My bicycle is not shifting smoothly. The problem has developed over many months. I’ve adjusted the cables repeatedly, without success.
I received some not so bad news today. I took my bicycle into a neighborhood bike shop. The crank teeth are worn down, as are the back sprockets and the chain. This will be a substantial repair for a bike– more than $100. This should put my bicycle into perfect riding shape. I quickly agreed to go ahead with the repairs.
As I’ve described before, [1] I often use a bicycle to commute to work. I put almost 1,500 miles of wear on the bike every year. Riding a bike (rather than driving a car) provides many benefits, including improved health and less stress on the environment. I’ve described those benefits at this comprehensive post. [1] I also note that the IRS now reimburses workers about 50 cents per mile for use of a car. Based on the IRS rates, I save about $750 per year by merely riding a bicycle to work.
To put my “big” bicycle repair bill in even better perspective, my neighbor (who drives a large gas-chugging vehicle) just told me that he now pays more than $100 to fill his tank one time. He fills up that tank once every week. My major bike repairs were needed for the first time after constant use of the bike over a period of seven years.
Here’s one other thing to consider. It is often possible to ride a bike rather than driving a car/truck/SUV. Most trips many people take require traveling only 5 miles from their residence, an easy distance to cover with a bicycle.
With these thoughts, in mind, I decided to file this post to remind others of the many benefits of riding bicycles whenever possible. Again, for a more fact-filled version of this post, check out this previous post. [1]
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