How to Live a Car Free Life on a Bike 

I am 12 years old and have already decided not to own a car when I am older.

I am 61 years old. I have not owned a car since 1980. I have 2 bicycles; I ride them everywhere, so I understand your passion. I use my bikes to ride to work, for shopping, laundry, day trips, short tours, exploring the trails, exercise, escape, therapy, and simply having fun. Since 1986 (when I bought an odometer), I have cycled 222,000 km (138,000 miles). I live in a hilly town in BC Canada, where there are very strong riders (racers, and mountain bikers). Since the improvements to electric-assist bikes, cycling has become a more common mode of transport, even on our 10% slopes. There are still those big-ass diesel trucks spewing out carcinogens, and exhaust systems like amplifiers, but we are making progress to a more bike-friendly town, I hope. Thanks for the videos. Safe riding!

Actually , it is well documented that biking makes you happy, it’s great for mental health.

As a European whenever I came to the USA to travel I found myself blown away by how "car orientated" everything is. I found it unbelievable how dismissive people were of cycling and using public transport. In the Netherlands I have done four years of studying and had a career without ever needing a car, I ride my bike everyday and I live in a nation of people that do the same :) Theres no doubt that it is possible, and thank you Ryan for helping change peoples minds, to make America less car focused, and helping to save the earth 🙏

Sold my car and motorcycle 11 months ago. I commute by bike which is a 60km round trip. I save heaps of money, Am a lot happier, lost weight. Keep cycling!

I am 71 years and my bicycle is my only transportation. I am lucky enough to live in a rural area, eight miles from grocery stores and most everything. When you mentioned how inexpensive it is to ride bicycle compared to having a car you hit the nail on the head. March 2022 I tour the country on a fully loaded bike going down the east coast to Virginia then across to Oregon, then up to Washington and back home to Massachusetts. Seeing the country this way is far more enjoyable than in a vehicle and so much less expensive, it cost me the same as staying at home. Thank you for this video.

You forgot to mention that you get the best parking spots when you ride your bike!

Getting divorced started me biking. After walking five miles to work each day, I managed to save $40 to buy a used bike.

The best reason i love bike riding in the 3 years i got back in ti bike riding is . I went from 351 pounds down to 175 pounds in 3 years !!!And riding 50 miles a day 5 days a week is keeping the wait off !!! I'm 62 retied ad feel like i am 30 years old again !

I live in Florida and was struggling financially and decided to just use my bike…and I love it! The hardest part is dealing with the judgement of others. I had a client tell me if my transportation changed to let them know… how I got there had no effect on my work…unbelievable.

You nailed, every comment about riding as a child, losing interest with a drivers license, then realizing the fun of a bike again as an adult.... Spot on.

Sold my SUV and motorcycle when I was 19 and never looked back. Bikes and public transportation all the way.

transmission in my car recently died. These vids are giving me ideas... The temptation is real.

If you are like me, it's these things you despise: payments, insurance costs, taxes, fees, fines, DMVs and long waits in their lines, licenses, registrations, passes, permits, tolls, fares, fees, tickets, maintenance costs, fuel costs, crazy road rage, traffic jams, police looking for revenue

I’m glad I watched this! I finally bought a bike (age 35) about a month ago and quickly fell in love with cycling. I sold my car last week. It was terrifying, but also exhilarating. Commuting has never been so fun!

Love bicycles. Always have. I've never owned a car and I'm now aged 50. The commute to and from work is the best thing ever! It never gets old man!

I got my first adult bicycle in summer of 16. I loved it and would ride it every possible chance I got. My car blew a gasket in spring 2017. I was sick of sinking money into cars therefore I refused to buy a new car(this was the third car I had since I was 18). I was so excited to become a full-time cyclist that I saw this as a blessing. and it has been. The good feels from riding a bicycle really help combat my depression. I love the satisfaction of relying on myself to get to my destination. I feel so much more able and dare I say empowered. the money I have saved has been great. I was paying 112 USD on full coverage car insurance every month and about 100 USD on fuel monthly. Whenever I would save up any money my car would have something go wrong that required expensive repairs. I am so happy to be without. I am fortunate enough to live in a small college town that is pretty bicycle friendly. One of my favorite aspects has always been the exploration. I love finding new areas and paths to ride my bicycle and explore. Ryan's vids have been a great source of inspiration. I love seeing someone who has more enthusiasm to ride than I do. It gives me reassurance and motivation. I very much agree that a lot of the world problems can be solved if more people rode bicycles more often

I've never owned a car, and I live in Canada. I ride from the end of March right up to Christmas, when the roads get snowy enough or icy enough that it becomes life threatening. The rest of the year, I take the bus. My wife always bugs me about getting a car, but so far I've been able to defer that. I'm hoping to get her on a bike instead.

I've been car free since 2009 and love it. Great channel!

This year marks my 30th year of biking. While I did live in Seattle, San Francisco and NYC; I also lived in Chico, CA, Tucson, AZ, Las Vegas and Allentown/Bethlehem, PA. I biked in -4 degrees up to 115. The only time I don't bike is when there is snow on the ground. I know the bus routes all across America. People wonder how I make it on such a low income and it is because I don't own a car.

Hello! It is 2018 and I stumbled across this video. I got my license when I was 18 but I really haven't been driving since. I moved away from home for college and I've been living car-free since. Thank you for showing the awesome things about riding your bike. I ride my bike to school everyday and people don't believe me when I say I actually -enjoy- it.

The car free lifestyle is a no-brainer (and often the only option) in most large cities but definitely intimidating for suburbanites. I hope electric bikes will bridge that gap soon as more people realize how convenient and versatile they can be.

This is the only talk I didn't get bored with. Biking really makes me happy.

I've been commuting to and from work for three years - seven to eight months a year. Everything you are saying is 100% true. I see so much nature everyday and get to work energized. I love the time it gives me to disconnect from the grind.

I’m riding my hardtail from home to work and vice versa and it really feels good. You’re right it brings a lot of memories in my childhood. I consider my bike as a escape machine. And it my health is way better than before. I salute you for what you’re doing...

Wow, I said to myself at 16 that I would never drive as well after receiving my driver's permit. At 25, I did attempt to get my driver's license, but I did not follow through with it. Well, many years have passed and I have been able to live car free just fine. The one thing I wish I could do is to be able to ride a bike on a street road. I never learned due to fear. I need to find courage and take the steps necessary to be able to ride in traffic.

I am 64 and have been a bicyclist since I was 12. I started bicycle touring in Sept 1982 and since have done about 70 tours in North America, inluding the Lower 48, British Columbia, Ontario and the Yukon, Canada and across Alaska. I average 5000 miles a year, I tour in the Autumn and the Spring, I work summers Memorial Day to Labor Day and live in Tucson AZ in the mid-winter Nov-Feb. I never learned to drive or had a license to. I began adventure traveling by hitchhiking from 1977-82. The summer of 77 I hitched 10,000+ miles around the USA then moved to Alaska. I currently ride a 4" wide fat tire mountain bike with 27 gears.I have toured on mountain bikes since my third tour in 1984. In early March 2020 I will begin my next bike tour, heading east from Tucson to Arkansas, them northeast to Maine, then back west to the Pacific coast then take the ferry to Southeast Alaska...

I've decided to make the change and going carless for a year or so as a money saving tactic. My main reason preventing me up to now was indeed being sweaty when I get to work, and bicycle thieves being rampant in my area. I've already had one stolen and never found. I have managed to solve the sweaty issue by putting a bafang ebike conversion kit in my crank. It gets me to work just fine without getting too sweaty, and on the way home I can turn it off to get some exercise. Some might call it cheating, I call it being efficient. Planning on giving my car back to the dealer mid next year (which is the soonest I can within my contract).

" Living car free, that's awsome..👍

Ryan, I just stumbled upon you today in my bike feed. You rock! We are a car free home with two kids and I am a tile guy who rolls truck free. We have a selection of bikes and trailers to move whatever whenever. Portland, Oregon is expensive. Not having a car lets my wife be a full time mom and I don't need to work quite so hard. Let us know if you ever are in Portland and need a place to crash. Ride safe and keep the rubber on the road 🚴‍♂️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🚴‍♀️🤗👍🏼

"Sweat is the cologne of success" I worked for a company that inspected and chemically treated utility poles to increase their lifespan. That quote was printed on the inside of a bottle cap I found in the dirt of a pole I was excavating with nothing but a shovel in the middle of the Idaho desert heat.

Biking is on the way back! I just bought mine at 58yrs old and loving it! My diesel truck stays parked a lot now. I have already paid for bike in 4 months And it was a 3000.00 bike with accessories.

(wow, this is long, but I'd appreciate if you read it) I was gifted a car without deserving it (or so I felt) and I used it for school and work for nearly 2 years. With traffic getting worse, gas prices going sky high, and the maintenance it started to demand, I got so mad that I even started commuting by walking/running the 7 miles and back, because I had also become sick of the public transportation. Of course, I couldn't do that every day, but I haven't considered bike commuting, mostly because I had not ridden one in 10 years, and I thought I couldn't handle the chaotic traffic (no such thing as bike lanes through my path) After a COSTLY car maintenance, I started to rethink if this is what I wanted to deal with for the rest of my life. Clearly not. I bought a bike, rode it back home (surprisingly easy), and made a deal with myself, that I'd start commuting by it. I was practicing the route on a quiet Sunday morning and realized how easy and quick this could be. It's been over 3 months that I haven't used my car. I put it up to sell it. Bless my parents for this gift, because in the long run, I have found a new pleasure for all my days, and it only requires two wheels with no engine. The benefits made this decision and shift a complete no-brainer. I have been inspiring other people to ditch their cars (or use it less) and getting themselves a bike. I feel like I'm making a change, and thanks to you Ryan, this change is spreading faster. You rock :)

I started searching for someone here who does this kind of life because I'm starting to do it mine and learn from you. So here it goes, to a car-free life on a bike journey! Good luck to you and to me!

Love this video. I am 51 years old and I have been commuting to work for 16 years now. I live on the east side of Cleveland where the weather always sucks. I have been riding my Priority Continuum for 2 years now.

For me, it comes down to money which equates to freedom. Great video!

Great video! Thank you for including real reasons like not wanting to show up to work sweaty or not feeling safe. I'd even live to see an other video going more into detail about how you deal with issues like that.

Ryan, You always inspire me. Thanks!

Hey mate, great video. I’ve always had a bike. Grew up exploring the neighbourhood with my gang of mate. Just recently, at 37, I’ve rediscovered my love of getting out on the pushy and am now working towards some overnight bikepacking adventures. Just wanted to say, your vids are inspiring me more and more. Keep up the good work!

Great video Ryan, very convincing and inspirational. Keep it rolling.

Ryan, I really love your philosophy on life! I found your channel last year & wanted to say thanks for putting together such great videos. You've got such great positivity, it's a joy to watch. My story is that I spent a little over a year commuting across Southern California exclusively by bike and that experience changed my entire philosophy on commuting. The weather here is far less challenging and like Boulder it's surprisingly easy to get around this way with a good network of bike paths. I do have a car now just because it's necessary for my regular day job but my goal is to never be dependent on it. Combining car use with more bike use is a great message for most people out there!

Thanks for this! Just saw a climate change video and got the reminder that the US lifestyle isn't scalable, but biking fixes a little of that and I appreciate this inspiration that I can live car free!

I’m from the uk and have only just discovered Ryan’s videos. I’m so inspired and grateful to have found them 😎

I found your channel because of your ultramarathon run in Mexico. I like to run commute while training for hundred milers. I got hooked on not driving work, saving on gas and routine maintenance for my car, so I bought a cheap bike from Walmart. I love riding to work! It’s such a great start to the day! Keep up the good work on your videos Ryan!!

I've never even trained to get a driving license because I've always been dead set on using a bike as my main mode of transport, even though I only just learned to ride as an adult and I had to do a few years of public transport to bridge the gap. I just haven't been willing to get into the bad habit on taking on the huge costs and debts of car ownership to both my bank balance and the planet, so I wasn't willing to even risk getting into the bad habit of car dependence from the beginning.

Ride More - Drive Less

I love riding my bike at late afternoon/ night to the gym unless I absolutely have to ride during the day for appointments school 🏫 etc

I started commuting all year for two years now. I'm up in Canada so the winters can be a little rough but its so much fun. There is really nothing like biking in a snow storm. This video inspires me to slowly move towards phasing out the car all together. Thank you so much.

I love riding my bike! It's been out of commission for about half a year so I'll have to get that fixed 😂😂😂

I love your video. Am going to buy a bike. And.....am 58 years old....Ryan.... I use to ride.

i just started a new job that is closer to where I live, 17 km. I've been cycling almost everyday to work in August since i started. Love it! I hope to keep going as long as I can before winter stops me. They don't plow or groom the trails.

Love the video Ryan!!!!!!!!!!!!! Please keep more videos coming!

This is exactly what I needed to hear right now! I'm motivated to start making the switch slowly!

This is a much-needed message.

You are really awesome. Till now i used to drive away scooty or car due to laziness but you really changed my thinking and now i will to live bike life

As a NYC biking bartender, I would get around the "sweaty at work" conflict by bringing a quick change of clothes, face wipes, and some makeup to apply in the bathroom. (Though, as a NYC biking bartender, I most certainly experienced the feeling of "bike rage" :)

Inspirational talk and you are absolutely right. Thanks

Biking makes me happy too and it practically cost free travel expense...you can stop and smell and see the roses while in a care you cannot when traveling.

Great inspirational post, thank you 👍🏻

Dude your videos are the best. I bought an old steel 10 speed city bike from the 70s a couple weeks ago and had the shop tune it up - I’ve already ridden around ten miles. I live in northwest Arkansas which has a great paved bike system that’s growing all the time, being a bigger guy - this video and another of yours have kept me getting out there and riding. It’s very hilly here (Ozark foothills) but the challenge is fun. I got a runners high for the first time since high school the other day. I’m 31 years old :) all this to say - thanks man. I love your message 💕💫

So inspiring! Actually, one of the reasons I've decided to move to Boulder soon was the bike culture there. 🙂

When I bought my volador ebike it allowed me to make most of my local errands on my bike and include my exercise too

I made the transition to a bike in 2021 and now I ride full time. My health is better I've lost a lot of weight and my diabetes is completely under control. Best decision I've ever made. Love your video thanks

Man, i think you're going to love the Netherlands! Just came back from a 90km trip from Hertogenbosch to Utrecht and back in a day! Loved it!

Hey Ryan I have a suggestion, I realize that people outside the Netherlands know of Amsterdam because it's the capitol and that that is where most people go when they visit the Netherlands. However while Amsterdam may seem like an amazing bike city for a outsider, it's actually not that great, because it's the capitol and such a big city it's quite a bit car friendly at the expense of bikes to some extent, cities like Utrecht, Nijmegen, Eindhoven, Leiden etc are all much better biking cities than Amsterdam.

Team Duzer T-shirts=Great Idea!

Love you videos! Please keep inspire people!!

Renting a Fat-bike and riding the trails around Pearrygin Lake in Winthrop, WA during the Winter made me fall in love with bikes all over again. Hadn't as much fun in a long while !

Beanie Weenies + bikes = Awesome^2. Keep it up Duzer!

Great video! I am 28 and I have always been car free as well, always cycling and some public transport. Even easier nowadays with online shopping,cheap deliveries and cheap car rental for specific things. Could you configure it so I can add Spanish subtitles? I would love to share it with Spanish speakers :)

We need more people like you everywhere

You say not only interesting things, but also very clearly ... it is a pleasure to listen and watch this video

I'm fortunate enough to be 2-5 miles from everything so I ride often but if I have trips over 7 I don't brave that yet

Motorists think its hard to cycling but they dont mind that its a free energy,no need gas driving licence and m v p and insurence taxes . Frankly this guy who has invented bicycle is not a jerk

Hey Ryan, I am with you all the way. I'm 45 and I have never taken a drivers licence although have done the driving test once and failed (thanks god) when I was 20 years old. Bicycle has always been my main way of transport, for other times I just use the bus or train or someone close to me is kind enough to take me for a ride. I love bikes , the freedom for they give, its priceless and ofcourse they keep me at top condition, It's the best lower body workout especially when I carry things then it becomes a full body workout.

Thank you for spreading the love and passion!

Inspiring! Personally I'm a runner. But bikes are so much less tiring! I don't think I'll everet a licence.

You’re awesome. Bike may be the way. Thank you.

Great video. If you dont want to get sweaty, there are excellent e-bikes nowadays. You still have to pedal, but its like you always have the wind in your back, going downhill :). We live in a small community in Sweden, we have two kids < 5 years old. We recently replaced our car with a bakfiets.nl electric bike (its a bike with a giant box in the front). I can easily load 75kg -100 kg in the box and still effortless go uphill. Havent missed the car yet. Kids love it. Keep cycling everybody!

Loved the video. Last year I started commuting to work by bike and I love it. I can clearly feel the difference in my mood when I bike to work compared to when I take the train or car. When I'm riding my bicycle I'm happy. One thing I have to improve is my motivation to ride my bicycle when it's raining. Here where I live the summers are rainy and using waterproof jackets sucks when it's really warm and humid.

am selling my big van...so will just have my 🛵 and 🚲 👍🤔

Freedom, Team Duzer, & Team Human = Happy Rider Cheers

Been thinking about getting a bike for a while and now seems like the best time. So glad you made this video

I LOVED your video. Put a big smile on my face. I loved commuting on my bike when I was working. I do share a car with my wife but I only take the car if its absolutely necessary. But I still use my Tern Node D8 as my primary mode of transport. Cheers!

Oh Ryan, you're such a nut! But I agree with you 100%

I am 60 and ride my bike to the grocery store, library and to get my hair cut. I am retired so there isn't a daily commute. I live in ABQ, we have over 550 miles of bike paths, routes and lanes. You wouldn't know it by walkscore.com! The people who rate cities must have never lived or visited them so don't rely on what they say. My chiropractor doesn't want me to ride my bike right after an adjustment. So my solution was getting a Razor kick scooter to get me there (2.2 miles) then take the bus back! If you are wondering why I don't bus it both ways? It is because we have very minimal bus service, which means a bus doesn't come by my home but every 45 minutes. So if I can schedule my appointment to time it with the north bound bus (going home) it works out perfectly. An adjustment only takes about 10-12 minutes. So there are other solutions to almost any transportation situations!

The joy of being on a bike is priceless. Nothing else compares

i LOVED this video!

As an European I can guarantee u that chances to be laughed at for riding a bike instead a car are zero in Europe. That's an American thing.

I agree with absolutely everything that you said in this video except for one thing. You don't need coffee? Seriously? Blasphemer!

37 years young, no car for 15 years. I ride 365 days a year, Specialized Rockhopper 29er xxl. Its my truck, convertible, and suv all in one. Riding a bike is Fun! 100 miles on a gallon of water, Chocolate milk and a honey bun, twizzlers, beef jerky, chips, fruit roll-up for a snack, Calories who cares you can eat anything you want. Down side, you are always hungry!

Amazing hahaha thanks for a lil motivation boost Ryan. Waiting for my priority current to arrive (ebike to get rid of the excuses!), can't wait.

Simply shower at work. Companies should be prepared to accommodate this by now.

I ditch my car during yhe warmer months ( I tried Winter pedaling, but they do not maintain the roads very well in my town), and I put in about 60-70 miles a week. I use a Burley CoHo XC trailer when I need to do some grocery shopping or laundry. I haven't fueled my vehicle in 5 weeks and I still have a full tank of gas! At 59 years old I feel great!! Thanks for the inspiring video!

You made me happy with your passion for what you are sharing. Thank you friend!

Good you made a video on this subject. Like you I'm not a 'car-hater'. But I never wanted to drive a car myself. I even never did driving lessons. I always loved riding a bicycle. But I am so happy to live in the Netherlands ... one of the best countries to ride a bicycle (almost all flat and with bike-paths everywhere).

Awesome video Ryan! You expressed my feelings about the biker lifestyle better than I could. I shared the video on facebook!

I just wanted to say thank-you. I'm someone who is overweight and my physical condition seems to be worsening daily. I'm trying to fight back with exercise though everything is complicated by my lack of financial means and my body's limited capabilities. I had already decided to go out and spend a ridiculous amount of money on a bicycle before I discovered you. However, I have terrible anxiety that I'm not doing the right thing and I have no support from anyone around me. Having someone like you cheer me on and encourage me has been incredibly valuable and you have made me feel a lot better. Keep up the good work.

Cycles, motorcycles, cars, semi's and back to cycles for the last 5 years. Just brought my 1st cycle trailer. Lifes never been better. Thanks for all your wonderful videos Ryan ❤

You are awesome! Finally someone else that feels the same about biking vs car. My whole family reminds me constantly how dissapointing it is to them that I wont buy a car, but this makes me happy, and save the planet! Not to mention my body is benefitting from this lifestyle.