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Trying to be green can be challenging. Conducting road testing for automotive reviews obviously requires seat time behind the wheel of the subject vehicle. When car travel isn't necessary, I try to rely upon my road bike for local runs if the weather's agreeable.
The bike allows me to offset the driving I do to assess a vehicle. It also helps keep my BMI (body mass index) somewhere near the acceptable range, but the thing is: biking isn't easy. There's more risk and less reliability to deal with than when safely cocooned in a modern automobile.
This week again reinforced the detractions to biking. I rode to the office on Friday and came within inches of replacing the hood ornament of a Mercedes as it flew through a dead-red after other traffic had stopped. Sheesh! There's never a cop when you need one, or a defibrillator!
On Saturday, I tossed my bike into the rear of the Range Rover Evoque I was testing and headed to the Land Rover dealership in a neighbouring municipality to return the sleek off-roading Brit. I climbed out of the air-conditioned, leather-lined cabin and mounted my steed.
The sun was shining and it was going to be a sweaty ride home, but like most journeys pedalled, I was looking forward to it. That was until I sensed the rhythmic thump of something adhered to my rear tire.
There it was; a tiny metal clip has inserted its pointy end through the rubber of the tire and the tube within.
I faced my fate, pulled out the clip and listened to the hiss of death. I always carry the necessities, so it was down to work under the partial shade of a tree. After some struggle and strain, I was again sitting atop a hundred PSI.
While I remain a cycling advocate, it's been a challenge. Some weeks are worse than others, yet on a good day under a sunny sky, there's no car made that can replace the sense of contentment that accompanies a good bike ride followed up with a good java. Or is there?
The bike allows me to offset the driving I do to assess a vehicle. It also helps keep my BMI (body mass index) somewhere near the acceptable range, but the thing is: biking isn't easy. There's more risk and less reliability to deal with than when safely cocooned in a modern automobile.
This week again reinforced the detractions to biking. I rode to the office on Friday and came within inches of replacing the hood ornament of a Mercedes as it flew through a dead-red after other traffic had stopped. Sheesh! There's never a cop when you need one, or a defibrillator!
On Saturday, I tossed my bike into the rear of the Range Rover Evoque I was testing and headed to the Land Rover dealership in a neighbouring municipality to return the sleek off-roading Brit. I climbed out of the air-conditioned, leather-lined cabin and mounted my steed.
The sun was shining and it was going to be a sweaty ride home, but like most journeys pedalled, I was looking forward to it. That was until I sensed the rhythmic thump of something adhered to my rear tire.
There it was; a tiny metal clip has inserted its pointy end through the rubber of the tire and the tube within.
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| Photo: Rob Rothwell |
I faced my fate, pulled out the clip and listened to the hiss of death. I always carry the necessities, so it was down to work under the partial shade of a tree. After some struggle and strain, I was again sitting atop a hundred PSI.
While I remain a cycling advocate, it's been a challenge. Some weeks are worse than others, yet on a good day under a sunny sky, there's no car made that can replace the sense of contentment that accompanies a good bike ride followed up with a good java. Or is there?