Thread by @usa4

Reposting:
I love statistics- keeping track of things and analyzing the data to see what I can learn. In 2017, I started riding an e-bike and tracked all my rides using google timeline & my bike odemeter. I can see how many how many rides I had, where I went and for how long rode

All this data may seem like mundane information but when properly presented, it gives a better idea of how I get around the city.

The goal was to use my car less and ride my bike more. After a full year in the saddle, I found I was able to reduce by car usage by almost 40%. Even more so, 1/3 of all my miles traveled were on an e-bike.

I’ve never considered myself an avid cyclist but rather someone who uses the bike because it’s the most efficient tool for the job.

When my daughter was born in 2013, I began riding with her on the front of my bike to neighborhood playgrounds and preschool. By the time she was 3, getting up hills became a challenge. I started to look at e-bikes as the next option.

With a e-bike, you can get most places within a 10 miles radius faster and cheaper, have the ability to stop without worrying or paying for parking & enjoy the ride- something often taken for granted when driving a car.

The first month of use with the electric assist was pretty amazing. I rode 27 days and 255 miles averaging about 10 miles a typical trip

An e-bike, even with a kid on the back makes getting up and over hills almost laughable. We conquered San Francisco’s 7 steepest hills and discovered many more along the way.

You can choose how much you peddle with the assist but I wont lie, accelerating out of a dead stop and zooming up hills makes the whole biking experience more enjoyable.

September was the 1st month I biked more than I drove with 392 miles on the bike and 308 in the car. I knew I was onto something when my car sat in the garage for 10 days w/out being moved. I’m not anti car, it’s just more often than none, the bike is a better tool for the job.

We stopped and visited more local businesses because we didn’t have to worry about parking. We discovered parks and playgrounds in our neighborhood and on the other side of the city. Going out for an errand wasn’t a chore anymore but another opportunity to ride the bike.

At 3200 miles @ 50 cents a mile & 99 trips across the golden gate bridge @ $7 I saved nearly $2000 on what otherwise would have been spent on car related expenses. I spend more time outside exercising, more time with my daughter & lowered my carbon footprint

For the full story w/ all the yearly stats & photos- check out
medium.com/@bodnersp/the-…

The story continues- 2018 Stats...
Analytics and statistics continue to amaze me. I love seeing how information graphics can change the way we look at raw data and how we can learn to change our behavior just by examining the simple facts.
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In 2018 I averaged 280 miles a month on the e-bike totaling 3360 miles ridden. More importantly, I reduced my car usage my 17% this year & down 46% from 2016.

2018 was the 1st year I biked more than I drove with my car in the SF Bay area. My daily car use dropped as I commuted more with the bike.

The biggest difference between year 1 & 2 on the e-bike was how I used it to commute across the golden gate bridge- a 58% increase from last year. That's $1100 in tolls & $900 in car cost saved.

After 2 years in the saddle & over 6300 miles, the e-bike has pretty much paid itself off. The untracked cost- even moreso with increased exercise, less pollution & more time outside. I'm happier & healthier as a result of riding more.

While "enjoy the ride" has always been my mantra, "one less car" is not too far behind.

The reasons why I bike are many but one of the more important reasons is to make my city a better place. The reduction in traffic and pollution are obvious but creating places where safe streets are encouraged only comes with more people biking

There's really no excuse for not having separated safe bike lanes in a 21st century city.

For the full monty- 2018 stats & all check out:
medium.com/@bodnersp/just…