Which more fun for you: Scooter or Bike

Bolbos · Post by **Bolbos** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:18 am

Not necessarily refering to suited-up long distance road bicyclists, but I guess anybody can answer this really. I ride my bike as often as I can but never, or not for long, with traffic (just nearby parking lots, along the river, parks, what have you). It's a leisurely thing for me and a way to enjoy the nice weather and know that I'm doing something healthy all the while.

So I'm wondering how those of you who partake in similar outings with their bike felt when their scooter came into the picture. Did you find that you enjoyed yourself but that you missed the health aspect of the bicycle; did you feel you were being lazy by riding the scooter when you should've been riding your bike and actually moving your legs? Or did you find that it was such a different animal that you mostly enjoyed the scooter better just because of whatever it is. Just curious what I might run into if things go as planned. Thanks in advance.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:22 am

I love both. I ride both for about equal amounts of time although I obviously put more miles on the scooters in that time. They are totally different machines and there are advantages and disadvantages to both. I could never give up riding either my bicycles or my scooters. I mean you can't ride your scooter through the park and we still don't have showers at work so I'm really really glad I have both.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:12 am

Not even a competition. My bike has not been ridden once since the day I got me scooter. It just sits there wishing it was a scooter.

jasondavis48108 · Post by **jasondavis48108** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:25 am

Skootz Kabootz wrote:Not even a competition. My bike has not been ridden once since the day I got me scooter. It just sits there wishing it was a scooter.

so sad , you should put it up for adoption. Every bicycle deserves a good home with loving folk who will ride it

Then again everyone should keep a bicycle on hand even if it's just in case their scooter breaks down

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 2:48 am

jasondavis48108 wrote:
Skootz Kabootz wrote:Not even a competition. My bike has not been ridden once since the day I got me scooter. It just sits there wishing it was a scooter.
so sad , you should put it up for adoption. Every bicycle deserves a good home with loving folk who will ride it Then again everyone should keep a bicycle on hand even if it's just in case their scooter breaks down

I was bicycle only for a whole year before I got my scooter so I think maybe it deservers a rest

Even though I never ride it anymore, I won't consider selling it. I know one of these days I'll start riding again just for fun (and, gasp, fitness) rather than simply as a necessary means of transportation. Lord knows I could use the exercise!

BootScootin'FireFighter · Tue Jul 12, 2011 3:17 am

I prefer the scooter, mainly because I enjoy the air conditioning and feel a little safer around here. I do sometimes miss my bicycle, it needs a good tune up and a new tube. I ride sometimes, but not enough to call myself a cyclist. I used to be a courier downtown for a few months part-time, that was about 6 years ago. That was an awesome job, all day adrenaline rush, but low paying. The couriers are being phased out, and only the long time veterans are holding onto their jobs. There will always be couriers, just a lot less needed with everything being done by computer. A lot of those guys (and girls) have moved on to pedicab riding, which looks like a lot of fun. That thought's crossed my mind, but still need to find the time to get back into riding MY bike first.

Ooops, went off on a little tangent. Another thing I love about cycling... "alleycat" messenger style races, and Critical Mass once a month.

mr_salty · Post by **mr_salty** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:04 am

I ride my bicycle to work every day, and also for fun. When I bought the scooter I wanted to replace my (largely unused) car and NOT my bicycle.

At least so far I'm mostly sticking to plan. I have a slightly easier time talking myself into taking the scooter but I still take the bicycle almost all the time. I have been doing a lot of scooting just for fun - I've put over half as many miles on my scooter in one month as drove my car all last year...

I love bicycling, I'm a big advocate of bike commuting, and although I'm having fun on the scooter I still have to say that bicycles are more fun. But, I commuted by car for 15 years too and pretty much anything is more fun than that!

monkeykat · Post by **monkeykat** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:47 am

Funny you ask...I can't speak from experience *yet*, but since a scooter is coming into the picture soon, I've definitely worried that I'll become lazy with the bicycle commuting! Part of the reason I want a scooter is for those days that I need a little laziness, have more stuff than I like to carry on my bike, or need to hit several spots across the city in a shorter amount of time.

It all sounds good in theory, right?

Quo Vadimus · Post by **Quo Vadimus** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 4:56 am

both are primarily work-commuting vehicles.

Conveniently, the one season when I can ride a bicycle and not arrive to work drenched in sweat is also the season that I consider unsafe to ride a scooter in.

Hoping to bicycle a bit more this year for exercise. Not doing too bad so far, but just got back from far up north (great biking in Hiawatha Ntl Forest and on Grand Island!!!!!!) and am appalled at 90+ degree 10,000+% humidity weather.

If I were in better shape it might be a closer call, but the scooters win for fun quotient.

beastmaster · Post by **beastmaster** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 5:09 am

scooter<skateboard< bike ?

neotrotsky · Post by **neotrotsky** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:21 am

Are you INSANE man?!?! That's why we were granted thumbs: So we could design engines in order to not have to kill ourselves trying to power our own machines!

I....pedaling....can't.... It's just too much for the brain to process. Do you KNOW how hot it is out there?!?!?! There are HILLS too!

We'll just call this a fit of anxiety and not speak of it again. Perhaps you're worried about the scooter. Did you have to renew your insurance payment? It's ok... it's all worth it. Don't try to convince yourself that you need to suffer to save money, the scooter isn't that expensive. No need to get rash decisions in your head.

Go for a ride on the scooter. You'll feel better, I promise.

Hwarang · Post by **Hwarang** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:10 am

I'm with neotrotsky =D

My bike hasn't been used a single time since I bought my buddy in 2009. Not once. It leans against the wall in my garage, unwanted. If it's a nice day out and I walk into the garage, I don't see any reason to choose the bicycle over the scoot!

agrogod · Post by **agrogod** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:40 am

My bike was stolen but I do think about pedaling on really nice days.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:33 pm

Well, for me it's apples and oranges. There's nothing more exciting than doing 20+ down a hill on my carbon fiber road bike with the wind in my face; talk about making your heart skip a beat.

Here's one of my babies:

There's also nothing more rewarding than getting to the top of that 4th, 5th or 6th hill that you never thought you'd make, and at my 50+ years it is really rewarding to pass a few of those '20 somethings' along the way.

Now a scooter or motorcycle, for me it's more of a long term mental release to get away on. Also, a scooter or motorcycle doesn't do anything for my physical conditioning, but that's why I'll never part with my road bikes.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 1:42 pm

Quo Vadimus wrote:.....and am appalled at 90+ degree 10,000+% humidity weather.

If I were in better shape it might be a closer call, but the scooters win for fun quotient.

Sounds like the weather I bike in most of the time here is Georgia; it can be down-right brutal at times but once you've done it a few weeks it gets mush easier. Cycling is one of the best and most enjoyable forms of exercise I've found.

rox2climb · Post by **rox2climb** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:11 pm

After 5+ years of commuting on a bicycle, I was pretty burnt out, epecially with the 6 months of winter we had in Seattle this year. I found that riding my bike to work really killed my motivation for doing fun bike rides.

So now I commute on the buddy - super fun way to get to work, and now I look forward to riding both my bicycle and the scooter for fun longer rides. It's the best of both worlds really!

Tazio · Post by **Tazio** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:28 pm

Not even close. I'm on target for a 12,000 mile year on my Trek. Both scooters together add up to about 4000 miles and my Porsche 911 is a distant third at 1000 miles/year.

I don't really like bicycling but love to suffer. The only thing I enjoy more than suffering is making other people suffer.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 6:41 pm

Tazio wrote:...I'm on target for a 12,000 mile year on my Trek.

Now that pretty freekin' cool; I wish I could get that many miles in during the year. What wheel set do you run?

gt1000 · Post by **gt1000** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 7:40 pm

As far as I'm concerned, anything on two wheels has fun potential. My scooters are utilitarian. They're my commuters and also our way of navigating downtown Denver when our destination is too far to walk. My bicycle and motorcycle are purely recreational although I'll sometimes commute on them as well. I'm actually still looking for another bicycle to use purely as a commuter but my recent purchase of a used Vespa GTS has derailed that search a bit. Not to mention some recent but temporary physical issues with cycling.

One thing I need to say about road bikes: A good road bike with good components is just about the most elegant machine imaginable. I get an awful lot of satisfaction just experiencing the way my bicycle works. The fun I have on scoots and motorcycles is different but the interaction between operator and machine isn't quite as elemental as that with the bicycle. Hard to explain, but hopefully you get my drift.

Wheelz · Post by **Wheelz** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:02 pm

My bikes have not gotten the use that they used to since i bought the scooter, and since I moved to Fla.
For some reason it seems less like work when your riding in the city on a bike, than it does riding down here, don't know why that is, maybe because everything is so damn flat down here.

I was a 4 year/year round bike messenger in Chicago, so I rode at least 50 - 60 hours a week then with commuting into the loop and back and fun rides on the weekends.
Now, I have to talk myself out of riding the scooter in order to give my bikes the love they deserve, my single speed is the most neglected, it's just too hot to put in a good run on that thing

I still ride both but the scoot wins out most of the time-just alot easier to rip of 50 miles on that, than it is on the bike. If I'm gonna ride the bike for a day I'm not doing any less than fifty miles....

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:11 pm

I've actually added a bicycle in the past year and will likely be upgrading soon (I got a great deal on my used Bianchi hybrid, but it just doesn't fit me well). I think I fall between a lot of the markers in the spectrum of cyclists, as I'm just doing it for fun, light exercise and another way to get around. I'm not some jackass on a fixie with a bright yellow chain and matching wheels. I'm not a Dutch bike riding urbanite with a handlebar mustache and wool socks. I'm not out in skintight road gear (people of Los Angeles: you're welcome!).

Of course, I have to confess that half the attraction was one more thing to accessorize and buy gear for and that I find a lot of the retro cycling style very appealing…

Tazio wrote:I don't really like bicycling but love to suffer. The only thing I enjoy more than suffering is making other people suffer.

Mulliganal · Post by **Mulliganal** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:37 pm

ericalm wrote:I'm not out in skintight road gear (people of Los Angeles: you're welcome!).

I wear the bib pants but I hate the damn things with a passion, but if I didn't wear them my a$$ would be so freekin sore within minutes I'd have to go back home. Those road bike seats are a killer without padding. But I wear a large muscle shirt with mine at times so I know I'm an outcast to many of the diehards I pass along the way.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 8:57 pm

Mulliganal wrote:
ericalm wrote:I'm not out in skintight road gear (people of Los Angeles: you're welcome!).
I wear the bib pants but I hate the damn things with a passion, but if I didn't wear them my a$$ would be so freekin sore within minutes I'd have to go back home. Those road bike seats are a killer without padding. But I wear a large muscle shirt with mine at times so I know I'm an outcast to many of the diehards I pass along the way.

I have padded shorts… like normal, loose (ish) shorts, with pads in the necessary places.

EDIT: And I totally understand why many of those who wear such things do so; it's just not necessary for the kind of riding I do.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:02 pm

Hwarang wrote:If it's a nice day out and I walk into the garage, I don't see any reason to choose the bicycle over the scoot!

All I need to do is look down, and I see one big reason to take the bike. (Hint: It's obscuring the view of my belt buckle from up here.)

I don't ride the bike nearly as much since I bought the scooter, but part of that comes from the fact that I used to ride the bike to work, but that wasn't practical with my then-new job, which is why I got the scooter. Since then I've put on weight, and (adding insult to injury) that makes the bike less fun than it was. But they're both fun... just different kinds of fun.

Post by **ericalm** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:06 pm

While I wouldn't go as far as saying scootering causes weight gain, there is a correlation. It may have more to do with our ages than scootering. But it took me a while to recognize that, at the very least, scooter riding is not exercise.

TVB · Post by **TVB** » Tue Jul 12, 2011 9:45 pm

BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:Ooops, went off on a little tangent. Another thing I love about cycling... "alleycat" messenger style races, and Critical Mass once a month.

Speaking of tangents... I used to do the Critical Mass ride around here, but I was doing it as an awareness-raising thing (showing motorists that "we are traffic" too), and most of the other participants were treating it more like a civil-disobedience thing (ignoring traffic rules and actively interfering with motor traffic), so I quit. I'm all for disruption when there's a need for it, when there's a point of injustice to be protested, but these rides seemed like a whole mess of mixed messages, and "same roads, same rules, same rights" (my motto) was definitely not being communicated by it.

Raiderfn31 · Post by **Raiderfn31** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:48 am

ericalm wrote:While I wouldn't go as far as saying scootering causes weight gain, there is a correlation. It may have more to do with our ages than scootering. But it took me a while to recognize that, at the very least, scooter riding is not exercise.

First beer-drinking now scooter-riding. I give up.

Quo Vadimus · Post by **Quo Vadimus** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 1:49 am

ericalm wrote:I'm not some jackass... with a bright yellow chain

They make bright yellow chains????!!!!!!!

Post by **ericalm** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 5:21 am

TVB wrote:
BootScootin'FireFighter wrote:Ooops, went off on a little tangent. Another thing I love about cycling... "alleycat" messenger style races, and Critical Mass once a month.
Speaking of tangents... I used to do the Critical Mass ride around here, but I was doing it as an awareness-raising thing (showing motorists that "we are traffic" too), and most of the other participants were treating it more like a civil-disobedience thing (ignoring traffic rules and actively interfering with motor traffic), so I quit. I'm all for disruption when there's a need for it, when there's a point of injustice to be protested, but these rides seemed like a whole mess of mixed messages, and "same roads, same rules, same rights" (my motto) was definitely not being communicated by it.

That's what's happened to Critical Mass all over and it's a shame. The message is "we're above the law or shouldn't have to adhere to it." It's been very polarizing and has created a lot of animosity.

I like http://www.peopleforbikes.org/ . Well-intentioned, but they're not quite "there" yet.

We have CicLAvia in LA, where they shut down several blocks of downtown to cars and leave them open to pedestrians and bicyclists. It doesn't do much to promote the cause, but it's fun. Or so I hear; I haven't attended it yet.

Quo Vadimus wrote:
ericalm wrote:I'm not some jackass... with a bright yellow chain
They make bright yellow chains????!!!!!!!

Yes.

Hwarang · Post by **Hwarang** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:52 am

TVB wrote:
Hwarang wrote:If it's a nice day out and I walk into the garage, I don't see any reason to choose the bicycle over the scoot!
All I need to do is look down, and I see one big reason to take the bike. (Hint: It's obscuring the view of my belt buckle from up here.)

I don't ride the bike nearly as much since I bought the scooter, but part of that comes from the fact that I used to ride the bike to work, but that wasn't practical with my then-new job, which is why I got the scooter. Since then I've put on weight, and (adding insult to injury) that makes the bike less fun than it was. But they're both fun... just different kinds of fun.

I've been lucky to get good results with portion control and eliminating snacking and soda. I call this my, "Don't be a gluttonous fatty" method where sometimes I see food and don't eat it.

misu · Post by **misu** » Wed Jul 13, 2011 12:27 pm

scooter is the commuter to replace the car. it's a lot more fun (and economical) than driving.

i bike commute rarely these days so riding the bikes is for pleasure/fitness mostly on weekends. attached are my road and mtn bike.

Skootz Kabootz · Post by **Skootz Kabootz** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 12:54 am

Thought all the bicyclists would like this. Now, if they would just do the same for scooterists!
Bicyclist harassment outlawed by Los Angeles City Council

dalvarado · Post by **dalvarado** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:04 am

Tazio wrote:Not even close. I'm on target for a 12,000 mile year on my Trek. Both scooters together add up to about 4000 miles and my Porsche 911 is a distant third at 1000 miles/year.

Ditto. I don't really like bicycling but love to suffer. The only thing I enjoy more than suffering is making other people suffer.

I'm on target for 5,000 miles total on my 2003 K2 road bike in the next month or so. Probably around another 1000 total on my fixies. My 2007 Italia has only around 800 miles total and my Porsche Boxster is getting about 1000 mile/A YEAR right now. I love cycling. I love the challenge of going the distance and getting faster each year (I'll be 45 this year). My local club did a 150 mile scooter ride recently. It was a blast but all I had to do was twist and go. Now, knocking out a 150 mile bike ride in a weekend (MS150), *that* is something to be proud of. I'M THE MOTOR and I can conquer any hill. Love that. When I pass someone, it's all me. They don't give out medals at the finish line on scooter rides. I actually started a scooter meetup because my scooter was getting neglected. Need to find a track day to remedy the same issue for the boxster.

Post by **ericalm** » Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:51 am

My wife just got a new Public C7 so we've been riding every night after work. I'm more actively shopping for a new rider. Looking for a city bike, preferably with a Shimano Nexus hub (test rode a bike with one and kind of obsessed with it now). Kind of fun looking and doing test rides. But, man, I'm like those curious new people I see at the scooter shop.

Honestly, some of the ones I might otherwise like are a little too cute and self-consciously faux vintage-y—an issue I have with some scooters, too!

The current bicycle stable:

Skootz Kabootz wrote:Thought all the bicyclists would like this. Now, if they would just do the same for scooterists!
Bicyclist harassment outlawed by Los Angeles City Council

I'm pretty dang happy about it! At the very least, more drivers need to understand the the roads, and the rights to use them, are shared between many types of vehicles, including bikes and scooters.

I'd almost rather they'd passed a law resolving to enforce use of turn signals. HOW HARD IS IT?!

Modern Buddy

Which more fun for you: Scooter or Bike

Which more fun for you: Scooter or Bike

Re: Which more fun for you: Scooter or Bike