Ever since we removed his training wheels, our son has renounced riding his bike. For the past two years, he's eschewed getting on his bicycle at all. We've managed to occasionally use leverage to coerce him into riding up and down the street. But even then, we would only manage a few laps before he would refuse to continue. It's been a bummer that Ginger and I, both die-hard bicycling advocates, haven't been able to convince our son of the joys of cycling.
All that changed last weekend. Ginger talked our son into riding with her to his school, which is a trip of a little over a mile. When they left, the boy was looking a bit apprehensive, but he gathered his courage and set off with his mom. When they returned from their ride a short while later, he was absolutely elated. It went so well, we easily talked him into riding again the next day. So we loaded up his sister into the baby carrier and the whole family made the same trip. Again, he had a blast and was clearly becoming more confident handling his bike. That evening, he asked if he could ride his bike to summer day camp the next morning. And just like that - he was a bicycle commuter.
So far this week my son has ridden his bike to day camp at the YMCA every day. He wakes up stoked to ride...even wears his helmet around the house after he gets home. Ginger and I can't believe how quickly he turned around, from hating riding his bike to loving it. We hope it sticks and becomes a life-long love of cycling. But in the meantime, we're just ecstatic that our 7-year-old is now a bike commuter.
A few months ago, I began to feel like my twin Axiom panniers were just not quite what I needed for my daily commute. One pannier was always nearly empty. And the other, filled with my U-lock, cable, gloves, saddle cover, and other small accessories, often required a fair amount of digging to find what I needed. They were also not terribly convenient for on-the-go removal when my bike was locked up in an exposed public space; I didn't have any interest in removing both panniers and then carrying them around in the store or restaurant or wherever I happened to be.
I needed something with some organizing capacity, rather than a big, open well. I also needed something that could be easily removed from the bike and carried. And of course I needed a pannier that looked good on my vintage Peugeot. That's when I discovered the Blackburn Central Rear Pannier. Basically, it's a messenger bag - complete with shoulder strap, organizing pockets, and a laptop sleeve - that clips onto a bike rack. It has a built-in rain cover, which is outstanding, and the shoulder strap has magnetic clasps so that it stays tight against the body of the pannier when riding. Best of all, it's terribly handsome, made of a sort of gray cotton twill fabric. Plus it holds all the same stuff that my dual Axioms held.
Now that I've put a few miles on the Blackburn Central pannier, I can't say enough about it. Admittedly, it doesn't quite cut it when I have to carry an unexpectedly voluminous load, but I've been shocked at its carrying capacity. In fact, last weekend I hauled a 64oz growler and a 750ml bomber, in addition to all the other stuff I normally carry, which included a mini-pump, a well-stocked tool roll, and my jacket. It unlocks from my rear rack with ease and the magnetic shoulder strap is a particularly ingenious feature, so it transitions to shoulder bag duty seamlessly when I'm on foot. And it's a great looking accessory, regardless of whether I'm wearing a suit for work or jeans and a t-shirt for a trip to the pub. However, I should note that the rack hooks can be pretty uncomfortable when walking around with the bag for extended periods of time. They're not exactly low profile, and they tend to dig into my ribs and catch on my clothing, which is definitely an annoyance. But between the outstanding functionality of this pannier and its above-par aesthetics, I've been beyond pleased. This one's a winner for sure.
It's been the better part of 8 months since I revamped my GT Outpost. After its face-lift, I promptly hung it from the ceiling of the shop, all shiny and newly beautified, and haven't touched it since. Pretty sad, but I just haven't had much of an opportunity to ride it. My Peugeot Course is my daily commuter and my Panasonic Touring Deluxe has now become by weekend ride. And so my old mountain bike sat neglected in the garage. That is, until yesterday.
A couple inches of snow fell yesterday morning and, with the streets covered, I decided that a mountain bike would be my best option for a powdery morning commute. I pulled my GT Outpost down out of storage, bolted pedals onto the cranks, and set off for work. A block or so down the road, I shifted onto the big chainring and nearly immediately noticed the chain jumping - especially when I mashed down on the pedals to pick up speed. When I arrived at work, I quickly discovered the problem: the bottom bracket spindle was loose inside the housing and wobbling pretty badly.
When I got home that evening, I pulled the bottom bracket out and replaced it with a used one I had stowed away in the shop. The cranks are spinning nicely now. Turns out the rebuilt Truvativ bottom bracket that I installed on the bike in April was a piece of shit. So I replaced it with a cheap Shimano that I've had for years and simply refuses to die.
Despite the mechanical problems, it wasn't a bad commute. Since the snow was still fresh and not too deep, I got plenty of grip with the 2.0 inch Bontrager knobbies that are on my mountain bike. I meandered over to the Jordan Valley Greenway and took the trail for about half my trip, which gave me a nice respite from riding in traffic in poor road conditions. It didn't take me much longer than usual to make the trip from home to work, even with a short stop on the Greenway to snap some pictures. Not too bad for a frigid snowy Thursday morning.
There are a dizzying number of bicyclists here in Springfield who ride illegally and dangerously. Biking on the sidewalk is the norm, and riding against traffic - in the left lane or the wrong way on a one-way street - is not a rarity. Bicyclists who ride on the streets in the correct lane often don't yield at stop signs and almost never obey stop lights. Though it should be noted that in Missouri bicyclists are legally allowed to run a red light when the light fails to change for a bicycle and it is safe to cross.
But are these sidewalk bicyclists and cycling salmon even aware of what is safe, appropriate, and legal? In many cases, I'd say no. Many of these people likely haven't been on a bicycle since they were children, when they were urged to stay out of traffic and to ride on the sidewalk by concerned parents. Then they become adults and decide to try out cycling again. They swing a leg over a cheap bike, get out on the sidewalk to ride, and largely see other bicyclists not obeying traffic laws. This only affirms continued incorrect and unsafe behavior.
So how do we address this type of behavior? Certainly formal classes are an option. Ginger and I signed up for a Safe City Cycling class in Columbia, MO years ago, but didn't come back after the first night because of how boring the class was and how much time it took up (if I remember correctly, the class included three sessions that were three hours each). Does a 19 year old college student who is taking classes full-time and working 30 hours a week really have time to take a class like this? Doubtful. What about a working parent who is putting in 16-hour days at work and caring for kids? I don't think so. Or a teen whose parents are practically absent (or actually absent), and who is struggling to stay enrolled in school and is sometimes sleeping on the streets? Definitely not. This is a great option for fledgling bike commuters who are sufficiently motivated and have the time, but for everyone else, it's not a feasible option.
An alternative that would cast a wider net would be marketing campaigns, media, and/or public service announcements. I was lucky enough to be involved with one such campaign several years ago, when Ginger and I were working closely with the Healthy Living Alliance. We made a video that covered the key rules for the road for bicyclists, which was then circulated broadly on social media and television. These methods are limited, as it's hard to convey much information in these types of short sound bites, but it's a good way to get a quick message or two out to a broad audience.
Boots on the ground campaigns are probably the most impactful. When we lived in Columbia, MO, the police launched a program in which they would stop bicyclists who were riding after dark without lights, explain the city ordinance on bicycle light and reflector requirements, then give the bicyclist free front and rear bike lights. Not a bad idea. I've also often considered making a "No Bicycles on Sidewalk" stencil and painting it on sidewalks throughout downtown as a constant reminder for sidewalk cyclists. After all, if I'm rolling over that sign with onlookers glancing from the stencil to me openly ignoring it, I'm going to feel pretty sheepish.
In reality, educating cyclists on appropriate, safe, and lawful bicycle use likely requires a combination of all of the above, plus other methods I haven't thought of. Unfortunately, the police in Springfield don't seem to have much of an interest in bicyclists who are riding incorrectly and illegally. What's more, the Healthy Living Alliance no longer operates as the functional entity that it was when we first moved to Springfield, and most of the other bicycling and transportation organizations in the area largely ignore downtown and Springfield's central core, which is where inexperienced bicyclists seem to be most highly concentrated. As of right now, the best I can do is keep riding legally and appropriately and act as an example to others. So that's what I'll do.
I've been looking for an excuse to take a picture of my bike against this wall - an outer west-facing wall at my workplace. Took the opportunity yesterday morning when I decided to document my method for carrying an umbrella by bike.
Heavy cloud cover in the morning (when this picture was taken) was forecasted to turn to rain throughout the afternoon. I had an afternoon meeting on the schedule a few short blocks from my office, so I brought my umbrella to keep me dry during the walk. What better way to carry an umbrella on a vintage Peugeot than with a leather frame cinch?
I'll be the first to admit my unabashed wimpiness when it comes to the cold.
As soon as the heavy coats come out I just can't handle it anymore. It's too much for my little hands and my ears. And since I'm the one who takes the kid to school in the morning, why should he be cold so I can prove to myself that I can really tough it out by biking?
So it should surprise no one that I've chosen driving over cycling every day since this season's first real cold snap.
You can imagine my despair when we found the car wouldn't work one day last week.
I had a moment. Like, maybe 10 seconds there where I rested my head on the steering wheel, closed my eyes and gathered myself. And then the little guy and I just loaded up and biked in. Simple as that.
I closed the cover on his trailer and gave him a blanket, but he didn't complain. Not even one time.
The only surprise: My ass got really, really cold. Anyone else's ass freeze on extremely chilly bike rides? Even with extra layers? Lordy, that was unexpected.
Also, the only thing wrong with the car was the battery. Simple fix.
"Carsplaining." When someone who never rides a bike explains road safety to cyclists.
— Bike Lobby (@BicycleLobby) November 10, 2014
First of all, she was really trying to be nice, the lady who carsplained at me.
"Excuse me," she called. We were on East Walnut, waiting at the light to cross National. I was first in line, she was just behind me when she made contact.
"It's really hard to see you. You really need a reflector on the back of your bike," she called.
I calmly pointed to my rear reflector, telling her I already had one.
"Kid, that's not enough!" she replied. "It's really hard to see you. You need reflectors on the top!"
And, you know what? She was right. I did need to be more visible. I'm still not used to it getting dark earlier, and I stayed late at work. Cody called once he got home and realized I didn't have lights on my bike, offering to bring me some. I declined, even though I was wearing dark clothing because my ride is on wide, well-lit streets with low traffic volume.
The Carsplainer didn't know how tired I was. She didn't know how insulting I found her advice. She didn't realize I was technically street legal. She had no idea that every cyclist runs the risk of going unnoticed by motorists, no matter what time of day it is, and that's why it's so important to behave legally and predictably when sharing the road with motorists.
What a fantastic article from Carl Alviani on Medium earlier this month. To say that all bicyclists should read this piece would be an understatement. In truth, everyone should read it; especially after the idiocy involved in the whole Santa Paula / Laura Weintraub situation out in California this weekend. The article says more about the realities of urban cycling than any other article I've read to-date, and is valuable information for anyone who uses the road with any form of transportation...ever.
In other news, the image above shows the bike rack that I normally use at Mercy Springfield. It's usually mostly empty. During Bike To Work Week it was a bit more heavily used, but it was definitely not as full as it was last week. I had to lock my bike up at the very end because there was hardly enough room for it. This is great news. Good work, coworkers!
I'm a big fan of Bike Snob NYC. And his recent recent story in Bicycling Magazine, titled 'The Ties That Bind: A Cynic's Guide to Outwitting Bike Thieves' was true to form for the long-time bicycle blogger. I would consider this story required reading for recent converts to bicycle commuting. It covers all the bases of keeping your bike safe when leaving it unattended.
There were a few points that definitely hit home. His advice of using a battleship anchor of a bike lock is absolutely right. After all, Ginger and I switched over to heavy-duty U-locks after the lock holding her beloved Raleigh road bike was cut and the bike stolen. And as of last week, I've now had two friends fall victim to the pitfall of not locking their bikes because they were staying close at hand. Both of them had a direct line of sight on their machines when they were snatched from under their noses.
While I've been guilty of laziness, using cheap locks, and pretty much every other no-no in the list, I've been fortunate enough to not have someone get the five finger discount on my machine or any of its parts or accessories. Hope I can keep the streak going for a while longer...
We're coming off a few weeks in which it's rained nearly every day. It's been great for our little garden here at home. Not so great for a bike commuter who has to slog through the rain to get to work - and get a young child to preschool - nearly each day. With that said, it really hasn't been that bad. While I've ridden through a few bouts of light rain, I haven't had to deal with any major downpours that left me looking like a drowned rat. But I did carry an umbrella strapped to my top tube on Thursday in case I needed to walk up to the square for lunch.
I ran across an absolutely fantastic piece called 9 Reasons Why You Should Never Bike To Work. The post is just shy of 3 years old, but I'm totally glad I found - albeit completely by accident. Better late than never, I guess.
Looking through all nine reasons, I can clearly remember hearing people give every one of these as a justification for not commuting by bike...except for maybe #7. And the delightfully sarcastic takedowns of each reason is just too good. So read it, enjoy it, and pass it along to your colleagues who think you're crazy for riding your bike to work every day.
Bike to Work Week
started off pretty pitifully, with rain throughout most of the
beginning of the week. It made for some soggy rides, but there was no
scary severe weather, so I had no problems riding every day.
The
weather cleared off on Thursday. Just in time for May's installment
of Cruisin' for a Brewsin'. It was a great evening for a ride, with
cool but comfortable temperatures and clear skies. I even got to
throw a round of bocce at Mother's during our first stop of the
night. The CfaB crew mostly consisted of the usual suspects – a
pretty laid back group - and most of us felt pretty comfortable
tying one on. Pretty hard to beat for a Thursday night.
The weather
stayed dry and mild on Friday, so I took the opportunity to ride down
to the main Mercy campus for some business-related activities. I even
snapped a few pictures during and after my ride and emailed them over
to Mercy's B2WW coordinator for posterity. It would've been nice to
have had a bit more dry weather for B2WW, but all things considered,
it was still a great week.
It was the first official workday of Bike to Work Week 2014. It started off pretty good. Sunny, albeit a bit warm. Even got to cruise town with some pals during lunch. Then shit got a little freaky around quitting time. My office is on the 6th floor of a building downtown and my window faces west, so I had a pretty good vantage point to watch the storm front move in. It rained pretty hard, with high winds, and word around the office was that hail had been reported. I ended up calling Ginger for a ride home, and then got a ride back to my bike later that night when the rain wasn't so heavy.
I just hope the wild weather this afternoon hasn't deterred too many people from commuting the rest of the week. I'm registered with Mercy's B2WW program and I'm looking forward to riding every day this week - not that that's out of the ordinary.
It's April, and that means rain showers and thunderstorms. We've had a pretty soggy couple of weeks here in southwest Missouri. Nothing unusual, but I've had some sloppy rides to and from work. Lucky for me, my wife and son gave me a shiny new pair of black Levi's Commuter trousers for my birthday last month. I had seen a couple of videos on YouTube showing that the pants were water-repellent, so I figured I should give them a try.
After unwrapping the Commuter trousers, I went straight over to the sink and put them under running water. Sure enough, the water rolled right off, leaving the fabric dry. I've worn them a handful of times now, and the pants have a great fit, strategic reinforcement in key areas of heavy wear, and reflective seams such that cuffing the pants gives you side reflectors. Ginger heard that the water-repellent properties eventually wear off, which makes sense considering the material itself isn't intrinsically water-shedding. But whatever; they're heavy duty and totally weather proof for the time being.
Now I just need to pick up a couple more pairs in other colors. Collect the whole set, eh?
I'm not sure why, but I was reminded of an article from earlier this year on OzarksFirst about a future bike share program in Springfield. The article was certainly attention-grabbing, but gives no indication that a bike share program is even remotely forthcoming. Instead, it gives a brief overview of what a bike share program is and how it would work in Springfield. The language is pretty vague and the article notably short. It was enough to get me excited about the idea of a program in the area. I'm not going to hold my breath, though.
I've been enjoying the blog BikeHacks since I came across it a couple weeks ago. Today, I was directed to the Bike Hacks Dictionary of Bike Commuter Slang. And now I can't get enough of it. First, I made my way through the entire collection just enjoying the humor of it all - see Eye of Mordor, Grasshopper, Gerbil, Brutus, and Annoying Samaritan. Annoying Samaritan is one I particularly enjoyed because Ginger called out this particular demographic last summer. Once I had thoroughly enjoyed the entries, I went back through to try to self identify. A couple that jumped out at me immediately were Plain Jane and Stagecoach. I'm probably being too nice to myself though. We all know I'm a KSF.
It's been a cold, wet winter. I know a lot of my friends and colleagues might disagree, but it's also been pretty great. Admittedly, there have been a few logistical challenges when it comes to getting my son to preschool. But I don't mind the cold weather - nor does the boy, as he's been quick to tell me - and the snow that has continued to stick around most of the winter has been a lot of fun. After all, commuting in the nasty winter weather was one of the main reasons I kept my GT mountain bike around, and it's a fantastic machine for doing just that.
It's now mid-February, and I'm doubtful we'll get much more wintry precipitation this season. So as the weather starts warming up, I'll be looking forward to next winter; and in the depths of the dog days of summer, I'll be dreaming of slogging through the snow on my mountain bike during this cold, wet winter.
I had a visit from a coworker last week who recently relocated from Oregon. After noticing bicycle paraphernalia in my office, she inquired about my commuting habits. She then mentioned that she has been lobbying the leadership at our mutual employer to institute the federal bicycle commuter benefit. I told her I wasn't aware of a bike commuter benefit. She explained that employers are allowed to provide financial benefit to employees who commute to work regularly by bicycle.
As it turns out, the bicycle commuter benefit - implemented by the IRS - was enacted as part of the Renewable Energy Tax Credit legislation in 2009. It's meant to act as a reimbursement for reasonable expenses associated with commuting to work by bike - purchase of a bicycle, maintenance, parking, cycling accessories, etc. The amount of money we're talking about here is pretty meager: a maximum allowed benefit of $20 per month, or $240 per year. But the benefit is tax free.
I'll be joining the lobbying efforts for the bicycle commuter benefit with my employer. I'm looking forward to seeing if I can help get a little extra cash for me and my cycling compatriots.
The snow that has covered the city streets here in Springfield mostly melted away over the weekend. With much of the snow gone (for now), I thought this might be a nice time to reflect on some of the logistical challenges that we faced during our recent bout of winter weather.
Since becoming a one-car family, Ginger picked up a new job that requires her to commute to the Branson area three times a week. This means that for those three days, I'm responsible for getting our son to preschool and myself to work without a motor vehicle. In mild weather, this is not a problem; I hitch the trailer to my road bike, load up the boy, and off we go. In rainy conditions, the trek is a bit soggy, but not terrible. Winter weather is a bit more tricky, though.
The first few days after the snow fell, I hitched the trailer to my mountain bike and made my usual commute. But even with 2-inch knobbies, the mountain bike gets bogged down in loose snow, and I pitifully went down in a few inches of powder trying to get home on the second day. I was also a nervous wreck during the trip to preschool, absolutely certain that my son and I were going to be struck by someone driving like an idiot in the poor road conditions.
After giving up on the bike, Ginger spent a few days working from home, and I was able to use the car for the commute. But one of the final days in which the roads were still covered, I was without a car, I had given up on travelling by bicycle, and if I walked, I knew I was going to be carrying the boy on my shoulders most of the way. So we took the bus. There's a bus stop right around the corner from our house, with the next stop just three-or-so blocks from my son's preschool.
The bus schedule worked out perfectly with our normal morning routine, and the kiddo loved riding the big bus. As a bonus, he didn't have to wear his seat belt, which made it that much more cool. I think as far as efficiency and safety are concerned, Springfield's Transit Services will be my go-to commuting method during winter weather from here on out.
