Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Utility Cycling
Reload this Page >

What Utility Rides/Trips/hauls/errands did you do today???

Notices
Utility Cycling Want to haul groceries, beer, maybe even your kids? You don't have to live car free to put your bike to use as a workhorse. Here's the place to share and learn about the bicycle as a utility vehicle.

What Utility Rides/Trips/hauls/errands did you do today???

Old 05-21-09, 05:29 PM
  #26  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Today's pictures

Bloompedal, did you have to make another trip with the bottles and cans or did you hide them under the cardboard? I'd be embarrassed to leave my empties for curbside pick-up too, if I drank as much as you do.

Juggler, sweet frame. Level up that saddle.

Mostly cardboard boxes and tubs of mail again today. I stopped by the river to at least put a nice background. The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Potomac River.


One unusual load was a plastic tub, an almost empty bottle of rum, and a heavy box that I believe contained full bottles of rum. The tub and bottle carelessly bungeed on top of my bin. I hit that bottle, but not hard, there was only a few shots in it.


Three utility bikes. Long-John. Three speed Puch with fenders, detachable basket, and Landsbury bars. Flat-bar road bike with trailer.


And a fourth.

Last edited by qmsdc15; 05-21-09 at 05:45 PM.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-23-09, 08:07 AM
  #27  
Fast Cloud
Senior Member
 
Fast Cloud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 645
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
^^^ I love the last one...it reminds me of those old skate car thingys from the seventies that downhillers started getting into. Not much yesterday, just a trip to the vet. for some cat medicine and a trip to kroger. Around 6.5 miles all together.
Fast Cloud is offline  
Old 05-23-09, 11:22 AM
  #28  
dingster1
Senior Member
 
dingster1's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: South Hill, Va
Posts: 398

Bikes: Fuji Absolute 3.0

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Soap Box Derby!!!! Interesting. Was this in DC?
dingster1 is offline  
Old 05-24-09, 03:46 PM
  #29  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Yes, DC. I asked the rider a few questions. There is a power assist, top speed 50, cost 13G.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-24-09, 09:11 PM
  #30  
breakaway9
Fred Wannabe
 
breakaway9's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Sandy, UT
Posts: 201

Bikes: 2008 Rocky Mountain - Sherpa 30 ** 1990 Diamondback - Apex ** 199? Fixed Gear Frankenbike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Well I tried picking up 5 bags of manure for the garden, unfortunately pilled as high as it was it made it extremely awkward with a crosswind. I figure these things probably weighed about 20 lbs or so, which would put the load at about 100lbs... I think if I had the wide loaders and could have put two more on each side and only one on top I would have been okay. Had to call the wife and have her come down in the van. I gave her the three on top and still carried the two on the sides home so it wasn;t a total waste.

Unfortunately I don't have any picks but I finally got my bike tow hitch installed on the back of the XtraCycle and was able to tow my commuter/road bike to the shop for adjustments last week.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
0507091745b.jpg (103.0 KB, 214 views)
File Type: jpg
0507091746a.jpg (103.0 KB, 177 views)
breakaway9 is offline  
Old 05-26-09, 03:38 PM
  #31  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,362 Times in 1,381 Posts
Wink

Originally Posted by qmsdc15
One unusual load was a plastic tub, an almost empty bottle of rum, and a heavy box that I believe contained full bottles of rum.
You are confessing to operating a vehicle with an open container of an alcoholic beverage.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Old 05-26-09, 03:46 PM
  #32  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Yeah, it's crazy what I get paid to do sometimes. I guess it was too risky to send a car for that job.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-27-09, 10:02 AM
  #33  
Chuck G
Dirty old man in training
 
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Cary NC
Posts: 455

Bikes: 2007 Novara Randonee, 1991 Raleigh Olympian, 1988 Nishiki Ariel

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Weekend before last I rode to the hardware store for a clothesline and dragged the 8 year old with me on the trail a bike. He liked the ride but was ready to leave the store within 30 seconds -> no toys there I guess

Last Saturday biked to a nearby shopping center to get a haircut, then did an 8 mile ride for fun. Sunday biked to the store for some bread and chicken nuggets for the kids. Monday (Memorial Day) did a beer run on the bike.
Chuck G is offline  
Old 05-27-09, 10:36 AM
  #34  
tsl
Plays in traffic
 
tsl's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Rochester, NY
Posts: 6,971

Bikes: 1996 Litespeed Classic, 2006 Trek Portland, 2013 Ribble Winter/Audax, 2016 Giant Talon 4

Mentioned: 21 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 76 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 14 Times in 9 Posts
Weekly grocery run today.

Good sales and a bonus 10%-off-your-whole-order coupon, meant we were loaded down with lotsa high-value stuff. The grocery panniers were bulging, the trunk bag was full, and I still had bags bungeed across the top. I forgot potatoes, but I wouldn't have had room anyway, what with all the porterhouse steaks.
tsl is offline  
Old 05-27-09, 06:17 PM
  #35  
Fast Cloud
Senior Member
 
Fast Cloud's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 645
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
9 miles today. A trip to Kroger, wallyworld and as usual...breakfast at Mcpukes. I'm really getting to like that early morning breakfast run. It's nice and cool in the a.m. and gets my blood pumping. Coffee brews while I make the quick 2 miles.
Fast Cloud is offline  
Old 05-27-09, 06:53 PM
  #36  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Today's biggest load went up a big hill. The Marilyn mural is a DC landmark located at the intersection of Connecticut and Calvert NW.

Another DC landmark. On board, a letter for each Senator and Representative. Letters to the Senate were not accepted, returned to sender. A check made out to US Treasury is acceptable for mail to the House, while payment for mail to the Senate must be made to US Postmaster, money order, no checks. Who knew? Both go to the same facility. Your government in action.

Final run. Truck free beer in reusable bottles. From Franklins where it is brewed to my house where it is drunk. Armidillo from Arrow Bicycles (conveniently located across the street from the Brewpub) trying to escape from my bin. Debris from yesterday's flooding for a background.

Another look at some of the debris. A lot of the mess has been cleaned up already. This picture taken from the East Coast Greenway.

Last edited by qmsdc15; 05-27-09 at 07:01 PM.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-27-09, 08:24 PM
  #37  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Originally Posted by breakaway9
Well I tried picking up 5 bags of manure for the garden, unfortunately pilled as high as it was it made it extremely awkward with a crosswind. I figure these things probably weighed about 20 lbs or so, which would put the load at about 100lbs... I think if I had the wide loaders and could have put two more on each side and only one on top I would have been okay. Had to call the wife and have her come down in the van. I gave her the three on top and still carried the two on the sides home so it wasn;t a total waste.

Unfortunately I don't have any picks but I finally got my bike tow hitch installed on the back of the XtraCycle and was able to tow my commuter/road bike to the shop for adjustments last week.
I meant to comment on this one earlier. That looks like a lot more than 100lbs. That's some heavy sh*t, man! I think you could have made it. Load 'em crosswise next time. Enjoy the beauty of those mountains, you have some rare views from your neighborhood.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-28-09, 10:28 AM
  #38  
squirtdad
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
squirtdad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,852

Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2303 Post(s)
Liked 2,739 Times in 1,498 Posts
Quick run to the drugstore last evening...... little under 3 miles I love this time of year with the long days.
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)



squirtdad is online now  
Old 05-29-09, 05:31 PM
  #39  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Biggest load today was six boxes (~215lbs) from Connecticut Ave. to Union Station. I was too rushed to take a picture, had onboard another box going to Maryland Ave. NE and an envelope to the 3800 block of 18th NE, dodging thunderstorms. I know you've come to expect pictures in my posts, so not to disappoint, here's one I took of the Christopher Columbus Memorial and Union Station earlier this year and a couple of nice utility bikes photographed on the same day. No chaincases or IGHs, but these are working bikes, trust me. Note the fender, haha. Actually the gears and brakes make these delivery vehicles much more utilitarian than the fixies typically associated with messengers. The guys who ride these are real, hardcore professionals who can and do ride circles around the fixie kids.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 05-30-09, 11:47 PM
  #40  
crackerdog
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Port Townsend, WA
Posts: 982

Bikes: xtracycle, electric recumbent, downtube folder and more

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post

Had to move some Dinosaur eggs today before the pterodactyls took notice.
crackerdog is offline  
Old 06-01-09, 09:49 AM
  #41  
squirtdad
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
squirtdad's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: San Jose (Willow Glen) Ca
Posts: 9,852

Bikes: Kirk Custom JK Special, '84 Team Miyata,(dura ace old school) 80?? SR Semi-Pro 600 Arabesque

Mentioned: 104 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2303 Post(s)
Liked 2,739 Times in 1,498 Posts
CD Hope you got away before the pterodactlys noticed.....

Typical weekend....run to farmers market, quick run to conveniece store for milk and cream..for those in the house who can't handle black coffee.

Simple little errands that take no more time on the bike than than car and maybe less depending on parking.
__________________
Life is too short not to ride the best bike you have, as much as you can
(looking for Torpado Super light frame/fork or for Raleigh International frame fork 58cm)



squirtdad is online now  
Old 06-01-09, 03:10 PM
  #42  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Crackerdog, was that their nest made of old bikes? Is that what happens to bikes left out in the yard that are no longer there the next morning?
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 06-02-09, 12:07 PM
  #43  
Rob_U
Senior Member
 
Rob_U's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Michigan
Posts: 92

Bikes: Trek 2008 Navigator 2.0, 2010 Trek 7.5FX

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
14 mile round trip in less than an hour travel time. Went to the store for apples, bananas, grapes, and carrots (who's groceries ARE these!).
Rob_U is offline  
Old 06-02-09, 04:16 PM
  #44  
breakaway9
Fred Wannabe
 
breakaway9's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: Sandy, UT
Posts: 201

Bikes: 2008 Rocky Mountain - Sherpa 30 ** 1990 Diamondback - Apex ** 199? Fixed Gear Frankenbike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by qmsdc15
I meant to comment on this one earlier. That looks like a lot more than 100lbs. That's some heavy sh*t, man! I think you could have made it. Load 'em crosswise next time. Enjoy the beauty of those mountains, you have some rare views from your neighborhood.
Yeah I think I could have made it if it wasn't for the flexing, just when you start going one way the $hit started going the other... Then with the wind it was not so great... You are correct though if I could have gotten that weight lower I would have been much better off...

Love the mountains.... we have a great view of them from the backyard... it is definitely nice.
breakaway9 is offline  
Old 06-02-09, 11:48 PM
  #45  
AsanaCycles
Bicycle Lifestyle
 
AsanaCycles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pacific Grove, Ca
Posts: 1,737

Bikes: Neil Pryde Diablo, VeloVie Vitesse400, Hunter29er, Surly Big Dummy

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
Originally Posted by qmsdc15
And a fourth.
thats a Go One (cubed)
https://www.go-one.us/Pictures_of_go-one3.html

at one point i was seriously thinking about buying one.
they can easily be over $10k

the thing that really but the brakes on for me was
now, suddenly with a Velomobile, you have to find parking

what?

ya... suddenly your bike has become a car
now you have to find a parking space.

also i was very concerned about the "entry angle"
that is the angle at which it can approach an incline before it touches

so for instance i had wondered what it was like to go 20mph across a sidewalk ramp, along a bike path, crossing a road.

or what it was like to cross a drainage.

things like, not being able to go up, over, or down a curb... that kind of bummed me out too.

suddenly, it seems like you'd become very limited to the prescribed, predetermined "traffic flow" patterns.

the one in the pic also has a BionX kit.
its swank!
its almost a car!
AsanaCycles is offline  
Old 06-03-09, 12:01 AM
  #46  
AsanaCycles
Bicycle Lifestyle
 
AsanaCycles's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Pacific Grove, Ca
Posts: 1,737

Bikes: Neil Pryde Diablo, VeloVie Vitesse400, Hunter29er, Surly Big Dummy

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
sunday did a crit
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
IMG_0206.jpg (47.6 KB, 193 views)
AsanaCycles is offline  
Old 06-03-09, 04:12 PM
  #47  
Bat22
Didn't make it
 
Bat22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Weymouth, Mass.
Posts: 931
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Today around 1:30 PM, rolling down a secondary arterial I noticed a dead cat by
the side of the road. The cat had a bright red ID necklace,so I stopped.
A big tom named Noah, I called the phone number under his name. A woman answered,
I gave her the bad news,she was at work and gave me directions to her house.
A nearby business gave me a garbage bag. Maybe 25 lbs. this flatted out tom
filled 3/4 of the free radical bag. Her home was a block away from the road in a
nice surprisingly quiet neighborhood. I left the bag on a table beside her driveway.
No, the business did not have any boxes that could fit the cat.
Took another 10 miles before I could get over what I just did.
Bat22 is offline  
Old 06-03-09, 05:02 PM
  #48  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
Again, I'm totally blown away by the nuttiness of the utility bike people yet I can't help admiring your spirit.

For example, why we just can't ride our race bike to the race? Although you do carry a lot of stuff. Is the huge bag on the right your dope kit?

Why not call Animal Control and let them inform the pet owner of Noah's untimely demise? Because you care and from the phone call you ascertained that she needed the remains for some kind of closure. My cat died last year, so I know what that's like.

Keep baffling and amazing me utility bike people. No pics, Batty!? Sorry, that's some dark humor.

Some pictures from today. Bins, boxes and a tube going to the National Building Museum.


The huge atrium inside.


Double parked with couple of boxes onboard just to get this shot of a solar car.

Last edited by qmsdc15; 06-03-09 at 05:13 PM.
qmsdc15 is offline  
Old 06-03-09, 05:12 PM
  #49  
Bat22
Didn't make it
 
Bat22's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Weymouth, Mass.
Posts: 931
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I wouldn't take a picture of something like that.
Your pictures are pretty cool. Only passed through
DC once. Spent the afternoon at the Air&Space
Museam.

Last edited by Bat22; 06-03-09 at 05:17 PM.
Bat22 is offline  
Old 06-03-09, 05:29 PM
  #50  
qmsdc15
Banned
 
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: Maryland
Posts: 5,155

Bikes: rockhopper, delta V, cannondale H300, Marin Mill Valley

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
No, no pics please, that was a sick joke. It was a very kind-hearted thing you did, though. Good work. Thanks for the complement on my pictures. I'm trying not to post too many.
qmsdc15 is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.