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How to ride your bike to work
A smaller carbon footprint and a thinner waistline are two of the best results of choosing to bike to the office.
Thu, Apr 01 2010 at 3:49 PM
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WELL-SUITED COMMUTE: Burn calories and not gas on your way to work. (Photo: jordanfischer/Flickr)
The weather is finally changing — meaning it's time to take the plunge and consider a different mode of transportation for work. But what happens next?
It's all about planning
Bicycle commuting is a lot of fun, but doing your homework beforehand is the best way to make sure things go smoothly. If you're reading this in the spring, Bike to Work Week would be a great time to get involved, but getting on your bike is something you can do any time of year. Check the League of American Bicyclists' website and see if there are organized activities where you live.
We've put together five areas for you to address before the Big Ride:
Are you physically capable of the commute? Most adults in average condition can manage a 10-mile ride in about an hour without too much trouble. Just like any exercise program, talk to a health professional if you have any questions before you saddle up.
Is your bike up to the trip? Buying a shiny new commuter bike is a great incentive to ride — but any bicycle in good repair will do. Give your bike a thorough once-over well in advance of your maiden commute. As a general rule of thumb, tires, running gear, brakes and lights should all get attention before each trip. Use the checklist on how to pick a great used bicycle if your bike has been sitting unused for any length of time — or wheel it into the local bike shop for a professional tune-up.
Choose your route carefully. The most direct way to work isn't always the best. Pick streets with activity appropriate to your comfort level on the bike. Watch out for areas marked off-limits to non-motorized traffic (most tunnels, for instance). One of the best things about cycle commuting is being able to vary your route. There's usually more than one way to get from Point A to Point B, and that's part of the fun.
Pack what you need. A water bottle, toiletries, a change of clothes, tools and a tire repair kit — these are all reasons commuter bikes are usually equipped with panniers or baskets. If you're just starting out, you can probably make do with a backpack or messenger bag. But you'll find these can be uncomfortable in warm weather. The bike frame is the best place to carry gear, so upgrade to a proper rack and bags as soon as the commuting bug bites.
Decide what happens once you're at work. You'll need a secure place to lock up or some out-of-the-way indoor location to stash your bike. Bikes can be wet and greasy, so choose somewhere away from your co-workers if you want to remain popular. Avoid blocking doorways and halls. You're also going to need somewhere to change and freshen up. A bathroom stall will do the trick, but check around and see if there are shower facilities within walking distance of where you work. Gyms and spas are usually cooperative about arranging access.
Now ride! Leave yourself plenty of time, enjoy a nice breakfast — and start pedaling! If it goes well on your first outing, try it again next week. You're saving money, helping out the environment and promoting your own physical fitness.
We'd love to hear your commuter stories. Share them in our comments section. Have fun!
Copyright Lighter Footstep 2009
Also on MNN:
- 12 urban bicycles that will be a fine substitute for your car
- 7 U.S. employers that go all out to support biking employees
- And on the lighter side: Mayor of Lithuanian town takes biking seriously. How seriously? Well, this video involves an armored personnel carrier.
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I have a round trip to work and back home of 8 miles. I am into my 3 rd year of commuting. I have organized my route by trial and error. Minimize road crossings and left hand turns.
Couple more suggestions:
--Get fenders for when it rains.
--Cold is not a factor if you have the right clothing. A good North Face base layer and a light wind resistant jacket gets me thru PA winters down to around zero degrees. REI has some great stuff if you don't mind spending the $$
--You can get studded snow tires for about $50 each if you look online.
a few things they missed
1. get a haircut that a helmet won't mess up
2. buy a used bike and tune it up yourself or take it to a local bike shop. A new bike shipped usually from china has a decent carbon footprint in itself.
My husband recently sold his car because it was too small for our growing family. We were planning to buy another car, but the night before a conflicting schedule, I decided to go buy a bike and rode it to my client site on the beach the next day. It was the best choice I ever made! I get to enjoy my beautiful neighborhood, get exercise and we are saving over $400 a month on a car note. So happy I did it!!
Ironcelt, they not only make snow tires, they actually make snow bikes. Salsa's model is the Mukluk, Surly makes the Pugsley, and other brands have them as well.
Pretty much any mountain bike will do alright in snow if you lower the tire pressure. Or the cheapie way to make snow tires (as long as you cross your fingers for no flats) if you have disc brakes, is to put zip ties around the tires.
If it's warm, you'll need a good deoderant. Otherwise, get a moped.
So, do they sell snow tires for bikes? And how does one navigate the snow plow berms and the ice? We seldom get less than 150 inches of snow per year, and there's generally no melting between December and March, so the roadsides are actually walls....
They do. They have little metal studs in them. I put them on my bike during the PA winters and they work like a charm.
My work is 27 miles from home. I don't it makes much sense to my ride a bike.
With no bike lanes, sidewalks or shoulders on the road on which to ride a bike, I'll keep driving the 20 miles to work each day.
Riding a bike to and from work will never be a viable means of transportation as long as people feel they need a shower and change of clothes.
People around the world use bikes for daily transportation and they don't wear those silly special riding clothes and require a shower and change at the end of every leg.
nice try sounding like you don't live here!
I live here in Clermont Fla,west of Orlando, we have a great bike trail,its about 12 miles to work,its easy, i have raced in triathlons from 1985 till 2002,yet still ride, i have found the most important part is a good lighting system, i use a bella light,heavy tires,strong rims,this is not a race, but getting to work safe and sound,rain gear,practice at home changing a flat tire, gook luck, be prepared
Well. first you gotts to have a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'd ride my bike to work, but the corner between the bedroom and the dining room table is too tight a turn.
oh just do it you big wussy.
oh just do it you big wussy.
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