On Driving, Final Thoughts, For Now

I filled up the car after driving to London Ontario and back (twice). The car is a small diesel (a VW Jetta to be specific). Total distance driving in two days: 954km, total fuel consumed, a little more than 7/8'th of the tank, size of tank 50L. In other words, at just under one dollar per litre of diesel, I blew $43 and about 45L driving 954km.

It probably helps that the air conditioning does not work, but still, when the fuel economy is that good, why do I have to buy either a VW or a Mercedes if I want a small diesel? By switching from a regular gasoline or petrol powered vehicle to alternatively a bicycle or small diesel look what I have done to reduce my carbon foot print, when will other people join in?

I rode to work yesterday, since July 1 I have done 1018km on Jordan, I rotated the tyres last night. I went to bed expecting it to be raining this morning and clear Wednesday. When I woke up, the prediction had been revised, clear Tuesday rain on Wednesday. Good job guys. Well I guess if the weather stays nice maybe I do a little ride tonight, but I'd rather ride to work, that way not only do I get to ride, but I get to reduce the driving I do at the same time.

Here's another thought. I saw an advert recently for a power tap. I know I should, from a training standpoint, use one. Knowing my power would be really helpful in ensuring I am training properly. But check out the price, the Cycle-ops power tap is about $1000, mind you a couple years ago, the Cycle-ops was $2000, so give it another twenty years and maybe I can afford one.

I want to know, why are power taps so expensive? Hook up a spring with known elastic properties to the drive train, measure the force applied by measuring the flex of the spring (all very easy to do applications of a high school electronics course) then gauge speed of the spring as it rotates, again trivial. Now multiple, force in Newtons times speed in meters per second equals Watts of power. Where does the $1000 price tags come from? The fancy packaging? Sorry but I just cannot bring myself to piss away that kind of money for technology that is so simple.