Climate - truthful information about climate, related activism and politics.

I have an aluminum fat bike. I got studded winter tires for it on extra rims because the tire swap is a huge pain. Winter destroyed the steel bolts so I put aluminum or titanium depending on how much force they are subjected to. I put a mid drive motor which is the only choice really for wheel changing to be possible. Added lights and turn signals, and a cool wireless charging phone holder, all connected to the only battery for the whole bike. Threw on a cassette that goes up to 50t and now I consider it finished until any problems come up.

It has been fairly excellent. I use it to commute to work all year all weather. Back pain or arthritis knees and I can go fully on throttle, shifting somewhat like a car. Non snow seasons I can skip 70% of the roads and take a trail that is mostly bike friendly but the particular entrance I use is really wide stairs. Low pressure fat tires just gum over stairs going down, and mid drive on the 50t lets me go up entirely on throttle and not bash the pedals on the steps, and even stop and go in the middle the so far only two times I encountered a pedestrian there. When it gets icy the studs make it like the ice isn't even there. I can ride up hills I can't even walk up. Snow depends on the wetness and how packed it is but generally it's doable as long as the axle of the wheel is out of the snow. I also visit friends and family and haul stuff on the rack or in a trailer, as long as there is a secure place to put the bike. There was one time I stopped someone from stealing my bike because they were more scared of my huge pipe wrench than I was of their crappy Bosch angle grinder. Since then I don't shop by bike anymore. I will never financially recover if my bike gets stolen. And I will be sad.

Here in canada goose land things are looking okay so far for bike commuting, but some things are kinda janky. Some roads have "single file" signs which drivers never follow. In 30km/h zones cars will drive at the speed limit if I am behind them, but I can go 45 in front and they will zoom by and I could reach out and touch them as they passed if it wouldn't injure me. I do admit I find driving behind a cyclist annoying, mainly because it's always a speed where automatics keep shifting back and forth, and stick if I gear down and roar the engine they might think I'm trying to harass them. On my not exactly legal bike configuration drivers don't have an excuse though. Then there are new cyclists that started in lockdown that ride on the wrong side, e-scooters that do the same, dangerous crossing in really dumb places, people walking in the bike lane, cars in the bike lane turning right when there is already a dedicated turn lane, and more stupid shit.

In the states I have only driven car and only highway, but from the people I have heard from that have tried bike, it sounds like work commutes tend not to be very safe.