Chicago Bike Blog

Rapid Transit Winter Biking Guide

"Will people still ride their bikes this winter?" I wondered.

I was driving back from Florida, and was filling up my rental car somewhere around Mt. Vernon, Illinois, where the marquee advertised gas at $1.99 per gallon. While it is unlikely that we will see gas prices like these in Chicago, it is undeniable, that, at least for the moment, they are going down. Before I returned my rental, I filled it up at $2.67, and later that afternoon, the same gas station posted a price of $2.58.
In case you haven't figured it out, high gas prices are great for the urban bicycle shop, like Rapid Transit. When they start falling, especially at the same time as mercury does, we worry.
A little.
Bicycle retailing is an emotional business. Two months ago, a line at our counter was several layers thick. Today, hours may go by before anyone enters the store. Is it the weather, or the price of gas?
More rationally speaking, we know from experience, that many people will continue to use their bikes without regard for the price of gas, and despite the weather.
Unlike fluctuating gas prices, winter weather cannot be disregarded by the winter cyclist in these latitudes. For you, brave souls, I have compiled what I hope is some useful winter cycling advice in one convenient spot: right here.

• Why ride in winter in the first place? 10 great reasons, courtesy of RocBike.
• Think it's cold here? Here's a kick you in the butt for you.
• Some winter riding essentials.
• What would your mother say? Advice on keeping warm. And some more.
• A story about winter riding hazards, and some other things (like tires).
• Tips on how to keep your bike in good shape this winter.
• If you're gonna ride your bike in Chicago this winter, you'll need service. This is it.

(Photo from Dingbat)

I love my trailer!

I don't live in one of those neighborhoods where you have a hard time finding bike rack space when you want to run in for a gallon of milk. But even in my sleepy neck of the woods, there have been bikes tied up at the local natural foods giant bike racks. It seems we are, indeed, on the road to accomplishing step one: getting more people on bikes. If they are biking here, in the land of the Lexus, they surely are biking elsewhere in the city. Not that I think it's time to rest on our laurels, but I'd say we're making some headway.
Here's the thing. Once they get to their destination, in this case, the supermarket, many of these folks have no idea how to get their load home.

OK, they guy in the front has a milk crate, and I think those are great. And once in a while I see someone with something resembling a grocery pannier. But the others? How are they going to carry their shopping home?

If they are using a backpack, a shopping bag thrown over the handlebars, or even that milk crate, chances are they are not using the bike for major errands. And that obviously limits the number of occasions that they will rely on their bicycle. With two trusty grocery panniers, you can carry two large, fully stuffed grocery bags, and even lay something extra across the rack. That's often enough for a small household, and it may be all that you need.

But what if you are shopping for a family? Or if you have a bunch of people coming over to your house, and you need to carry heavy stuff, like beer? Or what if you are, or want to be, car-free, and you need to use you bike for more than just the occasional trip to the store?

You need a trailer.

I have to admit, that until fairly recently, I was biased against trailers. The trailers I have tried have been child trailers, which are great for their stated purpose, but somewhat wide and cumbersome for other applications; and the single wheeled BOB trailer, which has fabulous handling while riding, but is annoyingly wiggly to maneuver with the bike when trying to get your load in and out.

Earlier this summer, in preparation for a bike camping trip, we bought a Burley Nomad cargo trailer. I hadn't really planned on using it for groceries, but, as long as it was sitting in my garage, why not? This thing is pretty amazing. Burley offers several attachment options, but we have the classic hitch, which allows you to quickly connect the trailer to many standard bikes with several turns of a nut. In my neighborhood, I don't worry too much about locking the trailer. But it could be locked up with the bike using a cable. I emerge from the store with a fully loaded cart, and arrange four fully stuffed canvas grocery bags, three six-packs of beer and a gallon of apple cider in the trailer with room to spare.

The Nomad is rated to 100lbs. You could probably get away with a little over that, if you're going a short distance. The cover opens all the way, allowing you to arrange the load just the way you like it, and then stretches over your load, keeping all the stuff securely in place. The two wheel design is superior for this application. It keeps the bike and the trailer completely stable while it's being loaded and maneuvered into position, until you are ready to get on and ride back home. You do feel the load behind your bike, but it tows easily and tracks beautifully. If you've ever towed children behind your bike, you will not believe how easy this is in comparison.

While for me it is the perfect trailer, if you live in an apartment or condo with limited storage, it may be tricky to conveniently stash the Nomad and keep it easily accessible for errands. It does fold flat for storage, but that may cut down on its ease of use. I really see its optimum application in households with a garage, where the trailer can be kept assembled and ready to roll, as a simple and convenient substitute for a car trunk.

It's priced in the low $300's, which is competitive with other quality bike trailers. I can't tell you how quickly it will pay for itself, but I'm pretty sure it's a more lasting investment than the $80 you can pour into the gas tank every time you fill up...

I know this particular trailer has been around for a very long time, marketed primarily for bike touring. But, as I recently discovered myself, it is the perfect tool for extending the usefulness of your urban bike.

So far, we found cool helmets. Well, warm helmets.

Most companies that design products for cyclists are unfamiliar with Chicago winters. This is why Elise was really stoked about the Bern helmets.
"They are warm and fuzzy. And fluffy!"
Helmets?!
Indeed, they are:

The helmets are integrated with a full range of weather protection liners, including water-shedding visors, ear flaps, knit cold weather liners, and, Elise's favorite, furry lined winter inserts.

Plus, they are a festive departure from the usual "banana helmets", and come in a wide range of eye-catching hues and patterns. Here, we model the orange-brown color scheme.

It will be a refreshing change of pace to be able to offer a helmet to winter bike riders without having to engineer a solution to keep their heads warm.

See, he likes it.

Interbike: who are we, and where are we going?

So, I didn't think Las Vegas had any real wildlife, but today, I was proven wrong:

This guy was hanging out in the driveway of our hotel. We admired and photographed him/her (they're hermaphrodites, you know), moved him/her gingerly onto a scant patch of greenery, before proceeding to our real destination, the annual bicycle trade show extravanganza, the Interbike Expo.

The schizophrenia of this industry was immediately apparent as I entered the giant, product-filled hall. Let me begin with the idea that holding tradeshow for the health-conscious, environmentally-minded, green and sustainable industry that bicycling is, in a town like Las Vegas, is in itself preposterous. Every year, dealers and vendors alike plead for holding the convention in a bicycle-friendly city, and perhaps one with some beauty and nature surrounding it, such as Denver, Portland, perhaps Minneapolis, and every year the convention organizers force us to visit the city of sin.

Here are a few more examples of and industry in search of personality. These two sights were literally across the walkway from each other:

A wholesome idea. No?

I'll let you draw your own conclusions.

Of course this year, just like last, everyone is on the bike commuting bandwagon. Including Louis Garneau, not necessarily a company known for its consistent commitment to utilitarian cycling.

So they threw some "commuter friendly" fashions into their clothing line...

...added a commuter bag...

... and, voila, you have a commuter line!

Never mind that the real urban commuters, who actually ride their bikes on real streets, in real traffic, and in real weather, would have to be nuts to spend, what, 85 bucks on the little plaid skort just to define their ordinary daily activity as "commuting". And that those bag handles would make the bags really easy to swipe if someone happened to really like them while you were waiting at the stoplight.

Not to pick on this particular company. I'm sure they do some stuff really well. And they are certainly not the only ones who seek to define bike commuting as some sort of a trend or fashion. Look at this smiling, happy person. Do you actually know any bike commuters who look like this?!

Nah, they're much more gritty than that. Their clothes are not always so clean from being on the road so much. That's why they don't indulge in frivolus bike fashions, except serious weather gear. But that doesn't mean they want junk. They want thoughtfully designed stuff that's made for the way bike commuting actually works and feels. Like this:

A real beauty from Civia cycles. Three or nine-speed versions are available. Beautiful, spare frame, full racks, bamboo accessories add a touch of style. Hey, I'm not saying it has to be dowdy. In fact, style is a big part of bike commuting. But style that derives from real functionality is different than a mere trend.

Like these bags from Detours, made from juice cartons recycled by a women-owned coop in the Philipines. They work well, look good, and support a good cause.

(Stay tuned for more on bags, I'll do a separate post.)

The bike industry seems to be torn on what to make of the growing popularity of bike commuting. Everyone seems to want to capitalize on it, only they are not sure how to do it. Bike commuters have an image problem, which they themselves inadvertently helped to create. They are not perceived by the bike industry as real cyclists. Read: they are not perceived by the bike industry as having money to spend. What happens as a result is that products made for commuters are often cheap and flimsy, and offer a certain urban "look" rather than true utility.

Where much of the industry is missing the boat is the fact that urban commuters are willing to spend money where it counts. Like the example I mentioned earlier: foul weather clothing. Other examples are lights and bags. And, of course, the bikes themselves. Bikes that hold up through the rigors of daily use.

A few bike and accessory companies, usually ones where the owners and/or employees actually use their own bicycles for transport and utility, understand this, and they tend to make ther truly useful products for the bicycle commuter that are engineered with specific functions in mind. Those products are not cheap, but they tend to also not be disposable.

I am here in Vegas to find these products. The products from companies that understand that bike commuting is not a trend.

What's in your bag?

This post comes to you from Boblo Island in the straits of Mackinac. I am siting at the only public establishment with wi-fi available on this small snippet of land.

ChicCyclist has invited some people to disclose the contents of their bags. Here's my contribution.

We can debate the relative merits of messenger bags, backpacks and panniers all day long. If you've read this blog before, you already know that my favorite bike bag is the humble grocery pannier.

Because I almost always use it when I bike, and certainly every time I run errands with my bike, I keep the most necessary essentials it it at all times.

Here's a close-up:

And some debris, it seems.

If you take away the debris, these are the essentials that are left:

• Two bunji cords for carrying unexpected loads.
• Kryptonite Evolution mini-lock.
• I can get away with the mini-lock, because I use locking skewers on my wheels. But that means I must always carry the wheels removal gizmo with me, I case I get a flat. That gizmo is attached to my bike lock key, which always lives in the grocery pannier.

Speaking of flats, you doubtless noticed that any flat-repair items are conspicuously absent from my bag. That is because, attached to the seat of my bike at all times, is a bag that contains the flat-fixing necessities. I don't have to remember to bring it. It's always there.

Of course, when I go places with or without my bike, there are other items that I inevitably need.

• Notebook (after trying every day planner in existence, I have settled upon a blank, plain paper Moleskine pad (link) to contain my tasks, to-do's, shopping lists, phone numbers, directions, recipes, and letters to be mailed tucked into the little pocket on the back cover).
• A few business cards, if I happen to remember them.
• Energy bar (a current favorite is one made for kids)
• Tea tree oil (for mosquito bites)
• Nail file
• Tea bags
• Lip balm
• Pen
• Cell phone

But I don't have a special bike bag. Sometimes I use a small shoulder bag, sometimes a canvas sack, other times a purse. Any bag I happen to choose fits conveniently inside my grocery pannier. Which is why it's my favorite bike bag.

Not-so-minimalist

As someone who has never gone on a self-supported bike tour, I harbor perhaps a somewhat distorted image of such an endeavor. I imagine a lone figure against the dusky horizon, with panniers holding only the barest of necessities: tent, sleeping bag, change of clothes, some cooking utensils. Spare, self-sufficient, autonomous, economical.
Add a spouse and two school-age kids, and the picture changes radically.

Two, count'em, two BikeFriday Family Tandems being readied in our garage.

I have done car camping with my family. We have all the stuff. Regardless of the duration of the particular camping trip, you just throw all the stuff into the car, and go. It doesn't matter that we're only going for two nights. The car always looks like we're going on a cross-country road trip. But we don't care, because the car doesn't care.
We have read about and admired families that travel together by bike. Ironically, even though (or is it because?) we own a bike shop, we have never tried this ourselves.
So now that our youngest child is seven, we had this idea that we would go on a camping vacation by bike. A short little trip, just to get our feet wet: bike the I&M Canal to Starved Rock, camp a couple of nights and come back. You wouldn't think we need much for a trip like this; just the essentials.
Unfortunately, most of our car-camping equipment is unsuitable for towing in a bike trailer, and our planned 4-day trip has resulted in a mountain of equipment that had to be bought, begged, found and borrowed.
I have a feeling that with all the stuff we need, our bike tours will be no different that our trips by car: even if we're only going overnight, we'll look like we're ready to go around the world.
Maybe one day, we will.

Running errands with your bike

OK, so maybe you don't want to ride your bike to work. Maybe it's too far, too early, too dressy, too fussy, whatever. That doesn't mean you can't still use your bike for getting around the city when you are not going to work. One of my favorite ways to use my bike it for grocery shopping. If I ride my bike, I don't have to vie for a parking spot, and I can carry a lot more than when I'm walking.

With some well-chosen equipment, you bicycle is capable of carrying significant loads.

The number one, most useful item is a rear carrying rack -- an aluminum platform which sits over the rear wheel of you bike. It provides a good place to carry your u-lock, and, with a couple of bunji cords, it will allow you to carry an unanticipated load in an emergency. Best of all, racks are designed to fit a variety of standard bicycle bags (or panniers) which make carrying stuff on your bike a breeze.

The most versatile bike bag I can think of it the grocery pannier, a collapsible carrier shaped like a paper grocery sack. It attaches to the bike rack with a combination of metal hooks and an elastic strap. Unlike heavier metal baskets, these bags can be taken off in seconds or folded flat when not in use. You can use them to carry your "regular" bag of briefcase (no need to move stuff back and forth between bags when you are cycling). These panniers can be carried singly or in pairs, and are great for carrying take-out, six-packs, library books, small packages to be mailed, groceries (of course!), and many other things you can think of.

If you are serious about carrying loads with your bike, you may be a candidate for a cargo trailer. The BOB trailer is a great single-wheeled device with a light cromoly construction. It attaches to the rear axle of most bikes, and will carry up to 70 lbs of load, so it's equally useful for touring, and weekly supermarket trips for the family. The single-wheel design makes it narrow and maneuverable in traffic. If you prefer a two-wheeled design, Burley makes a very nice and versatile open Flatbed trailer that we use for Costco expeditions, and a covered Nomad that is a long-standing industry standard for cargo trailers.

A relatively new option that is gaining popularity among load-carrying cyclists is a bike with an extended rear triangle, such as the Kona Ute (as in "utility"). These bikes come with an extra-long carrying rack that is integrated into the frame of the bike. The top of the rack will accommodate large and heavy loads (charcoal bags, potting soil and kitty litter come immediately to mind), while the sides of the rack can be used to mount not one but two pairs of panniers.

And, don't forget, that you may be able to use what you already have. If you don't have a rack and panniers, use your backpack. Use a milk crate on top of your existing bike rack. If you have a child trailer that your kids are not using or have outgrown, use that for shopping expeditions. Urban commuting doesn't have to be about spending money on more bike stuff. It's about using your resources creatively. Have fun, and stop by Rapid Transit Cycleshop for gear, or for free advice.

Related posts:
Transporting stuff on your bike
Can't carry it on your bike? Think again.
5 Best Urban Cycling Bags
Using a milk crate to carry stuff on your bike

Essential Commuter Accessories: Stock or DIY?

My point isn't to dissuade anyone from buying the things you might need. But I think some people get discouraged from riding, feeling that they need too many fancy, complicated and expensive accessories. Here are quality bike commuting essentials you should buy (preferably from your friendly local bike shop, such as our own). These well-designed add-ons will make your commute more pleasant and efficient, and help keep you and your bike safe.

Must Have:

• helmet
• lock
• spare tube and pump
• lights, if you ride at night

Nice to have:

• rear rack
• street tires
• saddle that fits your butt

These accessories can also add up to a lot of money. Some things can be improvised:

• Panniers are nice (especially the grocery ones!), but commuters on limited budgets have done great with found milk crates, storage or shopping baskets, mail carrier crates, or even plastic waste bins fastened to the rack.
• It's great to have a full set of fenders, but sometimes you have to make do with what's on hand. I've seen fenders fashioned out of soda bottles, stiff cardboard and pieces of car tire. Affix one piece to the end of your rack to extend it's reach, and zip-tie another to the down-tube to protect against spray from the front tire. In and emergency, you can shove a tightly rolled and flattened newspaper, covered in a plastic bag, through your rack as a makeshift fender.
• Your rain gear does not have to be bike-specific. It also doesn't absolutely have to be breathable. Basic, functional rainwear can be picked up at thrift shops and camping stores. If your commute is not very long, or if you don't plan to ride in the rain frequently, an emergency poncho might be right for you.

And some things you may be able to dispense with altogether:

• Horn. Use your voice.
• Padded shorts. A good fitting saddle may do the trick.
• Mirror. Some people swear by them. But it's possible to ride safely without one. Practice looking over your shoulder without swerving.
• Messenger bag. It's best to get the load off your back, but if you like the idea of getting on and off the bike quickly, without futzing with luggage, grab a backpack. You probably already own one.

If you're just starting out, all you need is some clothes you can move in, comfortable shoes, the four accessories listed at the top, and, of course, your bike. Start simple, and build on what you think you will need.

Last-Minute Gifts for Cyclists

Last minute?!

Yep. One measly week left. Don't squander it at the mall.

In this installment of Chicago's ULTIMATE Cyclist Gift Guide, we race through Rapid Transit, and grab everything that seems like a good idea for a cyclist on your holiday list. Big or small, there is something here for everyone.

• Folding Multi-tools ($20-50).
• KRYPTONITE Evolution Mini ($65) compact bicycle lock.
• Festive handlebar tape ($12-20). Available in a rainbow of colors, this will dress up any road bike.
• Safety-orange helmet ($57), or other stylish helmets

• Something warm for under the helmet (headbands, beanies and such from $12). Also, a selection of one-of-a-kind cycling caps made by our very own Elise (modeled by Elise & Ben).

• Handlebar or helmet mirror (<$20).
• Smartwool socks ($12-20; after you've tried these, it's hard to go back to ordinary socks).
• Brooks leather bicycle seat (from about $70).
• Rear rack. This JANDD Expdition rack ($82) is a workhorse; other racks available from about $40.

• Rainwear. From a simple helmet cover to a full rain suit, this will be appreciated by any hardy cyclist.
• "I Love My Bike" bell , and other bells (from $5).

You could also get lights, clipless pedals, tires, bags, fenders, cycle computers, handlebar grips, horns, baskets, cargo trailers, kid trailers, heck, you could even get a bike! OK, I'm all out of breath. If you need more ideas, click here. You can access all our coupons here. Oh, and Merry Christmas.

20 Best Stocking Stuffers for Cyclists

Welcome to the new installment of Chicago's ULTIMATE Cyclist's gift guide! Here are our top picks for stocking stuffers for urban cyclists:

For the night rider:

1. LED Blinker
2. Refective leg band
3. Reflective vest or sash
4. Blinking valve covers
5. Small headlight

For the commuter

1. Handlebar or helmet mirror
2. Bell or horn
3. Wheel locking skewers
4. Patch kit or spare tube & tire levers
5. Packable emergency rain jacket

For winter riding

1. Bicycle chain oil
2. Gear brush and cleaner
3. Headband or balaclava
4. Merino wool socks
5. Lobster gloves

Etc.

1. Folding multi-function tool
2. Seat bag
3. Arm warmers
4. Seatpost-mounted mud guard
5. Water bottle with holder

and, of course, a gift card.

Here's the coupon:

Click, print and redeem at Rapid Transit Cycleshop.