I just love riding my bike to work. The fresh air and exercise wake me up and get my blood pumping. But here are some lessons I've learned for bike commuting.
Use a Pannier Yes, wearing a backpack will make you look cool, but it also makes you sweat. Wearing a pannier will make you look nerdy, but it also leaves you smelling nerdy. Personally, I'd rather smell like a nerd at work than like a jock. And anyway, a nerdy pannier will go nicely with your neon helmet.
Get Fenders Roads can get wet even when it is not raining, and they can remain wet long after a rain. Fenders-especially plastic ones that rap around the wheel-prevent your wheels from spewing water, mud and dirt onto your clothing. You wouldn't want to get your groovy new jacket filthy, would you?
Use the Right Tires Contrary to sought after belief, tire tread doesn't give a bicycle additional traction on wet roads. Because of their shape and flexibility, bicycle tires do not hydroplane. Slick tires yield less rolling resistance and are much better for smooth roads. But if you frequently ride on gravel or loose ground, treaded tires will help with traction. Carry CO2 or a Pump Using CO2 to pump up your tire may not be groovy, but CO2 cans pump your tire up instantly, not matter how much air your tire needs, saving time and perspiration. They're also much lighter than pumps. You'll need to carry one or the other, as well as a spare tube and tire levers.
Wear Padded Bicycle Shorts These probably aren't absolutely required if you only ride two or three miles to work and don't do any touring. But they help guard against chafing and they wick perspiration away from your body. They're definitely more comfortable than regular shorts for cycling. Acquire Tire Liners and Flat-resistant Tires Flat tires can not only make you late for work, but they can also boost your chances of being involved in an accident. Tire liners and flat-resistant tires won't fully eliminate flats, but they will decrease the likelihood, especially if you bike on gravel.
Know Your Bike Discovering all you can about your bike will help a whole lot if you ever have a break-down and have to fix something. It will also aid you in knowing when you need to change a tire, adjust your breaks, lubricate your chain, etc.
Use a Pannier Yes, wearing a backpack will make you look cool, but it also makes you sweat. Wearing a pannier will make you look nerdy, but it also leaves you smelling nerdy. Personally, I'd rather smell like a nerd at work than like a jock. And anyway, a nerdy pannier will go nicely with your neon helmet.
Get Fenders Roads can get wet even when it is not raining, and they can remain wet long after a rain. Fenders-especially plastic ones that rap around the wheel-prevent your wheels from spewing water, mud and dirt onto your clothing. You wouldn't want to get your groovy new jacket filthy, would you?
Use the Right Tires Contrary to sought after belief, tire tread doesn't give a bicycle additional traction on wet roads. Because of their shape and flexibility, bicycle tires do not hydroplane. Slick tires yield less rolling resistance and are much better for smooth roads. But if you frequently ride on gravel or loose ground, treaded tires will help with traction. Carry CO2 or a Pump Using CO2 to pump up your tire may not be groovy, but CO2 cans pump your tire up instantly, not matter how much air your tire needs, saving time and perspiration. They're also much lighter than pumps. You'll need to carry one or the other, as well as a spare tube and tire levers.
Wear Padded Bicycle Shorts These probably aren't absolutely required if you only ride two or three miles to work and don't do any touring. But they help guard against chafing and they wick perspiration away from your body. They're definitely more comfortable than regular shorts for cycling. Acquire Tire Liners and Flat-resistant Tires Flat tires can not only make you late for work, but they can also boost your chances of being involved in an accident. Tire liners and flat-resistant tires won't fully eliminate flats, but they will decrease the likelihood, especially if you bike on gravel.
Know Your Bike Discovering all you can about your bike will help a whole lot if you ever have a break-down and have to fix something. It will also aid you in knowing when you need to change a tire, adjust your breaks, lubricate your chain, etc.
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