Bike vs. Bicycle

[Raza]

At the beginning of next month, I'm going to start working from the city two weeks a month.  The office is 3 miles away from my house.  Parking is $25 a day, a cab would cost about the same, and a bus is not only a terrible option, it involves a bus and a subway trip, which takes about 28 minutes according to Google.

So I'm thinking about getting a bike or a bike for the commute.  Something cheap and basic for a motorcycle, and I'm talking cheap.  Hundreds, not thousands.

Motorcycle:
Pros:
I've always wanted one
Good gas mileage
Easy storage
Can be used outside of commuting


Cons:
Maintenance
Insurance
Have to learn to ride and get a license
My mom will kill me
Philly drivers might kill me
Weather
Cost of gear?
Motorcycle parking is questionable

Bicycle:
Pros:
Healthy lifestyle option
No gas usage at all
Even easier storage

Cons:
It's a bicycle on city streets, safety issues
Weather is an even bigger concern
Don't know anything about bicycles, so I'd have to rely on you fools to tell me what to buy

Public Transport:
Pros:
Cheap
Somewhat convenient, sort of

Cons:
Trip will take about half an hour, around the same time it takes to drive to my DE office
Safety on the bus--we're talking SEPTA here
Hassle--no one line goes near the office from where I live
It's a bus


Staying in DE:
Pros:
Same routine
I know more people at the office
Driving here is easy most of the time

Cons:
Same routine
Traffic on the way home
Moderate gas usage
Missing out on the great restaurant at the office


I know which way I'm leaning, but I wanted to know what you guys think before I make a decision.

[Rupert]

Bicycle, but you posted this in the motorcycle forum, so...

[Raza]

Bicycle, but you posted this in the motorcycle forum, so...

Yeah, thinking about that, it was a mistake to put it in the motorcycle forum.  Should have put it in General Talk or Head to Head.

[AutobahnSHO]

3miles??   To me that is totally bikestuff- should take you like 15min to ride (plus time waiting for lights though)

But city + bike = DANGER...   

You could just walk.    Then even if weather is bad, umbrella or whatever...   

[280Z Turbo]

Public transport is yuck. Not an option.

[12,000 RPM]

Gear alone will put the motorcycle out of your budget.

[Rupert]

3miles??   To me that is totally bikestuff- should take you like 15min to ride (plus time waiting for lights though)

But city + bike = DANGER...   

You could just walk.    Then even if weather is bad, umbrella or whatever...   

If you know what you're doing, city bicycling is not particularly dangerous.

[AutobahnSHO]

If you know what you're doing, city bicycling is not particularly dangerous.

I have ridden since I was in 2nd grade, I've ridden on 4 continents, no matter how safe a cyclist dresses and behaves, they're still at the mercy of tards with steering wheels...

I guess my post did sound like "don't do it!!!!!" but for someone who I get the impression isn't even used to riding much (Raza), to just jump into a city commute seems iffy to me.

[AutobahnSHO]

oh and I did vote= bicycle

[Raza]

Gear alone will put the motorcycle out of your budget.

How much can gear cost?  Helmet, jacket, gloves?

[12,000 RPM]

How much can gear cost?  Helmet, jacket, gloves?

Helmet... ~150 for a decent one IMO. I guess you could get away with a $100 if you are just commuting.
Jacket.... ~$100 for now but if you have a decent leather jacket, again you should be fine commuting.
Gloves... $50 or so

Don't forget BOOTS. My left foot is permanently fucked because I went down w/a leather sole boot. You could probably get away with steel toe construction boots but I would pony up for real riding boots.. So you'd be in for like $400 right there. I don't think there's any such thing as a $500 motorcycle worth buying. *MAYBE* a scooter if you could overcome the stigma (I couldn't).

[MX793]

Your typical fashionable leather jacket won't be nearly sturdy enough to provide any real abrasion protection.  I have a leather bomber jacket and an inexpensive leather motorcycle jacket (no armor) and the leather is twice as thick on the latter.

[Raza]

Helmet... ~150 for a decent one IMO. I guess you could get away with a $100 if you are just commuting.
Jacket.... ~$100 for now but if you have a decent leather jacket, again you should be fine commuting.
Gloves... $50 or so

Don't forget BOOTS. My left foot is permanently fucked because I went down w/a leather sole boot. You could probably get away with steel toe construction boots but I would pony up for real riding boots.. So you'd be in for like $400 right there. I don't think there's any such thing as a $500 motorcycle worth buying. *MAYBE* a scooter if you could overcome the stigma (I couldn't).

Uh, what about all the guys I see riding in shorts, Timberlands, and t-shirts with no helmet?  They seem pretty safe to me. 

[AutobahnSHO]

Uh, what about all the guys I see riding in shorts, Timberlands, and t-shirts with no helmet?  They seem pretty safe to me. 

sure!   

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Bike! Motorcycle will do you no good in the snow!

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

Helmet... ~150 for a decent one IMO. I guess you could get away with a $100 if you are just commuting.
Jacket.... ~$100 for now but if you have a decent leather jacket, again you should be fine commuting.
Gloves... $50 or so

Don't forget BOOTS. My left foot is permanently fucked because I went down w/a leather sole boot. You could probably get away with steel toe construction boots but I would pony up for real riding boots.. So you'd be in for like $400 right there. I don't think there's any such thing as a $500 motorcycle worth buying. *MAYBE* a scooter if you could overcome the stigma (I couldn't).

i have Joe Rocket riding shoe that are enough for street use. They're shaped like a high top sneaker but have all the protection you need for regulariding! 100 bucks...

[MX793]

Uh, what about all the guys I see riding in shorts, Timberlands, and t-shirts with no helmet?  They seem pretty safe to me. 

If the T-shirt has a Harley Davidson logo then that is perfectly acceptable.  It's a widely believed fact that a Harley logo on a cotton T-shirt gives it the same protective qualities as a fully armored racing jacket.

[J86]

bicycle makes the most sense by far to me

[Gotta-Qik-C7]

If the T-shirt has a Harley Davidson logo then that is perfectly acceptable.  It's a widely believed fact that a Harley logo on a cotton T-shirt gives it the same protective qualities as a fully armored racing jacket.

[AutobahnSHO]

bicycle makes the most sense by far to me

+1  walking is too slow.

3miles= perfectly bikeable

[Rupert]

I have ridden since I was in 2nd grade, I've ridden on 4 continents, no matter how safe a cyclist dresses and behaves, they're still at the mercy of tards with steering wheels...

I guess my post did sound like "don't do it!!!!!" but for someone who I get the impression isn't even used to riding much (Raza), to just jump into a city commute seems iffy to me.

You are only a victim if you choose to be when it comes to city biking. I'm at no one's mercy.

[12,000 RPM]

Yea I rode in NYC for years. The 2 crashes I had were 100% my fault. If you are a competent driver you will be a competent cyclist.

The only thing I would not do is ride on a road where cars have more than a ~20MPH speed gap over me. At 50, 60 MPH they will not see you coming. Riding in the city was actually kind of safe because with the traffic I was either riding at the same speed as cars or riding faster than them. Definitely find a route that avoids fast traffic as much as possible. If you cant then I would consider the moto. Looking at your CL there are actually some decent bikes, and now is the season to buy.

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/mcy/4184056413.html

[AutobahnSHO]

Riding in the city was actually kind of safe because with the traffic I was either riding at the same speed as cars or riding faster than them.

I guess that makes a difference.  I have had to drastically slow down or stop for cars several times to avoid kissing paint- when I was following the laws on the bike. In areas that were NOT urban...

[Raza]

Bike! Motorcycle will do you no good in the snow!

They don't make snow tires for motorcycles?

[MX793]

They don't make snow tires for motorcycles?

No.  Closest you'll get is a street legal knobby (enduro tire), and even with those I wouldn't want to ride in snow on anything but a dirt bike.

[Raza]

No.  Closest you'll get is a street legal knobby (enduro tire), and even with those I wouldn't want to ride in snow on anything but a dirt bike.

Business opportunity!

[shp4man]

Here ya go! 


http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bid/4203782525.html

[AutobahnSHO]

Here ya go! 

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bid/4203782525.html

That doesnt look terrible for the start of a commuting career...

And I'd highly recommend a used Nice bike rather than a cheap walmart-type bike...

[Speed_Racer]

That doesnt look terrible for the start of a commuting career...

And I'd highly recommend a used Nice bike rather than a cheap walmart-type bike...

Agreed, since they typically cost the same.

High quality used bike > Low quality new bike

[Rupert]

Oh yes, big time.