I'd like to start riding my bike to work this spring. Any advice?

In My Humble Opinion
1

I live very close to work. It only takes me 11 minutes to walk to the office. This spring, however, I’d like to start riding my bike.

I have my own office, so storing my bike is not an issue. I do, however, have a few questions:

What footwear should I buy?
I don’t have biking shoes and don’t think I need them. Would a pair of canvas tennis shoes suffice?

Do I really need a helmet?
As silly as this sounds, I don’t want to mess up my hair. It’s naturally curly and will frizz with to much manipulation. On the other hand, massive head wounds are attractive either.

What clothing should I wear?
I’m the technologist for a law firm. The dress here is business casual. Since I never know when I’ll be on the floor (pesky network drops), I usually wear slacks or long, fitted skirts. But I don’t want to get my pant legs dirty while riding to work, though.

What else should I consider?
Am I missing anything? Do I need one of those helmet-mounted rear view mirrors?

I will be riding in traffic, by the way. I live and work in downtown Baltimore. Thanks in advance for your answers and comments.

2

Only 11 minutes to walk? It’s almost not worth biking :slight_smile:

I bike to work at least twice a week, half-an-hour each way, in sunny/rainy/always mild Vancouver, but I’ll tailor this to what you need.

A helmet. Nothing else is really, truly indispensable, especially if you are riding in traffic. You never know what kind of crazy stuff will happen near you… and you’ll end up smashing to the ground. Go to any reputable bike shop, try a bunch on, and find one that fits nicely. You’ll find that modern helmets are very well ventilated, stylish, and light light light!

Runners will be fine for your feet, especially for this short a distance. Hell, my wife travels about as far as you, and she often commutes in heels!

As for pants/skirts, wear whatever you want (even with a skirt all you’ll do is flash a few people :slight_smile: ). If you’re worried about getting oil on your pants, you can either buy a specialized velcro strip or metal-half-circle that goes around your pant leg, or tuck your pants in your sock, or use a rubber band.

If you’re not used to biking in traffic, you may want to consider taking a course on how to drive your bike safely with cars nearby. In general, as a cyclist you have to follow the exact same rules as cars, including stop signs and traffic lights. (As a dodge, you can always walk your bike through a crosswalk to get around not being able to turn left, and things like that).

Is there a bicycle advocacy group in Baltimore? Your bike shop probably knows… and they can usually tell you lots about bike routes, laws, etc…

If you were doing a longer commute I’d recommend wet weather gear (fenders, gore-tex jacket, waterproof biking pants), panniers to carry office clothes, and lights (especially if you plan to bike at night). But for this short a distance, a backpack is all you need… even on a sweltering day it’s not too much of a problem.

Good luck!

3

I ride a bike to work. The main thing for me was to get “saddle bag” style wire baskets for the back. I believe mine came from Kmart for $15 and they clip onto your carry shelf. They fold flat when not in use, but are a real lifesaver so often I never have them folded.

4

Thanks for the replies. I guess I’ll be buying a helmet, a backpack and wire baskets this weekend. What fun! :slight_smile:

5

I’d completely agree with Barbarian and Wild Card – another thing I’d suggest purchasing is a good pair of biking gloves. Gel in the palms helps you get a good grip on the handlebars, and they’re also REALLY good in case you wipe out and end up breaking the fall with your hands (they keep you from getting road-rash on your palms). Helped keep my hands wound-free many a time…

6

Having seen many, many bikers starting to come out around here I have only one piece of advice.

Avoid the Cars

yours,
Tyklfe

7

A helmet definetly. It’s not just for traffic accidents, it can also be important any time that you fall down. Tennis shoes are fine, I’ve used them for six years of bike riding. Some bicycles have a metal plate that stops your right foot from contacting the gears, which is helpful if you are wearing long pants.

And don’t let anyone tell you that it’s not worth riding a bike if you aren’t going very far. I ride to class every day, a distance of about 1/4 mile. I think that it saves about 2 minutes.

8

I agree that you definitely need a helmet. My wife the nurse tells me all the stories about the formerly motor-skilled people she sees on the neuro floor. It’s not worth it, and maybe a brush once you get to work would fix your hair (although I’m a guy with short hair, so what do I know?)

Another item I’d highly recommend is a good set of lights. Most state laws require it for riding after dark, but it’s a good idea even at high noon. A red flashing strobe tailight can attract a lot of attention when sleepy morning commuters are sharing the road with you. Also, a cheap headlight will give you more visibility when you have to work late. Cateye has little microlights powered by AA batteries that go for $30 I think. Make sure your reflectors are visible.

I grew up in Maryland and remember the humidity in the summer, which I miss here in Seattle. As it gets warmer, you might want to bring in a different shirt to put on once you get into the office, if you sweat while you’re on the road.

Remember to signal to the cars (not that finger!) to let them know what you’re intending to do. I think many drivers are nervous around bikers because they think we’re unpredictable. Making eye contact with the driver is the most effective. If you look around while you ride, I don’t think you’ll need a mirror.

Ride safe, and have fun!

9

A helmet is a must. A good pair of gloves wouldn’t hurt. Fenders are a good idea on a commuter bike. From April 1984 till August 1985 a good bike was my main form of transport. It wasn’t my idea, state took back its license. Watch out for cars, the drivers often do not look out for you.

10

The Onion presents Bicycle-Safety Tips

11

I might add that a mirror is pretty handy. I wear glasses (sigh; a nearsighted astronomer) so I got a ‘third eye’ which is a little mirror that clips on my glasses. It’s wonderful. A slight tilt of my head and I can clearly see traffic behind me.

I bike to work too, about 6 kilometers or so. I have a bike lane, and drivers here on the Left Coast are pretty friendly, but You Never Know.

12

Just a few things to add here:

Nothing can ruin a good ride faster than a flat tire. If you don’t know how to change a tire, you can probably find a class at your local bike shop. You should always carry a set of levers, a spare tube and a pump. Patching tubes is good too, but i prefer to just swap in a spare, and worry about patching the old tube when i have more time on my hands. (Once the old tube is sucessfully patched, that can be your spare).

Also, if it’s hot or you tend to sweat a lot, but don’t have acess to a shower at work, a few wet naps come in very handy. An alternative to this is a towel or sponge and your restroom sink. If you’re like me and prefer not to ride in your work clothes, i strongly recommend a product from Eagle Creek called the Pack-It Folder. You can see it here: Pack-It: Luggage & Travel Organizers | Eagle Creek

Finally, if you’re considering a “wearable” bag, and don’t already have a backpack, you might wanna look into shoulder bags instead. These tend to hug your body better and won’t ride up the way backpacks can. There’s a reason messengers use them, after all. :wink:

13

As someone who used to ride centuries back in my prime, I’d like to add one little bit of advice;

Even though it’s a short ride, get in shape for the daily commute. Either do some stationary workouts at the gym (if it’s still wet weather where you are), or start riding short trips on any clear weekend. Take the opportunity to research an alternative backroads route to your job. Not breathing exhaust is a great way to start the day.

Try to spin your legs at a moderate rate by staying in a lower gear. You will exert yourself less and not perspire as much. This will reduce the impact on your clothes, etc. Try to have a basic, medium-to-thin underlayer that you can wear while riding. When you get to work, put on something more presentable or substantial. Being able to keep your torso cool will really make a difference.

And lasty, two other things. Oil your chain (do not use WD40™, as it cuts any remaining lubricant off of your chain) and make sure your tires are at their correct pressure. Underinflated tires can require up to 50% more energy to rotate. Carry a pocket gauge to be sure.

14

Pedaler on large jobsites checking in.

Helmet is always good. Helmet-head can usually be recovered.

Pack with change of clothes can work, often.

Envigoration factor seems a major plus.

Regardless, with the “right mindset”, your route should be fun, after the adjustment period.

Enjoy!

15

Thanks, guys. And here I was thinking that no one on the boards liked me.

The Infraggable Krunk and Booker, I’ll be picking up a pair of gloves this weekend, too. I didn’t even know they made them with gel inserts!

Thanks for the link, zyzzyva. That looks like a nifty product!

patrick, I guess I’ll be sure to practice my signaling. Thanks for the tip on the light, too. And, yes, Baltimore is SO humid in the summer (and you miss that?!?!).

What a good idea, Zenster! I never thought of getting in shape for the ride because it’s so short. My apartment community has a 24 hour exercise room. I guess I’ll be making use of the stationary bikes there for a while.

Oh, and Tyklfe, avoiding the cars is my number one goal. I’m actually kind of nervous about riding in traffic.

Once again, thanks for all the replies! :slight_smile:

16

Another commuter here. Yes, get a helmet. If your hair is dry, helmet head shouldn’t be bad, and it is treatable (just sort of fluff your hair up as soon as you take the helmet off). Clothes shouldn’t be a problem at that distance-- the wind from your speed actually will be nice in the humidity, so you might be fine unless you have some hills.
With the cars-- be a bit assertive: don’t let them crowd you up against the curb-- you have the goddamn right to be on the road, too-- keep a buffer zone around you so that you have somewhere to go if things get hairy (if you’re against the curb you have nowhere left to go). Join the left-turn line-up so that you don’t have to use crosswalks, unless you’re pretty nervous about “being” traffic. And always keep an eye on parked cars-- it there is a driver in them watch for them pulling out without looking or opening the car door (ouch). Don’t ride parallel over grates so that a tire can catch, and ride over train tracks perpendicularly, especially if it’s wet (also that metalicky-tape stuff they mark road lines with now can be very slick). And cars will very very often not bother turn-signalling for your benefit (you aren’t traffic) so don’t depend on their signals for your info-- keep your eyes open.
Otherwise it should be very fun and satisfying-- it’s great to be out in the open, alive and engaged with the world, listening to birds and waving at people, instead of hurtling along in a mobile annex of your house. And parking is much easier.