Bike commuting

I started biking to work this past summer, probably around mid-June. Once I got past the inertia of "oh it's just easier to take the T," I discovered that bicyling to work is now easier in my mind than taking the subway. It's become my norm, and my attitude toward has changed from finding excuses to not bike to work, to finding solutions for how to feasibly bike to work.

My badassness level at the office has definitely increased. I do have to admit a certain pride when I walk to my desk, helmet in hand, or better, leaving the office for the day, helmet in hand, while it's raining sideways outside. Although people may give me compliments on being tough and hardcore, in truth it's because I live by inertia, dislike change, and now can't give up my autonomy over transportation.

With the right gear, biking in the rain isn't much worse than waiting outside for the T in the rain. It actually may be better, because even if it's freezing, once you start moving your legs and pumping the pedals, you warm up. The body is its own little portable generator. The main problem I'm trying to solve now isn't staying warm; it's minimizing my sweating while riding.

So far I've landed on a few tips for biking in 25-40 degree weather. One is that I don't wear scarves anymore. they're a great way to keep warm, but having lukewarm sweat pile up on the back of your neck under said scarf is quite uncomfortable. If I can zip up my jacket to my chin when starting out, I can zip down a bit when I get warmer. The main areas of my body that are most subject to cold are my hands and my chin/neck. I did a bit of research and went and bought lobster type mittens-- gloves with a thumb and then two fingers. Two fingers fit into each glove finger, and can keep each other warm, and you are still able to maneuver the gears and brakes well enough.

The other tips are getting at the very least a rear fender, and a waterproof jacket with zipped vents. I got a light plastic fender that cleverly straps to the seat post and can be removed without needing tools. My jacket isn't overly thick but cuts the wind and its armpit vents are key to not arriving to work a soggy, sweaty mess.

Tomorrow I am going out to look at a mountain bike with disc brakes from craigslist. My current bike is a racing bike, a 2000 Greg Lemond that is the fastest bike I've ridden, and I love it. But it won't hold up in wintry weather, and I'd rather subject a less expensive bike to the icy sludge that will undoubtedly collect all over the wheels and gears. Also the disc brakes I've heard are very helpful when riding in dirt or snowy terrain, as they aren't dependent on the friction of brake pads against wheels like traditional brakes.

With luck I will be riding every day for the winter and beyond!

How to Not Lose Your Bike

In big cities, many of the residents, like myself, bicycle to work in an attempt to avoid both the crowded, stagnant air of the subways and the rage-filled traffic jammed streets as a car. Biking hits the sweet spots of holier-than-thou exercise AND commuting, whilst getting fresh air and not having to be stuck behind a line of cars. There are downsides, of course, the most disheartening being that moment when you come out of your apartment and see a blank space where you parked your bike the night before. That was me two weeks ago. I parked the bike on a Friday night after work, and it wasn't there Saturday morning. I live in a a safe, somewhat snobby neighborhood, so my only concerns about locking my bike up outside overnight were weather-related. After going through all the stages of grief, filing a police report, scouring Craigslist and eBay in hopes of a stupid thief relisting the bike, I bought another used bike off of Craigslist. I made sure that the bike wasn't stolen. Throughout the whole process I did a lot of research on how to protect your bike from vile bike thieves.

Here's a short list:

1. Lock your bike. Always, always, always. Never leave it outside unlocked, even if it's in your garage. 
2. Lock your bike securely. Follow Sheldon Brown's strategy on locking your bike properly. This involves a U-lock plus cable lock. In lock-breaking tests, the ones that held up the best were Kryptonite's New York U-lock and On Guard's highest level U-lock. Choose your balance between security and weight, as the best locks can get up to 4-5 lbs. 
3. Lock your bike TO something secure. Pass up street signs, as they can be removed from the bottom easily. Lock to thick, immovable objects when possible. 
4. Remove any tempting accessories from your bike when locking-- lights, etc. Replace quick releases with allen screws or other unique bolts that screwdrivers can't get into. I've even read about people filling their wrench holes with epoxy glue, just to make it that much harder for would-be thieves. 
5. Register your bike at the National Bike Registry and your local town or city police department. This will make it more likely (although still slim) that you can recover your bike if it's stolen. 
6. Bring your bike indoors. Don't lock your bike outside overnight, no matter where you are. No lock can stand up forever to a seasoned thief and an angle grinder. The key is to reduce the amount of time your bike could be exposed to theft. 

I'll end this with a photo montage of how to and how to NOT to lock your bike:

Good Locking


Frame is secured to post, both front and back wheels are secured to bike and/or post with U-locks.


Both wheels are secured and frame is locked to rack.


You can alternatively take your front wheel off and lock it with the frame and back wheel to the post.


Bad Locking


Frame was only locked with the easily-cut cable. U-lock should have gone through post and frame.


Only helmet locked with U-Lock, and the bike isn't locked to the pole, only to itself!



The seat is locked which is great but cable locks on their own are too easy to be cut with bolt cutters.