The other day, working at BikeWorks South (there is now a north location), I was asked if I could give any tips about commuting. When you bicycle commute year - round, you tend to take for granted somethings that might otherwise give you pause for thought - that you are riding a fair distance every day, riding in traffic and obeying all the rules of the road (well - as many as are possible). Riding in darkness to and from work.
There are the practical matters to deal with each day. Unloading your panniers as soon as you get home, loading the very same panniers before you go to bed. Checking the weather forecast for 6 o'clock the next morning to see what you'll need to wear or not wear. Oiling the chain, keeping the tires inflated to their proper pressure and cleaning off your rims/discs.
If it is going to be below freezing overnight, I take my front and rear lights off and bring them into the house so the batteries stay warm. Once a week, I wash the grime off the pannier covers and the panniers themselves. With all the snow melt, the bike and its accessories get filthy quickly.
And there is all the obvious stuff like making sure you've packed the bike tool, patch kit, tire levers and the pump/compressed air pump. It would be so easy to jump into a vehicle and drive to work. But then I would have to do aerobics at lunch and in the evening after supper to compensate for not bicycle commuting, That would be a sentence for me.
Here's an interesting link that pertains to commuting:http://www.collegeathome.com/killer-commute/
I have a really long commute, so some days, I do just have to jump in the car, but I'm trying to work some riding in, even on those days. I recently got a folding bike, so if I keep it in my trunk, I'm hoping that if I park a few miles out, I'll still be able to get in a little exercise.
ReplyDeleteAlex - That is a great idea! The link you have included looks very interesting. I love my folding bike - it is one of my favourite bikes to ride.
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