| Related sites for http://www.poplarware.com/personal/bicycle.html |
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Excuses are disproven and tips are given for novices that may be reluctant to make that first step | | Charlotte_Bike_Commuter_Mentor_Program Though some content is focused upon North Carolina, there are many useful resources to any beginning bicycle commuter. Topics range from riding techniques to equipment. | | Citizens_for_Safe_Cycling An Ottawa based organization whose stated goal is to facilitate "better, safer, environmentally-friendly cycling". Though primarily intended for Canadian audiences, the site offers position statements | | Commuter_Bicycles Features recommentations for bicycle designed and equipped specifically for commuting and transportation as opposed to recreation. The site is presented as a public benefit to support alternatives to | | Commuter_Connections_Guides Electronic handbooks produced by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments to promote bicycle transportation in and around Washington D.C. 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Individual topics of study include helmets, fatality trends and research | | XAccess_(Xtracycle_Access_Foundation) Builds and promotes the distribution of load-bearing bicycles for people who need them most yet can least afford them. Includes details on how to help, projects and nations assisted, photos of the va | | Yellow_Bike_Coalition A non-profit organization which refurbishes bicycles for use as alternative transportation for residents and businesses of St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota. Borrowing information, event calendar, v | | Brady_Tennis_Camp and junior tennis camps on selected dates at several western U.S. locations. | | Carmel_Valley_Tennis_Camp Junior residential tennis camp for children 11-17. Tennis instruction and competition and other activities take place on a 38 acre site built as a tennis camp. | | Centro_Mextenis Weekly, monthly and yearly programs in Mexico for players of all levels from beginners to professionals. |
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Jennifer's Bicycle Commuting SuggestionsJennifer's Bicycle Commuting SuggestionsHere is a small list of suggested equipment for commuting (and/or doingerrands, basic transportation, etc.)by bicycle. No one paid me for any of these endorsements.I also have a perpetually-in-progress list of bicycle trailsat http://poplarware.com/biketrails/,which includes a list of bicyclingresources.HelmetI consider this essential -- cars are bigger than I am.Find one that fits your head, doesn't slide around orthreaten to come off, is comfortable, and is certified bySnell, ANSI, or ASTM. Everyone's head is different, so Iwon't recommend a particular helmet for yours. I wouldrecommend a visor, however -- helps in keeping the sun andrain out of the eyes. And apparently, the round bowl-shapedhelmets (if you can find one -- I couldn't find one that fit well,and that's the most important thing, anyway) are safer in crashes than the racing-style aerodynamic-looking helmets. Unless you are racing attop speed, I do not think you'll notice any extra airresistance.GlassesI am lucky enough not to have to wear corrective lenses,but I find that when I'm riding my bike, I want something to protect my eyes from bugs, sand, rain, and whatever else might be flying through the air. When I'm cyclingduring daylight hours, I sometimes want sun glasses,but for the most part I just use clear lenses. Some people also like the yellow or orange lenses that helpyou see in foggy conditions; you don't want them at night,however. Ones that wrap around yourhead a bit are nice, because they help with peripheralvision, an essential part of bike safety.Rain JacketI live and bicycle in Seattle. We have rain here.I think that yellow cycling jackets are the most visible --especially for riding in questionable lighting conditions.Red and blue, though perhaps more fashionable for off-bicycle,are just not as easily seen, and being seen is your first defense.Several years ago, I chose to buy a well-ventilated truly waterproof(i.e. coated fabric) Burley Rain Riderjacket rather than a "breathable/waterproof"jacket, and I'm quite happy with it. It keeps me dry, and has a wide variety of ventilationoptions, including "pit zips" that cover almost the entire length of your arm and nearly all the way down your side,front velcro closures, and a flap on the back. I'm not sure whetherBurley still makes coated-fabric jackets, though, and I think thebreathable/waterproof fabrics may have improved in the last decade...we can always hope! They certainly used to be failures at being waterproof, and I never thought they really breathed much better thancoated fabrics either.When shopping for a jacket, be sure to get a jacket big enough to wear extra clothes under.Check for multiple ventilation options -- front full-length zipper, upper chest slits you can open, and really long armpit zippers are good.The cycling-style jackets with the short fronts and long backsare handy for keeping you covered in cycling position, if you areriding a traditional, upright bike.TightsSome people like rain pants. I don't, for short trips (errands, commuting) anyway.In the summer, I just wear shorts and if I get a bit wet,I didn't care because it is warm. In the winter, I usea pair of cycling tights, or leg warmers, and the thing is thatduring a short trip, it's unlikely that you will get so wetas to get cold before you get to your destination, and myexperience has been that in rain pants, I am usually too hot.GlovesGloves I think are a good idea. If you crash, they providesome level of skin protection for your hands. If you ride incold weather, they keep your hands somewhat warmer. If you rideeven in hot weather, they cut down on vibrations. Get ones withsome kind of gel, and I would recommend the terry-backed onesrather than the cheap cotton mesh. Terry is better for wipingthe sweat off your brow, rain off your mirror, etc.FendersLike I said, it rains here. Fenders are wonderful at helpingto keep the puddle water down where it belongs, andnot heavy enough to want to avoid having them. Get plasticones that wrap around the wheel, not the new ones that justsort of stick out straight. They take a bit longer to install,but are worth it. I don't have a particular brand to recommend -- I usually just end up getting whatever thebike shop has in stock when one cracks, which they dooccasionally, mostly the front one. Maybe I should switchto metal fenders for durability?Lights and ReflectorsIf you are going to ride at night at all, it is essential tohave a good lighting system, at least if you want the cars tosee and avoid hitting you. Even if you don't plan to ride at night,it will come up occasionally, so it's not a bad idea to be prepared withan inexpensive but adequate lighting system.For the back of your bicycle, your objective is to be seenby cars coming up behind you. The LED flashing rear lights are greatfor this. Technically, the ones that blink on and offare not legal in some places, but in the US, even where laws prohibittheir use, they are generally encouraged by the police. When I bought the latest flasher for my current bicycle, I went to a bike shop that had a bunch of them set up so you could try them, and bought the one thatseemed to be brightest from the most different directions (some sidevisibility is always a plus, and people will also be at different heightsas they come up behind you). New ones come out every year, so I won't recommend a particular brand.In the front, your objective depends on where you will be riding.You definitely want to be seen by oncoming traffic, especially carsthat are coming towards you and planning to turn left in front of you(translation: read that as "planning to turn to the right", if you are in England, Austrailia, Japan, etc. where you drive on the other side of the road). Also, if you are riding on a bicycletrail or rural road, you will need sufficient light so that you cansee bumps and other road obstacles in time to avoid them.If all you need is to be seen, there are white LED front lightsthat are sufficiently bright, in my opinion. Get the brightest one youcan find; some of the white LED lights are better than others. If youneed the light for riding in areas without lights, though, I don't thinkthe white LED lights powered by AA or AAA batteries are sufficient. You'llneed to investigate a more serious lighting system with a plug-in rechargable (and fairly heavy) battery pack.I also think reflectors are a good idea. I spent a fewdollars and bought a package or two of stick-on reflectors,so now I basically have reflectors all over my helmet,fenders, and bicycle. My jacket, panniers, and cycling tights alsocame with reflective strips on them -- I have been told that the reflective wrist strip on the jacket was really visible when I used my arm for a turn signal. And the cheap whitewheel reflectors that attach to your spokes really help in visibilityfrom the side (which is good when a car comes up a side street towards you).Rear-View MirrorI think these are quite useful for riding in traffic.I had one called a Mirrycle for years that attachesto the brake hood of drop handlebars, and is excellent --stable to vibrations, and wide-angle for maximum viewing. Theyused to be hard to find, but now the company finally has a web site,so if you want to find their products (including their really nice "Incredibell" bicycle bells), or need to order parts after a crash, you can visit:http://www.mirrycle.com/.Shoes and PedalsI used to commute using toe clips on my pedals and touring shoes, but not any more -- I have switched tocleats. They are simply wonderful: much easier to get in and out of than the toe clips, and more of yourpedaling energy gets into the drive train of the bicycle. I went with the Speedplay Frog Pedals, and I love them. Ithink they're easier to clip into and out of than other pedalsystems (though I gather that you can get used to anything),and I especially like that you don't have to apply torqueor wrench your foot to clip out when you stop, yetI have never ended up clipped out of them by mistake.TiresWhen I was still riding an upright bike, I always usedContinental Touring Top 2000 tires, which are wonderful. Perhaps they have more road resistance than some people would put up with, but I think they are a good tradeoff between some traction for gravel and rain and a reasonably smooth riding surface. I had few flats, even on fully loaded tours, aside from when Iran over something sharp and large.Now that I am riding a recumbent with very small wheels, I canno longer use these tires (they don't make them in my size), but I'vebeen pretty happy with the Schwalbe Marathons I use now.Rack and PanniersI see people commuting with backpacks, and worse yet,bags they carry over one shoulder. Maybe they are happywith them, but my opinion is that they just haven't experienced the joy of riding a bike with nothing weighing down their backs. And now that I've switched toa recumbent, a backpack or bag is clearly not an option.You'll need a strong rack to carry your bag(s) on. Don't buya cheap rack, or it may break at a bad moment.Use plastic bags inside your panniers, unless you getthe ones that are made like kayaking bags. Practically nothing else is waterproof to splashes coming off cars.Someone wrote to me to suggest using a bicycle suit bag -- if youneed to dress up in wrinkle-free business attire when you arrive atwork, this could be a good option. Or else, the person who suggested itcould be an employee of the company (TwoWheelGear) that makes them(grin!). I'ver personally never tried them.Chain lubricantI ride in all kinds of weather, throughgravel areas, etc. So, I want to have a chain lubricantthat will hold up to that kind of abuse. I've tried quitea few. For quite a while, I used White Lightning, but I got tiredof all the waxy build-up it left on everything (even though itcame highly recommended from my favorite local bike shop -- maybe it works really well in less extreme conditions).So, I've switched to an even more high-tech one, called"Dumonde Tech". Expensive. Great.    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