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What about cycling? If amishes are fine leaving there with horse carts as vehicles, there is no reason you can't manage using a bicycle. Even Ottawa is not out

What about cycling? If amishes are fine leaving there with horse carts as vehicles, there is no reason you can't manage using a bicycle. Even Ottawa is not out of reach at only 80miles.

II2II 1y ago
That would depend upon the roads and, given that winter was mentioned as a feature, maintenance during the winter months. I've done some riding on rural roads with no shoulders, and it can be as scary as heck. At least on winding roads in wooded areas. That's from the perspective of someone who is fine riding on fast and busy urban roads during all seasons. Winter maintenance is also a huge issue if you are riding to work. If you're doing seasonal work, that's fine. You just wait until everything is plowed for winter forays. If you're working all seasons, you cannot maintain a job when you cannot reliably reach the job site.
- prmoustache 1y ago
  My experience when I was commuting by bicycle all year in Switzerland, is that drivers had a more complicated time than I had when it was snowing and roads were icy. I had a dedicated bicycle for these kind of situation with studded tires. More often than not people are put off cycling by weather conditions not because it is that hard, but because they haven't put enough thoughts and preparation. Most people ride bicycle with subpar or no lightning, fenders, and more often than not have the wrong tires and protective gears for the job. This require a wee bit of investment but totally negligible compared to the money that is usually spent on a car.
palmfacehn 1y ago
I lived like this when I was younger and single. Most here, even the self-identified cyclists would scoff at it. It isn't for everyone. There are definite advantages in terms of health and overall robustness. If you are acclimatized to pedaling around in freezing weather and hauling in all of your supplies, you probably won't have a problem with wood heating. That said, I don't think it would be fair to expect my wife to enjoy that lifestyle. I cannot imagine taking a child to a dental appointment under those circumstances.

What about cycling? If amishes are fine leaving there with horse carts as vehicles, there is no reason you can't manage using a bicycle. Even Ottawa is not out of reach at only 80miles.

II2II 1y ago

That would depend upon the roads and, given that winter was mentioned as a feature, maintenance during the winter months. I've done some riding on rural roads with no shoulders, and it can be as scary as heck. At least on winding roads in wooded areas. That's from the perspective of someone who is fine riding on fast and busy urban roads during all seasons. Winter maintenance is also a huge issue if you are riding to work. If you're doing seasonal work, that's fine. You just wait until everything is plowed for winter forays. If you're working all seasons, you cannot maintain a job when you cannot reliably reach the job site.

prmoustache 1y ago
My experience when I was commuting by bicycle all year in Switzerland, is that drivers had a more complicated time than I had when it was snowing and roads were icy. I had a dedicated bicycle for these kind of situation with studded tires. More often than not people are put off cycling by weather conditions not because it is that hard, but because they haven't put enough thoughts and preparation. Most people ride bicycle with subpar or no lightning, fenders, and more often than not have the wrong tires and protective gears for the job. This require a wee bit of investment but totally negligible compared to the money that is usually spent on a car.

palmfacehn 1y ago

I lived like this when I was younger and single. Most here, even the self-identified cyclists would scoff at it. It isn't for everyone. There are definite advantages in terms of health and overall robustness. If you are acclimatized to pedaling around in freezing weather and hauling in all of your supplies, you probably won't have a problem with wood heating. That said, I don't think it would be fair to expect my wife to enjoy that lifestyle. I cannot imagine taking a child to a dental appointment under those circumstances.