Ride with me. 10 Tips for Bicycle Commuting

Yesterday I commuted to work. I also recorded the entire trip, real-time using my Garmin Virb Ultra 30 action/sports camera. I did this to show how easy it is to commute to work for those considering their own commute on Bike to Work Day, which is this Friday, May 17th. During the ride, I offer 10 tips for commuters to help them arrive safe and ready for the rest of their day. These are not all inclusive, just some of the ones I could think of during the ride. You can watch the video below   

Or if you'd rather read them, here they are. 

10 Tips for Bicycle Commuting 

1.) Plan Your Route. 

The way you drive to work, may not be how you want to ride to work. Know your local streets. Know where the bike lanes are, or more specifically where they abruptly end. Know where the streets with wide shoulders are. Know where (as a last resort) streets with sidewalks are and if necessary, you can safely ride on them. avoid busy streets if there is no wide shoulder or bike lane. You may even want to know where the streets with tree cover are for shade. Regardless, planning your route ahead of time with these factors in mand will take a huge amount of stress out of your ride. 

2.) Prepare for Your Ride. 

Know the weather forecast for the day. Wear a workout shirt, and carry a change of clothes. If you're going to get wet either from rain or sweat, carry a wet towel inside a ziplock bag. You can use this to clean up and refresh yourself. If it's hot out, put the ziplock bag in the fridge the night before, this way it 'll be nice and cool when you arrive at your destination. This is very helpful if your office does not have shower facilities. 

3.) Make Sure Your Bag or Backpack is Waterproof. 

Nothing sucks more than getting stuck out commuting in the rain, but it happens. Here in Florida, from May through October we are most likely going to have a rain shower. You don't want your work clothes, lunch, laptop, and phone getting soaked. I use an Ortlieb Backpack/Bag. It fits nicely on my front rack, and I can carry it or wear it as a backpack from the bike rack into the office. 

Ortlieb Backpack

4.) Avoid Unnecessary Stopping. 

Nothing makes you sweat like sitting at a sitting at a stop light with the sun-shunning down on you and no shade in sight. Some lights can take upwards of 5 minutes to change, or at least it seems that way. Remember this is why you decided to ride to work instead of being one of those folks in the cars who's blood pressure is creeping up as they wait impatiently for the light to change. If you see a light ahead and its read, slow your roll. If it's green, how long has it been green? what are your chances of arriving at the light while it's still green? Think about these things. 

5.) Wear a Helmet. 

It only takes one car or one bump in the road to take you down. Without a helmet on, it may put you in the hospital or worse, 6 feet under. We all have heard stories or know of someone, who has gone down on a bike. Pick a helmet that fits, and feels good. Then wear it, every time you ride. It's that one time that you don't, that something will happen and you go down. As someone whos been riding for over 45 years, I can say that there are still times where I don't wear one, but if I'm on or near the road I usually do. I always do when I commute, because I bought a nice helmet to match the colors of my bike. It's a fashion statement and that works for me. 

6.) Don't Forget Your Lock. 

Very few of us have the luxury of being able to park our commuter bikes in our office building. That means you will be securing it outside. Invest in a good lock and wrap it around your front bars or seat post. I prefer the combo ones or keyed ones. No need to worry about carrying the key around. Always have it with you, as you never know where you night wat to stop for a coffee on your way in or some social activity with friends after work. Bring a lock. 

7.)  For Us Electric Bike Owners. 

Some of us have gone electric with our commuter bikes. Most of them have a 20-mile range under a full load. For me, this is good for about two days of commuting. I recommend carrying a charger or having a second charger available at your destination. 

8.) Bring Some Water. 

Your commute might be short, but its always good to have something to hydrate with. Also, you might get a little flying nuisance like a mosquito or lovebug in your eyes or swallow one of them. Water can be used to wash them out allowing you to continue on with your commute. 

9.) Get a Commuter Bike. 

Road and Mountain bikes are great, but they are designed for a specific purpose. Just as they are, so is a commuter bike. Get something comfortable, more upright, and with racks for bags to carry the load for you. Also, some of them come with integrated lights to make you more visible to drivers. It doesn't have to be expensive, but it should serve the purpose. 

Front and Back Racks with Fenders. 

10.)  Fenders Are Your Friend. 

Where I live it rains often and the streets are wet. You can't stop what's falling from the sky, but you can keep it from making a second run at you from below. Dirty water gets picked up by your tires and sprayed straight up your backside. Do yourself a favor, and eliminate this problem altogether by adding a set of fenders. 

I know I didn't cover them all, or for your unique situation or climate. If you have some favorite tips, please feel free to add them in the comments section.

Happy commuting.