Bike to Work Tips

If you are going to ride a bike to work there are some tips and techniques that may help you. This is a collection from my own experience.

My Top 10 Bike to work Tips

(in random order):

1. Figure out a way not to get your pant leg caught in the chain.

This can be achieved in a variety of ways like wearing shorts, rolling your pant leg, using a rubber band, safety pin or I've even used a binder clip from work.  Failure will result in a greasy or torn pant leg.

2. Secure your bike.

I say secure your bike because you are often at work for a very long period and this leaves your bike susceptible to theft. Some ways of securing your bike are to either store it indoors in a secure location or get a heavy duty U-lock like the Kryptonite Kryptolok from Nashbar . Make sure to secure the wheels and a main part of the frame.

3. Carry Lights.

Even if you don't plan on using them they are always wise to have. In some states it is the law to have a front light and a rear taillight on your bicycle. Check your states laws. Also, being SEEN is the safest way to ride at night.

4. Carry Tools.

Be prepared to change a flat by yourself or make adjustments to brake and gear cables. There are also times things just come loose and for safety reason you will need to tighten them up. I usually have a multi-tool, tire levers, spare tube, patch kit, and some other misc. wrenches and things.

5. Wear proper clothing.

This is huge.  Proper clothing is what makes rides more enjoyable. You also need to think about what you wear at work. If you sweat a lot, your ride is far or need to really dress nice and don't want to ride your bike in dress clothes than pack your clothes with you. Some people will even figure out what they are going to wear all week and bring it on Monday then take it home on Friday all the while changing when they arrive and depart. This takes some serious planning.

6. Be well nourished.

 You don't want to take off for home or go to work feeling fatigued ( although we all do it ). I sometimes will carry a bag of trail mix if I am feeling really hungry at the end of the day just to give me enough energy to make it home.  I've also carried GU Energy Gels and they seem to work great, but they lead me to the next tip.

7. Carry water.

It is easy to not drink enough water throughout the day and become dehydrated. Being dehydrated will also make you feel like crap and zap your energy.  Also, if you are eating before you leave sometimes drinking water helps digest things like the GU Gels or trail mix.

8. Follow the law.

Cyclists must follow the law set out for them whether it is the same as another vehicle on the road or something unique. Following the laws and rules of cycling will keep you much safer and will keep motorists happy with cyclists which can feel rare these days. I can not stress this enough because I know there are a lot of cyclist out there that ride kamikaze style and give us daily commuters a bad name. The only way to help make cycling a more acceptable form of transportation is to follow the laws and rules of the road.

9. Have fun.

 Take the long way home. Take the scenic route. Ride with co-workers or colleagues. Look around and dont always rush to and from work. I often bring a camera and stop and look at things you would never see from a car. I recently saw an owl land on a street light the other day or how the stream I ride by every day was now froze on top with water bubbling underneath it now.

10. Dont be a wimp.

Feel proud that you just rode through a snowstorm or put in 50 miles a week from commuting. Look at commuting to work as extra excercise after sitting in your office all day or as an opportunity to feel more alive.

What are your tips on commuting to work?

Beauty of Winter

Yes I think it is beautiful, no I'm not afraid of crashing.  Knock on wood; I have not crashed yet or even slipped much for that matter.

I felt like today that I could have just kept riding. It was sunny and crisp. These are the mornings that make it real hard to go sit indoors in an office when you know it is absolutely beautiful outside.

I have noticed some differences between my heavy mountain bike and my cyclo-cross/commuter bike in icy slippery conditions.  The mountain bike has wider tires which I could let the air out of to make it have a lower PSI which would cause a wider surface area and less slippages.  This seemed to work much better than running my commuter at 60 PSI with a more narrow tire.

I'm about to depart into a blizzard without proper leg cover so hopefully I survive.  I am ordering a new pair of Marmot winter pants which I will talk about more in the future.

Anyways here is what I am riding off into.

Cheers!

taken 3hrs before I actually left. Everything is now completely blanketed and I have 500ft to climb to get home

Studded bicycle snow tires - winter cycling

There are a variety of ways to winterize your bike for daily commuting. One way which was featured on Wired magazine via Dutch Bike Co. is to use zip ties all around your tires with the actual little connector hub of the tie just to the outside of each wheel. This allows for somewhat better traction in messy cycling conditions. With the connector to the outside you shouldn't slide out and should be able to corner a little bit better.

I have never tried this but I am quite curious to know how it would work.  This seems like it would be a great way to create a temporary fix for you bike without having to remove the tire, buy new tires, or spend a lot of time in the garage working.

Pros: quick, cheap, added easily to your current commuter setup and works on any bike

Cons: possible poor traction?..., brittle, ugly, and removal may be annoying

Dutch Bike Co. (via Wired)

Photo: Fritz Rice

Cyclcrosser back to commuter

Okay, I was late to work today because I HAD to start riding my regular commuter again. For the past few months I had been riding an old cantankerous full suspension mountain bike and had a messenger bag with my computer in it which was destroying my back and shoulders.

My commuter, a Surley Cross-Check had been converted into a cyclocross bike. I had always wanted to race cyclocross and this season I did.  Cyclocross is awesome.  It is very laid back, muddy, dirty, cold, wet and hard. It destroys traditional elite cyclists sometimes and is just a great time. It really draws more of a mountain bike crowd because of the nature of the sport.  It is much more individualized and far less serious which is what really drew me in.  If you have never done this blow the cobwebs off your old mountain bike laying the garage, pump up the tires and go hammer away.  Even if you are not competitive there is a real camaraderie amongst this group of hooligans.

To get my cyclocross back into commuting form I had to swap out the cyclocross tires for my regular wide commuter tires, put platform pedals back on it, put fenders back on the frame and reattach my rear rack. Viola! I was back to a super fun commuter which was far more comfortable than that tank I had been on for the past 3 months.  No more brown rooster spray up the back. Bring on that bad weather!

Its winter... you can still ride

Winter riding is not as hard as it sounds. When I looked out my window this morning I pondered if riding a bike in 4-5 inches of snow was a good idea or not. Would I need to wear a snowsuit? pads? goggles? I thought to myself "stop being such a wimp" and just go for it. I packed up my bag, put on a jacket, beanie and gloves. I really didn't need much more than that because I knew I would generate heat once I started pedaling. The key with riding in the winter or in snow is to not get TOO hot because you will then start to sweat which can quickly make you cold if you find yourself on a descent.

The next worry of mine was sliding out and crashing. I didn't care so much about myself but really didn't want to smash my computer in half. I let some air out of my tires and hoped that I could get better traction this way. This seemed to work great. Also, remember not to lean around any turns. Turns are the most dangerous part of riding in slippery conditions.

I don't know if it is because of the challenge or beautiful setting but commuting in winter depending on you route can be one of the most enjoyable times of the year.

First Post

I started this blog because I commute by bike almost every day.  I know it could sound typical and not very exciting but it is often the relaxing and high point of my day. I would love it if more people were aware of the benefits to commuting by bike.  My goal with this site is to draw interest in the fact that using a bike for transportation instead of just recreation almost daily is highly possible and rewarding.

I want to address all the issues and arguments as to why one does not commute on a daily basis. Why would you not ride your bike daily?

-- Here is my first reason why  -->