Hi All! Today we have a guest post from Shannon, who blogs over at Girl’s Got Sole. Today she is sharing her tips for running errands on your bike! Please show her some love and either comment here or comment on her site about the great tips!
Forget the car, grab your bike!
I’ve recently started running errands that are close by via my bike. Not only does it give me a great cross-training workout, but it saves me gas money because I’m not using my car. Not to mention that it’s more eco-friendly! I wouldn’t be able to feel comfortable or confident enough to do this without the help of Cycling Savvy. Last summer, I took a series of three classes offered here in Orlando by the organization which is in coalition with the Florida Bicycle Association.
While I’m still exploring venturing further out of my neighborhood and doing more errands, I’m learning the must-haves or things that make commute biking a lot easier. Here are some of the things that I’ve found helpful.
1. Panniers. I just got a pair for my bike’s rack and they are one of the best investments I’ve made in regards to my bike. I can put a lot of groceries in each one as well as my camera if I want to go out and take pictures. Definitely a must-have in my book if you want to shop via bike or do any errands that require you buy things (baskets also work, but they don’t hold as much).
2. Bike lock. While the cheap cable locks are okay, they really don’t do much for you if someone has cutters and really wants your bike. I bought a u-lock after many recommendations that it’s the best lock. I also have a very long and thick cable that allows me to lock my bike to my car’s bike rack if I’m transporting it and need to ensure it’s locked up.
3. Routes. I always bike on the road since taking Cycling Savvy as it really is the safest way to ride (sidewalks pose a lot of hidden risks). But, I always look up my routes beforehand via google maps. They have pretty good bike directions, and you can move the route if you want to change some of it around. I do that a lot, change what google offers to make the route I take better (google tends to give a number of side streets and that’s not always the fastest or the best way to go).
4. What to wear. I usually wear a pair of cargo shorts and a breathable t-shirt. Comfort and keeping cool in the summer are key. I also wear a bondiband under my helmet to help wick away the sweat (it also helps keep my hair a bit less crazy looking when I take off my helmet when doing my shopping in the store).
5. Enjoy the ride. Ensure you pay attention to the road and don’t let honking motorists get you down. Unfortunately, there are a number of drivers who don’t know the laws of the road or how to share the road with cyclists. Cyclists have just as much of a right to be on the road as a car does.
Here are some links that might be helpful or informative: