Mass transit

One of the nice things about a SWB (SHORT WHEEL BASE) recumbent is that they fit most mass transit racks, here is my bike on the train.

Locking recumbents

Speaking as someone who has had there bike stolen locking is a art. Everyday I see bikes locked up wrong. There are a number of times I have lock up my bike wrong, that is the reason why it was stolen.

You to understand the type of bike you are locking. A diamond frame bike is different then a recumbent. With a recumbent there is no place to lock it too like a diamond frame, on a diamond frame to lock on the inside of the diamond.

That is why I start with the back wheel one it is one of the more costly parts. Two is I loop it through the seat and them to a rack, tree or pole. On a cable there is not enough room to remove the wheel and there no way to take the wheel off the frame. Every bike is different and is what works for me.

Cleap lights

Ok its getting dark out there and I am sure that most have front and back lights, however from the side these lights are not much help. Because of this is I have added these dumb lights to my tire stems. They are cheap about 8 dollars at walmart. They turn on when the wheels go around, so it is easy to turn them off, and they work real well all of the bikers here are impressed on how much light they give off.

September bike commute stats

last September Month I commuted 19 times out of the 20 days I worked that is about 95 percent of the time. I commuted 215 mile, my goal was 400 this month I was cheating a little by driving in part of the way.

However by biking in I saved over 210 lbs of carbon, and I didn't send 60 dollars off foreign oil. currently not a big deal but a start.

New Reason to Commute.

Sign into Law the new Bicycle Commuting Riebursement, this is a good start with the US paying 800 Billion to for Foreign oil in one year this makes the bail out look like small potatoes. Below is what is signed into Law.

SEC. 211. TRANSPORTATION FRINGE BENEFIT TO BICYCLE COMMUTERS.(a) In General- Paragraph (1) of section 132(f) is amended by adding at the end the following: ‘(D) Any qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement.’.(b) Limitation on Exclusion- Paragraph (2) of section 132(f) is amended by striking ‘and’ at the end of subparagraph (A), by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (B) and inserting ‘, and’, and by adding at the end the following new subparagraph: ‘(C) the applicable annual limitation in the case of any qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement.’.(c) Definitions- Paragraph (5) of section 132(f) is amended by adding at the end the following:
‘(F) DEFINITIONS RELATED TO BICYCLE COMMUTING REIMBURSEMENT-
‘(i) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING REIMBURSEMENT- The term ‘qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement’ means, with respect to any calendar year, any employer reimbursement during the 15-month period beginning with the first day of such calendar year for reasonable expenses incurred by the employee during such calendar year for the purchase of a bicycle and bicycle improvements, repair, and storage, if such bicycle is regularly used for travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment.‘(ii) APPLICABLE ANNUAL LIMITATION- The term ‘applicable annual limitation’ means, with respect to any employee for any calendar year, the product of $20 multiplied by the number of qualified bicycle commuting months during such year.‘(iii) QUALIFIED BICYCLE COMMUTING MONTH- The term ‘qualified bicycle commuting month’ means, with respect to any employee, any month during which such employee--‘(I) regularly uses the bicycle for a substantial portion of the travel between the employee’s residence and place of employment, and‘(II) does not receive any benefit described in subparagraph (A), (B), or (C) of paragraph (1).’.(d) Constructive Receipt of Benefit- Paragraph (4) of section 132(f) is amended by inserting ‘(other than a qualified bicycle commuting reimbursement)’ after ‘qualified transportation fringe’.(e) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2008.

New Bike

Ok a few months ago I had my bike stolen from work. So the past few month I have been looking for my bike.

After that didn't work I turned it in to my home owners insureance and they paid me to replace my bike. My old bike was a OSS Recumbentusa.com It was ok but it had it problems. So I knew what I didn't like.

I picked out my new bike from http://www.getitbent.com/ the Blaze it is the same bike that http://www.actionbent.com/ sold called the Meto rail it is a older model they were closing out on e-bay and I paid half the internet price below is my bike

Some of the thinks I like is the Chain Management like using a over and under idler. like this is one of them most of the high price bikes use them for there excellent design.

another nice part of this bike is that on the other had the chain run over the chain stay. This bike runs under and out of the way.

Find out about the plan at:
http://www.pickensplan.com