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Toys Upgrades

Toys for Transport? 97

Posted by Cliff from the handy-ways-to-get-around-town dept.
EvilCabbage asks: "Let's imagine I have a distance to travel to get to my office. Much of this is done on a train line, but there is a distance of around 10klm (aprox 6.2miles) from my home to this train station. A little too far to walk, but not quite far enough to justify use of my car every day. Fortunately, the Segway isn't on my shopping list. I'm wondering what parambulating devices are available to make this journey a little easier, without turning the key in my car. Bicycles are generally too large to carry on the train, and couldn't be left in my office all day. I've seen some scooters that fold to rather small sizes (perfect for lugging to the office and back), but are these things still for kids? What small urban transport devices are fellow Slashdot readers using (assuming we are still going outside)? What can you recommend and what won't cost me an arm and a leg to run?"
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Toys for Transport? More

Toys for Transport?

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  • Have you looked into a folding bicycle? There are many models out there, most of which are designed with the specific goal of getting down to a size where they will go on a train. A bit pricier than a regular bicycle, but all the same advantages in terms of operating cost.

    Google [google.com] will get you started nicely.

  • Brompton! (Score:5, Informative)

    by fatrat ( 324232 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @01:37PM (#7165069) Homepage

    You want a
    [bromptonbicycle.co.uk]
    Brompton Bicycle (Bromptonbicycle.co.uk).

    Ride to station, fold it up, ride to work, stash it under your desk. Sorted.
    • Thanks for the link. I suspect that 20 to 30 pound weight considerably cuts into its usefulness.

      On the other hand, other correspondents have suggested roller blades, skateboards, and spring loaded shoes... They sound like hard work too... Harder work than a bicycle, where you can use the proper gear for climbing hills.

      Those other self-powered devices don't seem as safe as a bicycle either... Particularly the spring loaded shoes. If you used them on a regular sidewalk, at speed, how long before you

      • 6.2 miles is a serious distance. It will take between 24 and 36 minutes to bike it depending on how many stop lights you face. So you're going to be spending 4% of your day on that bike, you want a fast, comfy, serious bike, not a toy.

        Don't lug it to work, instead lock it at or near the train station. There's always a tree or post available. If security is going to be an issue, buy a used, (thus cheap, expendable), bike, and get out some paint and make it look really, REALLY ugly and undesirable. The
        • PS: I find that I start out using the route I'd use in a car. That usually means getting passed by lots of cars, which leads to a qualitatively non-optimal commuter experience (=sucks). After a few days, alternate, calmer routes always suggest themselves. Then the bike ride becomes a joy - a welcome athletic diversion from life, a chance to relax and prepare your mind for whatever you're transitioning to, be it work or home.
        • I don't know where you come from, but the only place I commuted by train was in the UK. I know I'm going to get my ass flamed off for this, but it seems to be that petty theft and vandalism are *far* bigger problems in the UK cities than they are in Canadian cities, and I wouldn't expect a bike chained up near a train station in the UK to last a whole day without being stolen or vandalized into unusability.
          • Isn't it obvious? Cheap, light and you'll even get some exercise...a skateboard!
          • I learned my technique in Berkeley and San Francisco. Maybe we could compare relative bike crime based on bike carcasses. If you walk down a typical block where you live, how many crippled, stripped for parts, but still locked bikes do you see? In Berkeley, the number is 3ish. In 2 years of living there, I had my seat stolen twice, and my gf lost her handlebars and a back wheel. This was from our back yard, on a semi-seedy street.

            The bike repaint technique I mentioned in parent^2 really does work, bec
          • > I wouldn't expect a bike chained up near a train station in the UK to last a whole day without being stolen or vandalized into unusability.

            I work near a station (Cambridge) with hundreds[1] of bikes locked up outside. Theft and vandalism does happen, but most days most bikes are OK.

            Going up a couple of posts, a Brompton isn't a toy, and plenty of people do use them for those sort of distances.

            [1] See for example
            http://www.camcycle.org.uk/newsletters/32 /article6 .html
            "Bike racks at the station are a
        • So you're going to be spending 4% of your day on that bike, you want a fast, comfy, serious bike, not a toy.

          A Brompton is definitely not a toy. These things are pricey and solid. They have ingenious rear-wheel suspension. The riding position is comfortable. For a 10km commute, they're fine.

          For city commuting a small-wheeled bike has a lot going for it: it's nippier and more manoeuverable. The wheels have less angular momentum, which means it's easier to stop and takes less energy to get moving again --
          • Ok, apologies.

            I had imagined that the small wheels would lead to bumpy travel, but I didn't realize they had suspension.
          • They have ingenious rear-wheel suspension

            A rubber door stop between the seat stays and down tube.
            They also have ingenious revolving 'wheels' and ingenious leather 'saddles'

            Seriously, though, they are bloody good bikes. Always fancied the Moulton APB myself, though it is not a true folder and therefore not so useful for the train.
            • They have ingenious rear-wheel suspension

              A rubber door stop between the seat stays and down tube. They also have ingenious revolving 'wheels' and ingenious leather 'saddles'

              Heh. What I meant, but didn't bother to make clear, was that it's pretty nifty the way the suspension comes for free as a consequence of the way the bike folds up. Well, that's what I always thought anyway.

              Always fancied the Moulton APB myself, though it is not a true folder and therefore not so useful for the train.

              I thought

  • Unicycles! (Score:5, Funny)

    by phraktyl ( 92649 ) * <wyattNO@SPAMdraggoo.com> on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @01:39PM (#7165085) Homepage Journal

    Especially if you've got some rough terrain to traverse, unicycles [unicycling.com] seem to be your best bet. Small, lightweight and rugged.

    Sure, your first day's commute to the train would take 8 hours, and end with you throwing your unicycle 8 feet up the road, dragging your bruised and bloody carcass up to it, giving it a swift kick, picking it up and throwing it again, but that's what learning how to ride a unicycle is all about.

    Disclaimer: There is no way in hell I would ever try this.

    • in regards to unicycling you gotta check out Kris Holms web site. He is the best cross country unicyclist and does stuff on his unicycle I would not even think of on my mountain bike. His videos are truly awesome.. and he makes the best unicycles around too.

      Check it out!

      http://dangeruni.unicyclist.com/ [unicyclist.com]

      • Jesus Christ! That stuff looks seriously hard on the nuts! The guy is amazing, but I have no idea how he can do that and not be singing soprano.

    • That is astounding! Big thanks for posting the link - I am awestruck!

      Having both ridden unicycles and mountainbiked, I would never have considered combining the two.
    • I used to ride my unicycle from home to the office when I was in grad school at Cornell. The distance wasn't too far but the gradient was pretty steep. The thing to remember about unicycles is that they're a spectacularly inefficient means of transportation. Unlike a bicycle, a unicycle requires you to expend a lot of energy just to stay upright. Going downhill is tough too, because you're constantly braking with your legs.

      So yes, it's lightweight and compact and fun and all, and I realize that the ori
  • A skateboard :)

    Although you could get roller skates of some kind as well.

  • Bike (Score:1)

    by maxume ( 22995 )
    Are there a bike racks at the train station? If it is secure enought, this seems like a pretty good option, nothing to carry on train, etc. Unless you need the bike on both sides of the train, in which case it wouldn't work...

    • Re:Bike (Score:2)

      by pmz ( 462998 )
      Are there a bike racks at the train station?

      Vandals will cut your spokes. Trust me on this one.

      If not the spokes, it'll be your brake lines or a hole in your tires.

      Vandals suck.
      • with
        1) non-spoke wheels (mag wheels?)
        2) replace air in tires with silicon, like dope smuglers do.
        3) a coaster brake
        4) put many stickers all over (like "hello kitty" and "Barbie" )
        5) then lock your $25 bike with a $100 lock
    • Clearly, you would then need 2 bikes. One for each side of the train trip.

  • perfect for short trips (Score:3, Funny)

    by flikx ( 191915 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @01:49PM (#7165182) Homepage Journal

    I had the same issue. My solution was to buy a 1985 GMC Suburban. It's cheaper, and much better than a dinky little scooter.

    • If money is no object, get a Hummer - that way you can travel anywhere as the crow flies.

      • Bah. I have a 3500 series 4WD, which is a lot beefier than a commercial hummer. Now if it's a military version, then it might be worth it.

        My truck is useful not only on the roads, but can climb stairs, crawl over landscaping, and jump curbs. I can also park it anywhere, since most cars don't fit in compact spots, I simply take up two or three at a time.

        If you live in a real urban nightmare, might I suggest a Mercedes Unimog [unimog.net]. (My next vehicle when I finally trash up my Suburban.)

    • Hmmm... For your little 12 mile cummute you are using as much gas as I use for my 55 mile cumute (to some margin of error). My suggestion: forget the train, it obviously is encouraging wasteful thinking, get a Geo Metro (no longer made)/ VW TDI car, and drive the entire distance yourself. It won't save anything, but you will be more conscience of how much time you are wasting doing it.

      • I recommend against a diesel for short trips. Diesels really shine on medium to long distance, but if only used for short trips (i.e. 6 miles at a time) the engine never gets a chance to warm up. Not only will this wipe out your exhaust system toot-sweet, but you are also placing a lot more wear on the engine on a per-mile basis. Cold oil doesn't lubricate like hot oil, and if the oil never heats up, (and it won't in 6 miles) your engine will not last very long.
        • The parent is suggesting the original poster use the diesel vehicle for the whole trip, not just to the train. I think it's fair to assume the poster isn't going to go 6 miles to to train to go 1 mile on there and hop off for work....
  • Or even better, a Motor Scooter. You can't take them on the train, but you can park them at the station. Moped is good too.

    And if you really don't want to pay for gas or parking, a skateboard or unicycle is quality. They both allow you to go hands free for carrying stuff. Who cares if it's for kids or whatever, you'll be the coolest dude in the office.
  • For years my dad used to commute to the train station on a cheap bike, locking it there with a cheap lock while he rode the LIRR into New York City. One day sombody stole the lock (true story). So, get a cheap bike and a good lock.


  • Just aim for the ground and miss.
    • I dont think that Rocket Jumping is an option here!
      • I don't think so either. But you did put the joke in terms I didn't originally think of. I do believe, what he meant, was that the poster should fly to the train.
        It's from Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, a book, which is really hillarious. Of course, if I could fly to the train, I'd just fly the whole way to work. What a blast that'd be.

  • It's hip! It's happening! (Score:3, Funny)

    by orthogonal ( 588627 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @02:07PM (#7165247) Journal
    A Big Wheel! [palmhat.com]

    San Francisco even has an annual Big Wheel race [nwfusion.com] in , and we all know that San Fran is trendy, e-hip and e-happening.

    Or gay and campy.

    But either way, it'll help you release your inner child.

  • Two words (Score:1, Offtopic)

    by AtariAmarok ( 451306 )
    Halle Berry
  • ...You mean legs?
  • Get a cheap bicycle (cheap enough that you can afford to have it stolen every year or two) and leave it locked at the train station.

    Depending on the terrain, a 10 km distance twice a day is a moderate to longish distance to cover under your own power. It's a nontrivial bike ride and I certainly wouldn't want to do it on a Razor scooter or skateboard.

  • How about inline skates ? They don't take up too much space... Of course, you need to have a paved path all the way to the train. Richard.

  • Rollerblades (Score:5, Informative)

    by Vaevictis666 ( 680137 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @02:26PM (#7165323)
    If you're worried about the security of a bicycle, get a pair of rollerblades (inline skates) and stuff them in a backpack when you get to the train. I find they work just as well as a bike, except when going downhill and trying to stop. If the terrain is not very hilly then they're ideal.
    • They're dodgy when the ground is wet, so not a great thing to rely on for commuting. Unless you live somewhere very dry, of course.
  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
    • I'm not a violent person, but I would beat up anyone I saw using those anywhere outside of a park or their backyard.
      • If you could catch them! Or if they don't decide to hop up and down and beat the crap out of you at the same time. Watching the videos, those suckers move you really fast and you can jump huge heights.

  • Folding bikes (Score:4, Interesting)

    by FattMattP ( 86246 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @02:46PM (#7165479) Homepage
    Why don't you look into a folding bicycle [dahon.com]? I see people with them on the train all the time and you can get one for about $200. Maybe less used. They'll fold up small enough to carry if you need to. Here in San Francisco folding bikes are allowed on the trains at all times (if they are folded up) as opposed to regular bikes which aren't allowed during rush hours.
    • Folding bikes look to be about $70-$150 on eBay. [ebay.com]

      Why does searching eBay for "folding bike" make me think of "candle truck"? (There are no candle trucks on eBay.)

      • Folding bikes look to be about $70-$150 on eBay.

        As with most things, there is a minimum level of acceptable quality. Buying a $70 folding bike from eBay is probably below that level.

        Would you buy and drive a Yugo, just because it was cheap?
  • I've thought about this a lot, since I had the same kind of commute before. I didn't have the money at the time, but I've always been a fan of detachable in-line skates. There's a few manufacturers (and I do mean a few, they're rare). Hypno makes the best (italian designer, a few retailers in US)... they're last-year models and surplus are affordable, comparable to nice regular in-lines. There's another company, but I can't remember the name.

    You skate to the train station, take a few seconds to detach
  • Those rechargable electric scooters are pretty slick. They should be able to do a 10KM trip if you recharge at the office; they fold down and they only run about $200 (around here, you can buy them at auto-parts stores)
    • Don't get a cheap electric auto parts store scooter.

      If you are seriously going 10KM, you want a serious scooter. Check Zapworld and some others.

      I am 220 lbs, and rode my zap scooter 3 miles to train, folded it, carried it on train, then rode 2 miles to the office.. Charged all day, then rode it back.

      I tried several lesser scooters prior.. they didn't have the range or power.

      my $.02
  • Just fold the wheels in or out. Check them out here [ukshops.com]. Though something tells me they're not built for longevity.

    If it were me, I would do, in the following order:

    1. A cheap bike
    2. A folding bike
    3. expensive roller blades designed for distance
    4. Jog (1.5 hours of this every day and you'll live to be 100 if you take care of your joints)
    5. vespa (or something like it but more dependable)

    I would not recommend a foldable scooter or a skateboard. I've done these distances on each of these. After a while, they
  • You should be able to find one on ebay for $100.

    The theory is, if there's nothing valuable on the bike, nobody will bother stealing it. Use a front brake til you get your skills together.

    It might be tricky to learn how at first, but once you get the hang of it, you'll be forever hooked, and won't be happy until you build fifteen pounds of funk [usrnull.com].
  • It would have been no problem: since everyone had to walk uphill all the way in both directions, it would've been possible to get a Razor and coast downhill in the opposite direction.

    Wait a minute...
  • No, not while you are on the train (that would make the ride shorter though.)

    Get a real Hummer [hummerbikes.com]!

  • Public Transit (Score:3, Informative)

    by BSDevil ( 301159 ) on Wednesday October 08, 2003 @04:59PM (#7166014) Journal
    Get a metropass (that's what they're called here) and take the bus/streetcar. Or if you're afraid of that, find a few people who live near you (I'm guessing you live in a suburban subdivision) who need to get into town in a similar timeframe, and get a carpool to the station going.

    • Re:Public Transit (Score:3, Insightful)

      by greenhide ( 597777 )
      Yeah, that was my idea as soon as I read this too. I mean, unless this guy works at some place that's located six miles from a train stop in the middle of the salt flats. That's the only situation I can think of where it would be flat enough to use a scooter, but there wouldn't be a bus that dropped him off closer to his work.

      Sounds like this guy just wants an excuse to use one of those Razor scooters.

      Hey man, you wanna play? Go for it. But I'd recommend choosing a more standard route. Either take the bus
  • just press the button and fold it up into your suitcase.

    What, you don't have one of those?
  • Buy the second cheapest bike in the shop. Ride it to the station. Chain it to the fence. Go to work.

    Once in awhile you'll return to find your bike stolen or vandalised. With your increased fitness from regular cycling the walk home will not be a challenge. In the morning buy the second cheapest bike in the shop.....

    Another option might be to move.
  • salvation army. thrift stores. it is not uncommon to find half decent '80's vintage roadbikes for $10-20. some are huffys. (they get their name from the effect on the rider - huffy and puffy) some are schwinn (nothing like cast iron to make a durable bike. better exercise on a 80 pound bike, too!) or others. i just picked up a '82 univega for $10 us. under 30 lbs, 12 speed. not flashy. a decent bike in its day. if it gets stolen, i'll buy something else for $20 or less.

    plus, you'll learn how to lube a chai
  • I sometimes use my Segway in conjunction with the Metro Rail. It works well in my case. But you've made it clear you dislike the Segway (either because of cost or because you think it's stupid), so that's clearly out.

    I'm guessing you live in a suburban sprawl environment. Otherwise, I would expect that there would be a nearby feeder bus service to the train station that you could take.

    I'm also assuming that there's adequate transportation from the work-side train station to the office, and that you jus
  • I drive a Smart [smart.com] for anything over 3 km (2 miles) walking distance away.
    • He was looking for something cheap. Smarts are nice, but they are way too expensive compared to what you get. There are cars just a little bigger that are much cheaper.
      • That's what I used to think. You get what you pay for believe me:

        no more parking problems = many hours saved looking for space (that has a price)

        low running costs

        comfortable seats (I regularly drive to clients 400 Km in a day)

        I only own a Smart and when we go somewhere as a familly we rent a larger car. Believe me when I say that the Smart is worth every cent (Euro)

  • All bikes weigh 40 lbs... (Score:3, Funny)

    by YrWrstNtmr ( 564987 ) on Thursday October 09, 2003 @02:40AM (#7169612)
    A 10 lb bike needs a 30 lb lock
    A 20 lb bike needs a 20 lb lock
    A 30 lb bike needs a 10 lb lock
    A 40 lb bike needs no lock at all.
  • Someone already mentioned a Scooter ... over a year ago we ditched our car and my wife and I got a Scooter (a Piaggio Skipper ST125).

    Road Tax is about 18 pounds-sterling, it's got a four stroke petrol engine that does c. 80mpg. The back-box and underseat storage provides a good deal of space for shopping. Top speed about 65mph. Parks almost anywhere. You need to do a CBT to ride a 125 (with L plates) but can ride a 50cc with only a full car license.

    All in all I reckon it's quite a nice way to get to work.
  • Think 4 foot skateboard with big soft wheels, built for bombing hills and cruising around town.

    For some fine examples of these beautiful beasts, check this [sector9.com] out!

    They look slick, are easily stored, and make those scooters look like the toys they are :)

    (Disclaimer: I own a skateboard shop, and have recently fallen in love with longboarding myself)
  • A Reise and Muller [r-m.de] Birdy. Better than a Brompton, which suffer from over soft suspension and a a floating back wheel. They have all aluminum frames and the lightest comes in at around 10kg. The gearing is excellent, much better than the 'sturmey archers' on the Bromptons. They are of course far more expensive but they are the best folders I've ridden. You could also try the US made Bikefriday [bikefriday.com] who even do this incredibly expensive folding recumbant [bikefriday.com]. I've not ridden them so I can't vouch for them.

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