It's a sick society where people drive to the gym ...

I would approach the issue from a different point of view. Consider the following:
1) Vary your routine so that the gym is just for some days of the week. Walking for a good distance on the weekend, a weekday or two is fantastic exercise that can be enjoyable, especially if someone joins for conversation. Biking one or two times per week should be another variation.
2) Adjust and fine someone to join in the trip. That drastically changes your calculations.
3) Safety--No scooter for me. The raw odds are too bad for motoring in traffic with only your body as the impact absorber. Safety does not figure into any efficiency calculation but should figure into the final selection.
4) Is this a year round decision? If the winter/rainy/snowy days have you taking the car, then the calculations need to include this.
5) Have something to work towards. This can range from a holiday fun walk/run to the ironman.

 

I was thinking elec scooter too. But this is dangerous on our roads <I live near you>. I jog trails out my front door and sometimes bike to high school go around track. But when I bike I go off-road trails and side roads, sidewalks carefully. Sneak there basically. Main roads here are nuts. You have W&OD trail real close I presume. That goes places. I do 5K's when I can...but I am "Clydesdale" also.

 

Brunow sounds like a horses nice person.

Getting into a routine in a gym works for some people and they stick with it better than a less structured routine. It often isn't practical to run, walk, bike to a gym. Plus, if you have less than ideal climate, you can get your aerobic exercise in indoors instead of out in the rain, snow or sweltering humid summer.

I'm not a gym rat, but it's what works for lots of people.

 

I'm going to be the last person in the world to offer gym advice.

I don't care what the EPA put on the Insight's sticker--that is 1 tough car to beat when it is driven correctly. The 1st rally I entered was won by Meredith in her Insight (don't know the year) at 75mpg. (She practiced once she learned of the rally.) For the record, I did beat another Insight. That guy got so lost he was almost a DNF (Did Not Finish).

The next year she didn't enter. Good. (or so I thought). That rally was won by a different Insight posting 125mpg.

I wouldn't trade a Prius for an Insight with a battery pack rebuilt with Toyota cells either.

 

FYI
Farifax County Bicycle Map - Fairfax County, Virginia

or Trails and Sidewalks Committee - Maps - Fairfax County, Virginia if you need print outs

 

It's not driving to the gym that bothers me; it's people who drive around and around the gym's parking lot trying to find the closest space. I once saw a guy in an H2 do just that. Then again, the dude probably goes there only to pick up chicks anyway...

 

H2? is he compensating for something?

 

Battery assisted bikes are going to be the most efficient. You can cruise at 20mph on one with little effort. Other than that electric motorcycle or scooter.

Watch out for gas scooters - while some may get you 75mpg+, the emissions are horrible on them.

FWIW, my LEAF gets me ~3.8-3.9 mi / kWh from the wall in suburban driving here (surface streets with 50-55 mph speed limits). With speed limits of 45 mph and better light timing I would expect 4.5 mi / kWh to be possible. The iMiev which start selling soon will be a bit more efficient than the LEAF. Of course, if your Prius already has a PHEV conversion and it will go the distance before depleting the battery, there's not much point in buying a new car.

 

Could we be using "not wanting to bike to the Gym" as a excuse to justify buying ourselves more toys?

 

Ah, that description gives me a much better understanding of the problem, and a deeper appreciation of your situation.

Just out of curiosity, in your list of possible solutions, did you consider a velomobile? It would likely be more expensive, but would solve the problem of low emissions, weather protection, and traffic safety.

edit: Just in case this idea is new to you, here's the wikipedia page on the [ame="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Velomobile"]the wikipedia page on velomobiles[/ame] to get you started. They're pretty widely regarded as the 'something between a bike and a car' mentioned earlier. Here's one of the latest and greatest designs.

 

If you were starting from scratch and given your parameters, I'd say you should check out electric motorcycles. They can all do 45mph, and they're more efficient than a car.

But, right now, you have already have a Prius. If you go to the gym 5 days per week and get 50mpg doing a 14 mile round trip, then you will burn (5/7)*(14/50) or 0.2 gallons per day doing it. It's reasonably efficient. Plus, if you could start pooling with others to the gym you could help improve the efficiency.

Do also remember that with regular exercise at the gym, not only will you be healthier, which should make you more productive and lower the risk of having an energy-intensive chronic condition, but with a lower weight you'll get better mileage in your Prius.

Stick with the Prius but keep thinking about your efficiency in the future. You never know, you might find that after a while of committing to a regular gym routine you'll find it easier to commit to a regular home gym routine.

 

Rear shocks? Climbing hills? That's part of the problem right there. Instead of moving yourself forward, you're moving your body weight up and down. It's not going to give you the equivalent of rocket drive, but try out a bike without rear shocks sometime to feel the difference. Can you lock out the air shocks on your bike? Everything helps, and a hard tail is well known to be significantly more efficient.

Damn. All these years...sorry, man. I know better than to try to engage people in conversation while they're turning blue, but it seems rude to just zip on by in silence. Here I was trying to be nice. Ok, so maybe downhill at warp 6, I make no apologies for passing anyone.

Exactly. I have some appreciation for this, as I used to do the family grocery shopping on my bike. I generally carried about 80 pounds, and hills were a killer. Nothing to do but put in the granny gear, spin away, and sweat it out.

If it's any consolation, that extra weight is giving you a great workout. When you've reached your target weight, your bike is going to fly. Until then, I can see an electric assist being very helpful.

 

First I'll say the obvious answer: Electric scooter or E-assisted bike.

And now I'll be that annoying guy you don't want to hear from, but already expect from me. Your assumption and all the answers here are all aimed at GETTING TO THE GYM. And it sounds like a sucky trip. One that you don't enjoy biking. So my annoying advice is to forget the dang gym. And ride. Ride somewhere nice. Ride to work. Ride not TO the gym, but INSTEAD of going to the gym at all. It was a lovely day when I stopped paying $600/year for a local gym membership that I felt guilty not using more than 2x per week... and started riding. If you make riding/running/walking a regular part of your transportation day, it turns out that you don't need the gym. An added benefit for folks carrying some extra pounds... it is EASIER for you guys to lose weight than it is for somebody more fit who still wants to drop another five or ten. Small consolation, maybe, but still. Keep your eye on that silver lining.

But you already knew that, and this doesn't answer your question.

 

Did you enter the figures correctly? For the reduced weight calculation, I think you dropped far more than 100 pounds, instead dropping a digit too.

To get the default narrow-tire racing bike, hands on drop bar, up to 11 mph, I'd have to reduce my total body to just 36 pounds.

 

Is it OK to say, "howdy?" Or better to pretend that I didn't see you even if we're the only two guys in a 20 miles radius? Better to offer an insult? Here's a bit of advice for you: As I pass somebody on a climb, I'm working every bit as hard as the guy I'm passing. Maybe I'm going faster because I'm lighter, in better shape or have better form. Or maybe I just want it worse. When I climb, I am often climbing as hard as I can. It is what I do. It is my "interval." Just because I'm passing you does NOT mean that what I'm doing is easier than what you are doing. So do ME a favor and don't think that just because you're going slow and suffering that I'm NOT suffering when I pass you.

All that said, I am THRILLED to hear that you are out there.

 

Man, that would be AWESOME. Until the down hill... or any cross wind.

 

Have you considered walking these hills? since they are in residential area they have to be fairly short. Also maybe at beginning you do not ride every day, just a couple times a week, and don't do workout, just ride there and back?

When I started commuting to work (16.5mi one way) first full week was really tough, after 3 weeks it became just an easy stroll.

Sorry? people admire your courage and you wanna curse them?? maybe it is their fault they don't supersize and eat everything they see and work out daily??

co-worker in you weight bracket (250lbs) puts out ~400-450wt. Can't touch him on flats. 150wt is avg for putting around or for completely untrained people. It will get better; not easier but you will go faster.

 

Sure, and you have the freedom to do that if you wish. I'm just saying "adding a minor electric vehicle to the home fleet" for the sole purpose of "efficiently" being able to transport oneself to a single destination? Sounds like reaching for justification of purchase.

I personally would NOT consume "purchase" another vehicle solely for reaching the Gym. But if you WANT another scooter or electric vehicle for life and transportation in general? Then more "power" to you.

But it still sounds like justification to me. You say the gym trip using your Mazda would increase your gas consumption 40% and you find that unacceptable. Well? You own a Prius, you own bicycles, you could even investigate public transportation and/or finding a gym closer to home or in a location you'd feel better about riding to...

Conciously or subconciously you've set yourself up with parameters in this scenario that ONLY lead to your purchasing a "single person low energy transport". Which is fine...if that's what you want.

It's just saying "I need this, because it's the ONLY acceptable way for me to get to the Gym" that I find hard to believe.

Buying a scooter or other vehicle for short "powered" trips is a valid purchase. But it sounds like on some level you feel guilty about doing it...You can spend money, if you are purchasing something you want and will use, and you don't need an excuse like "It's going to get me to the Gym".

Daily routine exercise...laudable.
Lifestyle decision to minimize using fossil fuels...laudable.
Desiring some type of efficient personal transportation that
isn't self powered?...laudable.

But just be honest...there are options that could get you to the Gym that wouldn't include purchase of another transportation product.

Let us know what you eventually do end up purchasing and using.