Bicycle Commuting Tips

WE NEED YOUR
SUPPORT!
This content is
brought to you free
as a public service!

"For the bike commuter, the commute is the best part of the day. For the car commuter, the commute is often the worst part of the day."

Ten Tips For Bike Commuting:

1. Select a bike you are comfortable riding; it also needs to be in good working order. [Tip: A good bike shop is a good resource for this.]
2. Plan your route; you will probably have to balance safety, convenience and aesthetics, you may want several routes for different moods. [Tip: Members of the local bicycle club are a good place to look for help on this. To find a bicycle map of a particular city go to www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&q=%22bicycle+map%22+city, replace "city" in the URL with the location you are looking for.]
3. Test your route on a day off when you are not under pressure; not only do you learn the route, you test your equipment and learn about how long the ride takes.
4. Select light colored cycling clothes; you can't make yourself too visible.
5. Plan your work attire; store a wardrobe at the office or carry cloths rolled in a towel to reduce wrinkling. [Tip: some people deliver a weeks worth of clothing to their office once a week.]
6. Get bike panniers or a ruck sack; for clothing, papers and snacks -- longer rides favor panniers.
7. Buy a lock; learn where to park and how to use the lock for maximum effectiveness.
8. Lights for winter or night riding; there are a variety on the market, choose the one that matches your situation -- don't forget an array of reflectors as well.
9. Foul weather gear for foul weather; it is best if it is designed for cycling.
10. Wear a helmet; accidents happen, studies show that helmets can reduce the severity of the injury.

Selecting a Bike  |  Bicycle Safety Checklist (PDF) |  Benefits of Bicycling  |  Bicycle Parking Criteria

IBF's Bicycle / Development / Sustainability Bibliography / Reading List

Search BarnesandNoble.com for Bicycle Commuting

Home | About Us | Contact Us | Contributions | Economics | Education | Encouragement | Engineering | Environment | Bibliography | Essay Contest | Ibike Tours | Library | Links | Site Map | Search

The International Bicycle Fund is an independent, non-profit organization. Its primary purpose is to promote bicycle transportation. Most IBF projects and activities fall into one of  four categories: planning and engineering, safety education, economic development assistance and promoting international understanding. IBF's objective is to create a sustainable, people-friendly environment by creating opportunities of the highest practicable quality for bicycle transportation. IBF is funded by private donation. Contributions are always welcome and are U.S. tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.

Please write if you have questions, comment, criticism, praise or additional information for us, to report bad links, or if you would like to be added to IBF's mailing list. (Also let us know how you found this site.)

"Hosted by ThinkHost - earth friendly web hosting"
Created by David Mozer.
Copyright © 1995-2008 International Bicycle Fund. All rights reserved.