Bike to Work Week 2009
Summer has more or less come to Milwaukee so it’s time to get back on the saddle : Bike to Work Week 2009 is here!
We had nice weather on all but 1 day this week, and I’m on track to ride to work 3 of 5 days. I find that I consistently overestimate the “hassle factor” of biking to work and I underestimate how great I feel after 30 minutes of moderately vigorous exercise in the morning.
Since the 2008 season, I’ve made some observations and modifications to my bicycling routine that helped a lot:
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Dress the part – Bicycle shorts look silly but they really do help. Add a bicycling jersey or other top and you’ll notice the difference.
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Get a rack – A rear rack and pair of panniers (or saddlebags) can comfortably carry a lot of gear. I used to use my Timbuk2 messenger bag and found that the strap would get uncomfortable. With the panniers, I have full range of motion and can carry my work clothes, computer/supplies, and a lunchbox.
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Plan for flats – Ride long enough and you will get a flat. A spare tube, tire levers, and CO2 canister are very easy to pack in a small kit and will get you back on the road in no time.
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Winter training helps – After blowing out my knees from marathon training, I switched to stationary bike for the winter. Remarkably, the work I put in during the off season translated to much faster/easier cycling on the real bike.
To keep myself honest, I’m tracking my commute for the rest of the year based on transportation mode. (Using my new favorite data collection + display tool DAYTUM):
Filed under Milwaukee, energy, work : Comments (1) : Jun 11th, 2009 by tadfad
June 11th, 2009 at 11:02
Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting