Surviving the daily commute - on a bicycle

HitSession is skipping the usual music review for this blog to offer some advice of a different nature.

With gas prices rising over $3 per gallon, a lot of folks are considering ways to save money at the pump. One of the most obvious ways to reduce your weekly transportation expense is to ride a bicycle to work as much as possible.

Besides saving gas money, bicycling to work has other advantages:

• You won't contribute to greenhouse gas and global warming.
• You'll burn calories.
• You'll arrive at work full of positive energy.
• You won't have to fight for a parking space.
• You might actually save time.
  

I've been a bicyclist since getting out of college 25 years ago. It's not unusual for me to ride 120 miles per week, riding for fitness or training for the occasional road or mountain bike race. So I have one advantage in my daily commute - I'm already in shape. For those readers who are a bit soft around the middle, it will take several hours of bicycling to get in condition. Your butt will hurt, your legs will ache, and you may experience some lower back discomfort if your bicycle isn't properly set up for you. As always, see a physician before embarking on any strenuous exercise program.

My ride to work is 10 miles of rural and small town riding. I've heard of insane individuals who ride 30 miles or more, one way! On a good day, a fast cyclist is able to average 18 to 22 MPH, depending on the wind. The good news is that if you have headwind in one direction, you'll have a sweet tailwind in the other direction!

Here are some bicycle commuting ideas that I've come up with over the years:

• Ride a good bike. The Wal-Mart "special" in your garage isn't going to be reliable or comfortable. It boggles my mind that people spend tens of thousands on their cars, but they won't spend $5oo to 1500 for a decent bicycle. The professionals at the local bicycle shop will help you select a bike that's perfect for your needs.
  
• Minimize the load. There is always at least one day each week when I have to drive to work. I take a week's worth of clothing so that I don't have to cram my work clothes in a backpack. I also leave my notebook computer at work, because the dang thing just weighs too much.
• Wear comfortable clothes. For commutes under 5 miles, you may be able to wear your work clothes on your bike. I find that I am much more comfortable with cycling shorts and a jersey on for my ride.
  
• Clean up at work. The morning's are cool in Michigan, so I don't get too sweaty. But I do clean up in the sink at work with a wash cloth when I feel grungy.
  
• Park your bike inside. These days, most employers are aware of the need to secure your bike indoors. Ask if there is somewhere you may put your machine, and they'll usually say yes.
• When you need to park your bike outdoors, make sure you have a good lock.
• Be in tune with the weather! I don't ride in rain unless I am caught in it unexpectedly. Typically, this means that I get wet once or twice per season. Internet weather websites are a bicyclists best tool.
• Speaking of tools, carry a spare tube and pump. Flats suck, but not being able to fix a flat sucks even worse.
  

For my 10 mile commute, I leave for work 25 minutes earlier than I would if I were driving. The first 7 miles are rural. I start out easy, and let my body get used to the bike. Usually I am feeling fine after the first 1 or 2 miles. I wear bright clothing and avoid busy roads. Of course, I wear a helmet and often use a rear flasher for additional visibility. I ride very defensively, not allowing motorists to put me in a position of danger. Sometimes this means taking ownership of a lane. When traveling through busy intersections, I make sure that everyone sees me. I've ridden over 4,000 miles each of the last several years and have not had any serious incidents with motorists. I won't say I haven't had any close calls, but I have enough riding skills to get myself out of trouble in case an emergency maneuver is needed (mountain biking helps build these skills).

You'll find that having your bicycle with you at work makes you more productive through your increased fitness and stamina. Need to go out for lunch? The bike will get you there faster than a car.

Best of all, each time you ride you'll remember that you've saved hard-earned cash that you would have spent on gasoline!