Today’s snow was totally unexpected, and a reminder of the grab bag weather ’round these parts. (Grab bag b/c you never know what you’re going to get.) I have to admit that am a fair-weather bike commuter. As a Reno girl, I grew up hopping in the car to go anywhere–the nearest bus stop was at least an hour away. Over the past few weeks, I’ve been transitioning to year-round commuting. I’ve been saving my moola for a rain jacket, my bike is tuned, and I have plenty of lights. Now I just need to stop being a wuss and actually do it! I was inspired by the lead article in the latest Portland Tribune, which ends with a rousing call for bike commuting from a VERY nearby neighbor– in fact, we share the corner! Here’s the quote:
Jennifer Karps, who commutes from Southeast 72nd and Holgate to downtown, says she’s too stubborn to pay for downtown parking. When she pedals to work, she’s not cranky, but ready for the day by the time she gets there. While riding, she’s often worked out plans for talking the word ahead of her.
Way to go, Jenny! I hope you (and other Fo-Po-ers) will chime in and give us fair-weather cyclists a few tips for getting on the bike even when it’s nasty out!
UPDATE 1:33pm: In a story at BikePortland.org, Mike Meade commented that his bike commute to Fo-Po only took about fifteen extra minutes. Sounds like the bike is a great mode of travel when it’s nasty out! I took the bus during the storm, and had no problems–just felt pity for people stuck on the freeways because of a few pesky flakes.
Colleen,For maximum comfort commuting in Portland winters, equip the bike and then yourself.Use fenders with the most coverage you can find. If you can find fenders that wrap half way around the circumference of your wheel, you’re set. You don’t want water coming off of the front wheel only to soak your feet or get in your eyes, and you don’t want it spraying up your back from the rear. Use lights front and rear. At minimum, get some of those blinky lights so people can see you. The brighter the better. Anyone who rides at night without lights should spend some time in a car to get a clearer perspective on what divers see (or don’t see). Most blinky lights can go for years without battery changes. If you have a bigger budget, you can opt for some dynamo driven lights that you never have to charge.Rain gear is great, but keep in mind that if you’re working up some heat, you’re going to get wet anyway from the inside out. If you are going to splurge on a rain jacket, Showers Pass (headquarters in SE PDX) makes some great ones that have some fantastic cycling oriented features. Look for a dropped tail (to keep your rear as dry as possible) extra long sleeves (to keep your wrists covered when you’re in a cycling position) a double zipper in the front (to unzip from the bottom to keep the jacket from bunching when you’re leaning forward) and hidden vents that don’t let rain in. If you ride casually, you probably don’t need fancy fabrics like E-Vent or Gore Tex and can get away with something simple and cheap. The more heat you generate, you could use some of the fancy features.
Sean, these are excellent tips. I really appreciate this in-depth advice! My bike doesn’t have fenders, so that will probably be my next purchase after a jacket. I was wondering what to look for in a bike jacket, and thanks to your comment, now I know! Thanks again!