Kind of similar to the walkability map we talked about a few months ago... you put in your address and the map shows you what is within a two mile radius of your house. Of course, this doesn't include detours you need in order to avoid major highways, giant hills and streets with many annoying stoplights, but still, something to check out.
Anyone want to challenge me? I'm in the process of outfitting my commuter bike for the winter. Just bought fatter tires for better traction in the wet weather and will be getting a big Ziploc bag to store my high-visibility windbreaker and gloves so they are protected from the rain. Maybe I'll even fix my front brake...? Now that'd be a good challenge.
If this isn't a good season for you to start riding, it may be a good season to check out the bike shop. I imagine a lot of bike shops have sales in the winter when there aren't as many folks out riding. Make sure you get a helmet!!!
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I've been talking with a lot of folks lately about biking. Mostly friends have questions about what bike to get, components, tires, etc. Hopefully some of these new riders & commuters will eventually move towards road biking (and mountain, but I don't do that as often) and then they'll want to know what to eat and drink.
Stuff I use on long bike rides:
1. Long rides, like >30 miles...Clif Bars. I used to be pretty open to other bars, but Clif's a great company. Check out Raising the Bar: The Clif Bar Story. Awesome stuff. Gary Erickson has really made sustainability (people AND profit AND planet) a huge priority for the company. I always used to go chocolate chip or peanut butter chocolate chip, chocolate mint... But after riding with JM this spring, I learned the beauty of the Banana Nut Bread flavor. I have a total weakness for baked goods like banana bread AND it has chocolate chips. How could you go wrong?
2. Gels. I've used Clif Shots, Gu and Hammer. My latest favorite is Hammer Gel, banana flavor. It really tastes like mashed up banana. Their plain, chocolate and raspberry (tastes like jam) are pretty good too. I also like Clif Shot Mocha Buzz, but I really only do the caffeinated ones for races (and I likely won't participate in a race again until 2008).
3. Cyotmax endurance drink. Tropical fruit flavor. I tried to avoid it, as it's really expensive... but it's really all I need for shorter (<20 mile, assuming normal temperatures and no giant mountains involved) rides.
1 comment:
Ooooh! Exciting topic - I'm SO with you on this! What exactly is your challenge?
I ride almost every day - to the train station, grocery store, and rehearsals. (A trombone case intended to be a backpack can be converted to an excellent pannier bag.) My new (to me) commuter bike, which came from craigslist, rocks. It's all about comfort and cargo capacity - heavy, upright riding position, low maintenance. It's not going to win any races. This year's goal: Ride through as many winter days as possible.
May I add another list in addition to your stuff to use on long rides?
Recommended bike commuter accessories for shorter/slower/flat Illinois type rides (besides the helmet, of course):
Fenders - useful if you might possibly ride through any kind of puddle or mud in your work clothes.
Lights - Critical for night riding. The more/brighter, the better. Assume you are invisible to drivers.
Milk crate (mine is attached to the rear rack with zip ties) - cheap, durable, and roomy. It's amazing how much it can carry, and it feels much better to put stuff in the crate than on your back.
Rain cape - campmor.com has a nice cheap one - goes on over any clothes you're already wearing, hood is thin enough to put a helmet over, it lets air in from underneath for ventilation and keeps you surprisingly dry from the knees up. It stays down via hand loops and leg loops inside. But it's pointless if you don't have fenders, as water will splash up under the cape from your unfendered tires.
Chainguard (not easy to retrofit on a bike that didn't come with one) - lets you ride in any kind of work pants without getting chain gunk on them. Otherwise, you can just roll up your pants or tie something around your ankles so the pants stay out of the way of the chain.
Anything to add?
It's funny that you hope commuters will get into road biking. Every time I see a spandex-clad road biker on my ride to work in business casual attire, I hope they also use their bikes for everyday trips.
End novel.
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