I want to talk to you a little bit about bike commuting. It's something I've been doing for about 7 or 8 years, maybe longer. Based on a 2007 American Community Survey from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 5% of the U.S. population rides their bike to work at some time or another. So, I wanted to take some time and share some tips and ideas I've learned, that will help you be successful at it. If it's something you decide to use to help save money for your family.
- You can drop down to a one car family
This will save you a ton of money in car payments, insurance, and repair and maintenance costs. - You can reduce wear and tear to your car when you don't drive to work. I typically ride to work and leave the car for Chris to use for anything she needs. Of course, your spouse can ALWAYS come see you during the day, if either of you need a break.
- Save on commuting gas costs
- Build exercise into your lifestyle.
- Every day that I ride, I am meeting the federal recommendations for activity for that day. It's not that I live my life according to their input. But this should give you some indication of what bike commuting can do for your health.
- Plus, it just feels good for your emotions. It's a great way to kick-start your day. And, it also helps you unwind properly at the end of a long, or stressful, day at work. If you need to vent some frustrations, this is an excellent opportunity to do it.
- And, instead of adding an extra activity (going to the gym) into an already hectic day, you won't have to cut out any time from your schedule to get great exercise. - You can make it work in hot, southern climates and also northern colder environments.
Image via Wikipedia
- Do you have a good bike that you can use for your commute.
If possible, select a high-quality bike that will make your ride enjoyable and comfortable.
- Many people purchase the cheapest bike they can get, from Wally's World or Target. These bikes will work, but they aren't built to provide you with lightweight, consistent performance.
- They are generally heavier, not properly tuned, and break down faster than a high quality ride. If you aren't able to properly tune one of these bikes yourself - derailleurs, hand gears, brakes, and rims, then this probably isn't a great bike for you to commute on.
My best advice - buy a used bike from a bike store employee who has used and maintained the bike as long as they've owned it. That bike will probably last you for the next 10 years or more. I've owned my Gary Fisher over 15 years, and the freaking thing just keeps running. Buy quality when you buy a bike. It's not easy - but if you really want to successfully commute, you gotta do it. - The second key - you want to have a plan for storing your bike once you get to work.
- Do they have outdoor bike locks you can lock up to? Can you bring your bike inside and keep it at your desk or in your office? Does your employer have a spare room, or storage spot, where you can keep your bike? Or is it safe just to leave the bike outside.
- For me, currently, our office is in a quiet industrial area, so I don't really have a need to lock it up. In Oregon, it was a busy office building, so I was able to bring my bike inside the office and kept it in a storage room inside the building. - How long will your trip take? And how far is the ride?
Here are my personal recommendations about riding:
- I suggest a maximum of 1 hour ride time, which equals about 15-20 miles. While some riders average well over 20 miles per hour, most of us aren't Olympiads, nor will we ever ride the Tour de France. So we have to live with practical commuting times.
- You should expect your bike ride to be about twice a car commute. If you would normally drive for 10 minutes, your ride would be about 20 minutes. Although cars drive faster, the lights, signs, and other the traffic congestion cause you to drive much slower than the speed limits. Obviously, lots of highway time at 50-60 mph will cause your ride to be way slower than your drive.
- Another option is to do a partial commute. You could drive a vehicle to a park and ride, or ride your bike and take public transport for part of the trip. - Road conditions and safety
The most important advice I can offer in this regards, is to take a test ride of your entire route. Know what conditions you will face when you ride, and know how you can get to your destination safely. If you can't, then you'll probably have to try a different commuting option. - Cleaning up before work
A couple of suggestions on getting cleaned up and smelling nice before work.
- Always give yourself at least 15 minutes of cool-down time. If you can have some kind of personal fan, this is even better.
- If your company offers a shower, then definitely use it.
- Alcohol wipes - The alcohol acts as a coolant as it evaporates on your skin, and the wipes will help you clean up - in case you get a bit 'ripe' from the ride.
- Another options, instead of alcohol wipes is to bring wash cloths from home. You can use one per day, and take it home with you to clean it.
- Additionally, I have about eight sets of work clothes that I keep at my office. I can wear them once or twice before I have to clean them
- Safety clothes and gear
- Helmet -
Although they can be hot and uncomfortable, ALWAYS wear one. You never know when an unexpected crash could occur. My worst commuting accident, occurred about 18 months ago. The helmet I was wearing had large gashes along the side. If I wasn't wearing the helmet, that would have been my head and a potential concussion, or maybe worse?
- Bright clothes -
It is always a good idea to bright colored shirts and reflective vests or jackets. You want to be as visible as possible when you are on the road. Most drivers pay very little attention to what is happening around them, so the more chances you give yourself to be seen - the better.
- Comfortable clothes -
In addition to brightly colored and reflective clothing, I prefer padded and fitted biking clothes. For long term commuting and riding, padded shorts are essential. And the seams on bike gear aren't in all the wrong places, so you don't get rubbing and wear issues like you would with normal clothing. (Bulky seams right up your crotch, while riding, don't feel good after a mile or two - just in case you were wondering?)
- Rain / cold weather gear -
For cold or rainy weather, you want to look into getting a brightly colored rain-jacket. You might also want to get some long gloves. Standard biking gloves don't usually have fingers on them. They are fine for warmer weather. But if it gets cold, you want to have full-fingered gloves for your ride. Even in Florida, I have to wear full gloves at times.
- Glasses -
I suggest wearing glasses for safety when you ride. Sunglasses or normal, everyday wear can work. The best choice is a large lens that covers as much of your eye as possible. In Oregon, I got a piece of metal stuck in my eye during my morning ride, and I had to go in to a clinic to have it removed when it started hurting later that day.
- Flashing / solid lightsYou should definitely install lights onto your bike. At the minimum, you should have a flashing light on the back of your bike. This allows you to be seen by cars coming up behind you. And since, as a cyclist, you will biking with the flow of traffic you want the drivers to see you ahead of them.
You should also think about getting a headlight as well. For you, the headlight will only really be helpful in lower light conditions at dusk or at night. But - you never know when you might be stuck out past dark on your bike. So, it's a good idea to have some form of light to guide you.
Additionally, the light on the front of the bike helps cars see you coming towards them. This is especially important, for cross-roads and streets. MANY bike accidents
- Carrying your gear
It is preferential for you to have panniers, rather than a backpack. The backpack will make you hotter, and will move all over as you ride. You will constantly be shifting and adjusting it to make yourself more comfortable. In the long run, a backpack will make your commute less enjoyable.
The panniers, mounted on your bike, can carry a lot more supplies, all of which you can use at work or to maintain your ride. It will easily carry things like work clothes for the day, your small lunch, tools, and drinks to keep you hydrated.
The rear rack and panniers can carry about 50 pounds of total weight. So, you could have about 25 pounds for each bag, per side. You can even ride with only one side pannier. In fact that is how I normally ride. You don't want to overfill one side, and make your ride lopsided. So, if you have a lot of weight, you should plan on having bags on both sides and splitting up the weight evenly.
- Commuting tips
Always plan on arriving early - at least 15 minutes for a proper cool down.
A couple minutes (about 5-10 minutes) for cleaning up and getting dressed.
Radial fan for help cooling off during your cool down.
Shower if possible, or wash clothes and wipes for your clean up.
Drive 1 or 2 days per week to make carrying clothes, food, drinks, or other essential heavy items easier to deal with.
- Normal time is about 20-25 minutes for a 5 mile ride at a fairly slow pace. 25-30 minutes for a 7-8 mile ride.
- Cleaning strategy in Florida
15 minute cool off, with fan.
5 minutes to clean up with wash cloth and wipes.
And then getting dressed in work clothes that I leave in the office, and bring home for cleaning about every 2 weeks. Currently, I have about 7-8 pairs of work clothing that I keep at the office.
Here are Five safety rules I totally agree with, as posted at syracuse.com:
- Always wear a helmet.
- Follow the rules of the road. Don't ignore traffic lights and stop signs.
- Practice defensive riding. Be aware of vehicles around you at all times. Always assume that drivers do not see you and will not yield.
- Make eye contact with drivers. Once you establish eye-to-eye contact, motorists will be more aware of you.
- Make animated hand signals when turning. Big, broad gestures are hard to miss.
This one could come in handy for anyone who has trouble getting comfortable riding your bike.
Raise your seat.
No ... Seriously. Raise your seat.
Do you remember when you were a kid, and you could ride those short, BMX bikes? Well, when you ride a small bike like that, your legs rarely leave a 90-degree right angle when you pedal. This is NOT how you are supposed to ride your bike, especially for long-distance rides, or for commuting. On your down stroke, when your foot is at the bottom of your stroke, your leg should be almost fully extending, with only a slight bend in your knee. So, if you ever see someone riding along the highway, with their knees bouncing off of their chest as they pedal, that's dumb. Don't you ride like that.
This one change could revolutionize your riding experience.
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