The Seattle Times has an interesting article on transportation called “Hell on Wheels: Is there no end to the stream of traffic insults?” Here are some interesting, random things that popped out at me from the article:

• Seattle police have written 7,000 more tickets than five years ago for speeding and inattention.

• SUV drivers do talk on phones more.
• Generally, more people drive at 1 p.m. Saturday than during typical rush hours.
• Sidewalks cost about a million bucks per mile.
• …now as Seattle has started installing on-road bikeways and “sharrows,” the initial shock is strong. Drivers think they’re losing something.
• Seattle has the 4th worst traffic in the nation.

This one gets its own special call out:

“Before we blame the mayor*, illegal immigrants or smug cyclists for our coagulating streets, we should look in the mirror. It’s pretty obvious drivers are the chief problem.”

Today on my ride, a small semi-truck full of manure (the load was uncovered) came up behind us, honked loudly, and whipped around us. We all squeezed together as it went by. Somehow, even though otherwise people diligently called “car back” and rode single-file most of the time, this truck escaped our notice. I’m pretty sure the driver went by shaking his fist and grumbling about those d*** bicyclists on his roads.

This vignette isn’t unique. Doing outreach for the Bike Alliance, and in everyday life, I regularly field comments, concerns, and — most of all — complaints about bicycling. But bicyclists aren’t the problem, not really. We’re a tiny percentage of the traffic out there; about 3% of commutes in Seattle are by bike (here, here), and even when bicycling numbers swell on sunny weekends, nowhere do bikes outnumber cars. Yes, bicyclists do slow traffic down, but no more than farm vehicles, large trucks, or something fascinating on the side of the road.

The larger problem is that when people assume their motorists hats, they also put on the cloak of entitlement that says, “I have the right to get where I’m going as fast as possible, without impediment, hassle, slowdown, or bother. Get out of my way and let me get to my destination!” It’s particularly easy to be a jerk when you’re anonymous; a person who wouldn’t cut in a grocery line would willingly zip in front of other motorists to get a little bit ahead.

Maybe even deeper is the fact that as a society we’ve become so busy that every excursion is a trip rather than a journey. There’s no time to plan out and execute the hour-long bus ride; easier to just hop in the car and go directly. Heaven forbid walking; it’s usually too far, or too rainy, or too much hassle. Motorists try to redeem dead driving hours with their cell phones — last week somebody called me while driving on 520, explaining, “It’s the first chance I had to call.” — but end up driving distracted, as impaired as if they had a blood alcohol level of 0.08%.

What have we gained? Large, frequently-empty homes in sprawling suburbs housing isolated individual families far from useful amenities. It’s not just a shame, it’s a travesty. People are meant to connect with each other in community, and instead we’ve bought the lie that we’re meant to collect the best stuff.

Choosing to walk, bus, or bike symbolizes the desire for a deeper change. It’s rejecting the lie that being busy equals being happy, that every minute must be productive, that travel time is wasted time. It’s choosing relationship, choosing people over convenience, choosing to value the journey and not just the destination.

* For non-Seattleites: Seattle Mayor Mike McGinn campaigned as a bicyclist and bike commutes to Seattle City Hall. He has come under fire for his “anti-car” stance on a number of controversial topics, including increased on-street parking fees and the Alaskan Way Viaduct replacement.

Click beneath the fold for a report on my weekend bike ride.

Rode on Sunday, as Saturday was Kallie’s 5th birthday party, and I couldn’t miss that. Per Dan’s instructions, planned to do 70 miles and 5500 feet of climbing on Sunday — 43 miles of a Francis Gan ride, and the remaining miles on my own afterward. Lovely day: High clouds with sun breaks (with wet roads), light wind, and starting in the low 40s and getting up to the low 50s. Messed up my own plan by agreeing to ride with Dad to the Francis Gan starting point, which added 12 miles on the front that I didn’t plan on. By the time we finished the Francis Gan ride, I was at 55 miles and feeling pretty pooped. According to Francis the group averaged 16.4 with 2400 feet of climbing. However, I decided to try to get in as much extra climbing as I could before my legs gave out entirely. I rode up Old Redmond Road, Market Street, Juanita Drive to Holmes Point, Seminary Hill, Simonds Road, and Norway Hill. We won’t discuss my speed on those last few climbs. The point is that I did it. This ended up bringing me to almost exactly 80 miles and, according to GPS Visualizer, a total of 5700 feet of climbing (lowball SportTracks estimate: 4,000 feet of climbing). Now at some point I’m just going to have to ‘fess up to Dan that once again I inadvertently exceeded the distance he set for me. I came home and drank two glasses of chocolate milk, ate a sandwich, and inhaled a bowl of yogurt. I think I hear a banana calling my name right now. And we have twice(?) baked potatoes for dinner. I’d forgotten how hungry I am after riding that far. Whew. Tomorrow’s looking like a rest day.

At some point nearly every morning, I suddenly wonder: “Oh no, did I forget my [insert clothing item here]?” This is mainly due to the fact that at one point or another I’ve forgotten pretty much every piece of clothing; after forgetting my underwear one day, I implemented the Full Backup Clothes Policy, where I leave a complete set of clothes at work all the time, just in case.

I mention this, not because I forgot anything today, but because as usual I thought about it when I went to put on regular clothes. (I think of it as putting on my Clark Kent outfit.)

I also managed to bring in a little plant successfully: It didn’t get squished or tipped over in my pannier, and I have high hopes that it will have a longer lifespan here than it would at home.

First of all, thank you to all the well-wishers leaving comments on my blog and Facebook. Your concern is very touching.

Second of all, I have all sorts of exciting (for some values of exciting) news on the crash front. At the adamant urging of my parents and all my coworkers, I went to the doctor. I had felt sleepy after the crash, had a headache all yesterday, and woke up feeling dizzy and nauseous, a feeling that didn’t really go away during my commute in.

Not surprisingly, the doctor diagnosed me with a mild concussion. This is the first time I’ve had any notable injury from crashing.

She then instructed me absolutely not to ride a bike until I felt better, although I could drive “because then you’re protected being surrounded with all that metal.” The objection to biking wasn’t a concern about exertion, as far as I could tell, but because I’m “out of it” and therefore less likely to make good decisions. Great, so I’m not safe enough to ride my bike — where I’d probably only harm myself — but I’m safe enough to drive a car and potentially harm lots of other people?! Worst doctor advice ever. (I’d taken the bus there, but rode my bike against her orders from the doctor’s office to my house, 3.18 miles, without trouble.)

Apparently if I experience any other symptoms like increased dizziness, headache, or vomiting, I should immediately panic and go to the ER because that could be bleeding in my brain. Well, she didn’t say the panic part, but that was kind of implicit.

Unfortunately I am well enough to work (something I had already figured out, having successfully ridden 21 miles to work and then completed half a workday before leaving), but I also have to keep on the ibuprofen, drink lots of water and get lots of electrolytes (“padding for my brain,” which is apparently sloshing around all the time and needs extra fluids right now), and avoid smacking myself in the head again.

I should be better by Monday or sooner. The doctor said, “If you’re Superman, you could wake up tomorrow and be perfectly fine to ride.” Then she looked at me and added, “And it sounds like you might be, considering the crash and how you came out of it.” On the theory that I’m Superman, I spent the afternoon in the back yard soaking up some sun and avoiding kryptonite.

Third of all, regarding the fork, the people who built the original are going to build me a replacement. They’re also going to give me a refund on the original. So in the end I should get something like $400 cash and a new fork. Sadly, I’m not sure if I’ll ever feel totally comfortable using the beautiful new fork, after this experience. Should I just scratch the new fork idea and take the $400 and go? I’m not sure. My decision-making faculties do seem to have their wires crossed right now. I value any and all input.

Crashed again. Fine again. Front fork totaled again.

I emailed a description to myself. Here it is.

At 6:45 am on Wednesday, September 29, I was riding south on Market Street in Kirkland behind another bicyclist. I moved out of the bike lane and into the going-straight lane, fairly close behind the other bicyclist. The other bicyclist abruptly turned to the right while I continued straight, causing me to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting him. I don’t think I hit him; he stayed upright, while I immediately crashed, falling on my left side. Examination of my bike at the time indicated that the front fork had bent severely at the brake dropout, and the front fender had been bent as well. It appeared that the fork bent under the strain of braking. Fortunately, I had panniers on the bike, and they absorbed the shock and protected me from any injury other than bruising.

I consulted Chad at Pedal Dynamics and Chris at JRA Bike Shop, and both agreed that the fork failure was a manufacturing/design defect. Damage to the bike includes the front fork, the fender, the tire (which was sliced), and my helmet, which hit the ground hard when I fell. My next step is to go back to the manufacturer and see what they’ll do for me.

This is where it happened.

View September Crash Site in a larger map

I’m back where I was in March and feeling really discouraged about it. Had to drive in on a gorgeous sunny day, too.

PS -

So you’re interested in commuting by bike. Often one of the first questions people have when they start thinking about using a bike as a means of transportation is “What kind of bike should I use?” I’m going to provide a little bit of bike purchasing advice that’s based on my experience, but you don’t actually need a special bike for commuting. All you need is a bike in good working order, a helmet, and a way to carry your stuff.

However, lots of people buy commute-specific bikes, for good reason, so I’m going to throw my $0.02 in. I emphasize planning and thinking before going out and buying a bike because most people buy a first commuter bike and then later wish they’d bought something else. My discussion below is aimed at to helping you home in on features you want so you can buy the right bike the first time.

Choose Features

Define your list of needs.
When you decide to go by bike, first think about a XXX factors:

1. What is your budget? You can spend anywhere from $100 to $10,000 on a commuting bike. Expect to spend between $750 and $1500 for a good commuting bike from a reputable bike shop.

2. How often do you want to ride? Think about what your long-term bicycling goal is. Do you want to ride 5 days a week year round, whenever the weather permits, or just every occasionally?
3. How many miles will you ride? You’ll probably want a different bike to ride 10 miles each way than if you ride 2 miles each way. If your normal commute is long, consider a multimodal commute where you drive or take the bus partway, park, and ride the rest of the way.
4. Do you want to use this bike for other things? If you want to take this on long club rides, on gravel trails, for towing a trailer, or for other specific uses, make sure you find a bike that supports those activities.
5. How hilly is your commute? A 50-lb Dutch-style bike is great in flat New York City, but on the hills of San Fransisco, you’d probably prefer something a bit lighter-weight. Single-speeds and fixed gear bikes are popular right now, but aren’t so practical for most everyday bicyclists.
6. Do you want to carry stuff on your bike? Many bike commuters use a rack and panniers (saddle bags), but a backpack or messenger bag also serve many commuters well. If you want to go the rack-and-pannier method, budget extra for those items. Some bikes do come equipped with those, but many don’t.
7. Do you want to ride in the dark? Some commuter bikes come equipped with dynamo-powered front and rear lights already. Most bikes can support lights, but budget for a good, bright front light ($100 to $150 is about typical) and a couple of blinking rear lights ($30 to $40 each).

Refine your list of needs.
Once you’ve thought about that, ride your current bike (if you have one) on your commute for at least a month. Keep a list of the things you like and don’t like about it. This, like the planning above, will help you start getting a better sense of what you actually want out of your commuter bike.

What Kind of Bike?

With your refined list of needs in hand, you can start thinking about what kind of bike would serve your needs. I’m not going to recommend specific bikes because there are so many excellent “urban” or commute-specific bike models out there these days and every commuter’s needs are different. However, check out bikes from Trek (and associated brand Gary Fisher), Specialized, Jamis, Surly, Giant, and any of the other major brands.

Features to Consider
Features to look for that make a bike good for commuting can include:

• Fender mounts

• Rack mounts
• Dynamo-hub powered front- and rear-lights, if you want to avoid the hassle of batteries — either way, plan on buying lights and using them day and night
• Sturdy frame
• Comfortable geometry for you — this can mean anything from a road bike with drop handlebars to a fully upright cruiser-style bike
• Gearing suitable for your terrain
• Reasonable weight — many Dutch city bikes and cruisers tend to weigh in at over 40 lbs, which becomes a lot of weight to haul around if you’re riding any distance or up any hills
• Easy-to-use shifters — you can always learn new shifters, but odds are you’ll develop a preference as you try different things, and it’s worth having shifting you like since you do it often
• Place for a bell — much nicer than having to holler “on yer left!” constantly
• Smooth, fairly skinny tires

Here are three different commuter bikes that all have most of the features listed above.

The Road Bike Option

This road bike has a touring geometry, which makes it more upright and less aerodynamic than a racing bike. It has a rear rack and the option for a front rack, fenders, lights, a wide range of gears, and it is fairly lightweight. The seat is comfortable for riding short distances in regular pants or longer distances with bike shorts. The tires are narrow (23x700C), high-pressure, and puncture-resistant, with a reflective sidewall for better nighttime side visibility. I ride this bike on my daily 40-mile round-trip commute.

The Hybrid Bike Option

This is a hybrid bike with a very upright geometry, curving handbars and comfy grips. It has a rear rack and fenders, some cheap clip-on lights, very low gearing that makes climbing hills easy, and it is fairly lightweight. The seat is quite cushy and comfortable for riding in regular pants for short to intermediate distances. The tires are slightly wider and medium-pressure, not puncture-resistant or anything special, really. I like to ride this bike on short errands when I just want to wear regular clothes.

The Cargo Bike Option

This is a workhorse bike, a Specialized Hardrock with a Free Radical Xtracycle extension on the back that makes hauling large loads feasible (but not pleasant, particularly up hills). I converted it to have drop handlebars some time ago, but now I think I’d like to go for a more upright geometry with handlebars like the red bike. It has a fairly cheap headlight, extremely low gearing that’s necessary when it’s under load, and it weighs a ton. The seat is comfortable enough for regular pants but padded shorts help. The tires are extremely wide, puncture-resistant, and durable. I like to ride this when I go on trips to the grocery store or to pick up things that don’t fit in a regular set of panniers.

As you can see, there are many different options when you buy a commuter bike. Generally, if you buy a good brand from a reputable shop, you’ll do well.

In addition to the bikes billed as “urban bikes” or “commuter bikes” — many of which come either equipped with commuting essentials or readily accept them — consider touring bikes like the Jamis Aurora, which are built to carry heavy loads and be very comfortable over long distances; and cyclocross bikes (I had a LeMond Poprad, an excellent commuter but no longer manufactured), which tend to be very strong but lightweight and often are rack- and fender-compatible.

The Latest Cool Things
A word on some gimmicks:

• Carbon fiber isn’t necessary on a commuter bike. Many bikes come with carbon fiber forks and seatposts, and it’s the latest cool thing for bike technology. Carbon fiber can make a bumpy road feel smoother on a ride, but a good steel bike can have a very similar feel without the downsides of carbon fiber (primarily its propensity to shatter or crack when impacted). Whatever you choose to commute on, make sure it’s a rugged bike that can take some banging around.

• Fat, knobby tires aren’t good for riding on roads. Unless your commute includes some singletrack or a path covered deep in large gravel, look for smooth tires. Many people ride on fairly skinny tires to reduce rolling resistance, and that’s a good idea for long-distance or race rides. However, for everyday commuting, slightly wider tires — 32 to 38 for a 700C wheel, or 1.5 to 1.75 on a 26″ wheel — can cushion your ride and make it feel a lot less bumpy. Be sure to pump your tires up every week, and I recommend getting puncture-resistant tires like the Specialized Armadillo or the Continental Gatorskin. These cost more but save you the hassle of dealing with frequent flats*.
• Disc brakes have pros and cons. Lots of commuter bikes are coming equipped with disc brakes, which have incredible stopping power under any conditions. If you’re planning on riding through a snowy, icy winter, or if you plan on regularly carrying 50+ lbs down big hills, by all means consider disc brakes. However, be aware that disc brakes tend to be finnicky and require frequent readjustment, and replacing the brake pads on disc brakes is twice as expensive as and significantly more complicated than replacing pads for rim brake pads. Normal rim brakes work very well for most normal commuting applications and they’re much less finicky and expensive than disc brakes.
• Internal hubs. You can get up to an 8-speed internal rear hub. This is pretty cool. I’d definitely recommend considering a bike with internal gearing, as having the rear gears sealed away will save you all that time you’d spend cleaning off the cassette (you would clean the cassette regularly, right?). Also, my understanding is that these tend to last a very long time. However, be warned that the shifting is different from on a standard bike, and unless you’re already a bike mechanic, you wouldn’t be able to adjust much — internal hubs are extremely complicated.
• Ten and 11-speed cassettes. These days, many bikes have 10 or even 11 cogs in the cassette. This does give you lots of options, but be forewarned that you’ll have to replace your chain very frequently — every 1,000 miles or so — if you decide to go with a 10- or 11-speed bike. Also, when you account for gears you shouldn’t use to avoid cross-chaining and duplicated gear ratios, you don’t tend to boot very much from extremely high numbers of gears. I recommend going for an 8- or 9-speed cassette, which will give you a good range of gears for climbing hills while also lasting a long time (unless you live in a very flat place, in which case you could always go the single-speed route).
• Single-speed or fixed-gears. First, let’s define our terms. A single-speed bike has a freewheel that allows you to coast and back-pedal, but you only have a fixed gear ratio — just one cog in the front and one cog in the back. A fixed-gear bike requires you to pedal all the time; there is no coasting or back-pedaling on a fixed-gear bike, which makes going up and down big hills painful and hard on the knees. It, too, has a fixed gear ratio. I’m not into fixed gears, frankly, but I can see the appeal of a single-speed if you lived in a fairly flat area (or wanted to get really buff): It’s a simple setup with a lot fewer parts to keep adjusted and clean, a big boon in the winter when bike components can get very gunky very fast in rainy/snowy parts of the country.

Test ride bikes.
Next, go to your local bike shop — or used bike shop, if you have any in your area; a commuter bike doesn’t have to be new, just in good condition — and test ride some bikes. I don’t just mean ride around the parking lot a little bit, either. Once you have your list of bikes narrowed down, ask the shop if you can take it for a longer test ride. If you can, ride it the length of your commute. Bring along everything you’d want to carry to simulate the commute conditions as closely as possible. Test ride the level of bike you can afford. Many bike shops have good commuter bikes starting at $500 to $700. The higher the price, the nicer the components get, and that usually that means increasingly good shifting and fancier brakes. Extremely high-end components often aren’t so great for commuting because they’re built to be lightweight rather than durable, and commuting is all about finding a durable bike to keep you rolling.

Now that you have thought about features you need, explored different options, talked to your local bike shop, and test ridden at least 3 totally different types of bikes, you’re ready to buy your bike and start commuting. Remember, all you really need for commuting is a bike — any bike — in good working order, a helmet, and a way to carry stuff. Now get out on the road and get rolling. I hope you find commuting by bike as enjoyable as I do!

* Learn how to change a flat tire and always carry everything you need to do so. Every commuter will eventually get a flat, and it’s just smart to be prepared for the inevitable.

“I’ve only been doing this since April, but Metro trains us very thoroughly.”

During my 30-minute ride, he:

• Stopped to pick me up not at a designated stop. He just pulled the bus over to the curb when he saw my despairing “I see you driving away, alas!” Incidentally, he blocked not only traffic on the road, but he blocked in a car that was stopped in a driveway.

• Drove through a red light. Now, I’ve seen Metro drivers regularly drive through the red light where the 2nd Ave Extension crosses S. Jackson St., and I think there must be some kind of accommodation there. But this morning, we were in the going-straight lane when a left-turn-arrow turned green. The driver saw the green and rolled right through the intersection, then seemed confused when another motorist honked.
• Charged a passenger for 2 zones in a 1-zone area. He forgot to switch the Orca card reader when we crossed Lake Washington, and then oddly enough a passenger got on at the Freeway Station, where nobody ever gets on. She inadvertently paid extra for that privilege, and I don’t think she even realized it.

Really confidence-inspiring, huh?

The driver was, however, very friendly and personally welcomed ever rider onto his bus. He clearly wanted to make this the best part of his riders’ day.

One thing about commuting by bike: You can have conversations with your fellow commuters. In a car, communication consists of turn signals, honking, and maybe gesturing. I, on the other hand, rarely have a week go by without having cordial conversations with other bicyclists. Every week or two, I’ll encounter somebody and we really hit it off, and end up riding for anywhere from 3 to 10 miles together. It’s fun and community-building, and it’s something that keeps me coming back to bicycling day after day.

I mention this because this morning a guy rode up next to me as I rode on the I-90 trail. Here’s our conversation in its entirety.

Him: Hello.
Me: Oh, sorry. [Moving to my right, thinking he wanted to pass me]
Him: I’ve seen you commuting, and I just wanted to say…I like your style.
Me:[Surprised] Thanks!
Him: Happy riding! [Turns off trail]
Me: You too!

I smiled for the entire rest of the ride, until I saw the car with a license-plate liner that said “You people make my a** twitch,” after which I probably looked puzzled.

Actually, I was a bit puzzled anyway. What did that bicyclist mean by “style”? Did he mean clothing*? Or behavior? Or bicycling technique? Or my bicycle’s look? Clearly he meant something good, and at first I assumed my bike, which is pretty stylish. But the more I thought about it, the more I wondered if he meant that my good manners on the trail — always giving an audible signal before passing, signaling turns, slowing (ahem) at stops — or something else entirely. I’m still not sure, but nobody’s ever accused me of having style before, and I kind of liked it. Not enough to become actually stylish, mind you, but enough to wallow in the compliment for a bit.

* Given that I was wearing black Spandex pants with neon yellow reflective ankle bands, a neon yellow vest, a teal short-sleeved jersey, white-and-pink Fat Cyclist arm warmers, and my reflective helmet, it’s hard to imagine he meant clothing-wise.