I wish we could change this

I read this quote in an article on USATODAY. I understand the truth in this statement but I'm proud to say I am not part of it.

Commuters are the bedrock of gasoline demand," Cameron Hanover analyst Peter Beutel said. When people lose jobs, "you're killing the best part of that demand — the part that will always be there as long as someone has a job.

Timelapse

I was experimenting with a new camera, the Canon T3i. I made a timelapse with a intervalometer I purchased on Ebay and it seems to have turned out alright for how short it is. I'm curious to know if others out there take photos or video while commuting home.

4 dollars a gallon

So has your hometown gas prices hit $4 a gallon yet? Here in Reno Nevada they are almost there.  I'm smiling all the way to work every day.

Let me know what the price of gas is where you live and how you are planning on changing your life to accommodate high gas prices?

What if we all rode bikes?.......

- our carbon footprints would be the size of thumbprints
- leg hair would be outlawed
- leading cause of death would be OLD AGE

An awesome video!

The World is changing, you can too!

I think this is quite possibly my favorite commercial so far.  Please share this to your friends and family. We  need more people riding bicycles on a daily basis.

Panoramic Views and Magic

Every now and then you need to get out and ride in the worst of conditions. The days where the weather is completely awful sometimes creates magic. I'm not sure why it is. Maybe it is just the fact that you know most others wouldn't, which makes you feel strong and confident. I'm not entirely sure why this is. I did however get the chance to capture a tiny bit of this magic on my ride the other day.

I'm so glad that once again I rode my bike and refused to drive my truck that day. The air was crisp and my lungs felt over oxygenated with the cold freshness.

Cycling Sucks

A great video by some Danish Students.

Ways to keep your commute enjoyable

Do you ever start to dread that morning/evening commute? I do occasionally. I don't stop commuting I usually just switch things up a little bit and viola I'm back to smiling. Here is what I do.

Take a new route

Instead of going the exact same streets or trail every time you commute by bike try going an alternative route. You will be suprised at how different your experience can be. You may even find a permanent new rout like I did. My old route consisted of a long gradual hill next to a four way, 55mph road. Sure the speed was fast and the shoulder was wide but it got a little boring. I also grew concerned that an unattentive driver may drift into my lane. So I chose a route that meanders through a nearby park and spit me out pretty close to where I would have turned anyways. It does take me a few minutes longer but it also boost the enjoyment factor ten fold.

Leave at a different time

This isn't always possible but if you can try to vary the times you commute. This has the possibility to change a repetitive habit into something with a little more variety. I used to leave work religiously at 5:00pm as if the whistle blew just like in the old Flintstones cartoon. I would pedal straight for traffic jammed cars. I wouldn't get stuck because I was on a bike : ), but the roads were annoyingly pack with people that were angry and bitter about being stuck in traffic. So, some days I would sneak away an half hour to an hour early and sometimes later just to avoid this traffic. Things were different. Give it a shot you'll see what I mean

Ride with a friend

Get others you work with or are friends with to commute and meet up if you are headed in the same direction. Start chatting and BAM you're home too soon. It is also safer to ride in a group or pair because you are now a larger moving object that is less likely to hit. Also, there have been times I was riding solo and have spotted a roadie out for a his evening workout. I jerkishly would hammer down on the pedals panniers and all, pass the bloke and boost my spirits. I feel bad passing them sometimes because I know they are out training but more times than not they try to pass me back so thats fair right? Also if you use commuting for training along with the many other reasons you will see it as a tempo set or interval and get a little extra kick from the workout.

Drive your car

Ha! I only say this because you will instantly miss riding your bike (I know I do) and be back in the saddle as soon as possible with a new found appreciation for what you had just taken for granted. Do it! I dare ya!

Cycling while sick

It all started Sunday. The whole day I felt groggy. I had snowboarded all day on Friday and Saturday in blizzard-like conditions which I'm sure factored into my health somewhat, but nonetheless I was getting sick. Sunday night a sore throat which you always hope isn't there the next day got worse and my nose was starting to run. So there you go a regular old snotty, gross feeling cold. It is that time of year but I always hope I can avoid them. I wash my hands after touching everything and avoid sick people at all costs. My attempts failed me this time.

So how do you commute by bicycle when you feel awful? Honestly, sometimes you can't, but don't instantly rule it out either.

If you feel like you are good enough to go to work than you are probably good enough to commute by bike.

Here is what I do. SLOW DOWN. It is much easier to breath when you aren't pedaling as hard. You wont start sweating really either which will keep you warmer in the long run. Keep from exasperating your cold by pushing the pace. Sometimes you just need to drop a few gears and go with the flow. Pick more tranquil music (if you listen to it while cycling, not always safe) but it will help you relax.

Wear a little warmer clothes. You aren't going as fast so you wont build up as much heat. Remember you are always trying to stay as warm as possible without sweating much at all.

Lastly, have a warm drink when you get home, work or whereever you are going. This will help you stay warm and relaxed. It is easy to get chilled if you have built up a slight sweat when you arrive at your destination.

Finally, If you don't know how to do a snot rocket learn. It sounds gross but it is much less gross than snot running down your face or smeared on your sleeve.

Cycling isn't always pretty but it is often much prettier than sitting in a traffic jam sucking exhaust fumes!

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  -->