Trek Valencia at the 1,000 mile mark

Having logged over 1,000 miles on my Trek Valencia since purchasing the bicycle in December of last year, I thought I'd take a moment to pause and reflect.

• At the risk of disturbing the karma, the Bontrager Race Lite Hardcase tires have been flat free. This is the longest duration of flat free miles I've experienced. I'm very impressed since my bicycle commute involves bicycle lanes and highway access road shoulders that are full of glass and debris. Wow!
  

• The bike seems to really be "in its element" - it has required very little maintenance and the last several hundred miles has been hassle-free. It's shifting nicely, braking with authority, etc.

Overall, I'm quite pleased with its performance. It has handled adverse weather conditions, withstood brutal pavement challenges and always manages to get me to my destination in safety and style.

We'll see how she's doing at the 2,000 mile mark. So far, the Trek Valencia continues to earn its keep as Trek's "killer commuter".

As a tribute to this fine bike, I've created a special group of photos of my Valencia on Flickr.

The Art of Being Conspicuous : Part II

As a follow-up to my original article, The Art of Being Conspicuous, here's a video demonstrating how bicycle lighting really helps to make you stand out so that drivers are much less likely to be surprised by your presence on the road.

Also, keep in mind that while many bicycle lights claim to offer 10 or more hours of service this is NOT a promise that your light at 8 hours will be as bright as it was when you put fresh batteries into the unit.

Periodically check your lights to ensure they are at peak efficiency. If they're getting weak, replace the battery. That's a small expense for a big return in added safety.

Bike To Work Week

May 11-15th was national Bike To Work Week which culminates on Friday as national Bike To Work Day. I decided to make a commitment to bike commute all five days this week (I usually commute by bike about 2-3 days a week).

I'm proud to say, to quote a phrase my two-year old daughter likes to use often, "I did it!"

When I rolled into the driveway on Friday afternoon my total commuting mileage was just over 113 miles for the week and my sore calves, hamstrings, shoulders, neck and back were happy to confirm this!

The bicycle racks at my employer were noticeably more full. On Monday, it was almost hard to find a "parking space" given the number of bikes present.

A few highlights from this exciting week:

• I was featured in a story in our local newspaper, The San Antonio Express-News!
• I joined a coworker on his first bicycle commute from Leon Springs. Our route home included a little "off road" segment which my Trek Valencia handled quite well. Mountain bike it is not, but in a pinch it isn't shy about kickin' up some dirt!
• I documented 10-15 new bicycle commuters where I work - hearing some of them describe their experiences was awesome. Always great to see people discover - for themselves - that "going by bike" can be done and done safely at that!

Here are a few images from this week's commutes:

REVIEW : Hoss "Ponderosa" Bike Shorts

Product: Hoss "Ponderosa" Bike Shorts ($49.95)
Rating: * * * * * (5 out of 5) : Outstanding!

"Cycling clothes that make sense..."

...that's the tagline at Hoss Technical Wear.

I discovered these guys from an ad I clicked on when browsing a cycling site. I ordered a pair of their Ponderosa bicycle shorts and I must say...

They're grrrrrreat!

The CoolMax liner keeps the shorts cool - a requirement when you're biking in South Texas where the mercury is regularly above 95 degrees.

The shorts are comfortable, have several convenient pockets and look great. The partial elastic waistband and integrated buckle ensures a snug fit. They're also a great buy at $50.

When my shorts arrived I found a nice t-shirt that had been thrown in as an "extra".

That was the icing on the cake. A company with some character backing a great product.

I'm sold...if you're looking for a solid pair of shorts for biking around town or commuting, give these some serious consideration - you won't be disappointed!

May is National Bike Month

I received the following e-mail from Lydia Kelly who is a) the bicycle coordinator the county I live in and b) one of the best cycling advocates I've encountered! She sent an e-mail a week or so ago asking local commuters to send her their commuting tips. She consolidated their feedback into the following, informative post:

May is National Bike to Work Month. 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!


Preparation of self for commute:

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.


Preparation of the bike for commute:

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.

If you will be 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.

If your bike does not have baskets or panniers consider using a high quality
messenger bag. For some, it is much more comfortable than a back pack.
Consider putting fenders on your bike for those commutes when you get caught
in the rain.

Each time your ride 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!


The commute:

Ride safely, stay alert and obey the rules of the road.

Ride within the abilities of the bike and yourself.

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, and

Enjoy the ride!


Parking

If you can’t take your bicycle into the workplace ask your employer to provide
safe, secure and convenient parking for your bicycle. 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.

Options to consider:

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

The Art of Being Conspicuous

...or, how to survive riding your bicycle in the dark.

Reflectors are just one part of being conspicuous

As a bicycle commuter, riding in the dark (especially in the morning) is a simple reality. For me, its a choice of making myself visible to a small number of cars in the dark on my commute to work or waiting for daybreak and mixing it up with rush hour traffic.

I chose the former.

As a result, I've done some research on how to be as safe as possible while riding during those dark, predawn hours.

Let's start with an important fact. It is one thing to be seen by drivers. It is a second and equally important thing to be recognized by drivers as cyclists.

A tailight, for example, can assist a driver in spotting you initially. Florescent clothing (especially the bright yellow-green variety or orange), a headlamp mounted on your bicycle helmet and reflective bands on your arms/ankles are all elements that help the driver recognize, as they get closer, that you're a cyclist. Ankle bands, for example, move with your pedal strokes and communicate a characteristic motion that drivers attribute to a person riding a bike.

Bob Mionske mentions on his excellent site Bicycle Law that wearing reflective material can increase a driver's recognition from 150 feet to 2200 feet at night. That's a lot of extra time to allow a driver to move over into another lane or plan their speed so they can enter an oncoming lane safely to pass you.

Make no mistake, riding at night without taking steps to make yourself visible to motorists is a dangerous affair backed by sobering statistics. A majority of fatal bicycle accidents happen at night and if you survive a car-bike collision the lack of lights and reflective materials may be be viewed by courts as negligence.

Here are the steps I've taken to make myself more conspicuous:

• The rear of my bicycle usually has two tailights. Usually, two Planet Bike 1/2 Watt Superflashes. One mounted on the bicycle rack and the other on my Topeak bag (attached to the rack).
• I wear a pair of Vedante Super Reflective Pop Bands around my ankles and around my wrists. The ankles provide the pedal motion while the wrist bands help communicate my hand signals when turning.
• A Seca 400 headlamp is attached to the bike providing up to 400 lumens of light. I run the headlamp in steady mode in the dark to help drivers gauge my distance and to ensure I'm not about to nose dive into one of the many potholes that litter my path to work.
• In most circumstances I'll wear bright-colored clothing like my neon yellow Gore Bike Wear Helium jacket.

What do YOU do to be conspicuous?