The Bike Commuting Season is Upon Us
For those of us who have been bike commuting all winter, this spring is a pleasant change of pace. The mornings are cool and the afternoons are warm and pleasant. Arguably the best time to commute to work on the bike. For many, like Anna, it signifies the start of the bike commuting season. If you have never experienced or have been afraid to commute by bike, fear no more! Your guide in shining armor is here.
Bike repair stands are all over the City!
Make sure your bike and gear is in good working condition.
Inspect (Monthly)
Inspect your tires, making sure there are no cracks or gouges and they are not too worn out. Ensure that they are filled to the correct PSI. Don't know what PSI is best? Silca has you covered.
Look for any spokes that are bent or loose. Your wheels should rotate without a wobble.
Make sure your brakes are in working order. The wheel should stop completely pretty early in the brake lever pull. The brake lever should never be able to pull to your handle bars. You can adjust this with the barrel adjusters on your brakes or levers. Also inspect your brake pads. They should have plenty of material on them. When in doubt, replace them!
Check to see if your derailleurs are able to go into all the gears smoothly.
Ensure you bike light are charges and ready to use.
Check to see if your helmet is in good condition and safe to use. You should replace it if you've taken a hard blow to the helmet, or it is older than 5 years.
Maintain
Lube your chain (I do it weekly, but this can depend on the lube that you are using.)
Check you tires (Weekly).
Clean your bike ( Weekly to monthly, weather dependent). This is a good opportunity to also give it a good visual inspection.
Check that all your nuts and bolts are tight. When was the last time you checked to see if your water bottle cages were not loose? (Quarterly)
Repair or replace
Broken parts, work cables, and tires that are well past their lifespan should be replaced immediately. These are safety critical parts.
YouTube has a lot of great tutorials on how to repair and replace parts on your bike. If you're uncomfortable doing something on your own, GR has a lot of great bike shops around town that are knowledgeable and do high quality work.
Test
Go for a ride around the block to ensure that your bike is in working order and your repairs are good.
Make a Plan
Plan your route
Map out and ride your route on an off day or after work one day. This will get you comfortable with the route and give you an understanding of the time it will take you to get to work/classes on bike.
Pre riding your commute will also get you comfortable with the car traffic during that time, and where you will have to interact with car traffic.
Plan for hiccups: Know where and how often the Rapid runs, or who you can call if you have a critical issue. Leave earlier than you think you need to for the first few days just in case you need to modify the route.
Plan your arrival
Where are you going to store your bike? Are you going to change when you get to work or are you wearing your work clothing to work? Where are you going to stretch when you get to work? Have an answer before you set off on your bike the first day.
Lay out your gear
Lay out the gear you are going to need the next day before you go to bed. If it might rain, lay out your rain gear. Know what you are going to wear on and off the bike, and lay it out. Don’t forget your helmet and socks!
If you have a backpack or pannier that you are riding with, pack it the night before. Don’t rush around in the morning looking for stuff, have it ready to go so you can wake up and go. Don’t leave yourself an excuse to drive to work.
Have Fun!
Enjoy your newfound connection with your city on your commute to work. Say hi to the neighbors, the people walking on the sidewalks, and notice all the activity you miss out on when you drive to work. On your way home stop somewhere you’ve never noticed before, whether that is a coffee shop, restaurant, or a park. Take a different route home, get lost, ask a stranger for directions. Explore a new area of town, and invite your coworkers to join you. Just enjoy the ride. Maybe you will enjoy it enough to join us crazies and bike all winter too!
- Andrew Carley