We're hoping that the weather's going to improve by then, but if you want to try riding to work you can take advantage of the current relative dreariness
this week and make sure your bicycle is spiffed up and ready to go.
If you're like me, once the weather broke last month you just had to get back on the bike. If you're a normal human being (i.e., not my teammate Mario), you probably finished your last ride in the fall not expecting it to be your last ride of the year--and then the snow hit. Your bicycle sat all winter in the basement or the garage or (I'll try not to think about this) outside in a snowbank, as dirty as it was in November, and even though you've pedaled around the cul-de-sac once or twice this spring you haven't done any major cleaning.
If this describes you, now is the time. Here are some starting points for getting your ride back in rideable shape:
Wet Vs. DryYour 10-Minute Clean-N-LubeShut Up Your BikeStill have some problems? Ask online here or visit
The Ski and Bike Shop, a UNDCC Sponsor.
You've spent this week working on getting your ride back in order, maybe getting the cables replaced, maybe ogling some new tires, maybe sitting on your couch and admiring the polish job you just did instead of the television set, and all of a sudden it's Sunday night. You have to work tomorrow morning and you've realized you have no idea what to do. Relax. This is Grand Forks, remember? It takes ten minutes by car to get anywhere in town, and not much longer by bicycle. Here are some answers to your probable questions:
Clothing
Per the Copenhagen Cycle Chic manifesto, you're allowed to wear anything while riding a bicycle that you would walk or drive to work in, but bear in mind three things: what type of bicycle you have, what the weather is, and how comfortable you feel. If you have a bike with full fenders, a chainguard, a rack or basket and either a step-through "ladies" or mixte frame, you're probably in commuter heaven, but if you ride a mountain bike with exposed everything, you're going to have to adjust accordingly.
You have choices: ride to work in your work clothes, or ride to work in other clothes (it doesn't have to be lycra) and change when you get there. Another possibility is to ride to a gym near your work, score favor with the guy working the desk, and change there everyday. In any case, try to prevent your clothing from getting caught in your chain or the spokes of your rear wheel--for pants this usually means velcroing your cuffs or folding them up to expose your chiseled calf muscles; for skirts this means avoiding long flowing ones that (while obviously sexy) have to potential to get ripped off by your rear wheel.
Sweat
Many people avoid riding to work because they are in a "training" mindset--you ride your bike to go fast or do crazy stuff, not poke along at a snail's pace, and the sudden shift in speed is liable to upset your delicate disposition. Again, relax. Commuting is a different world, and nobody is competing (well, they might be, but if someone passes you going balls-out to beat a red light, take a deep breath and relax again).
Until it gets warmer out, the slower you go on the bike, the less you’ll sweat (there’s a reason Bike to Work Week is in May instead of August). This takes practice, and you’ll get better in time. If you end up sweating, many people swear by baby wipes to clean up, although if you can sneak into that gym near your office, a shower would probably feel great. In all honesty, if you sweat a little bit on the ride to work and then take five or ten minutes to relax before going inside, most people won’t even notice you had been sweating.
Storage
In Grand Forks, most of the time you don’t need to worry about where to park your ride once you get to work, as long as it’s locked up somehow (locking just the front wheel doesn’t count, nor does locking to a signpost that can be pulled out of the ground). In bad weather, you’ll want somewhere nice to store your bicycle. As long as you extoll the virtues of cycling to your boss about how it makes you more alert in the morning and less likely to get sick because you’re fit and healthy, accommodations can probably be made until your coworkers follow your example and you need to store twenty bicycles at a time.
Hair and Helmets
What you feel safe doing and what that may or may not do for your hairstyle is your own business. Do what you will, and all I ask is that you award others the same courtesy.
Commuting by bicycle--not just to work, but to anywhere you can think of going in town--can be a rewarding experience or a terrifying one, depending on how you approach it. If you have time this week, take an evening to go on a ride with your significant other to figure out the route to your respective jobs. Bring it up with your boss and coworkers that you’ll be trying to ride all week. As motivation, buy yourself a new piece of clothing or component (rack, chainguard, etc.) that you can only use while commuting. Most of all, relax. In the words of Simon and Garfunkle:
Slow down, you movin' too fast
You gotta make the morning last
Just kickin' down the cobblestones,
Lookin' for fun and
Feelin' groovy
Topic: Bike-to-Work Week (May 17-21 2010): Tips and Tricks (Read 3973 times)
