Over50
Well-Known Member
We have a week to go but given SE Michigan is about to hit the deep freeze, I figure my 2017 riding days came to an end today. I put in 20 miles today just running errands on a gorgeous sunny 35F day.
I'll finish 2017 with just under 3,300 miles. 800+ on the Haibike, 1,900+ on the R&M and 550+ on my human powered bikes. I commuted 61 days in my first year commuting (initial goal was 50 days). I had two significant road rage events but glad I didn't let them discourage me. Both seemed to be triggered by me sitting in a left hand turn lane in order to make a left at a red light. Way more people were courteous and even out-of-their-way nice than were mean or aggressive. I recall passing through a tough neighborhood and a woman waved me through the intersection and yelled "you stay safe baby". It made my day. I also had some great conversations with other folks along the commute route. E-bikes tend to be conversation starters.
I probably lost about 10 pounds and dropped an inch off the waistline. I've had some knee pain that I hope doesn't derail things for next year as I hope to surpass 2017's accomplishments.
61 days commuting is probably pretty weak for you full time commuters but I discovered with a 35 mile commute it takes some time, planning and discipline to pull off on a regular basis. I found it challenging to commute on back to back days. On commute days I had to get up an hour earlier and I'd get home an hour later. It isn't that the commute took me that much longer (just a bit longer than commuting by car) but rather that I had to alter my hours to avoid traffic. I'd generally leave the house at 5:30 a.m. and leave the office at 6:30 pm (getting home before 8 pm). Those are some long days.
I consider 2017 a big e-bike success (for me personally). I hope it was for everyone else and hope to hear your year end recaps in this thread. I think 2018 will be a good year. I'll be buying the Tern GSD for sure (deposit already paid) and with it I hope to get the wife riding e-bikes. Later in the year I'll be looking at a dual battery and/or maybe full suspension bike to replace one of my commuters. Leading candidates are the R&M New Charger, the R&M Delite GT with Rohloff, the Bulls Six50 TR Street and the Haibike SDuro Trekking 9.0. Best of luck in 2018 everyone.
I'll finish 2017 with just under 3,300 miles. 800+ on the Haibike, 1,900+ on the R&M and 550+ on my human powered bikes. I commuted 61 days in my first year commuting (initial goal was 50 days). I had two significant road rage events but glad I didn't let them discourage me. Both seemed to be triggered by me sitting in a left hand turn lane in order to make a left at a red light. Way more people were courteous and even out-of-their-way nice than were mean or aggressive. I recall passing through a tough neighborhood and a woman waved me through the intersection and yelled "you stay safe baby". It made my day. I also had some great conversations with other folks along the commute route. E-bikes tend to be conversation starters.
I probably lost about 10 pounds and dropped an inch off the waistline. I've had some knee pain that I hope doesn't derail things for next year as I hope to surpass 2017's accomplishments.
61 days commuting is probably pretty weak for you full time commuters but I discovered with a 35 mile commute it takes some time, planning and discipline to pull off on a regular basis. I found it challenging to commute on back to back days. On commute days I had to get up an hour earlier and I'd get home an hour later. It isn't that the commute took me that much longer (just a bit longer than commuting by car) but rather that I had to alter my hours to avoid traffic. I'd generally leave the house at 5:30 a.m. and leave the office at 6:30 pm (getting home before 8 pm). Those are some long days.
I consider 2017 a big e-bike success (for me personally). I hope it was for everyone else and hope to hear your year end recaps in this thread. I think 2018 will be a good year. I'll be buying the Tern GSD for sure (deposit already paid) and with it I hope to get the wife riding e-bikes. Later in the year I'll be looking at a dual battery and/or maybe full suspension bike to replace one of my commuters. Leading candidates are the R&M New Charger, the R&M Delite GT with Rohloff, the Bulls Six50 TR Street and the Haibike SDuro Trekking 9.0. Best of luck in 2018 everyone.
