Right now the weather is so hot outside that even my most bike-loving friends have been having trouble doing a lot of bicycle commuting lately. But soon the leaves will turn, weather will change, and it will be the perfect season for bicycling once again! In honor of one of my current sponsors, Leisure Lakes Bikes, I thought I’d put together some tips for making bicycle commuting easier, safer and more fun!
1. Stay safe, stay visible.
Sometimes I’ve slacked about wearing a helmet on my bicycle, but after my co-worker Lindsey recently got into a really, really bad bicycle accident, I’ve sworn to be much more vigilant. Get a cycling helmet that fits comfortably and wear it!
If you’re going to be doing a lot of biking, especially if you’re riding at night, invest in some gear to make yourself visible to cars and other vehicles. Leisure Lakes has a great array of high visibility clothing & accessories, as well as bike lights. (These skully lights are pretty rad, right??)
2. Make it easy to haul your stuff.
There are a ton of different options for hauling stuff around on your bike – messenger bags, front baskets, rear baskets, panniers. Me? Right now I just have a simple detachable front basket, but I would love, love, love some of the super cute bike panniers by Queen Bee Creations or one of the handmade bicycle boxes from Bates Crates.
3. Get the right bike.
Different bikes work better for different terrains and types of commutes. Obviously if you live someplace hilly, you probably need a different type of bike than us flat-landers here in New Orleans. For some people with longer commutes, biking can still be an option. If you live in the suburbs of a major urban that has a lot of traffic congestion, it might be easier to take a train or drive in part of the way, and once you get into town, unload a folding bike and ride the rest of the way in, zipping around all of that traffic. Get some exercise and save some time!
4. Keep it cool & stay fresh.
Most workplaces don’t have a shower, so on your way into work, make it an easy ride if you don’t want to get too sweaty. Bring a change of clothes, and make sure you leave home early enough so that you don’t feel rushed. On days where I’ve ridden to work and I knew it was going to be super hot anyway, I brought a washcloth from home so that when I went to change clothes I could do a quick cool off and wipe away the sweat. Be sure to bring some deodorant too – I like the idea of one of these all natural deodorant sprays by Ophelia’s Apothecary – a perfect way to cool down and smell fresh at the same time!
A big thanks to Leisure Lakes Bikes for advertising with Miss Malaprop! We love our sponsors!
