Lee's Cyclery Blog » front range

Changing your mind: Commute by bicycle “for pleasure” not “to work”

Steve Lacey — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 21:32:42 +0000

A few days ago, while getting off my bike after my commute to work, a fellow coworker commented on how cold the ride in must ha

ve been. “It was a bit chilly but so is scraping the ice off my car windows,” I said in return. “At least then you’re out of the cold” came back the reply as the front door to the building shut behind him. I looked at the bike rack and sure enough, it was empty. “Why did I ride my bike today” I asked almost aloud. Here’s why - I ride my bike into work because it is so much less stressful than driving. Granted, I don’t have far to commute but who does if they live and work in Fort Collins?

There are a lot of reasons why people open the garage door in the morning and throw their leg over their bike for the morning commute…….There are far less reasons why people don’t. Yet that coin flip always seems to land in the cars favor. Hopefully, I can even the odds a bit here by dispelling a few myths or perceptions about commuting by bike.

1. Safety or the perception of same. Without a doubt, safety has got to be the number one reason keeping people from commuting by bike. Did you know the number of fatalities or accidents per million is much higher in vehicles than on bicycles? Of bicycle fatalities, the highest percentage is held by children and young adults and generally those who don’t follow the rules of the road; not by those commuting. Here’s my advice: before commuting to work for the first time, experiment with different routes on the weekend or evenings. The fastest route by car may not be the fastest by bicycle. If the route you take makes you nervous, try a different one. Avoid riding on sidewalks as they are more prone to accidents than riding on the roadway (strange but true!).

2. “I don’t have a bike.“ I won’t use the word ‘excuse’ because if you don’t have a bike it is pretty hard to commute by bicycle. However, I bought the bike I commute on for $25.00 at a garage sale and the following weekend, took it on a not so casual 40 mile group ride and it did just fine. Any budget can afford a bicycle, heck there is even a bike co-op in downtown Fort Collins where the time you donate working at the co-op can get put towards the purchase of a bicycle!

3. “What about hygiene?” What about it? Nobody ever says commuting has to be a race. There are usually plenty of places to park your bike up close to the building, so relax and enjoy the ride. Most local commutes are less than 5 miles and riding at a comfortable pace shouldn’t keep people from visiting your cube. Don’t over dress is the key, let the cool air do it’s job. You can also use a rack instead of a backpack for personal items to keep from overheating.

4. “I have to dress up while at work.” If my wife can pack a complete wardrobe in a lunchbox for a two day vacation and still have room to outfit a salon, I think it can be done for work. Besides, when people know you ride your bike to work they’ll cut you a little slack on the style of the day. If not, bring the items you need the day before and have them ready for your bicycle commute and change in the rest room.

Last but not least….

5. Good ole’ Father Time. I think you’d be very surprised at how little time you actually save by driving to work after you’ve ridden for a while and have a routine down. Most people watch an hour or two of TV each day. Recording your favorite shows on tivo and cutting out the commercials, could easily save you the time needed to ride to work. Start early so you don’t have to beat the clock. I know it’s easier said than done but use the time to think about the day’s events. For those who have a longer commute, try just riding one way at first. Drive in to work with your bike and ride home in the evening and then back to work in the morning to get your car.

Sure there are other reasons for not commuting by bike but with a bit of research and preparation, most of them can get turned into reasons not to drive. Remember Father Time and his watch never stop and every day you drive is a day you could be doing something good for yourself as well.

Finally, this week’s tip is more of a suggestion rather than a tip. Next time you drive to work, keep track of the time it takes to get from door to door at a relaxed pace without speeding. Now do the same while riding your bike on the weekend or when you have plenty of time. Take that difference in time and figure ways to change your routine to allow you to ride to work and gain that time back somewhere else or just enjoy it.

Have fun out there and don’t forget your helmet!

Steve Lacey

Happy Trails!

Steve Lacey — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 16:01:04 +0000

I’ve just got back from this week’s races at New Belgium Brewery and before going any further, I must clear something up. Last week I estimated the racer count to be 100. It was actually closer to 130 and this week 143 bikes showed up pulling their riders along! That’s quite a showing for a grass roots race!

Now for those not racing, if you own a bike and did not go for a ride last Sunday after all the rain we had during the week, you were definitely in the minority. I jumped on the road bike and took a spin up around Horsetooth Reservoir and had plenty of company! If you live in Fort Collins, I don’t think I have to tell you about the quality of our road rides from virtually every garage door in town… but that doesn’t even scratch thesurface of the biking we have at our disposal. No matter what your age or discipline, there is some place for you to spin your pedals around Fort Collins……OK, we may have to talk more about a velodrome but hey, they have my vote. Name your game– bike path, mountain bike single track, terrain park, jump/pump track, and even a nationally listed BMX track — they are mere minutes away from every household in town!

Starting from the east end of Drake Road, the Poudre Trail is a bike path that winds itself north west for 12 miles or so to the town of Bellvue. Most of this trail parallels the river for which it is named and if you ride far enough, you can ride over a bridge that is pretty impressive. The Spring Creek trail forks off of the east end of the Poudre trail and brings its riders 8 miles to Spring Canyon Community Park and the Pineridge Natural Area. You’ll have to guess where this trail got its name but you can bet there’s a slight grade in one direction. The Mason Trail and the Power Trail then both run north and south and aren’t as rider friendly as the Poudre or Spring Creek Trails. One has to be willing to cross some pretty major roads when using these trails, but they both offer access to the other trails and when linked together, can make for quite a relatively motorist free ride. The Cathy Fromme Trail on the southwest side of town is also a nice ride and once it’s linked to the Mason Trail and Spring Creek Trail, it will make quite a nice loop. For a detailed trail map go to http://www.fcgov.com/bicycling/bike-maps.php or http://www.fcgov.com/parks/trails.php for distances etc.

Now for my bread and butter……If you have not been mountain biking on the trails around Fort Collins you are missing out on some of the best mountain biking in the state. Yes, I know there are a lot of people who say that Fort Collins isn’t in the same league as Fruita or Grand Junction, never mind that other place called Moab (UT by the way) but if you can ride the trails in FC, you can ride any trail anywhere short of Whistler. People from here can travel, key word is travel, west and have such a good time on the trails there because of our trails. From super easy and flat to super technical and steep, you can find it within 15 minutes of town. Those just beginning to get their tires dirty would enjoy time spent in and around the Pineridge Trail System, Blue Sky Trail and the Valley Trail in Horsetooth and Lory Parks. Those riders

with a few scratches on their bikes would do well with some time spent at Coyote Ridge, Maxwell, Shoreline, Devil’s Backbone and depending on their lung capacity, perhaps head up into Horsetooth Mountain Park or Lory State Park. Yes, now we start talking some elevation and doing some work for the privilege of coming down.

I use “expert trails” a bit loosely to describe the next group of trails because even Pineridge can be made into an expert trail depending on how fast you want to go. Bobcat Ridge is a great intermediate expert type trail but being in Masonville, it’s a bit farther to go. Wherever you park to ride at Horsetooth Mountain Park or Lory State Park, you will have a pretty good climb to be able to enjoy some great down hill rides on Wathan, Spring Creek, Mill Creek, Timber, Howard, Kimmons and Sawmill Trails. I wouldn’t call these trails expert level, but they do have some expert level technical sections to challenge even the most seasoned veterans.

Is that it?…..Nope. A perfect place to polish your technical skills is in the terrain park in Spring Canyon Park. The park has logs and ladder bridges and raised skinnies, not to mention this crazy track sling to test your skill and your heart. Spending an hour in the park is like spending four days on the trail trying things over and over. Hopefully you build your confidence each time you make it just a foot farther on a given obstacle.

For those seeking some air time, the pump/jump park in Lory State Park can certainly lift your spirits. For those of us whose wings aren’t quite developed there are different size jumps to keep us closer to earth. The biggest are for the frequent fly-er travelers. You say you don’t care for air……the pump track and other man made obstacles in the park can keep you plenty busy. Goat heads used to be a problem at the track but thanks to volunteers they are now on the endangered species list. Just bring a tube or two… just in case.

Finally, don’t forget the Epic BMX track just down the hill from the Epic Center and part of the American Bicycle Association. This is a great family venue and is host to many races throughout the summer. Abilities of all levels are welcome and the different classes make everyone feel like they belong on the track. For more information about the ABA or the Epic BMX track visit ABABMX.

Now for this week’s tip — Play a tune!! Your wheel that is…Your spokes must be kept at the proper tension to keep your wheels spinning true. An easy way to check is by playing a tune on them (if you’re still a fan of Andy Gibb, you may want to skip this method). To get started – turn your bike over so the wheels can spin freely. Using the valve stem as a guide, tap on each spoke with a screwdriver or something held loosely in your hand. Each spoke should make a ‘tinging sound’ when tapped. When you tab a spoke and it makes a dull thud, it needs to be tightened using the correct sized spoke wrench. Tighten the loose spoke in small increments while checking for the ‘ting’ sound. Once you hear it, stop and keep checking the others. All the spokes should sound the same. Alternatively, stop by the shop, we would love to help out.

So that’s the news for this week! Hope you are out soaking up the sun and we’ll see you on the trails!

Steve Lacey

Welcome to a brand spanking new blog

Steve Lacey — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 17:51:26 +0000

Welcome to the Lee’s Cyclery Blog! In the coming weeks, we will share gems of wisdom about the bicycling community, bicycles, events, riding and training tips. I encourage readers to comment on blogs or send questions they wish answered and we will try to answer them in a timely manner.

The first tip is to see and be seen. No one, besides your mom, is more concerned about your safety than you. Be aware of your surroundings, watch for hazards and be prepared for surprises. Reflective clothes and lights both front and rear should be used in questionable daylight or at night.

We also encourage all riders to wear a helmet and follow the rules of the road or mountain bike trail while on a bike. Each week we’ll share a riding tip to help make your riding experience enjoyable, safe and fun. So let’s get started!

Just because there is snow on the ground doesn’t mean it’s not Spring. And what does Spring mean besides flowers? Bicycling! Let’s face it, the times you spent on your bike as a kid are some of the happiest times you’ve ever had in your life. It was how most of us truly broke away from our parents’ grasp for the first time. You may not live with your parents anymore (or maybe you do and you still need some space!), but we’re willing to bet you haven’t forgotten how to ride a bike. You know why? Because you loved it so much. Yes, that feeling is still there itching to get out and if you let it, you may just find the purest of all fountains of youth. But first, you may have to actually go out and purchase a new or used bike. This can be quite overwhelming!

If you haven’t been to a bike shop in a while you may be quite surprised by the number of different styles of bikes on the sales floor. There are cruisers, comfort, commuter, road, mountain, hybrid bikes (!) and even more. Some bikes look more suited to an art gallery than a bike shop. In proportion to the number of bike styles, there are an equal number of different price ranges to suit everyone’s needs. So here’s the skinny…or the phat….on bikes you may see around the bike rack.

The Cruiser – The name says it all. Designed for a very relaxed and laid back kind of ride along the bike trail or neighborhood street while on the way to the local coffee shop. Generally in the lowest of the price ranges. With a low wide seat, wide handle bar and wide tires, this bike is unmistakable.

The Comfort Bike – Generally these are for traveling shorter distances at lower speed and are well suited to a basket or rack for trips to Whole Foods or the local Farmers Market. They’re also designed to give the rider an upright comfortable riding position. The addition of gears makes these bikes just a tad higher in price than the cruiser.

The Commuter Bike– Getting people from point A to point B reliably and efficiently is the function of this bike. Geared or not, this bike is usually set up with fenders, narrower tires, a rear rack and straight handle bars. Many different bike types can be set up as “commuter” type bikes with today’s accessories and tire choices,giving you a lot of flexibility in designing what you need.

The Road Bike– With the multi-curved handle bar and skinny tires, these bikes are as

distinctive as the cruiser. Think Lance Armstrong. Road bikes are designed to cover some serious road miles efficiently. The curved handle bars allow the rider to use many different hand positions for comfort and aerodynamic positions. These bikes have many different price points depending on the frame material and component selection. Generally the lighter, the bike the more expensive it is. Fit and price are the main considerations when buying such a bike so take the time to have a trained technician fit the bike to you. This will put you in the proper body position and decrease the risk of injury and fatigue.

The Mountain Bike – Without a doubt, the mountain bike is the most versatile of all bike types. These bikes were developed primarily off road and were first conceived and built by Gary Fisher in Mount Tam, CA. Wider tires and many gears allow riders to climb very steep inclines over all types of terrain. But set up correctly with skinny tires they can also fit very easily into any social group ride on the road as well. 26 or 29 inch wheels are available options for mountain bikes these days and the jury is still out as to which one is better. It seems to depend on the rider.

So there you have it, the lowdown on bikes. There’s a bike for everyone, so as you get ready to ride, think about what kinds of things you want to do with your bike and what you want your bike to do for you. I promise you, you will not be disappointed!

Ride on and catch you next week with another amazing installment on Spring riding!

Steve Lacey