Pedaling to 10K

On my bicycle ride home this evening, I'll clock 10,000 miles on my cyclocomputer. It will be dark, so I took this picture at lunchtime. I believe at that point, this Cateye model will click back to zero...if I recall correctly. Usually the battery fails, or the odometer gets stolen, or maybe it breaks. Something usually spoils the milestone.

Some folks rack up this mileage in a few months. I accumulate mine in slow 20-mile chunks every day. No grand ambition to my pedaling, not trying to set a "personal best" or "outpace the competition." Just trying to get home. Sun or rain, heat or cold, windy or calm, just traveling between job and residence. Pretty unexceptional.

Hard to say how many 10K mileage increments I've traveled over my time as a bike commuter. Harder still to say how many more miles lay ahead in my future. But today I'll celebrate this modest accomplishment.

And probably get a new cyclocomputer. It's about time.

Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Equipment suggestions for bicycle commuting

This July I was contacted by a writer for Outside Magazine, regarding bicycle commuting equipment recommendations. I sent several paragraphs of suggestions, based on my experience. The October 2011 issue is now out, and my comments appear with only one suggestion. So I thought I'd share the rest of my comments here. I offer more equipment suggestions on my website, and elsewhere on this blog.

Basically, I was asked what I would recommend, either brands or features that are especially helpful, in the following categories: Wheels, Drivetrain + Pedals, Handlebar + Grips, Brakes, Lights + Lock. Here are my responses.

Wheels

In general, commuting bicyclists will want to acquire stronger, beefier wheels than those used by recreational bicyclists. We bicycle commuters are often contending with more varied and challenging pavement surfaces (potholes, debris, etc.), and we are generally more heavily loaded, with things like a laptop, work materials, books, lunch, change of clothing.

My general advice to any bicycle commuter is to get the strongest handbuilt wheelset they can afford, and for most a standard 36-spoke wheel will work very well. Many bicycles come off the showroom with machine-made spec wheels, which may not always be the most reliable over time. Likely great for light recreational riding on weekends, and over a few years, no problem. For everyday hard urban bicycle commuting, you really need great wheels.

My main commuting bike is a hybrid. After breaking many spokes on an inexpensive 32-spoke rear wheel, I recently replaced my rear wheel with a 40-spoke tandem wheel, with a Sun ME-14A rim and Shimano HF-07 hub. I purchased this wheel online from Rocky Mountain Cyclery.

Basically, the advantage to me: I'm a heavier rider (200+) and frequently carry fairly heavy loads during my commute (2-liter bottle of diet cola, books, papers, etc.) I typically break many spokes, had wheel come out of true (wobble) and other maladies. I needed a "bullet-proof" rear wheel, and this one has been really great.

Bicycle commuters should also consider beefy tires for similar reasons. Spend a little more for durability and puncture resistance. It's worth the investment. I use Specialized Crossroads Armadillo tires on my everyday commuter. I also prefer the fattest and widest tire size allowed by my frame clearances. The minimal sacrifice in rolling efficiency is well compensated by the comfort.

Basically, regarding bicycle equipment, my advice is always the same: good durable frame, great durable wheels, strong puncture-proof tires. Get the most bike you can afford; in the end it will always pay off.

Drivetrain + Pedals

I pedal pretty casually in my dress shoes or sneakers; I tend to dress for the destination and not the trip. So my preferred pedal is a double-sided and sturdy BMX style, such as the Diamondback Sound pedal. Bicycle commuters who plan to go faster or want to wear clipless pedals may want to consider the flexibility of the Shimano PD-M324 pedals, which is double-sided with a clipless attachment on one side and a flat on the other. I have these on my touring bike, and they're great.

Handlebar + Grips

I don't really have any strong opinions on handlebars and grips. I prefer a more upright riding position, but all are generally fairly comparable.

Brakes

I don't really have any strong opinions on brakes. Many commuters prefer disc brakes, but I've only used cantilevers and V-brakes.

Lights + Lock

The first consideration with a lock is to understand that EVERY lock can be defeated by a motivated thief. Learning good locking techniques (secure wheel and frame, remove lights, etc.) and accurately assessing the threats are critical to prevent the heartbreak of a stolen bike. I have used a number of different locks. My primary everyday lock for the high-theft college campus where I work is a Kryptonite Evolution u-lock, which I use to secure the frame. I keep my wheels secure with OnGuard locking skewers. Again, no lock is 100% secure. The key is to make your bike MORE secure than the other bicycles in the vicinity. My website has more suggestions on locks.

I've used a number of lights over the years, including the Light & Motion Stella 150. My favorite headlight right now is the NiteRider MiNewt 600 cordless, which is way bright, very lightweight, and is a smart cordless design. Use the brightest light you can afford. Not only will it illuminate your way, but you will get more respect from motorists. I've found the brighter the light, the more respect.

Image: luxomedia
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

Custom bicycles for the upscale commuter

From Marketplace (American Public Radio), 08.18.09:

Can't afford gas? Try a 'commuter bike'
Kai Ryssdal: There's some evidence commuting to work by bicycle is on the rise. A survey out from the advocacy group Bikes Belong says sales of what're called commuter bikes, those are bikes designed for short city trips, [is up]. There's some good reasons. Maybe it's a desire to cut down on greenhouse gas emissions. Or maybe it's gas still at $3.75 a gallon, although you can drop a pretty penny on consumer bikes if you want to. Marketplace's Sean Cole got to ride one for nuthin'.

Sean Cole: Wow, I am once again in the saddle. I hadn't ridden in years. But I had to try one of Mike Flanigan's bikes. Mike runs a one-man factory in Holliston, Mass., called Alternative Needs Transport, or ANT. Each bike takes him maybe a week to build. His waiting list is a year long.

I'd actually never heard of a commuter bike. It just means a bike with fenders and a chain guard, upright handle bars, maybe a basket, definitely lights and a bell. [bell rings] In this case a special bell from Japan. You have to be up close to see how well made Mike's bikes are, and you might never guess the price. His base model runs $2900.

Flanigan: And actually mine is on the low end of the high end market.

Cole: Really?

Flanigan: Oh yeah. People can spend upwards of $10,000 dollars for a bike.

Or as little as $400 to $1,000 for a factory-made commuter bike. But since Mike's bikes are handmade in America, they're gonna be pricier. Plus, he fits each one to the customer's height. He's been doing this for six years, long before there was so much interest in commuter bikes...

Flanigan: Like Specialized tried that in the early '90s...They had a bike called the Globe. Very nice bike. Reasonable priced. Completely failed in the market. Gas was still cheap. Bicycles were still toys. It just, the market wasn't ready for it.

But last fall, he says, at an annual trade show called Interbike, a lot of the big brands were finally hawking bicycles built for commuting. (Read more, includes audio and slideshow.)

Sigh. Envy those bicycle commuters who can treat themselves to one of Mike Flanigan's bicycles ("not sport...transport"). A custom commuting bike is really only suited for those fortunate bicycle commuters who have secure indoor bike parking at work. For us less fortunate bike commuters--who need to leave our rides locked outside vulnerable to theft and the elements--a less costly bicycle is probably best.

As I've said on this blog before, American employers should really do more to encourage bicycle commuting (showers, lockers, secure parking, etc.) Providing vehicle parking is costly: land, construction, lighting, security, insurance, etc. Yet employers routinely provide car parking for staff, while neglecting the needs of bicycle commuting employees. Many of us might enjoy our commutes more if we used our best quality bicycle, feeling secure about where we kept it during work.

This radio report contrasts with an interesting story from Washington DC, where Union Station employees confiscated a woman's bicycle for being "too ugly." Needless harassment of bicycle commuters, I'd say. If Union Station were really concerned about aesthetics, they could provide secure bicycle lockers or, better, a Bikestation-type staffed facility. Then maybe more local bike commuters would feel comfortable leaving their beauty bikes at the train station.

Image: Mike Flanigan.
Visit: Buying the right commuting bike, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Dutch bicycles finding market in U.S.?, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Bikes come in all types for all people, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site