Here's my ride

I live a car lite life. My wife and I share a car, and I ride my bike to a commuter rail station a little over 2 miles away.  I've been working at going car lite for a number of years.   This post is about my current ride. 

This is the same bike my parents bought me after we moved to California when I started High School.  It lived in storage for a number of years, and i finally dug it out about 7 years ago.  This bike is pretty much exactly how I want it for riding around the suburbs, and for getting me to and from my morning train.

 

My Ride a 1988 Schwinn Circuit

  For $15 month I rent a locker at the station, because I don't want to deal with having to take my lights off my bike every morning and putting them back on at night.  Most lockers are available for $15/month, billed 3 months at a time.  There are lockers in the world that are available with credit card access locks that rent by the hour, but those probably will only be available in dense bicycling rich areas for awhile.

Upright handlebars, but not too wide.  Note the Niterider MiNewt Handlebar light.

A good light is imperative.  This light was $100 about 3 years ago, and it has kept me safe and comfortable for two years now.  My recommendation is be prepared to spend at least $20 for a good ride around in the dark light, and $60-100 for a great light for winter-long, anytime-ready night-time riding. 

Gotta have fenders even in Southern California, if you're going to rely on your bike.  If your just going to try it once in awhile, probably not necessary.

Here's where the bike geek in me got cookin'.  I wanted a simple single gear in front, but a range in back, so I converted to a single 44T chain ring in front, with a cheap chain guard I got off eBay. But as a bike geek, I will continue to mess around with this bike.