May is National Bike to Work Month

From Lydia Kelly a the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

The week of May 11th is National Bike to Work Week. May 15th is National Bike to Work Day. Now is the time to prepare for cycling to work if you are not already a commuter.

Here are a few tips gathered by cyclists in the region who commute. If you have never considered using your bike to get to work or school: now is as good of time as any.

Bicycles are not just for recreation any more. Ride on!

Prepare Yourself

• Keep it as simple as possible. You will not stick with it if it is too burdensome.
• Dress for the ride; not necessarily for work (at least at first).
• Work clothes can be at the office already or carry them with you. Leave a pair of work shoes, a towel, toilettes, personal hygiene supplies at the office. These tend to be bulky items.
• Know your route. Rush hour traffic is not a good time to experiment with the roadway. Map your route prior and consider riding the route on a weekend to give yourself practice. The route you take by car might not be the route you want to take by bicycle.
• Pay attention to the weather. Be ready with rain, cold and hot weather gear.
• Velcro straps or plain rubber bands work great if you ride with work clothes on to keep the pant legs from getting caught in the chain/rings/etc.
• Get a helmet that fits correctly; and please wear it.
• Think fun and adventurous thoughts.

Prepare Your Bike

• Get the best bicycle for the commute. Take time to find a bike that fits you. A road bicycle might not work for commuting unless you have more than 8 miles one-way (Skinny tires are less comfy and prone to flats).
• Use quality tires to deter flats; but be ready with safety supplies such as extra tubes, a patch kit, a multi tool including a chain tool and CO2 cartridges with an inflator nozzle. Practice changing a flat in a nice safe location so when you have to change it on the street it will be second nature.
• When riding at night a headlight and a taillight that can be seen for 500 ft is essential to your safety. Two rear reflectors are a protection in case the battery goes dead on one before the other.
• Install a rear rack on your bike so you can attach basket/panniers for carrying needed items such as clothes, laptops and purses.
• Consider using a high quality messenger bag if your bike does not have baskets or panniers. For some, it is much more comfortable than a back pack.
• Put fenders on your bike for those commutes when you get caught in the rain.
• Check your bike for loose nuts and bolts, check the tire pressure, make sure the seat adjustment isn’t loose, make sure the handle bar adjustment is tight, the chain is not too loose or too tight and the pedals rotate smoothly.
• You and your bike are ready to roll!

Your Commute

• Ride safely, stay alert and obey the rules of the road.
• Ride within your abilities - and your bike’s!
• Make yourself visible with the use of reflective clothing, bright headlights, and a good easy to see rear flasher or two.
• Be predictable and signal your intentions. Make eye contact with drivers. Claim your lane.
• Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate
• Please wear your helmet
• Enjoy the ride!

Parking

• Ask your employer to provide safe, secure and convenient parking for your bicycle if you can’t take your bicycle into the workplace . That means your bicycle is out of the elements and relatively safe from theft.
• One automobile space can be converted to allow for up to 10 bicycles.

An Option to Consider

• Consider riding the bus if don’t want to bike commute because you will get to work sweaty but wouldn’t mind commuting from work to home. All VIA Metropolitan Transit buses have bike racks.

A Couple of San Antonio Bike Events

This from Lydia Kelly at the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

There are two great opportunities for public involvement in support of cycling in the region in April.

• Please join our MPO’s Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee on April 8^th for BIKE NIGHT.  We had 70 participants at our last meeting.  I hope those who joined us felt it beneficial and will return and bring a friend or two.  If you couldn’t make it to the last evening meeting; please join us for this meeting. The doors open at 6:00 p.m. with light refreshments and exhibits.  The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. We have kept the agenda short (and very informative) with plenty of time for citizen comments.  There will be bicycle parking. The meeting will take place at 1021 San Pedro in the VIA Community Room.
• Then on April 20th, consider joining “Bexar Trails” members, the Texas Bicycle League and other cyclists from the San Antonio region and ride a bus to Austin for Cyclists in Suits on April 20^th.  See the flyer and the attached email below for additional information. Make your voices heard in San Antonio by coming to our Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee Meeting and make your voices heard in Texas by participating in the Cyclists in Suits day.

I’ll see ya at the BMAC meeting!