So far I love the Strida. It is a beautiful example of industrial design. I marvel at the little details. For example, when you fold the bike it seems as if one of the bars could scratch the other, but then you notice the small piece of transparent rubber that protects the bike from itself.  Some of my favorite features:

1. The belt drive prevents grease on the pants.
2. The mud guards work well.
3. The single gear is fast enough for commuting, and keeps things simple.
4. The folding process is a breeze, it now takes me about 10 seconds.
5. My commute is definitely shorter and more predictable. I love listening to podcasts on the train, or watching The Totally Rad Show.
6. With gas prices as high as they are, I think I am probably saving some money.  With the weather being kind of crappy, I’ve cut down driving my car to work to about 50% of the time.

Has the Strida simplified my life? I think so.

Beautiful design gets people excited. Every day a fellow commuter wants to check out the bike – And by check out I mean touch, or even ask to see it fold and unfold. As I ride home, I have heard in the wind behind me, “wow, that looks so cool” or “where did you get that!”. I really enjoy owning products that cause that kind of a reaction.

Our Chief Architect, Jason Horman, just had a brand spankin’ new Strida folding bike delivered to the office. It’s pretty sweet!

But the question is…
Will a commuter bicycle simplify Jason’s life? We’ll see.

Jason will give it a try for the next few weeks & report back. If you’ve been on the fence about taking the plunge on purchasing a commuter bike, let us know your questions and hopefully Jason can answer them in the next few weeks.

“Going green” is often equated with a simpler lifestyle. And, when I landed a new job that was close enough (& casual enough) for me to ride my bike to work, I was psyched! Well, it has turned out to be quite a process, turning this city girl into a bicycle commuter. Here are some nuggets of advice:

1. You’re only human – it’s ok to fail. Don’t beat yourself up if you are feeling lazy on a Tuesday morning & decide to drive. Just try to not drive two days in a row.

2. Avoid getting sweaty. The best way to do this is to set up camp at work. Carrying that purse/murse (Urban Dictionary Defn #2) back & forth is probably unnecessary. So, think about what you need at work & leave it there (i.e. chap stick, coffee cup, notepad, dress shoes). Bottom line: the bigger the bag, the sweatier the back. Oh, and if you bring your lunch to work (like I try to) get yourself a bike rack so you don’t have to carry tupperware on your back.

3. No one likes a braggart. The more your talk about how you’ve gone green, the more you will be proud of yourself and, thus, keep it up. But, try to not push your bike-riding ways onto your coworkers, your spouse, or the baggirl at Whole Foods. Go ahead & tell people about it, but not too much. Lead by example.

Does riding my bike to work simplify my life? Not Really. But I’m gonna keep it up anyway.

Resources:
Ken Kifer Tricks and Tips for Bicycle Commuting
bikecommuters.com For Inspiration, Ideas & Chuckles
commutebybike.com The Slacker’s Guide to Bike Commuting