July 17th - PM Ride to Work

I have eBike commuted 3 out of 4 days this week.

I took one day off (yesterday). Saturday morning on my ride home I ended up getting violently ill before I was half way out of the parking lot at work - thank heavens it was Saturday morning and it was early - more of a spectical I need not be. I must of had a 24 hr bug. I slept all day Saturday until I had to get up and return to work. I was so out of it that I drove the truck (reminder: minivan needs an inspection).

Looking into next week, I have three work days and they fall within "normal" working hours. I am tempted to eBike commute, but it looks like those days will be the hottest, muggiest, nastiest, and highest energy demand days of the year - a busy time when, like me, you work for an energy utility. Time will tell.

Today my timing was off by 15 minutes. Had I left the house 15 minutes earlier I would have missed getting soaked by a rain shower. I would have left earlier, but my wife was still cooking food that I was taking for dinner (considering food at work is twice the price, half the quality, and nowhere near the taste of TLC prepared home cooking, it was worth the wait despite getting a little wet).

I must remember to service the eBike. I need to lube the pedals and bottom bracket. I have accumualted a lot of road grime - despite the grime streak that went up my back on tonights ride in the rain. I also need to adjust the brakes and chain ring shifter.

I need to give some serious thoughts to whether or not to upgrade the eBike or get a new bike and convert it. If I upgrade the bike I need new brakes and tires, I would upgrade the rear wheel with heavier spokes, and I could also use fenders and a descent lighting system. Oh, let me not forget about the time to tool all these changes. Now a new bike with a conversion kit may be a little pricey, but if I sell the conversion - as is -, the cost of a new bike may only be a few hundred dollars more than fixing up the existing 10 year old bike, but amortized over 10 years, overall the cost of a new bike may be negligable. Anybody want to by an e-converted Cannondale M400? Price: $450.00

As I keep on dreaming, my next e-bike will likely be a recumbent. Recumbents are just too comfortable and fast, and with a little extra power from a motor, you're rocking.