SKaiser writesAre You the 2015 Car For Bike Trader?

You won't regret it or fear it. That's the repeat message thus far from the featured Car Traders of New Belgium's Tour de Fat car-for-bike challenge.

CHIRP Radio is partnered with New Belgium Brewery for the 2015 Tour de Fat celebration in Palmer Square on Saturday, July 11. If the experiences shared by these guys motivates you to step up and throw your hat in the ring, click here for more details. Entries are due by Wednesday, July 8.

Five years ago Iggy Igz accepted the challenge and last winter was the first he hadn't commuted by bike. What happened over those five years? Read on and find out.

CHIRP: Where do you currently live and what are you doing these days?

Igz: I currently live in the River West / West Town area. Currently, I am doing facility management downtown and just recently started a painting company.

CHIRP: Why did you take the challenge to give up your car? 

Igz: I took the challenge because I believed I could. Honestly, I probably wasn't the best candidate in the sense of "revolutionizing" someone to delve deep into bike commuting and culture. I was already kind of there. I was driving at the time, but largely because I was dealing with a new dog that had severe separation anxiety and I had take him to work with me. It was also time to stop doing that. I took the challenge last minute and didnt get an opportunity to make a video.

CHIRP: What kinds of adjustments did you have to make to your life and daily routines?

Igz: I was already immersed in Chicago's bike community and even did quite a bit of winter biking. Now it was time to take it full on. One could say I was primed for it sure. but now I wouldnt be backing out if it rained, snowed, or was -16F. I had to get on my bike and get to the Metra train. My commute was three parts - bike to train, reverse train commute to the burbs, then bike from the station to the industrial park in Wood Dale. You develop a good rhythm. You leave a minute late, and you know you would miss the train and need to wait an hour. You develop your gear, your clothes, your packing, and you become ready for whatever. You learn that complaining about the weather doesnt change it, and dealing with weather was much better than dealing with traffic.

CHIRP: Would you say you’re still fairly committed to commuting by bike?

Igz: This winter was the first I hadnt biked in 5 years. My mom was selling her car and I decided to buy it. It was around Thanksgiving and I drove it back from New Jersey. I didnt need the car, by any means, but i knew what was coming up ahead. Starting a business (Figment Painting), I knew I would be going to a lot of places around the city to estimate jobs and to work on them. Sure, i could do that by bike. I have two bike trailers used quite a bit to haul many things, but with Chicago's unpredictable weather it made sense to do that with a car. Then there is all I said about not complaining about the weather. Well, it doesnt mean that I was a bit over it and wanted to take a break. Part of me felt I deserved a break, part of me thought "wuss." I also knew it would be highly convenient to have a car for my upcoming wedding. Visiting venues, coordinating this that and the other thing, hauling tables, etc. etc. etc. No, I didnt need it, but it has been a great convenience.

CHIRP: How has living without a car changed you? Have you taken up any other new habits during the year?

Igz: With bike commuting, one would think that you wouldn't want to spend more time on a bike. but the opposite is true. You're happy to go on group rides, go bike camping and you just get involved more and more with the bike community.

Also, being car-less, I've found myself much less of a consumer. The only important things were the bike gear. You buy less shit because you dont want to carry it, then you realize you dont need it. It was an interesting by-product effect.

CHIRP: What do you feel are the biggest benefits of the lifestyle change you made?

Igz: I think of all the traffic I'm not sitting in and causing, and all of the fumes that are just being emmited without the positive effect of actually getting anywhere. You become really aware of that and your environment. You got further and faster without any bit of gas. That's awesome. Obviously it's a city phenomenon, but that's where you start becoming interested in infrastructure and city planning theory.

CHIRP: How can your town, your state, and/or society in general make bicycling more attractive to other people?

Igz: Safety, freedom, culture, education. That goes for anywhere. Making safe routes for cyclists, freedom from car insurance and registrations and licensing and mostly gasoline, promoting culture through social events with things like Bike the Drive, or supporting rides like the Naked Ride, and education - maps for those routes, postings for those events, conscientious riding techniques/seminars, and city planning with cyclist imput.

CHIRP: What would be your advice for the next person who is going to take up New Belgium's offer?

Igz: Do it and stick with it. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.