[Les Cargill[_2_]]

Michael Press wrote:
In article ,
Les Cargill wrote:

I am actually kinda looking at bikes - I live in a place right now
where, when the weather warms up, I could actually use it. But the
cost difference is close to nil, and it's still probably thirty
minutes lost per day ( which really isn't enough time to be good
exercise ). Plus, the cage drivers own the road. I simply can't
get into bicycles beyond a purely utilitarian thing, and I
look like the Michelin Man in spandex.... I did have a lawn mowing
"business" in Junior High, pulling a mower behind a tenspeed. Good
times. Bought a lot of gear that way, good exercise.

But thanks for the kind offer. I really do get a good view of
what people think from here - I'll read something on here weeks
before it bubbles up on TV. I also know that, for bad or for good,
people with guitars have done much to change the world, and a lot
for the better.

You might be able to answer a question for me, though: when somebody
rides a bike for a mile, flat and level, just keeping an even pace
that's highly sustainable ( as in "for transportation purposes" type
pacing) what is the *total* carbon emitted? Counting
back all the way to the beef in the McDonalds he ate, the grain used
to feed the cow, the energy consumed growing that, the truck that
carried all that, all that.

I will bet that a little 100W to 500W gasoline motor that does pedal
assist emits less CO2 than the person pedalling, but it's a big
calculation, and I haven't done it. I thought maybe you had
seen somebody who has. And I will bet than an aircooled engine like
that, so long as the exhaust gas temperature is high enough, could
beat human muscle power for efficiency.

I do not ride a utility bicycle to save gasoline,
nor do I ride loops in the hills for exercise or
recreation. A bicycle is easier to park, the wind
in my face is pleasant, most car drivers are
pleasant, steering a bicycle in traffic is more
fun than steering a car in traffic.



I figure an aesthetic argument is worth about 1000 utilitarian
arguments.

--
Les Cargill