This is part three of a multi-part post on bicycle commuting.

Weather: What do you do when the wind is blowing, the rain is coming down at a sharp angle and the temperature is dropping rapidly? You drive! Seriously, as a beginning commuter you are dealing with a lot of new things like the new route to work, traffic, where to park your bike at the job, where to change your clothes and clean up. Don’t add bad weather to your challenges. Start as a fair weather commuter. Ride when the weather is comfortable, the sun is up and the wind is minimal.

• Dial in the basics while establishing a habit of bicycle commuting.
• Eventually bicycle commuting will work its magic on you. You will get hooked, and you will redefine “fair weather.” That’s when you can add a windbreaker for cool mornings or carry rain gear if the day begins overcast. You can add fenders to the bike if your definition of fair weather is occasional rain and attach a light if you want to continue the season when the days get shorter.

I’ll deal with dressing for weather, including winter riding, in a later post.

There was a time in Minneapolis when a news reporter compared winter bike commuting to the Will Steiger Polar Expedition. Today winter bike commuting is almost mainstream, so what do the polar expedition types do to distinguish themselves? Check out Bike Winter for a list of events in Chicago, Milwaukee and Madison. Some highlights:

• • Milwaukee: Bike Polar Plunge: January 1 at 11:00 am. Ride in the New Year with a Ride into Lake Michigan. Meet at Palomino Bar, 2491 S. Superior.  Ride organizers helpfully suggest bringing dry clothes to change into.
  • Milwaukee: Bike Polo: Every Thursday and Sunday. Contact mkebikepolo@gmail.com for meet up information.
  • Madison: Ride the Capital City Bike Trail: January 17 11:00 am. Meet at the Bicycle Federation office 106 Doty St. Ste 400. Return for post ride warmer uppers.

Stupor Bowl Same weekend as the Super Bowl. This alleycat race is eleven years old and going strong.

Minneapolis Bike Polo For the year round schedule, check the games section of mplsbikelove.

• Northern Minnesota: Arrowhead 135 February 2, 2009. When you’ve done it all and still don’t feel challenged, try this midwinter event. It’s a 135 mile bike/walk/or ski race on snowmobile trails through the Iron Range of Northern Minnesota.. In 2006, the start line temperature was -35 degrees. The high was approximately -17 degrees. One participant lost ten toes to frostbite, so don’t go to this event under prepared.

It took two and a half years of lobbying and overcoming three vetoes by the County Supervisor, but the Milwaukee County Board of Supervisors has finally approved bike racks on buses for Milwaukee County. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin was instrumental in the campaign and will work with the transit system to develop a marketing and outreach plan. More information.

This is part two of a multipart posting on Bike Commuting.

Route Planning

Don’t expect to ride the route you normally drive. The reason you drive your favorite route to work is because that route was designed to make your drive faster and more convenient than any of the alternates. And if you like that route so do other drivers, for the very same reasons. Your route probably carries a lot of traffic, and heavy traffic usually means an uncomfortable biking experience.

The best bike route may not be the most direct and it may have more stops signs and slower speed limits than your preferred driving route. This is one of the most important barriers new cyclists face. Instead of a direct route, which usually includes a highway, you have to negotiate a number of turns and stop signs to get between home and work. This is a temporary problem. Each time you ride the bike, your route will become more familiar and more comfortable until you begin riding it on autopilot, just like in an automobile.

Bike route planning is personal. Some prefer the most direct route, regardless of traffic. Others will do almost anything to avoid riding in traffic. The following hints are designed to minimize your exposure to traffic without adding a lot of miles:

• Find a parallel route. This is easiest in cites and neighborhoods designed in grid format. Often moving just one or two blocks off the main thoroughfare will put you on a low traffic, reasonably direct route.
• Ride a road that is interrupted by a park. Often the park will have a bike path that will take you to the other side where you can continue on the road. The park stops through traffic, reducing overall traffic on the road.
• A bike path may take you out of your way a little, but the traffic-free riding will more than make up for the extra distance.
• Frontage Roads: These are a mixed bag. Some run parallel to a freeway and carry very little traffic. They have the advantage of very few cross streets so stop signs and lights are minimized. On the other hand, some frontage roads serve many businesses. Traffic can be high and cross traffic is heavy because of all the driveways into and out of the retail businesses.
• Freeways and rivers create barriers that often force you to cross on high traffic bridges. You can often get quite close to the bridge using quiet residential streets. Move from the residential area to the main thoroughfare at a safe intersection, cross the bridge, then turn off the main road and move back into the residential area.
• Use the knowledge of others. If you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, Madison, Wisconsin, or Milwaukee, WI, consider the bike maps by Bikeverywhere. You can also get great information by talking to your local bike dealer or asking fellow bike commuters at work.
• Test the route: Ride it on the weekend or test the route in your car, before riding in. Don’t try your route the first time on a day when you have to worry about getting to work on time. It will create unnecessary stress.

Riding in Traffic

Riding in traffic is perhaps the biggest barrier to getting started bike commuting. The route suggestions above will help you avoid traffic as much as possible, but it’s nearly impossible to avoid traffic altogether. The key to riding in traffic is to act like a driver. That means, if you wouldn’t do it in a car, don’t do it on a bike. For example:

• If you don’t normally drive the wrong way down the road, don’t do it on a bike.
• If you don’t normally drive on the sidewalk, don’t do it on a bike.

You’re probably asking yourself: “Why wouldn’t I ride my bike on a sidewalk? The sidewalk is separated from traffic. There’s a curb there. You could be 15 feet away from traffic. Wouldn’t it be safer?”

Not necessarily. Sidewalks, like roads and freeways, have a “design speed.” Freeways, for example, are designed to handle traffic that flows at 70 miles per hour. Sidewalks are designed for traffic that flows at 3 miles per hour, or the speed of a walking person. Intuitively, we all understand this, even if only on a subconscious level. Consider your actions as you approach a sidewalk from a driveway. You automatically check for pedestrians, either through your peripheral vision or by checking a couple of feet to the left and right of your car. Any pedestrian beyond that distance is far enough away that you can safely cross the sidewalk without hitting him or her.

A bicyclist, riding 10-15 miles per hour, travels much further than a pedestrian. When a car and bicycle collide on a sidewalk, the most common reaction on the part of the motorist is that the bicycle “Came out of nowhere.” Sometimes that is literally true because sidewalks aren’t designed to allow a motorist to look for a fast moving vehicle approaching from that far away.

The same thing applies to riding the wrong way on the road. Again, as a motorist, consider your actions when you come to the edge of the road. You look left to see if any cars are coming at you in the near lane, then you look across the road and to the right to see if anyone is coming from that direction. If all is clear, you pull into the road. What you didn’t do was look down the near lane on your right. You logically expected that anyone in that lane was moving away from you. You could easily miss a bicyclist coming at you in that direction.

Be predictable

This brings up the most important rule of the road: Be predictable. If you look at the flow of traffic in a larger picture, you see that everything about traffic rules and regulations is about making everyone’s actions predictable. If you use your turn blinker, others expect you to make a turn. Rear brake lights broadcast that you are slowing down. Stop signs, stoplights, turn lanes, median strips, no passing paint; all guide you down the road in a predictable manner.

We all know what happens when someone makes an unpredictable move. If a motorist, for example, passes you on the freeway, then suddenly turns into your lane, your blood pressure goes up. You may hit the horn, curse, or worse. That motorist did something unpredictable. It caused you stress, and it could have caused an accident.

The same concept applies to bicyclists. If you do something unpredictable, like riding on a sidewalk, running a stop sign, weaving through traffic or making unexpected turns, you are doing something unpredictable, and increasing the chances of an accident. The predictable action is to act like the rest of the vehicles on the road.

Introduction

What’s the key to bicycle commuting?
It’s the will to ride.

 Making the switch from driving to bicycling requires overcoming some barriers. It’s a lifestyle change. Bicycling requires being out in the weather. It means supplying the power that gets you to work and it requires negotiating a traffic system that is tilted heavily toward the automobile. Those barriers are real and overcoming them requires a commitment from you, the potential bike commuter. Without the will to ride, the barriers will stop you before you get a chance to appreciate the benefits of bicycling.

Without the will to ride, none of the information in this article will get you on the bike.

What’s the key to making bike commuting a regular part of your life?
Enjoying the ride.

You are reading this because something about bike commuting appeals to you. That’s the motivation to get you started. Once you’ve started, however, you will only keep going if you enjoy bike commuting.

If you have the will to ride, the information below will help you enjoy the bike commute. Some of it is prescriptive, but much of it is about giving you the information, options and underlying fundamentals of riding that help you customize your commute to fit your needs and personality.

Gear

What’s the best bike for commuting?
It’s the bike you own.

There’s a long American tradition that says before you can participate in any activity, you must first spend a lot of money. The bike industry is ready to help relieve you of spare change, but if you want to spend your money wisely, kick back on your heels a bit and get some experience, then go into the bike shop as an informed consumer.

Get your current bike tuned up and start riding. After you’ve ridden a few times, you’ll get a feel for what works and what doesn’t. You may realize that you want a softer ride and a more upright position. Or you may go the other direction and want something a little lighter and more responsive. You may decide that you want fenders to protect you in the rain, or you may realize that you hate riding in the rain, so a bike without fenders is fine because you plan to drive even if there is a hint of rain in the air. Some riders like the funkiness of a single speed bike with a fixed gear sprocket. Others prefer the easy, upright position of a hybrid or city bike.

There is no right answer, just personal preference and the more experience you have, the better you will know what your preferences are. If, at some point, you decide to replace or upgrade your current bike, the experience you gain from riding will make you a better-informed consumer. You will go into the bike shop with a pretty good idea of what you want in your next bike and chances are higher that you will get that perfect vehicle.

Helmet: Helmets are like seat belts in a car. They’re a minor annoyance everyday, and a lifesaver in an accident. All helmets are pass/fail on safety. You can’t buy a bicycle helmet in the US unless it passes a minimum standard for safety, so the key to buying the right helmet is whether it fits comfortably. A properly fitted helmet will rest lightly on your head. You shouldn’t feel pressure spots on your skull. The straps will straddle your ears without touching them and they will clip together snugly under your chin without restricting your breathing. The sales person in your local bike shop can help you with a proper fit for the helmet.

Bike Lock: A bike lock is important unless you have the option to store your bike in a secure spot. The strength of the lock will depend on your needs. The most secure are the heavy duty U-Locks, but these are heavy, awkward to use and clumsy to carry. If you park your bike downtown or after dark in a dangerous area, the U-Lock is the next best thing to a bike locker for security. On the other hand, if you work in a suburban corporate office and the bike parking is in a spot where windows overlook it and people pass it throughout the day, chances are you can get away with a lighter weight cable lock that is designed primarily to keep honest people honest.

Backpack or panniers: You will have to bring items back and forth between work and home. It might be a laptop, working papers, toiletries, a change of clothing, lunch or any number of things. There is no “right” way to carry the load. Most riders fall into one of two schools of thought on how to carry your gear.

• Backpacks: They’re convenient. Throw the pack on your back, ride to work, lock your bike and walk inside. Everything comes with you. The downside is that backpacks can get hot in the summer. Some are designed to allow airflow between the pack and your back, but on hot, sticky days you will still end up with a sweaty or clammy back. Backpacks also put extra weight on your shoulders, hands and butt.
• Panniers, or saddlebags, attach to a rack on your bike. The bike carries the load. You ride carefree and easy. No sweaty back and no extra weight on your back and butt. The downside is that you have to attach and remove the panniers to take your gear inside.

It’s strictly personal preference. Try one way. If it doesn’t work, try the other.

Clothing

How much of that fancy bike stuff is useful, and how much is for show? The simple answer is that all cycling clothing has some function and some show; just like every other piece of clothing you wear. The distance you ride and your personal preference will determine the clothing you wear on your bike commute. Here are some general guidelines:

Distance to work is less than 5 miles:

• No special clothing needed. If you ride slowly and don’t work up a sweat, you can easily wear street clothing. Otherwise shorts, jeans, and sneakers will do just fine.

Distance to work is 5-10 miles: You will be on the bike for 30-45 minutes each way. That’s enough time to experience some discomfort.

• If you ride in soft-soled shoes, for example, your feet may get sore because the sole of the shoe bends on each pedal stroke. Your foot will get tender right at the spot where the shoe bends around the back of the pedal. Correct the problem by wearing a hard soled shoe. The rigid sole will spread the weight across the bottom of your foot instead of focusing it at the back of the pedal.
• You may also notice that the seams of your jeans or dress pants are aggravating a tender spot. Cycling shorts relieve the problem by adding a layer of padding (chamois) to the inside of the shorts and by using a design that moves the seams away from the areas that you sit on. You don’t have to ride skin hugging, bulge showing Lycra to get comfortable cycling shorts. You can buy cycling shorts, with or without padding, that are looser fitting and look like casual dress clothes.

Distance to work is greater than 10 miles: You could be on the bike for an hour or longer each way. This is where cycling clothing works best. In addition to the shorts mentioned above, consider:

• A shirt or jersey that wicks away moisture
• Gloves to cushion your hands
• Cycling specific shoes to make your pedaling more efficient and less tiring.

Griggs_Old

The Griggs St. bike/ped bridge over I-94 has been closed due to loss of concrete on the bottom of the bridge beams. DOT hasn’t decided whether to repair, replace, or remove the bridge. Considering the current budget for infrastructure work within DOT, bicyclists should consider the closure permanent and hope to be surprised.

Griggs_new

The bridge closure affects the north/south bike route along Griggs St. If you own a copy of the Twin Cities Bike Map, please mark the following changes on your map. The changes will appear on an updated version of the map.

Bradly Campbell of City Pages Magazine has compiled a list of the 10 most dangerous intersections in Minneapolis for bicyclists. The list, determined by accident statistics and discussions with local cyclists, is pretty much dead on, if you will pardon the pun. The list doesn’t venture far from downtown and many of the intersections can easily be bypassed by moving over one block, but that’s quibbling. Bicyclists are riding through these intersections and they’re getting hurt.

The irony is that many of the worst intersections are there because of “improvements” done by the city for the sake of bicyclists. All of Hennepin Ave, for example, gets a thumbs down. Hennepin is the street with the two way bike lane down its middle, right between the fast moving and left turning northbound traffic lane and the counterflow bus lane. “There are almost two accidents each year for every block of the Hennepin Lane,” writes Campbell. City engineers plan to change Hennepin from a one way to a two way street. Rather than address the universally disliked bike lane, one of the proposals most favored by city engineers is to put a two-way bike path in the middle of the two-way road. Continue…

In 2009, Hennepin Avenue will be converted from a 1-way street to a 2-way street for vehicular traffic. A public meeting will be held Wednesday, October 8th in the Central Library at 5:00 pm. Several alternatives will be presented for the placement of the bicycle lanes. Bicyclists are invited to share their opinion on the alternatives. For more information read the meeting flyer (pdf) and visit the project website.

Join Aaron Isaacs for a laid back bike ride and history lesson on the Dakota Rail Trail. Ride starts at 10:00 a.m. October 8 from the parking lot just west of the Wayzata Sunsets Restaurant 700 East Lake Street, Wayzata.

Saris Cycling Group, makers of bike racks for automobiles, is hosting the Wisconsin Bike Fed’s annual fundraiser on Friday, October 17 from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. The gathering of bike riders and activitsts features Special Guest Christian Vande Velde, former support rider for Lance Armstrong and 1999 winner of the UCI World Cup in Individual Pursuit. Host for the event will be local Triple M radio voice and Wisconsin Ironman finisher Pat Gallagher.

Added bonuses include the chance to win a trip for two to anywhere in the United States by Trek Travel and a Trip for Two to Italy from the Cannondale Sports Group. The Italian prize includes the opportunity to ride in the Liquigas team car during a stage of the 2009 Giro d’ Italia.

The annual fundraiser is a popular event that draws cyclists from around the state and northern Illinois. The Bike Fed recommends signing up early to avoid the long lines. To register, or learn more, click here.