its zenith during the pre-Christmas season; researc - Samsung D900: Thin Elegance
Gone are the days when cumbersome analogous mobile phones were the order of the day. Now mobile phon - March Birthstone - Aquamarine
"More commonly women are aware of their birthstone then man, simply because women tend to wear m - History of Shoe Polish
Shoe Polish Before 20th Century Since medieval times, dubbin, a waxy product, was used to softe