A Perspective by BWA Member Keith Epstein (Part of a series of articles)
This is part 4 of a 6 part series that I’m writing for Bike Walk Alameda, on bike commuting, tips that I have learned over my past 25 years of commuting to work by bicycle. If you missed part 1 on “Why Commute by Bike”, or part 2 on “Some Bike Commute Basics”, or part 3 on “Bike Safety”, check out past issues of the Bike Walk Alameda newsletter. Today’s article focuses on bike clothing and gear for commuting.
Bike Clothes vs Work Clothes
If your commute to work is 4 miles or less, and does not involve a big hill, you can probably bike commute in your regular work clothes. Ride easy so you don’t arrive at work smelly. There are light weight pants available that have narrow legs so the cloth does not get stuck in the chain, and some pants have some stretch to them, which is helpful for riding. If your commute is longer than 4 miles, or hilly, or is strenuous for you, its best to wear bike clothes, then change into work clothes at work. Padded bike shorts are best, if you are more modest, you can get mountain bike shorts, which have the same padded bike shorts underneath, but a looser fitting short over. Layering on top is best to deal with changing temperatures. Wear a bike jersey with the 3 pockets in back, you can get these in long or short sleeve, these are great because they are a bit longer in back so when you are bent over the handlebars they still cover you, and the 3 pockets are great for keys, wallet, phone, hand cloth, etc.
Wear Clean Bike Clothes
The key to not smelling bad at work from your ride, is to wear clean bike clothes, and when you arrive at work, immediately take them off, towel down, and then put on your clean work clothes. If you have a really long or strenuous ride to work, having a shower option, or doing a more serious towel down with a moist towel is best.
Bike Shoes
Bike shoes have a stiff sole so more of your peddling energy goes into moving the bike forward, rather than using shoes that flex like tennis shoes, as you lose some of the push you put into the pedals from the flexing of the shoe. Bike shoes with clips are best, but these take getting used to, and involve the expense of both a shoe and a clip in pedal. In the winter, you can get shoe covers that help to keep your feet warm, and can be waterproof to keep your shoes dry if you ride in the rain.
Backpack vs Racks
It’s easiest to commute with a backpack since you probably already have one, but I have found over the years that the effort and expense of putting a good rack on your commute bike is worth it. Your system can be baskets, metal or weaved, some baskets fold flat for when you are not using them (Wald makes a great folding basket). You can also get “panniers” or bags that mount to a rack and these allow you to stuff gear into them, then take the bags with you when you get to work.
Bike Mirrors
I won’t ride a bike without a mirror, this is essential to help you to more easily see traffic approaching from behind, while still keeping your eyes on the road in front of you. I’m not a fan of helmet mounted mirrors, they move around too much for me, but some cyclists swear by them. There are a variety of mirrors that mount to different styles of handlebars, find the one that works best for your bike.
Bike Locks
I find the best bike locking system is to have two separate locks, such as a U-Lock, and a separate Cable Lock. They sell U-Locks that have a cable with the lock, but I think its best to have a separate cable lock that has its own separate locking mechanism. Lock your bike somewhere safe, most office buildings have a garage with bike racks that are in view of a security guard or camera, this is preferred to just locking a bike on the street.
Keith Epstein – keithaepstein@gmail.com
Editor’s Note: We welcome member opinions and perspectives. If you’d like to share yours, please submit them to info@bikewalkalameda.org