Today I become a bike commuter!

[Longhorn]

Well, a partial commute, to begin with. It's only ten miles from my house to school but that's down a busy four-lane highway with few shoulders. However, there's a road off the back parking lot that has a barrier for cars but that I bike can get around. From there, I can take a somewhat meandering route through a very hilly neighorhood, then on a rural two-lane road that eventually makes it back to the highway -- seven miles total.

So I'm going to park at a health care center near the highway and ride the seven miles back and forth to my car. My husband and I tried it out Sunday and it took just under an hour because I had to stop and rest so often on the hills. I'm sure I'll get that time down eventually. Later, if I want to ride the entire route, there's either another really meandering network of winding, hilly roads that adds another ten miles, or I can try to take the highway the rest of the way for another five miles. It's not as congested further from town. But that's for later. ;)

I've got a headlight and some other front and back lights, a handlebar bag, and an over-the-shoulder bag similar to a messenger bag but more of a triangular shape. I took a load of clothes, toiletries, and food to school yesterday. I'll have to take "bird baths" at school since we have no shower. I even got a couple of cute little skirts to wear over my bike shorts (to spare my students' embarrassment if they see me as much as mine) since I'm 30 pounds overweight.

I've tried to think of everything but I guess we'll see. My biggest worry is that I don't get off until dusk and that country road has no streetlights. I tried out my headlight going down my driveway last night and realized I wouldn't want to go very fast since I can't see that far ahead of me. It won't be quite as dark when I'm headed to my car, though. Still, I may want to get a second headlight, though my handlebar is sure fulling up with equipment!

I'll let y'all know how it goes! I don't know why I have such butterflies in my stomach! :crazy:

[happyslug]

1. Some advice as to headlights

Your eyes will adjust to the area of the light. For example I took my bike on the local bike trail just before Dusk last month. When I went through the Staple bend tunnel, I could barely make out the tunnel with the light, but when I went back through it after dark (and my eyes had adjusted for the dark) the light lite up the tunnel very while. The difference was almost like day and night (and it was). Your eyes will adjust for the lack of light if you commute at night.

Now when I ride at night, and I have habit of using three headlights. The first is my main light, a generator light from Schmidt. I like it, it provide a good light and I never have to worry about the battery. Schmidt produces three types of Generators. The first is a HUB generator called the "Son". The Generator literally replaces your front hub. It costs the most but I have had no problems with it. Schmidt claims it is just a little more drag than an XTR front hub, but I have had both and I can not tell the difference.

Next on the list is Schmidt's is their barrel generator generator which you turn off and on by pulling it off your tire. The third generator is a cheaper version of their barrel Generator. It is cheaper but causes more drag when you are pedaling. One word of caution, do NOT get one of those cheap generator from your local Walmart type store. They tend to tear up your tires AND the drag will turn you off generator lights forever. All of the Schmidt's generators have way less drag than those store bought generators (Which I admit I used as a youth and found to be NOT worth what I paid for them).

The next set of lights I use is a converted headlamp with five LCD lamps. It is not bright, but give me a decent backup as a head lamp on my helmet. I also have a AA flashlight that I mount on by handlebars as a back up, gives adequate light in a pinch but strictly for backup.

The third light I use is a Nite Rider HID head light. It fits on my helmet. Like the Schmidt it is expensive but unlike the Schmidt very bright. I tend to use it as a high beam i.e. only used when I need extra light over and above what the Schmidt SON gives me. The chief problem with the HID light (and all battery lights) is that the Batteries tend to last only about 3-4 hours (less if the temperatures is less than freezing which is often the case in my area).

I use the headlight lamp for it frees up my handlebars for other junk (Including my hands). The battery I either keep in a pocket, or in a bag on the bike or when I am willing to carry the weight on the helmet (It really weighs down the helmet so most people will dislike it in that position). Now How I attached the battery to the helmet is first I attached a Velcro system to the Battery and the Helmet. I than strap th battery in with a Velcro strap (You need BOTH for the battery to stay on the helmet, either one by themselves will fail, but together the battery pack will stay on the helmet, but again the helmet will be quite heavy and most people will opt to carry the battery in a pocket).

One of the great things about a helmet lamp is that your light will go where you are looking NOT where the bike is going. When used with another light on the bike this is a good combination (One light lighting where the bike is going, the other light lighting up where you are looking). Remember where you are looking and where the bike is going may be two different places (through most times will be the same).

Note on rechargeable lights and battery lights. Rechargeable lights are the brightest lights and the cheapest to operate (excluding the Generator lights). The problem is once the battery pack is dead you have to charge it or replace it with another battery pack (You just can not go into a store and buy a battery for it). Battery lights are good, if you use rechargeable batteries, as cheap as a rechargeable light AND you can go into any store and buy a battery when you need it, but tend not to be as bright as the Rechargeable lights. I keep one battery lights as a back up to my main lights (Through to be honest I have NEVER had to fall back on them and hopefully never will).

As to the lights themselves, I have been going more and more to LCD lights. While not as bright other lights, you do not have to worry about the light burning out. Thus I would go with a LCD lights in most circumstances. Now for my Schmidt I started out with Halogen lights and than converted to Schmidt's new LCD light. I could see no difference in the area lite (Most of the newer LCD lights use bigger LCDs and magnifiers to max the light outputs). Again neither set of lights were as bright as my Nite Rider HID light.

Now most states do NOT require tail lights when a bicycle is used at night (Through most states require a headlight). While not required I would recommend a tail lights. These went LCD over ten years ago for LCD provide a very good marking type light with very little power drain (i.e. if battery operated can last up to a month of use when only turned on when it gets dark). If you go with the Schmidt Son I recommend a tail light with the Schmidt, but I also recommend a second rear light just in case. Now the Nite Rider has an option of a taillight which I put on my helmet. Gives me a third set of tail lights.


For more on the Schmidt's Son see Peter Whites Wheels:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/

For more on the Nite Rider Lights:
http://www.niterider.com/products.php?sku=6396

Nashbar has a attachment device for attaching a AA flashlight to your handle bar:
http://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?category=101&subcategory=1065&brand=&sku=3203&storetype=&estoreid=&pagename=

[Longhorn]

4. What a wealth of information!

I'll definitely check out some of those systems and see what I can do to increase my lighting and safety. Thanks so much for taking the time to share all of this great info and experience! :yourock:

[happyslug]

5. Night Vision

People have different levels of night vision. Basically night Vision is your eyes adjusting to the lack of light. The biggest problem I have found when biking at night is when I am blinded by an oncoming car's headlights. The best solution to this is the visor on your helmet (I am assuming you are using a helmet, if not a cap with a brim can also be used to block the headlights). I try NOT to look into the headlights but stay on my side of the road and leave my lights be seen by the oncoming driver. If you have to look at the car try using the visor to block the headlights, I have found this is sufficient in most cases.

Now I have used some other lights at night (Including a Sears Die Hard rechargeable flashlight I strapped on the bike via a front rack. It had a 4 inch light and some cars would think I was an oncoming motorcycle or car and turn off their high-beams when they saw that light). I have found the combination I am using now to be the best. The combination gives to light, flexibility and the ability to have light when things go wrong (and there will).

As to hill climbing, I have lived in Western Pennsylvania all my life (except a two years I spent in Corpus Christi Texas). There is one thing about Western Pa, it has a lot of hills. I learned early that to enjoy biking you can NOT punish yourself by trying to pedal all the way up the hills. You just go as far as you can and when your knee starts to buckle, get off the bike and walk it up the rest of the hill. I also recommend a change of T-shirt. If you have to stop for any length of time you will feel a lot better is you are wearing something dry, not something soaking with sweat (And this applies to winter biking also, on my 20 mile ride through the Conemaugh River Gorge I tend to stop half way and change my t-shirt even in winter). Now I know this is harder for women to do than men (Actually Culturally harder for women than men, but whether the problem is actual or cultural makes no difference to a woman wanting to change her t-shirt or bra for a dry one). I point out you should take some extra underclothes with you to change into while on the trip, if you get tired do to the length of the trip I find dry underclothes picks me up enough to continue the trip.

One more thing, you will sweat while biking, I have found it better to have NOTHING on my back except my shirt, thus permitting the sweat to escape as much as possible. Thus I my bike has a rear rack and rear panniers to hold what I need both on the bike trip and where I am going.

In addition to extra clothes, bike tools, and spare inner tube I keep in the panniers I also keep Rain pants, a poncho, and over-boots (Boots to go over your shoes to keep the rain out of them). For over-boots I like the NEOS brand for they can be folded up and do not take up much room. If you are using clip-less pedals on your bike both Nashbar and Performance are similar items but with a hole for the clip on the bottom of your biking shoe). I also carry some extra dry clothes in a dry bag.

As to the poncho, I have NOT found anything better than an old Army poncho (NOT army style, actual Army surplus). These can cover you and part of your bike. As to rain pants I have pedaled in the rain with just the poncho and the boots, but when I use rain pants I prefer a bib style rain pants better than just pants, the reason being is increase overlap with either a rain coat or the Poncho (In winter I wear a Gore-Tex Coat instead of the Poncho do to the need for increase heat, but a bib type rain pants still works better than regular type rain pants).

While I am speaking of rain, fenders help a lot. Now when I mean by fenders are full size fenders like SKS makes (and sold by White Wheels and other bike stores). These can be installed in about 15 minutes and keeps most of the rain off you and your bike parts. I strongly recommend fenders if you decide to pedal in the rain. I also strongly recommend you avoid anything else but full size fenders, the other pseudo fenders often sited to be used by Mountain bikes just do NOT work.

For Campmor's site on Neo's Over-boots:
http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226&categoryId=69721&langId=-1&parent_category_rn=69710

I gave you White's address in my previous post. But here is his site for SKS fenders (You have to scroll down to get to the SKS Fenders:
http://www.peterwhitecycles.com/fenders.asp

Another catalog with a lot of the better quality items for Bikes is Harris Cyerly in Massachusetts:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/harris/index.html

For the West Coast I have found this to be a good site for parts and high end bike items:
http://www.cambriabike.com/

I have not found anything in between that is as good as these two shops for high end bike merchandise and I found out a long time ago go with the better items for their pay for themselves in the long run.

[Kolesar]

8. A wicking t-shirt

I have had good results with t-shirts made of "hydrophobic" non-absorbent fibers such as polyester. The fibers with brand names such as Coolmax, Akwatek, and Capilene have properties that "pull" the perspiration moisture along the yarn fibers and away from your skin and to the outer surface.

Don't trust cotton. It will hold the moisture to your body like a wet wash cloth and never evaporate.

I also wear a tightly-woven windbreaker with ventilation under the yoke in the back.

I like cycling-specific t-shirts that have the three pockets in back. If you try to put things in your jacket pockets, they slump down and slap against your knees in a mode that is most distracting.

If you wear several layers of synthetic garments over your shirt, you can take advantage of their non-absorbent nature and be comfortable.

The only sport where I still occasionally get uncomfortably sweaty is cross-country skiing. In XC, you are exercising extremely hard (especially skate skiing), with a pulse rate that can be higher than running. One must pay close attention to when to ventilate one's jacket to evaporate the perspiration.

[happyslug]

9. I like Cotton, but it does hold and retain sweat

That is both Cotton's weakness and strength. Cotton is actually five times stronger wet than dry. As to the "Cool Max" types shirts I have been meaning to try one for about ten years, but never have (been to cheap). I have heard good things about them, but I use cotton and just change it when I take a break.

As to Polyester and other artificial materials in general, Silk and Wool are still the best materials for moving sweat from your skin and than releasing it into the atmosphere (and the reason both were used in outdoor clothing for centuries). Artificial fibers on the other hand can move the sweat away from your body (and does not absorb it like Cotton) but is as poor as cotton at releasing it into the Atmosphere. The later situation is why I have been reluctant to try them out. I sweat like a pig so I generally want something that absorb that sweat more than just moving it away from my body.

I suspect "Cool max" type garments feel good because you are moving at a fair amount of speed and the air flow compensates for the low release rate (and the reason for your problem with sweat while Cross Country Skiing, the air flow is reduced so you have to rely on the slow release rate, wool or silk would be better in that application). The few times I have tried Polyester or other artificial material I have NOT liked them as garments given its lack of absorbing power AND lack of getting rid of sweat. I also acknowledge that most of my experience with such material is 10-15 years ago just as "Cool-Max" type materials were coming into use, thus I have NOT used "Cool-Max" types garments.

As I was saying Cotton is good if you consider its limitation and work around its limitations (that is once it is wet replace it with another shirt). The chief problem with most people wearing Cotton is their do NOT change it soon enough but wait for it to get soaked before replacing it. I do that quite often, but once I stop for any reason I change that shirt. If you use Cotton (or its cousin Linen) that is what you have to do even in mid-winter.

[welshTerrier2]

2. bike commuting is a great way to pile on the miles ...

if you're doing roughly 15 miles a day, that could be 75 miles a week ... add a couple of 25 milers on the weekend and you're well over 100 miles per week ...

those 30 extra pounds can't hold up against that kind of mileage !!

the only concern i have is the night riding ... my policy on night riding is: DON'T ... i just don't think it's safe no matter what precautions you take ...

is there any way you could bike back to your car at lunch time or during a break while it's still light out and then bring the car back to work?

[Longhorn]

3. No, once I'm here, I'm either teaching or tutoring or holding office hours

I do have a little time to eat during my office hours but that's about it.

I get off at either 7:50 or 8 depending on what day it is so once I'm dressed, I plan to take off and it shouldn't be too dark before I get to my car. My schedule changes every semester so maybe this won't be a problem next semester and I can also request classes during the day in the future.

Thanks for your advice!

[Longhorn]

6. Well, I made it there and back -- the whole 14 miles --

and everything went very well. Except for getting honked at for no reason -- I guess some people think it's good etiquette to honk when they pass? -- there were no major events. I *almost* fell when I didn't realize that I had unintentionally clipped in but I now have multi-directional cleats so I stopped myself just in time. My chain slipped off but I was able to get it back on, though I didn't have anything to clean my hands afterwards. Baby wipes going in the bag tonight!

It took me about 50 minutes to travel the seven miles -- the hilly section, one-third of the route, took 30 minutes and the other two-thirds only took 20 minutes! It turns out there's a bike rack at school right next to one of the entrances (my campus is a ten-story building that used to be a bank/office building until the bust of the late 80s.) I think it will be reasonably safe there. The campus is half a mile up a hill from the highway with only one car entrance so only students, faculty, and staff are even up there.

I was very sweaty and my face was beet red when I got to school but I cleaned up nicely :D -- even my hair, which I rinsed with a wet washcloth. I realized I hauled way more than I need to but let's face it -- "Overkill" has always been my middle name! But I'll learn to downsize bit by bit, I think.

My lights worked out fine because I got to my car before it was really dark -- I could have seen without them but I'm glad I had them to be seen. Today, my flourescent T-shirts arrived so I'll be even more visible tomorrow night.

I won't be doing daily updates, I promise, but I sure am proud to be a bike commuter (almost) and I knew y'all would understand! :D

[welshTerrier2]

7. congrats, Long "Overkill" Horn

bike commuting, when i used to do it, makes you feel good for the whole day ... it's like you cheated because you had fun on your commute and you still have the ride home to look forward to ...

fwiw, when my chain comes off, i usually try to lift it back onto the sprockets with a stick i find along the roadside ... it usually works very well and i don't get my hands dirty ...

keep up the good work !!

[Longhorn]

10. Thanks, WT!

I had another good experience on the way over today. I don't know why I feel so nervous before I get started but once I'm on the road, I'm happy, even when I'm huffing and puffing up hills. And while it's probably just water, the scales already show a 1.5 lb deficit from yesterday! :D

My "Alert Shirts" came yesterday -- flourescent yellow and orange with a reflective band across the chest and back.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/alertshirt_1845_0

I got two of each color and wore one this morning. It's already almost dry after about four hours and felt good, plus I got a large so it covers my hips and I don't feel like I have to wear the "commuter skirt" over my bike shorts. :blush:

Turns out my old rack won't fit my bike so I'm going to take it to my LBS and get a rack and some panniers. I've seen a pannier that turns into a backpack that might work well for school. The psuedo-messenger bag felt very heavy on my back this morning, doesn't hold that much, kept slipping, (my Alert Shirt doesn't have rear pockets to hold my water bottles, which kept the bag in place yesterday) and it's not very visible, plus it's blocking my highly-visible shirt.

Money, money,money! One of these days, my commute will actually SAVE me money! ;)

[happyslug]

11. Congratulations

14 miles (even if it is two trips instead of one) is an achievement for a first time commuter.

As to the Honking, it is irritating but some people do it to "warn" you they are behind you (like you could NOT hear their car while before they honked).

As to hills, when I bike to my County seat (which I do about once a year, it is a 46 mile round trip up Allegheny Mountain) it is 3 hours up and 2 hours down. Those hills are killers.

A word on bike locks. Basically there are two types of bike locks, large U-bolts designed and heavy duty chains. Both are very good, but both can be broken with the right tools. The best solution is to use BOTH. While the tools to break each lock is reality available, both are very large to carry around so most thieves use one or the other. Thus by using two DIFFERENT TYPES of locks you stand a much better chance they will go after someone else's bike.

Now you may not want to carry two locks with you. I know a lot of bike commuters who do not. Since they use the same bike stand every day, they just leave their lock on the stand. Unlocked them when they arrived at the bike stand and then lock up their bikes. Leaving the locks on the bike stands saves you weight pedaling back and forth.

As to the bike rack, make sure you get hollow steel or aluminum. Solid steel or Aluminum (and I have seen more solid Aluminum than Steel) is weaker than hollow steel or aluminum (I will NOT go into the Science, just look it up). I had a rear rack made with solid aluminum, it broke within six months, spend the extra money and get a GOOD RACK. The Rack is even more important the the Panniers.

When I read yesterday that you were going to use a bag, I meant to tell you not to (I have done it and it just does not work).

Presently I am using a Tubus Rack (Made in Germany) with Cannondale Panniers (made in USA). I have NOT had a problem with them in the last three years.

[happyslug]

12. n/t

[Kolesar]

13. I left a HUGE case-hardened chain on the bike rack at work

It looked like something you would anchor a yacht with. I got a few comments from my coworkers about it. You could say they dug it.

[dean_dem]

14. Congrats!

My office has shower stalls, there's plenty of streetlights on the route, and I get to park my bike in the office, yet sometimes its still hard to get motivated. You're tougher than I am!

The best thing you'll find about cycling to work is you at least having something to look forward to, even if you've had a crappy day. At least you still get some time on the bike to pedal off those bad vibes.

[Longhorn]

15. Thanks!

Three days in a row and now my work week is over. But I'm taking my bike in tomorrow for a rack and some panniers and then I'll get ready for next week! :D