#bike210

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Forty-one weeks of bike commuting

Now HERE is a woman to aspire to be. April is a person who has moved to the top of my, ‘Woman who inspire me’ list since I moved to San Antonio. There are many reasons, the biggest being her journey to develop a distinctly unique lifestyle that is based in the strongest version of femininity I have witnessed.  Another was her journey during her pregnancy. This is one story I thought would be special for her to share considering the underlying theme for this blog: Bikes:) However, i believe she could write a book of her experience and life’s journey that could keep you on the edge of your seat for days. Anyway, here she is in all her gliding glory:

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“For a while, it wasn’t obvious. It was winter, or at least what passes for one in San Antonio, and I was wearing a shapeless jacket. Once the balmy temperatures of March rolled around, though, the jacket came off and passing drivers started to notice. I would see their heads crane around and could almost see the thought bubbles popping up above their cars: “Is she…?” Yes, yes, she was. That was a very pregnant lady, still pedaling to work every day. I went into labor on a Thursday, and rode my bike on the Tuesday prior. I hasten to add that I would have ridden Wednesday, too, but I needed to take my laptop home and I was getting a bit lazy about lugging around that much weight on my front and my back. I almost went into labor on my bike. I had ridden to the downtown public library to check out a book on attachment parenting, and on the way back I started to feel some twinges. “I really hope this is the start of labor,” I thought, “Because that would make a great story.” (It wasn’t. The stubborn boy hung on for a whole extra week.) I imagine that some of those people riding past me were aghast, thinking “Is that safe?” I worried about it a bit, too, of course, because pregnant women are pretty much required to worry about everything they do. I made sure to mention at every appointment with my midwife when she asked about what exercise I was getting. After a while, I started adding, “Is that still okay?” The midwife would look at me with that calm demeanor of hers. “Do you feel like it’s okay?” she asked. I nodded. “If you start feeling like your balance is off, then stop.” It was really as simple as that. I rode my bike before I was pregnant, so I rode my bike while I was pregnant. My advice, in addition to echoing the wonderful simplicity of my midwife’s (trust your body!) is to switch to a cruiser bike. I was bonking my belly with my knees for a while before I figured that one out.”

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‘It takes a Village’

One of the biggest lessons I learned in bicycle commuting is the importance of Community. Over the years I have had friends (short term/long), co-workers, acquaintances and strangers help my on my commute in San Antonio. Over the next couple weeks I wanted share some of their stories and opinions because I have value their experiences. The first person you will hear from is a dear friend and Bike enthusiast, Rama Chavali. Originally from India, Rama moved to Houston when he was 9, he went on to graduated from University of Houston, eventually found himself working a sweet job at USAA and then Quit that job to travel the world. This is where he is now, traveling. Aside from that excitement, I asked Rama to share a Bike commuting experience in San Antonio but also his favorite tool or piece of gear that he carried with him. I couldn’t have been more excited about his response. Here he is, Rama Chavali:

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“To give life a little change, I donated my 2001 Hyundai and switched to my maple leaf-branded bicycle for what started as 6-month trial, turned in to an all season tour for a year of bicycling in San Antonio. With almost 80% of dry days, it is very easy to ride almost anywhere in San Antonio.  Daily commute would include riding to and fro USAA and Downtown.

Between the daily rides, hill country tours and trail blazers, the bikes we ride get beat up and need tuning often.  The best tool I carry with every bike I own is my Topeak (Alien II) multi tool.  Light weight and with 26 tools, it is a must have for any bicycle enthusiast and rider for any situation.  This is the one tool that has helped many riders that crossed my path and its often minor problems which do not need to stall the rides. The tool saved riders many times during Tour de Bluebonnet hosted by Team Party Pants and Tour de Toob hosted by BBSC.  Both rides head north towards Comal river and you often find riders looking for a quick tune and fixes.  

I remember riding tour de Bluebonnet the first time in 2012 and having pain inside my knee from over extending on hills on long stretches.  Quick fix for this was to drop my seat post half inch which relaxed the knees on climbs and the pain subdued.  It also helps to have tire removals to be part of the tool since tube puncture are as common as pennies on the sidewalk.  

Mass rides powered by alcohol and frequent smoke breaks, the tour de Toob had it shares of flat tubes, crocked handle bars, and crashes.  Although it was well supported, it is sometimes easier to ask a fellow rider for a tool than wait for the sag wagon.  While taking a drink break towards the north east outskirts of San Antonio, I had a group of riders stop to ask for a multi-tool to tighten their rear break which was loose.  Which started as a pit stop, turned in to a social gathering and dance off because of the 8 inch speaker I was hauling in my Bob Yak.

The Topeka multi tool is by far the best tool I gifted to my friends because of its usefulness and portability. It is the one tool I carry with me for any sort of bicycle ride because life can get loose anytime and might need a quick fix.”

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You might recognize this lovely piece of gear as one I carry in my pack. Bottom right, its separated into two pieces. This was a lovely gift from Rama:)

[bikecommutesa-blog]

Given an inch, they’ll take a mile

Being confident and assertive on the road is another important aspect of commuting. The best way to be confident on the road is knowing the rules and understanding your rights as a rider.

YOU HAVE THE RIGHT to be in on the road. While I love San Antonio, not everyone who drives a car understand that, legally, you are allowed to be on the road. And, contrary to popular, and uniformed options, San Antonio does not allow bicycles to be ridden on sidewalks except for law enforcement and emergency personnel.  So, take up your lane accordingly. I have been that person, I want to be polite and allow cars to pass because i know I am slower than them. Unfortunately, with a couple rides under my belt, I realize people are more likely to run me off the road and not pass at a safe distance when given the opportunity. 

San Antonio is also enforcing the, ‘Safe Passing ordinance.’ This requires all cars to allow, not just cyclist, but any vulnerable road user 3 FEET of space to pass and a truck is required to leave 6 FEET of space to pass. You can, respectfully, remind drivers of this as necessary:) http://www.sanantonio.gov/Portals/0/Files/SABikes/Safety/Ordinance-2010-02-04-0097.pdf

There are special laws put in place to keep you safe as a rider. There are other laws that were put in place for ALL vehicles on the road and you ARE considered a vehicle. One of the reasons you have a right to road is because you are EXPECTED to follow the same rules as the Toyota that just pulled up next to you at the stop light and you CAN BE GIVEN tickets accordingly. So, stop at stop lights, don't text and ride, don't speed in school zones (its happened... http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/police-speed-trap-snaring-bicyclists-too/) and most importantly, DON’T DRINK AND DRIVE. I know we all take advantage of our 2 Wheeled vehicle because we think its safer then getting behind the wheel of a car but you CAN get a DUI on a bike. As a cyclist you are putting yourself at a grater risk when you ‘drink and drive’ because you don't have a frame of steel around you when you run into a light pole or the back of someones car.

San Antonio is working hard to make sure you are safe as a rider. Don't take advantage of their generosity. We have all seen the thoughtless riders running red lights, weaving through traffic and cutting off cars and pedestrians. THIS DOES NOT MAKE YOU COOL. It makes you ungrateful and careless. You have a blatant disregard for the laws that are put in place to keep you safe as well as those around you. Not to mention, every time you run a red light or cut off a driver, you are reinforcing their options that cyclist should not have a right to the road. Don't be that guy/ gal.

Having ranted about that, we all recognize that cyclist aren’t the first people to run a stop a sign BUT that doesn’t make it okay.  I think its important to do our best to work within the structure given to keep ourselves safe and those around us. Again, working together is the best way to work towards a stronger bicycle community and bicycle presents.

[bikecommutesa-blog]

Slide to the left, slide to the right!

Over communication is the key to MOST things in life. Commuting is no exception to the rule. Its even more important in this situation because cars are much bigger then you and might not know you are there.

Before we get into the rule of the road and finding your best route, I wanted to go through how to communicate with other riders and drivers on the road.

Its sweet and simple.  When you are riding solo, Just as if you were driving, you want to communicate the same way but even more often. If you’re changing lanes, turning onto a new street, stoping/ slowing at a stop light or stop sign or just saying ‘hey’ to a fellow rider. Really Simple:

Turing Right or changing lanes to the right:

Turing left or changing lanes to the left:

Use this sign when stoping or slowing in traffic:

Don't hesitate to make these motions multiple times. Chances are, cars will not see your gesture the first time. Not to mention, those crazy riders that wear both headphones while they’re riding. DON’T do it, you can't hear the other riders around you and people in cars are probably not looking our for your safety. BE SMART, BE AWARE.

When you are riding with another rider, or multiple riders, VOCAL directions are just as important as bodily gestures. Be in constant communication with the riders around you. If you are going to turn right, don't just make the gesture but say ‘turning right’ out loud to let those around you know your plan. Use “Turning left’ and ‘Stoping’ or ‘slowing’ accordingly.

Just as important is coming up to other riders on the road. Communicating which side you are passing on will prevent you from being t-boned because someone decides to turn right when you pass them on their right. So, when you are coming up to a rider communicate ‘Passing on the left’ or ‘passing on the right’ depending on your placement.

Also, don't be afraid to be friendly to other riders. Use this to send a friendly ‘hello’ to passing riders. You may think this is silly but I can’t tell you how many times I pass a rider and there is no form of communication between us. Remember we are all fighting for the same cause: building our bike community. The best way we can build our bike community is working together and following the rules of the road.

[bikecommutesa-blog]

Safety first!

Alrighty friends,

Its Safety week! Think of me as your Ms. Frizzle on a tour of bike safety. Only we are not on a bus... I'm driving a pedicab because driving a bus is scary and also, a pedicab is more relevant to the topic. If you haven’t seen or read ‘The Magic Schoolbus,’ my apologies, we can just move on.

In my experience there are a few things one NEEDS to be proactive about safety.  

First: A HELMET. 

When you are in the market for a bike, plan on adding a hemet into the budget. Its not a ‘maybe I will need it’ thing. It is a ‘I have enough self respect to care about the well being of my brain.’ To this day it BLOWS MY MIND that folks in SA do not wear helmets. I just hope people ‘wise up’ before a crazy, unobservant driver gives them a reason to regret not wearing a helmet. However, I will be honest, for a while I thought it was REALLY COOL not to wear a helmet. I even wore a cowboy hat because to prove just HOW COOL i really was... I didn't realized I looked like a idiot and it only took getting pushed off the road into a curb one time to realize i was nuts. 

Second: Lights! A White light for the front and a Red light for the back. 

The first time I went to buy lights, I was asked, ‘Are you buying lights to SEE or BE SEEN.’ In that moment I realized, I actually did not know the right answer. I quickly responded ‘To see,’ hoping that was the right answer. Little did I know, I had chosen the right answer. Since I was going to be on the road at all hours of the day, it would benefit me to have light to be able to see the potholes on belknap at night but also be seen by other riders/drivers. I can not emphasize enough, you can't put a price on your safety or the safety of your bike. However, You don't have to break the bank, just be smart. Personally, I have found companions in my solar powered lights because I hate the small circular batteries all small bike lights call for (these solar lights are easy to find with a google search for: solar powered bike lights).  Side note: Speaking of those small bike lights, why are they all different sizes? The battery sizes are difficult to find and make me feel crazy. I would go to the store to replace the batteries and, like a goof, i’d come back with ones whose diameter was not the right size. I know this is was just me being lazy but it was my reality for a hot minute.\

A few side things that can be helpful are: Water bottles, DONT LEAVE HOME WITHOUT ONE (Especially in summer time). Glasses to keep those pesky gnats our our eyes, Sun screen to fight back that Texas sun and light weight long sleeve shirts because sometimes sun screen just isn’t enough.

short, sweet and to (kinda) to the point. There was a little ranting today. Thanks for reading. 

[bikecommutesa-blog]

Lock it up

Happy Friday, Friends. Lots of pictures today because my descriptive skills are lacking.

So, chances are if you have a bike or have been riding for any length of time, you have have had your bike stolen or know someone who has had their bike stolen. If you have not, I want to continue to push positive energy in your direction because I don't wish that upon any one.

This is one of those topics you can research forever. There are so many people talking about bike locks, how to lock up you bike and places to park your bike....Its because it is important. So if you have heard these things before, sorry but, its worth sharing one more time:)

Choosing a bike lock can be frustrating because they are expensive and you want some kind of guarantee that your bike won't be stolen. Here are some quick tips think about when purchases a bike lock.

-Stay away from chorded bike locks no matter where you live, they may seem like a good idea but anything that can be cut with some bolt cutters is not a great idea. You may live in an area that you bike is not as likely to be stolen but that doesn’t been much. Why take the risk? Bike locks are not the place to be cheap:)

-Look for testing certifications: ‘Gold Secure’ is ideal but there is also silver and bronze levels.

- Look for lifetime warrantees and Anti-theft offers. Kryptonite is a good option,  “The Anti-Theft Offer is an optional offer that one must register for.  If your bicycle or power sport vehicle is stolen because of the opening or breaking of the Kryptonite lock by force, we will pay you the base cost of your vehicle excluding taxes and accessories in accordance with the specific maximum amounts listed; or your Theft Deductible, if applicable’ but there are others available.

This is a VERY basic idea but crucial to the safety of your two-wheeled friend.  There are two things I think about when I am choosing where I lock up my bike. Foot traffic/ visibility and security. 

I’m also confused when business put bike racks in dark empty ally ways. I assume if I was a bike thief I would be thinking something like, ‘Oh great, Ive got some time before someone even notices I’m here’ So, I prefer to leave my bike somewhere with foot traffic and high visibility. If its not visible to me, then to many others.

Security- this many not mean you have cameras on your bike all the time but lock your bike up the correct way to prevent a stolen bike. If you are not going to be gone long normally you can get away with locking your main frame and your back tire to a secured bar, railing or bike rack.  like so:

If you are planning to be somewhere for a long periods of time, remove your front tire and lock it, your main frame and back tire to a secured bar, railing or bike rack. This way there is not a chance of someone using your quick release against you. like so:

Do feel free to be creative if you do not see a bike rack or there is not room on a bike rack. Using a gate, railing or pillar. However,

Do not lock your bike on movable or easily moveable poles. This seems like common since but we have all seen weirder things. 

Be polite to pedestrians, Do not block foot traffic with your creative bike parking.

There is so much information on how to choose a bike lock and proper ways to lock up with bike but Hope this helps:) If you would like additional information check out these other sites or check our your local bike shop. They really enjoy meeting fellow cyclists and want to share the information they have with you.

http://gearpatrol.com/2013/08/15/10-best-bike-locks/

http://www.kryptonitelock.com/en/home.html

http://thebestbikelock.com

[bikecommutesa-blog]

Riding the bus with a twist

Internet malfunction last night, sorry folks!

When I moved to San Antonio, as I mentioned, I participated in a volunteer year with the presbyterian Church. The name of the program was called the Young Adult Volunteers and they, initially, placed me with an after school program on the south end of San Antonio. Since none of the participants, including me, had cars so we relied on public transit. Our site coordinator who was from the mennonite church of San Antonio took a day and helped us get familiar with the system. I remember everyone saying things like, ‘SA doesn’t have the best public transportation’ and to this day I hear the same sentiment. I don't TOTALLY agree. Don’t misunderstand me, there is plenty of room for improvement in our public transit system and I like to believe there is some pretty nice money going into making those improvements. Also, I think the reason most people criticize our transit system is because they have not tried to use it themselves. And, just like any mode of transportations other then a car, it requires some extra time and planning. Trust me, I get it, there are days I could NOT get everything on my ‘to do list’ finished if i didn't borrow someone’s car to drive around the city. However, this doesn’t mean it is not a valuable option for families or individuals to commute. 

Now, riding the bus with a bike. This makes riding the bus even QUICKER because normally it means you don't have to transfer buses to get to your destination. After my volunteer year, I was still working with an after school program on the west side of downtown along with a coffee shop many of you know called, ‘Sip.’ After riding my bike in the wee hours of the morning from Hildebrand and Fredericksburg and opening the coffee shop, sometimes I had no desire to ride my bike to my next job. So, I use the bus. 

Instead of reinventing the wheel and taking my own pictures of my adventures on a bus, Im going to use this very useful thing i have found called, the INTERNET! I never knew how helpful it could be, really. Again, if you know me outside of this blog you know my capacity for technology has been a LONG and SLOW road, while it may seem advanced since I'm writing a blog, is not.  Anyway... Here is an amazing video put out by via. After this, I have a few pro tips for riding the bus.

So, now that you know how easy getting your bike on the bus can be. How to find your route? Again, this is where our iPhones and androids are super helpful even on the road. 

http://www.viainfo.net/BusService/RiderTool.aspx

First pro tip: Ill put in my starting and ending address into the website. Normally, the easiest way to get to my destination is skip the first or second bus. Say for instance, I want to go to North Star Mall from the Pearl Brewery. The website tells me to take the #14 bus, south, downtown to Navarro&Martin in order to take the #5 bus up McCullough up to North Star. To Make my life easier, I will either ride my bike to the bus stop downtown to Navarro&Martin or ride directly west to McCullough (which is super close) to find the first bus stop traveling north towards North Star. Boom. You get a quick ride and the Luxury missing those crazy hills up McCullough on the bus.

Pro tip two: Again, use technology. You can now TEXT THE BUS! Say for instance you get to that bus stop on Mccullough and you want to know how long you have until the next bus arrives, you can text the bus stop number (the 5 digit number under the bus number) not the bus number to: 52020. The bus will text you back with upcoming schedules for all the buses coming to your bus stop.

Pro tip three: Bring correct change for the bus. The bus will not give you change if you decide to give it two dollars and you only owe them 1.30. Regular bus is $1.30 and with a transfer is $1.45. This is subject to change but check it out before you go:)

http://www.viainfo.net/Fares/FaresMain.aspx

Until tomorrow! Deal. Out. 

[bikecommutesa-blog]

To ride you bike you can wear....

Lets be honest, Texas summers are HOT. The first summer I arrived in San Antonio we were concluding over 100 days of temperatures over 100 degrees. My cousin was having party in celebration... who wouldn’t want to celebrate those numbers with a ice cold beer! 

If I am being realistic, these hot days can make commuting on a bike more then challenging. I want to get to work and look as well dressed and put together as if I rode in a car to work. So, like everything else in the life of a commuter, it takes some thinking ahead. CHECKING THE WEATHER, is something I have tried to engrain into my existence. This helps me plan ahead. 

If the weather is too hot, plan on bringing an extra pair of clothes to work. Ill throw on an pair of shorts and a tank.  Then, nicely fold my slacks and a blouse or a dress in my bag to put on I when I get to work (patterns are key here in case there are a couple wrinkles). Again, this takes some planning so I have to be everywhere 20 mins early. This way my hair has dried from the sweat, I’m able to wash my face and drink some water before i put on my clean clothes and greet customers at the shop. 

If its cold, its ALL about layers but not too many and covering the right places. By the time you are a mile into your ride, if you are wearing a tank, a long sleeve, fleece and your winter coat, you're going to be sweaty and uncomfortable. I know this sounds crazy and, if you know me outside of this blog, nit picky and unnecessary as usual but it makes life easier.  Normally in San Antonio, all I need is a t-shirt and my fleece jacket (that is a wind breaker). The things that have saved my life in the cold are ‘windstopper’ gloves and either a scarf to wear around my ears or ear muffs. Your ears and fingers are the parts of your body that never seem to warm up on a cold ride. Here’s some links if you are looking for warm gear:

http://bikeworld.com/product/bontrager-velocis-windshell-gloves-222848-1.htm

http://www.mountainhardwear.com/womens-anselmo-jacket-1550651.html?dwvar_1550651_variationColor=600#q=wind+stopper&prefn1=genderGroup&prefv1=Womens&start=0

If the weather is GORGEOUS, like it has been for the past couple days, I wear what Im planning to wear at the shop (maybe short spandex if my dress is too short for comfort). Whether its a dress or slacks, I still plan to get to work a little early to replenish my liquids but I'm not as concerned with redoing my make up or needing to let the sweat dry in my hair. This seems gross... but its not:)

Bottom line, to ride your bike you can wear... just about anything you want. Just plan for it 

A shameless plug from the San Antonio bike community: Friend and fellow rider Alli Blazosky has been working on events for bike month. On May 20th they will be hosting their “Bike Night Block Party”. At the event there will be a ‘Bike to Work Fashion Show’ so you can get some more ideas. Stay tuned for more details.