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Converting Your Bike for Commuting

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Bike Commuting Conversion Tips for Beginners

I think commuting by bike is a good idea and I'm glad it's coming into fashion here in the states. I've been seeing more people on the sidewalks and more bikes cruising through the neighborhood. This makes me very happy on the inside :) Apparently $4.65 a gallon is enough to get some other people in town out of their cars and onto their bikes.

Since getting started as a bike commuter can be a little intimidating, I have put together this lens to help get all my new two wheeled friends acclimated. Below I cover some of the work and modifications you may want to pursue to make your bike more appropriate for basic commuting.

If you have any other tips for me please leave them in the comments section!!! Also you can check out my bike blog at biking5cities.blogspot.com!

Tune Up Your Bike, Trust Me

The Better Your Bike Feels the Better You'll Feel

If you're dusting off a bike that hasn't seen the light of day in a few years the first order of business is making sure your bike is going to be up to the task. Take your bike to a good bike mechanic and shell out a few bucks for a tune up. And before you start bitching about spending $30 on a bike tune up... remember that it takes $125 to fill up an SUV and it's not going to get any better anytime soon. After an afternoon in the shop it feels like a whole new bike. Totally worth the dough.

Commuter Bike Modifications

A few little mods to make your commute better...

Now chances are the bike you have isn't really commuter friendly. Most people either have some kind of over muscled mountain bike or an incredibly expensive road bike purchased with the best of intentions that never really worked out. These can be made much more commuter friendly with just a few easy modifications.

Write these down: Fenders, Rear Rack, Panniers, Smooth Tires, Chain Guard and front and rear lights... You want all that stuff.

  • Fenders
    •  - These will save your pants from dirt, mud, water and anything else that can be flung at your crotch with a bike tire. You can get a set of decent fenders starting at like $30.

  • Rear Rack
    •  - If you're going to commute you're going to want to carry stuff and strapping it to your back with a backpack sucks. You can either strap stuff to the top of the rack with bungee cords or hang Panniers off of them. You can get a rack for about $30.

  • Panniers
    •  - These are bags made to hang off the side of your bike. They'll dramatically increase your ability to haul your crap with you from the house to the office. These vary quite a bit in price depending on size and waterproof-ness. I spent about $90 on a set for myself. You can probably find cheaper out there, but you can definitely spend way more than that if you are so inclined.

  • Smooth Tires
    •  - This is for you guys with Mountain Bikes out there. As tough as those knobby tires look they're going to slow you down. So unless part of your commute involves you tearing down the side of a mountain, swap out your tires. I just got a new set of Michelins with a reflective strip on them that ride really nicely and maneuver a lot better than knobby mountain bike tires. New tires can be like $20 and up depending on what you buy.

  • Chain Guard
    •  - This is another pant saving device you may want to look into if you're going to commute in nice clothes. When I used to be a salesman I accidentally perforated a few pairs of khakis. I'll admit that I haven't put one on my bike yet, I get to wear shorts to work... thanks self employment :)

  • Lights
    •  - Vitally important!!! Not only do they help you see in the dark, they will help stop you from getting run over. Plus in many areas they're required by law if you're going to ride at night. You can get lights for your bike just about anywhere. I got mine for cheap from Target for probably about $20 total.

So yes you are going to spend some money to get up to speed, but chances are the $200 - $300 bucks you spend on your bike one time is going to be less than the car payment you make every month. Plus your bike doesn't need gas which I hear is expensive these days :)

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Other Bike Commuter Tips

Your bike's ready to go... now what?

Plan Your Route

Your way is not the highway

Make sure you think out how you're going to go to work. The way you take in a car may not be the best way to go by bike.

Take into account hills, traffic, and the availability of bike lanes. I ride one way to the office and a different way home to take advantage of local geography (hills are a good thing on the way down!). My planned route also only has right hand turns which are a lot easier than left hand turns in traffic.

Make sure try out your commute on a day off so you know that you can get that far! Having to call a friend to pick you and your bike up half way to the office kind of defeats the point of riding your bike in the first place. Riding a bike is pretty easy, but if it's been a while you might want to work up to it!

Be Safe and Know the Rules of the Road

This just in - you are a car

Rules for riding on the street vary by state so make sure you check out the laws in your state.

Generally you need to follow the same rules as if you were driving you car. Stop signs apply to you, signal when you turn, and stay off the sidewalk!!!

The sidewalk can be tempting but it is a great place to get hit by a car. Drivers don't pay any attention to sidewalks, they're looking for other cars so the best place for you to be is in the street. The other big automotive danger is getting doored. Beware the suddenly flung open car door, it is not good for your health. Otherwise keep your eyes open, listen to the traffic around you, wear bright colors, and make sure you have lights on at night.

Get on Your Bike and Have Fun!

It's cheaper than a convertible...

My favorite part about bike commuting is that it's fun. It helps wake me up in the morning and it's a good stress reliever on the way home in the evening. If you live close enough to work to make this a feasible solution I recommend you give it a shot. It will make you happier and healthier and save you a ton of money in the process.

Have any extra tips for me?

  • EagleScoutMom Jul 17, 2009 @ 12:18 am | delete
    Yay for bike riding ! Yes it is finally coming back into style and is very earth friendly. I will lensroll your lens with my bike lens. Same topic but yet different! 5 stars! http://www.squidoo.com/cruiserbeachbikes
  • California_Dreamin Jun 3, 2009 @ 1:08 pm | delete
    Great lens. I've lensrolled it to my Brooks bicycle saddle lens.
  • utradesports Apr 29, 2009 @ 6:22 am | delete
    Great lens. I gave you a 5/5* May is Bike to Work Month - I put up a lens for this great month - http://www.squidoo.com/commuterbiking
  • GraveChill Aug 9, 2011 @ 5:46 am | delete
    i agree.. great lens im also giving you 5/5..
    I'd like to share this.. feel free to check it out e-bike 500w free shipping
  • bojeans82 Mar 4, 2009 @ 1:01 pm | delete
    Many of the short trips we make by car are ideal for a quick spin on the bike, plus you'll be helping to protect the environment. A staggering 70 per cent of all car trips are less than five miles. Even though most of us own bikes - there are an estimated 27 million across the States - we just don't use them.
    Rob http://www.toshoppingtips.com
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smsRob

Rob Dumouchel is one half of Systems & Marketing Solutions, an Internet Marketing firm in Grover Beach, CA. Rob specializes in Internet Marketing with... more »

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