Car-free ≠ easy, but a lot less traffic

So my wife and I have been down to one car for about 5 months now, and I haven't driven myself to work in the same amount of time, and only had to be driven a few times.  We originally went to one car because our ancient Camry with a lot of miles needed more love than it was worth.  Granted my background is in automotive repair, but when it came down to where we were at with my wife being pregnant with our second due at any time, the cost it would have been in a shop, chasing around and ordering parts, and then actually doing the work on a car that was needing another $500 in tires and a windshield.....we decided it was best to sell that car.  So after 180,000 miles we put on it, away he went.

We will miss you Gideon and you'll always have a place in out hearts.....
just no longer our wallets.

I live a little over 4 miles from work (currently, there maybe job changes in the near future), most of my commute is on industrial back roads or a MUP (multi-use path) through a local forest preserve.  The rest is on a well ridden city main street with a marked bike lane, and a split residential and commercial street.  In reality I have more to worry about from wildlife and pot holes then my former fellow "ragin' cagers".  (Side note:  I use that title in jest, simply because I was one at one point)

My trip takes about 18 minutes on average, and I do stop for the lights and stop signs.  If I were to blow either of them I would probably be to work in about 2-3 minutes quicker, really not worth it to me to garner resentment and carry the stigma of a "typical scofflaw cyclist".  I still will filter to the front of most traffic stacks, so I still enjoy that perk.  When I drove my morning drive was anywhere from 15-30 minutes dependent upon NOTHING LOGICAL.  Seriously, it could be dry and sunny, pouring rain, or some mixture of water falling from the heavens and traffic would not be dependent upon that.  An example would be this morning, traffic was backed up about 3/4 of a mile for no logical reason....although I ride right past at about 20 mph, snickering but feeling the former pain.

OK so I fibbed....19.9 mph.  However science has proved that is still faster than "Traffic".

My ride fro the same time as to, but before would take 20 to over an hour.  The hour plus commutes usually came when this rare form of white matter would fall from the skies.  No one could predict it, even though it came EVERY YEAR, we were always surprised (Christmas colors on purpose).  This matter had an effect on anyone who sat behind a wheel operating a vehicle in the form of complete forgetfulness of how to operate said vehicle.  The safest thing was to only let the vehicle idle along at speeds approaching negative.  Granted I haven't ridden this season in the snow, but I'd imagine my commute might extend another 5 minutes.

What I have experienced is pretty awesome.  Mentally I am more clear, I feel happier, have more energy (on most days, I have a 2 year and 5 month old as I type....so sleep is disruptive anyway), and I feel healthier.  Even on really wet days I only lose 1-2 minutes on my commute times mainly because I take turns slower (see the blog about my commuter Trek 3500), but that is probably more because of the tire tread than anything else.  I also look forward to riding to and fro places, and I am enjoying the challenge of riding daily and working out extra (I run and do HIIT).

However it isn't always easier, traveling when going further distances requires more planning.  I have had to ride almost 30 miles for an event very early morning over the summer.  Most of the time it is pretty straight forward, but sometimes travel takes me places I have never been before, i.e. I am looking at my phone or waiting for GPS to catch up to me so I can find myself for that 30 mile trip mentioned just prior.

Although cycling does help one find themselves in an existential kind of way....but that's best for another time.

I now stand here on the edge of everything I've wanted, and I'll find myself....
in wet shoes and a soaked diaper.

.

The other issue comes in when I have to be somewhere, my wife needs to car to shuttle the boys to things, or there is a time constraint.  Chicago has a great public transportation system, when running on time.  I don't mind taking it since I did a lot as a kid and got around pretty efficiently, so as an adult (term applied loosely) I don't mind it.  I do have more heebie-geebies about locking my bike up than I do about taking the train anywhere, because Chicago.

However we make do; recently our youngest had to go in for some surgery on his skull since he was born with some plates prematurely fused.  We made do by borrowing my parent's car for the weekend, which was a huge blessing.  I did, however, find myself hating traffic once again since I was driving into the downtown area to visit them at the hospital.  My normal auto use during the week is usually to and from church and to the grocery store with my family or my eldest.  Otherwise I don't drive, so I "forgot" about traffic and the frustration that it brings, but I surely don't miss it.

While I can find a ton of reasons we should have kept both cars, I don't regret it.  While I can say my mental energy at times has to go towards how to dress, what to bring, how to pack for a day trip, having to plan for all types of weather, and how much longer I need to build in to get somewhere, it has been a blast and I am very excited for the winter.  I know Chicago is known (at least in Chicago....shut up Alaska) for bad winters, I am very excited to be that nutty cyclist rolling on by.  The only goal is to stay upright and continue on safely.

Oh, and do so sans traffic.

2014 Trek 1.2 vs 2014 Trek 1.5

So if you mosey on over to Trek's website you can take a look at the specs and such on the 2014 Trek 1.2 and 1.5.  Things are apparent like the colors of the bikes as well as the difference in how the bike is equipped.  Outside of that the bikes are almost identical, except the tires.  The 1.5 has some Bontrager R1s on it, which are very nice indeed.

I originally picked up a 1.2 from Village Cycle in Chicago.  This was my first new road bike and first with the fully integrated STIs, up till now I was rolling around on some ST2300s on my converted mountain bike.  The shifting is a vast improvement over the 2300s, but I found it finicky and not really supple.  At least not as much as I would have expected it to be.  The other issue I found is the trim setting is no where near as nice on the Sora shifters as it is with the Tiagra.  The 1.2 also only has 9 speeds instead of 10; I know, doesn't sound like a big deal but the gaps are apparent when you are looking for that gear to spin in at a consistent speed.

The picture doesn't do it justice, honest.

The 1.2 I feel has better paint, at least color wise.  It was a eye popping blue and white, white bar tape, and matching black and blue rims.  The paint had some metal flake in it so it really shone in the sun and was a definitely highlight of the bike.




The seat was a little lacking and I feel too padded for a road bike seat.  I eventually swapped in a Selle Italia SLR Flow that feels really nice, there'll be something about that in the near future.  The seat is also wide, so beware my fellow narrow butt-boned peeps, you'll want to change out the seat or face saddle sores.


For comparison the Trek 800 converted, lovingly named the Shrek Antenental Contilope, mainly because I originally built the bike with parts from a Schwinn Continental and the Trek 800 Antelope.  It was slightly too small so it is up for sale and may find a new home in about a week.  Still rode the North Shore Century on this, commuted like crazy, and before I converted the bike to a drop bar I rode the single tracks at Peninsula State Park in Door County, WI.  All around great bike and I can only hope it goes to a great new owner.

What I used to roll around on.  Great ride, but a size too small

Well after about 2 weeks on the 1.2 it was ready for the 30 ride tune-up that Village Cycle offers on their bikes bought from them.  Well I logged onto their website to get their phone number and lo-and-behold they are having a sale!  On all their bikes?!  What!  Well, lets see what they have going on.  Hmmm, they have my 1.2 for over $100+ cheaper than I paid, but that 1.5 is now within my original budget....I gave them a rang.  See Village Cycle doesn't allow test rides, but they do give you 7 days to return any bike for a refund, and 30 day exchange on any bike.  So I inquired as to whether I could get store credit in the difference or the exchange for the 1.5.  Well, they said bring it in for the 1.5, and so I did.  Plus the 1.5 was $10 lower than my original price on the 1.2, they gave me $10 store credit....whaT?!  Very unexpected.

Right after one of the first rides.

Best.

Decision.

Ever.

There is a major difference in the shifting between the Sora and Tiagra in areas like smoothness, precision, the material used in the shifters, and the feel.  Where the Sora uses more plastic, Tiagra uses more metal and you can feel the difference in shifting response as well as braking.  The bike stops more solidly and the shifting needs little to no additional pushes to take up any slack.  Plus you are able to, though not fully, shift under some power.  With the Sora it seemed I had to all but stop pedaling, or really lightly spin, to get it to shift without skipping.

The Tiagra allows for the rider to almost use the full cassette in both the big and small rings without any chatter, thanks to the trim features on the front derailleur.  I get some very slight chatter if I cross-chain from the small to the 2nd smallest gear, and it does rattle when in the smallest rear in the small front.  The big gear allows for one trim in and you can almost run the full cassette there as well.  With the quick shifting you can move around the cassette and chain rings with ease and not miss a revolution.

The tires on the 1.5 were a big improvement, although not huge, they did grip better in turns and felt more locked to the road that that of the 1.2.  Taking turns at higher speeds, sharp maneuvers and grip when wet were improved, even though the R1s didn't have any "tread".  They have a sort of bumpy surface but not the traditional cutouts like the tires on the 1.2 had.

July 4th ride with some friends; such a glorious morning!

Overall if a 1.5 is within a price range it would be well worth it.  From what I was told Shimano will be updating its line of shifters and derailleurs in the upcoming year.  That means Dura-Ace becomes Ultegra, Ultegra 105, 105 Tiagra, and so on.  The 2014 Sora was basically Tiagra from the last update.  Could be interesting to see what the 2016 models come with.