Back in October, I posted an entry entitled Commuter’s Shopping List, which listed all the items I thought I would need in order to successfully commute to work regularly.  Now that some time has passed and some purchases have been made, I figured I would write a follow-up entry to share my progress on the matter.  So here goes…in the order of my original post

Bike Rack.  If you remember from my earlier post, I have a Jeep with oversized tires.  This little fact limits the types of bike racks that I can get.  I didn’t buy either of the two racks that I was considering before.  Instead, I bought the Swagman XP: 2.  It has the ability to carry two bikes and has a locking mechanism that secures both bikes.

Cycling Clothes.  I learned a bit here.    I ended up with mostly Pearl Izumi products.   Gloves are important and I was able to find some pretty good ones.  They make thicker ones that are  warmer, and thinner ones that provide more finger dexterity, but the ones that I found are working great.   Pearl Izumi’s Arm and Leg warmers are great for using those summer outfits in the winter.  The ones I got have Therma Fleece which adds a little more warmth the some of the alternatives.  I also got some Calientoes, which are basically toe covers for your bike shoes.  They haven’t tested out too well, though.  They keep my feet warm enough, but they have torn on the bottom and sides. 

Panniers.  I ended up not getting panniers at all.  I decided to get a commuter’s backpack by Novara (REI Brand).  This way I didn’t have to worry about extra weight on  my back tire and how I was going to mount the thing.  The backpack I got is a commuter style.  It sits higher on my back making it easier to ride with it on.  It has a compartment to store a U-Lock and rain fly to keep it dry in wet weather.  I carry my laptop, clothes and shoes, and emergency supplies (spare tube, etc.) in it.  It doesn’t have enough space to add anything else.  That is its only downside.  It is probably the best purchase I have made.

Multi-Toolkit.  I purchased the Crank Brothers Multi 19 Tool.   I still don’t know how to use half of what it has, but I have it for when I need it.

Cycling 101 Class.  I already blogged about this experience.  Check it out here, if you haven’t already.

And there you have it.

Joe.

Saturday morning I planned to join the weekly group ride with the Atlanta Cycling group.  I was running a little late, but I figured I would still make the ride as they sometimes do not start promptly at 10am.  I also had my doubts that the group would even ride at all as the temperature was in the low thirties.  I arrived to Atlanta Cycling Vinings to find I was wrong on both counts.  The parking lot was full of vehicles with empty bike racks, but there wasn’t a rider in sight. 

As I was contemplating leaving or taking to the route on my own, I was surprised to see a rider zoom by to the back corner of the parking lot.  I had decided that I wanted to ride despite having missed the group, so I got my bike ready and rode over to where I saw the rider that had zoomed by.  I asked how far ahead the 20 mile group was and he replied that he didn’t know.  He had tried to catch them and gave up when he realized they were too far ahead.

So we decided to ride.  At first, I thought the ride may be a bit easier, but the other guy, being 17 years younger than me, shut down that idea before it had time to flourish. 

We left somewhere around 10:20am which was late enough to ensure we had no chance of catching the original group.  Interestingly enough, we did pass some of the fallout riders. 

What is it about passing someone while running or riding that makes it so invigorating?  Anytime I am riding along and see someone ahead of me, despite how far they are, I start trying to close the distance until I eventually pass them.  The opposite is true as well.  I can’t stand the thought of being passed.  Anytime I sense that someone is closing in and wanting to pass me, I push myself harder to keep it from happening. 

When I was riding with Mike’s Bikes about two months ago, one of the riders, Molly, commented that she thought that was a common feeling and that I need to figure out a way to avoid it.  I guess that makes sense.  There will always be someone out there faster, with more endurance, and overall better than you.  Pushing yourself is fine, but it can be overdone.

My partner Saturday’s in crime, err… that is to say: the other late dude, told me about his father during our ride.  How he permanently damaged his body by over training for Ironman Triathlons.  Now he can no longer do stressful exercising without falling into relapse. 

At 38, I am really excited that I am getting back into shape, but hearing this awful tale gave me caution.  A body needs its rest, especially when it is rapidly approaching middle-aged.  I am the type to go all out when I do things.  It explains the fair amount of injuries I have sustained during my life.  It is not that I have “no fear”, but it’s that I give it my all.  I guess I am going to have to manage that attribute from here on out.

To bring this post back around to its original topic, we finished our ride with a fairly decent time/average.  I found out that he is riding to train for a triathlon next year.  With that and Tom Daugharty planning to compete in one also, I am feeling a bit left out.  We shall see what the future holds.

And there you have it.

- Joe.

This blog post was originally going to be about my frustration with and the danger of traffic signals that operate on sensors.  It is very annoying when trying to obey traffic laws, you are ignored by traffic signals.  In times when traffic is light or non-existent, you will have to run the light because it will never change for you.  This is a very dangerous scenario!  We all know, there is an inherent danger to running red lights in motor vehicles.  At least in that case, the vehicle is easy to see.  Run that same light on a bicycle, and your chances of being seen decrease dramatically.

This brings me to the second part of my post - the “A Day Late and a Dollar Short” part.  As I was riding around town on Black Friday, I got caught by a traffic light that wouldn’t change for me.  There were no cars and no crosswalk button that I could push to encourage the light to change to green.  My choices were to wait a very long time for a car to meander down this secluded side street,  turn around and abandon my trip, or attempt to run this red light with as much precaution and safety as you can get when breaking the law.  This made me realize that though bicyclist have as much right to the road as motorized vehicles, the roads were not designed with bicyclists in mind.

First I started researching how traffic lights that change based on vehicle presence worked.  I found that there are three basic types:  Ones that use lasers, ones that use air hoses, and ones that use inductance.  If you’ve seen the “pressure plates” at stop lights that look like your vehicle tire must be on them to work, then you’ve actually seen the inductive loop sensors.  Those pressure plate looking things are not actually pressure sensors, but are cuts in the asphalt to insert a coil of wire used in inductive loops.  I am not going to butcher the explanation, because I barely understand it myself.  There is a good explanation of it here.  Let’s just say that inductive loops provide a electromagnetic field which is interrupted by large metal objects (cars, trucks, etc.).  Bikes do not have enough inductive material to interrupt that electromagnetic field.  During my research, I found several products that were created for bicyclist to solve this problem.

GreenLight has two products (one an improvement over the other) that promises bikes will “Stop Getting Stuck at Red Lights!”  Here is their explanation of how their product works, but the abbreviated version is they have small metal magnet that  you place on your bike that will interfere with the electromagnetic field at intersections, “fooling” the computer into thinking your bike is a large metal object, thus triggering the light to turn green.  At $24.95 with an unconditional 30-day money back guarantee, it is probably worth a try.

If you are not wanting to buy a product, Instructables.com has a DIY version that involves epoxying a magnet to the bottom of your bike shoe.  Comments to the blog post indicate it works and suggest other alternatives.

Personally, I don’t run into this problem very often in Atlanta.  I happened upon it Friday, because I was biking around town in Columbus, GA.  If you are running into this problem often, try one of these solutions and let us know how it went.

And there you have it.

- Joe.

While riding into work this morning, all alone since no one else seemed to have a desire to ride in 40 degree weather, I began reviewing the things that I have learned about commuting.  I have been commuting regularly to work now for two months.  The things that I have learned have been through conversations, research, and personal experiences.  I decided to comprise a list of things that are important when commuting by bike.  These are in no certain order.

In terms of preparation

• Be prepared for the workout… always carry water or other hydrant and USE it.  When it is cold, you may not sweat or may think you are not sweating. Either way, you can still get dehydrated.  Do not subject yourself to cramps or worse due to improper hydration.
• Be prepared for flats… they will happen.  There are different schools of thought on this matter.  You could repair them, and though it is tedious and time consuming, some people swear by it.  I, on the other hand, am partial to carrying spare tubes.  They take up more space and weigh more than patch kits, but I find it a much easier, more permanent solution.  Road bikes are more prone to flats than hybrids or mountain bikes, but they all can get flats!  Have a set of tire levers on hand - they are cheap and indispensable.  Make sure you have a way to put air in the tire.  I prefer CO2 cartridges, but realize I also keep my tires at 130psi.  It is easier to pump up tires that require lower PSI.  Portable air pumps are easily mountable or are small enough to fit in a back pack or jersey pocket.
• Be prepared for night… it is inevitable.  It is better to leave work with enough time to complete your commute home before darkness hits, but sometimes it sneaks up on you.  As the year progresses, along with daylights savings, night comes sooner.  If you have a long commute, like me (20 miles each way), it has a greater impact.  If I leave my desk at 5pm, by the time I get suited and leave, I don’t have enough time to get home before dark.  Don’t forget that rainy days bring dark skies as well.  The key here is not seeing, but being seen.  Have a white front light, preferably blinking.  Have a rear red light, also blinking.  I also have a blinking red strobe on my back pack so people see it at eye level.  Have reflective shoes - since your feet are always moving, they have a better chance of catching someone’s eye.  It is a good idea to have a white light on the front of your helmet as well.  While a white light on your bike shows your direction, a light on your helmet can also catch someone’s eye because your head is constantly moving.  Don’t wait until it is dark to mount or turn on your lights, turn them on if it is even remotely possible it may be dark before you finish your ride.
• Be prepared for exhaustion… long days at work can creep up on you, even at desk jobs.  I carry Gu packets in my backpack just in case, but any carbohydrate formula will do.  There are different types. Ones that provide a lot of calories and others that provide sugars.  Getting caught on a commute with no energy to finish the ride is a bad deal.  Fatigue leads to bad judgement which leads to accidents.
• Be prepared for isolation… if you get into a situation where you are stranded, invariably, it will be in a place where it is too far to walk and is not well traveled.  Carry a cell phone.  I can’t stress this enough.  There are countless situations you can get into on a ride home where a simple phone call can be the resolve.  Even though you can’t really talk on it while riding, leave it on.  If you were to wreck, or something worse, you can be found by your cell phone signal.  I never commute without one.

In terms of gear

• Dress for current and possible weather.  It is easy to wrap yourself up in multiple layers to prepare for a cold morning’s ride.  Remember, the morning commute is only half of the trip.  Be aware that the evening may be much warmer, or it could be raining on your way home.  Make sure you have a way to carry the clothes you would rather not wear in the evening.  I prefer to wear things that are removable.  I have arm warmers and leg warmers.  I carry a spare set of gloves in my pack, long fingered to wear during the cold and fingerless in case it warms up.  I wear a balaclava to keep my face and neck warm, but it is easy to store, or just wear around my neck if not needed.  Toe warmers can help with shoes that have vents.  The same goes for helmet covers.  Just be sure that you don’t overdress or have issues stowing the things you don’t want to wear home.
• Carry spare shoes.  If you have the room, carry a light pair of sandals or flip-flops.  This really depends on the type of clipless you ride.  If you have SPDs (Shimano Pedaling Dynamics) you probably don’t have to worry about this as your cleat is usually recessed in to the shoe making them easy to walk in.  On the other hand, if you have LOOK pedals, like me, having a spare set of floppers to trudge your way to the locker room will save your cleats and toe warmers if you have them.
• Wear glasses.  If you have prescription glasses, then this is obvious.  On those bright sunny days, this is also pretty self-explanatory.  However, when riding down a hill at thirty miles an hour, that pair of Wiley-X’s or other clear-lens eyewear will prevent that bug from taking an eye out or dethroning you from your bike-pedestal.  Any type of safety lens will do, but Oakley and Wiley-X who make ballistic eyewear that really do the trick.
• Carry a multi-tool.  You never know when that crank shaft is going to fall off or your cantilever breaks get loose and your break pad rubs the rim even when they are not actuated.  Not having that right Allen Wrench could cause you to carry your bike the rest of the way home, or worse to work!  When choosing a multi-tool, if you decide to buy one that was not designed for bikes, remember that all bikes use metric sizes.

In terms of the trip

Bicyclists have the same rights and responsibilities on the road as motorists.  Bicyclists are permitted to travel in the center of the traffic lane if there are safety hazards on the right side of the road (such as parked cars or debris) or if the lane is too narrow for a bicycle and a vehicle to share. Pass bicyclists with caution, treating them as you would any other vehicle and according to Georgia law. Motorists should not try to pass the bicyclist while remaining in the same lane of traffic. Bicyclists may be forced to swerve to avoid road hazards, causing a collision.

- 2008 Georgia Driver’s Manual, Chapter 1 - Traffic Laws, Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles

• Never travel sidewalks.  Though it is tempting when traffic is high to ride on the sidewalk to avoid it, it’s a bad idea.  Though I have heard people say that is illegal for bicyclists to ride on sidewalks, there is no record of it in the Georgia DMV.  The reason for not traveling on sidewalks is that there is a high probability of collisions occurring between cyclists and motorists at driveways and intersections.  Imagine a bread truck driver, if you will.  He has just finished a delivery and is approaching the main road from between the two buildings that the driveway runs between.  The entire front of his vehicle must cross the sidewalk before he has any visibility.  If you are riding down this same sidewalk, and you are crossing this same driveway at the same time, you could get you hit by this big bread truck.  Most people don’t stop at sidewalks when exiting driveways, the pull up to the street and stop blocking the drive.  If you hit the vehicle with your bike, it could be at fault.  Paying for an expensive Mercedes become more difficult if you don’t have insurance to cover it.  If you chose to ride on sidewalks, do so slowly with extreme caution.  I never do it.
• Travel on trails if possible.  Unlike the statement above, trails are made for cyclists and prevent motorized vehicles from traveling on them.  On trails, there are defined traffic intersections to mandate the crossing of the trail by motor vehicles.  There are many old rail roadways that have been converted to trails.  Check out Rails to Trails for more information. 
• Obey the law.  Many cyclists are guilty of running red lights or stop signs.  Remember, that as a cyclist, you are blessed with the right to ride on public road ways, with that right comes the responsibility to obey traffic laws.
• Keep to the right, but not too far.  When riding in a lane of traffic, keep to the right of the lane, but not on the line or on the shoulder.  I travel about 1-2 feet to the left of the lane divider line.  That is to say I stay to the right of the lane with a 1-2 foot buffer between me and the lane dividing line.  This way, I am not in the middle of the lane, so vehicles who don’t initially see me have some means of avoiding me.  I am also not hugging the right side of the lane, so vehicles don’t mistakenly think they can squeeze by me without actually passing me.  Vehicles should be forced to pass you as if you were a motorcycle.
• Hold your lane.  Do not be tempted to change into turning lanes when they become available (unless you are turning).  Changing lanes is dangerous because you don’t have conventional turn signals, so you must use arm signals.  This is especially tricky at night.  Changing into a turning lane, though it may feel safer, exposes you to the difficult task of returning to your original lane from the turning lane once it has ended.  It is much safer to stay in your original lane.  Keep in mind, if there are multiple lanes of traffic, excluding temporary lanes, you should pick the right most lane and hold that lane.
• Claim your lane at intersections.  When stopping at an intersection, you should move from the right to the middle of the lane to claim it.  Motorists pay the most attention to the vehicles in front of them and to the traffic signals.  If you are directly in front of them, they cannot blindly pass you.  This is important for clipless pedal riders.  If you have trouble clipping from a stop, you may weave or stop your bike.  If you are in the middle of the lane, this will be seen by the vehicle behind you.  If you are on the right side, the vehicle beside you and behind them may not see this and may hit you.   This is also very important when making left turns.  If you do not claim your lane, it may be assumed you are going straight instead of turning left.  If you force the driver behind you to stay behind you, then they cannot pass you while you attempt to turn left.  This is also very important when going straight through an intersection.  If you allow the driver to be beside you at the stop, if they want to turn right and you want to continue going straight, they will cross in front of you, or worse, into you.
• Do not over react.  When large trucks pass you, or someone honks at you, be aware of the events that are happening around you, but do not react unless it is called for.  Jittery riders tend to switch lanes or veer right with being passed by a vehicle, especially big trucks.  This makes you unpredictable.  Changing lanes is already a dangerous event, doing so sporadically increases the danger.  It is better to hold your lane unless you suspect it will more dangerous to do so.
• Do not follow too close.  Cars can stop very quickly.  If you are following too close, you are liable to hit them.  Unfortunately, you hitting a car from behind on your bike , increases then chances of the car behind you, thus sandwiching your between the two vehicles.  Bad deal.
• Communication is key.  Despite what anyone may say, NO ONE wants to hit you.  Cycle/Car collisions many times result in fatalities.  Make sure you are as predictable, visible and communicate your intentions at all times.  This will help ensure your safety.

And there you have it.

Joe.

It is pretty cool when you are on your bike at a stop light and a complete stranger says, “I saw you riding on your way to work this morning.  You seem to have a long ride.”

We spoke briefly and realized that we work in the same building.  I didn’t get this far, but we may actually both work at Turner, who knows.  We got interrupted by the green light.

I like the thought of people expecting to see me commuting.

This morning I averaged 18.25mph on my way in to work.  That is an all time high for me, and I am very proud of it.  I worked out hard to try to get a good time and it paid off.

Well, I guess I should sign off and watch the final Presidential Debate.

Joe.