How to Commute by Bike series

In anticipation of the warmer weather (and maybe to encourage its arrival), I'm going to be writing a series on how to commute by bike. May is also national Bike to Work month and just around the corner. Thought about trying, but just not sure where to start? Wondered how those who bike to work look fabulous (or, okay, not windblown and sweaty but normal just like everyone else)? I'll be addressing questions like:  to shower or not to shower; how to dress for success (on and off the bike); what kind of bike is best for commuting; how to determine an good bike route to work, etc.

You brought what with you on a bike?!?

This series will be good for commuters of all levels - beginner through experienced. We'll talk about what to wear, how to pack, regular and periodic bike maintenance, bike parking and riding etiquette.
Comments about what you'd like to hear, what you do and your questions are always welcomed. Look for upcoming posts soon.

Attempt #2

At a recent social get together, a friend invited me to join her in training for a local ride upcoming in April. After a few questions, she was all excited and we were talking about bikes. Smiling face, hands a-flying, laughter. She talked about how this would be her first time back on bike in at least 10 years. And her bike of choice to train for this 25 mile ride:  a much-in-need-of-some-TLC mountain bike. I knew the kind. I was an owner of a 21 speed black and teal huffy mountain bike and rode it around much to my heart's content.

I found myself hesitating at the invitation at first, despite my goal of group riding for 2013. Her excitement was contagious. After a phone-call follow up, she had me convinced. I was ready to ride. The next morning we were scheduled to make a drive to join the rest of the group in Greenville to train. However, I got an early morning email - after I was up and dressed to go - letting me know she had to cancel due to an illness.

Like you need to do in life, I seized the moment and headed out on my own. I road along city streets and country roads, taking in new sights and visiting some new places. A chance to clear my mind and get away from the stress of the week. Bike rides, runs, long walks - these are all ways that individuals can de-stress and exercise. Creating places that folks can do these activities are an important part of building healthy communities.

Riding for two hours gave me an opportunity to enjoy a morning on the cusp of spring. Though, again, not quite making it to a group ride, I was happy and pleased with myself. I said yes to an opportunity extended to me by a female friend. Though things didn't go as planned, I was satisfied with the result. With two rides down, here's hoping the third time is the charm.

Supporting State Advocacy Organizations

State advocacy organizations are an important part of the bicycle community chain. They do a lot of work on the behalf of all people who ride bikes:  weekend warriors, joyriders, commuters, young, old, mid-life, family, single. They are the grease on the bike chain that keeps things moving. Anyone who rides a bike could say thank you, raise a glass or offer support to these guys.

In South Carolina, the Palmetto Cycling Coalition is our state bike advocacy group. This is not the first time this organization has been mentioned on this blog. They review state polices and plans, work to implement real changes and guide the DOT, develop public safety campaigns, publish newsletters, host summits, support bicycle-friendly business development, sponsor conferences, developing an informed network of city leaders across the state  and lend support to local groups. They do a lot of work to make bike riding safer and better for you and your loved ones.

Why am I bringing attention to them? Because, without this group, there would be few bicycle rights, policies and plans. Located in Columbia, they are able to make the most of their location near state legislators and leaders. It's important to acknowledge, and financially support them. Joining the non-profit PCC is easy, and has a big bang for the buck:  they have little overhead, so support goes to causes. Memberships start at $35 for individuals ($15 for students!), and corporate memberships start at $100. Do your employees bike to work? Do you do work that enhances bicycle infrastructure? Perhaps your business should consider joining the PCC. If you sometimes drive and sometimes ride to work, commit to riding a majority of the time over the next 2 weeks, and support the PCC for the next year with the money saved.

The state non-profit bike advocate groups can do some amazing things for bicycle riders. Georgia Bikes! in Georgia has done some great programs and energized the state to take to the street by two wheels. In Wisconsin, the Bicycle Federation engages in bicycle planning, and has recently expanded from one office to two!

I'm advocating for the state's bike advocacy group because they are an important part of bicycle community chain. Please support their mission and become a member today!

Upcoming Opportunities for Involvement

It's always good to get involved, and with biking, their are a number of different ways to join the movement. (Pun unintended. Well, maybe it is!) Bike riding, sitting on a committee, taking public outreach surveys and attending conferences are just some of the ways to join in. Read on to learn more about participating in some upcoming bike-related opportunities.

Southern Mountain Bike Summit. Over the weekend of March 22 - 24, the International Mountain Biking Association (IMBA) and the Southern Off-Road Biking Association (SORBA) will be hosting a bike summit in Woodstock, GA. The summit will provide opportunities to ride, network and learn about many things, including trail engineering, fundraising and PR approaches to getting people off-road and on their bikes.

SC Multimodal State Plan. As you might recall, SCDOT is updating their statewide transportation plan. Updates include provisions for bikes and peds. A public opinion survey is open until March 12 (extended from its original date) for you to participate in. This plan will inform the state's transportation policies through the year 2040.Please consider taking a few minutes from your day to provide valuable input.

Winning Campaigns Training. There's an opportunity to attend a workshop put on by the national organization Alliance for Biking and Walking. In Athens, GA the Georiga state advocacy group Georgia Bikes will be hosting a training weekend from April 5-7. Back in 2011, I attend this training when it was hosted by the Palmetto Cycling Coalition. I found it to be a great opportunity to learn, engage and network. It was a very enriching and empowering time!

City of Clemson Bike Plan Update. On Monday, March 11 a Bike Plan update is on the agenda for the City of Clemson Planning Commission. The meeting is open to the public and will be a great opportunity to get a state of the bike plan. Hear first hand what's going on and what has yet to be done.

Check out these or other opportunities to get involved!

Bicycle Safety 101: Riding in the Rain

It's cold and wet today. Not the kind of day that inspires bike riding. To help focus some gloomy weekend weather blues, I've got a few tips about riding in wet weather. Rain doesn't deter the hard-core riders, and, with a little preparation, it doesn't have to stop you, too. There are some key things to remember:

1. Be smart. Sometimes it's just too dang wet to ride. Ever come to a sliding stop on wet pavement? Brakes don't work the same way when it's wet out. It's better to be safe than sorry, so, sometimes it's best to put the bike up for another day. If you're stuck, phone a friend, catch a bus, hail a taxi, walk or use an emergency ride home program that your employer might have available to you.
2. Use your lights. In previous posts, I've talked about the importance of front and rear lights to be seen. Especially when riding in mixed-traffic in poor weather, lights are used to be seen and not as much as to see. Wearing reflective material is another way to increase your visibility to others on the road in adverse weather. When rain, snow, fog or other weather conditions hit, flip on those lights!
   
3. Have rain gear. Usually I'm not all about having "gear" to ride, but having a rain jacket will keep you dry. Bring an extra pair of shoes and socks if you'll be at your destination for a while. If you're really committed to all-weather riding, rain pants are also a good investment. With a little foresight, arriving to your destination drenched can be avoided.
   
4. Have plastic bags on hand. Plastic bags are versatile, easy to keep on hand and are a cyclists best friend in keeping things dry. Putting a plastic bag over a bike seat will keep it dry even in the hardest of downpours. Reusing the grocery store plastic bags have been a life saver for me! They can also be used to cover electronics, clothes and other things you might stash in a bag and bring with you while you're out and about. Think about keeping a few of these on hand in a desk, jacket or bag.
   

Over the years, I have ridden to work in the rain, but not always. I keep an eye on the weather, and have a flexible attitude toward my decision to ride. These tips can help you be better prepared to handle wet weather and bike riding. 

Do safety vests make bike riding normal?

I've been riding my bike to work since 2006, and since 2010 in the Upstate. That's seven years of bike riding on a daily basis.

In previous posts, I talked about riding my bike experiences in Madison, Wisconsin. Bike lanes, shared roadways and paths galore. Not to mention many good places to lock your bike. Bike riding there, especially in downtown, was common, understood and even perceived as expected in some crowds. The role and place of bike was a growing part of the local community culture and landscape.

Riding 'round here, the wearing of my "super nerd" safety vest has come and gone in fits and starts. It's a love/hate relationship. I want to ride my bike (for a variety of reasons), but the route I ride on isn't the safest. Since I want to feel comfortable and relaxed, I think about sporting the neon, reflecting safety vest. I may feel safe, but wearing the safety vest with front and back lights going does nothing for my desire to feel and make bike riding normal. Nothing says "I-know-I-might-be-the-only-cyclist-on-the-road-but-I'm-here-so-please-don't-hit-me.-I'm-doing-my-best-to-be-visible" like a safety vest. Increased visibility to be safer, One. Normal bike riding experience, Zero.

I recently went back to riding in a pair of older khaki pants and ditched the spandex, for the sake of appearing more normal when I ride. I have taken to wearing a nice coat (and not a racing jacket) when I bike to meetings for my job. I'm making personal decisions that demonstrate that folks can get on a bike without the need to invest in a new wardrobe. So, does infrastructure influence the ability for biking to become normal, safe and an every day activity?

I think so. In Madison, I didn't need my super nerd vest in many places because there were places to ride that were safe and comfortable. All kinds of people wore every day clothing and took to the streets daily. In the Upstate, I bring my vest wherever I bring my bike in case I feel like I need that extra layer of "protection." (What I really feel like I need in some cases is bubble wrap!) How many people would like to ride but don't feel safe enough? If there's a need to wear lots of bright, reflective material for even short bike rides, I would argue that we're not (yet) doing enough to serve the needs of the biking community.

I can't wait for the day that I can put away my super nerd safety vest and feel comfortable wherever, whenever I ride.

Biking in Action

Over the last week, there have been several opportunities to talk about how bikes can play a role in our local communities. It has been pretty exciting to present these ideas to different groups and have a series of dialogues that will continue to influence how folks experience moving around the Upstate. Since it's been so much fun, I wanted to share these experiences.

There's been an increase in demand for parking in downtown Central, SC. On Monday, I briefly spoke to the Town of Central's Town Council about how bike racks can help alleviate that (great!) problem. Bike racks are a cost-effective way to establish a downtown (or any business, school or place) as a destination. One of the biggest barriers to having folks use their bike is the lack of safe, secure parking at either end of the trip. Install bike racks, and one major barrier is removed. Communities can continue to drive folks downtown by increasing accessibility beyond just having parking spaces for cars. Why not include parking spaces for bikes, too? Bike racks can compliment parking.

Earlier that same day I gave an informal presentation about how bikes are influencing the urban landscape to an architecture class at Clemson University. Talking about how putting in bike lanes, paths and bike racks create opportunities for more people to get out and have fun on a bike with a group of students was fun. The students had some engaging questions and shared a lot of good thoughts and ideas.

On Wednesday I gave a presentation on the bike plan at Clemson during the semester's first Sustainability Cafe'. There was some good discussion about what else is going on related to bikes on campus. Folks wanted to know if bike share was being considered, where are the preferred and not-so-appropriate places to park bikes and shared their experiences of bike riding. The Cafe' is a good place in academia for a cross-pollination of ideas. It provides exposure to ideas across disciplines. 

Later this month Clemson University will host a Sustainability Week. Please check out the website for more information. There will be opportunities related to bikes during the fair. Watch out for or check into the possibilities of a bike ride, bike tune ups and a 'bike' table at the Sustainability Fair on Friday from 11a - 2p.

It's been a fun to talk to the different groups, and I always look forward to talking about bikes with others. Look for ways and places to become a part of the conversation. Take part in whatever ways you can and put biking into action.