[sustran] Motorcycle discussion - weather issue

[J.H. Crawford]

>I do not think weather (heat)  is really a issue with cycling. If it is a 
>issue, it is as much a issue with motorised two whelers and cars running 
>without an AC. ( it could be worse for cars).
>A study had shown that a speed of 20 km/hr for bicycles is sufficent to 
>dry up the sweat that you may be generating by bicycling. As a matter of 
>fact, when sweat dries up, you get a cool feeling ( loss of heat).
>If you are sitting inside a car without an AC in hot weather, you could also
>be sweating profusely.
>In any others weather, I do not see how a motorised two wheeler has 
>advantage over bicycle.

In Western societies we have unfortunately reached the point where
it is impolite to sweat (and god forbid, to give off any smell).
I don't know about others, but I remain hot for as long as an hour
after walking briskly or cycling moderately hard for more than
about 20 minutes.

Don't get me wrong--I love to bicycle, but Western ethos makes it
pretty difficult. If these are not issues in India, and if people
are willing to bike in 45 degree heat in the blazing sun, that's
the best news I've heard in a long time.

In the USA it's hard to get people to even take the bus in areas
like Phoenix because of the heat (about 45, too). They don't want
to get hot while waiting for the bus--they'd rather take the
(air conditioned) car.

Regards,


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J.H. Crawford    Crawford Systems    joel at xs4all.nl    http://www.mokum.com/