Today the 'ol Raleigh M-40 hit the road for the first time in...well, I think years! I live about 8 miles away from my job, and Ryan and I have been working on our budget lately. That, coupled with the fact that I've been trying to get in shape all equates to one thing...biking time! (Chris, Marni and my bro' Dave have all added to the desire to bust out the two wheeler as well). Anyway, the saga began last weekend when I loaded my bike into my Jeep to take it to the nearest bike shop to get fixed up. I had tried to just take it out on the road, but the poor bike needed some TLC after being neglected for so long. The handle bars had deviated a large bit from center, the break pads on the front wheel were also off center, and the tires were flatter than flat. I decided to ask my Pastor where to take my bike, since he is an avid cyclist himself, and he hesitated stating that he could fix it for me and save me some time, money and heartache. It was only then that it dawned on me that I could probably figure this stuff out too. So I went home, Ryan turned on the Playstation and played some baseball while I went to work on my bike. It took me about a half an hour to figure out and fix! So today I went to Dunhams and got a helmet and a tire pump. I got the wheels full of air, and they didn't deflate on me like I expected and I took the bike out for a spin. I was trying to gauge what my ride to work will be. I rode about 120 blocks, and had a good time. Things I learned from today though, are that I need some of those toe holder thingys or something so that I can feel comfortable standing up and pedalling on all the hills, and I should probably bring a light with me in case it gets dark on the commute home. Other than that, I had a pretty good time, and think that I'll enjoy the new commute to work and home. It'll save some money, workout time (indoors that is) and hopefully will lead to some more fun adventures. :) Here's a couple indoor shots after I got home. Chris and Marni, hope that you notice the "matchy matchy". That's what I was going for you know. Doesn't matter that I'm totally using a granny seat, on a heavy mountain bike and tennis shoes to ride, but I was matchy matchy. :) Hopefully I'll start riding more consistantly starting this Saturday. The plan now is to ride to work Monday, Wednesday and possibly in April (and to the prayer meeting on Saturday), I can't ride on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays until I'm not working those nights, and I don't work in a safe area of town to be riding around at night by myself. Anyway, those are the current plans, we'll see how things go.
7 comments:
Hurray for you for trying a bike commute. If you're not in shape now, a thrice-weekly 8 mile ride will get you in shape!
Don't worry about the granny seat and stuff -- it's not that important as long as the gear gets you there.
All the best! Fritz @ Cyclelicious.
Wow great job Becky! Now that's the way to start riding. Hope it goes really well and you like it.
Marni said we got your messages but we've been really busy and we don't have your phone number.
what is this cycling craze?
Congratulations! The hardest part is simply deciding to try it in the first place. One rule of thumb - an easy bicycle commute is at a pace of about 5 minutes per mile, so your ride should take about 40 minutes, give or take. Wind and terrain can change that.
As far as repairs are concerned - take a look at the Park Tools website for some basic information:
http://www.parktool.com/repair/
Finally, since I'm an instructor with LAB and I can't resist, see if there's a Road1 or Commuter course offered in your area. We teach how to ride safely in traffic. The course shortens the learning curve.
http://www.bikeleague.org/programs/education/
It's great you are deciding to head out and commute to work! One thing I would recommend is putting some new tires and fenders on your mountain bike. Put some fat road tires on there (maybe Bontragers). That way you can even ride when it's raining. Also, make sure your handlebars are up high enough so you don't get a sore neck and back. It'll make your commute much more fun. Fun is the name of the game!
Patrick
www.patricklarson.com
Good for you, Becky! Bike Commuting is just one way to make your day more fun!
If you haven't biked in a while, I'd recommend getting a copy of Urban Bikers' Tips and Tricks by Mr. Bike. That book will fill you with all sorts of info to make your rides more safe, fun, and prepared. Things you might not be thinking of in good weather could bite you in the tuckus in less-than-good weather.
Way to go! I think that you will soon wonder why everyone doesn't do this! Is there any better way to get to work than on a bike? Good job and I hope your experiences are as great for you as they have been for me.
Cheers,
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