Guide: How to Bike to Work - Part I

A few days back I posted about my personal enjoyment of commuting to work on my bicycle. So, what if you want to start biking to work too? Good news is it's easy. Here's a guide to get started.

(I've split up a guide into two parts. In part I, I will cover planing a route, storage, necessary gear, and basic bicycle safety checks. In Part II I will cover what kind of bicycle fits your style, logistics of looking good and riding well, and debunk some popular excuses.)

Part I: Getting started

Plan a route:

If you're new to riding in the street with traffic, it's important to be comfortable with where you're going and how you're going to get there. So, step one is planning a good route. Ask around to see what roads and trails co-workers or other experienced cyclists use. Additionally, many cities publish free bicycle maps with roads that are good for riding. Washington DC Department of Transportation's map can be found on their website here and a user generated DC map here. Additionally, Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) experts have put together some cue sheets for popular routes in the area.

After you've planned a route, try it out! On a weekend or a day you're not working, practice the route and time yourself so you know how long it will take. Have fun too; you'll probably see parts of the city you've never experienced.

Parking:

Once you get where you're going, having somewhere to store your wonderful machine is important. Many buildings and parking garages have free bike racks. Ask if bicycle parking is available. If it's not, ask if they can put rack in the garage. Ask again. And last resort if secure and accessible indoor storage is not available, you can lock your bicycle outside. If you lock your bicycle on the street, invest in the best U-lock you can buy and learn how to properly lock your bicycle. Theft is a problem and I can't say this enough: if it's not locked down eventually it will get stolen. Seriously, you don't want to be made fun of by Hal. And, hopefully one day, we'll see more of these bike stations.

What you'll need:

You probably have most of the basics. This is a list of must-haves:

• A bicycle in good condition.
  
• A U-lock. I recommend buying two leaving one at work and the other for trips around town.
  
• Front white light and red rear light. This is the law in DC, and definitely makes sense. Be seen.
  
• A backpack or pannier to your carry stuff
• A helmet

For basic roadside maintenance, you'll need:

• A patch kit
• Multitool with allen and spoke wrenches and a chain tool. If you ride an older bicycle, you may need some open-ended wrenches.
  
• A spare tube
  
• Minipump or C02
• Saddle bag to carry all your swag
  

Safety Check:

A working and safe bicycle is important and it will make the ride more enjoyable. At first if you don't know what you're doing, have a local bicycle shop tune-up your ride. Basic tune-ups in Washington DC run $89 - $99 dollars.

As you gain experience or for the experienced, the ABC Quick Check covers the basics.

A: Air. Check you tires are properly inflated. If tires are deflated, it's a pain to ride. If they are over inflated, they won't have the proper give and you'll feel every nook and cranny in the road.
B: Brakes. Make sure the brake pads are not too worn, they're not rubbing against the rims, and they're responsive.
C: Chain, Cranks, and Cassette. Make sure your chain is properly lubed and nothing is too worn.
Quick: Quick Releases. If you have quick release wheels, make sure the hubs are firmly attached and the brakes are in. If you don't know what that means, read this.
Check: Try it out. Give the bicycle a spin around the block. Shift into different gears. Make sure there are no loose parts. If there are tighten them.

Riding Safely:

Lastly, bicycling is safe and fun, but you are vulnerable when riding around with 3000 lbs metal wagons; so, brush up on safety tips. You should ride predictably and avoid the common hazards like dooring, potholes, and the right hook. There are many good bicycle safety resources available on the web; spend sometime looking over them. WABA's Safe Cycling guide is here. If you're in the area, they also offer free Confident City Cycling Classes.

Part II - Commuting in Style coming soon.