The weather is finally getting nicer in Chicago and a lot more people are riding their bikes. While it seems easy to just get out the bike and start riding, there are a couple of important things you can do to make it a more pleasant ride. In this two-part series, we will first look at how to prepare your bike, and in the second article, yourself. 

​1) Clean your bike
A clean bike will not only look better, but it will also perform better. A dirty drivetrain can cause your bike to shift poorly and wear out faster.  To clean your bike, you can use a bucket of soapy water and a sponge or rag. Avoid using a high-pressure hose, as it can force water into the bearings and cause damage. Alternatively, your local bike shop may offer cleaning as a service. Here’s a great example of a bike shop in Chicago that takes cleaning to a new level.  And here's a detailed guide on how to clean your bike.
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2) Inspect your bike: cracks and rust
Before you start riding, it's essential to check your bike for any visible signs of wear and tear.  One of the most common issues is a rusty chain. In the worst situations, the bike is unrideable because the links will not flex. More commonly, some lubrication applied to the chain will help significantly.  It's also imperative to look for cracks or other damage to the frame, wheels, and tires. ​If you see signs of cracks or other damage, take the bike to a shop for a more thorough examination before you start riding it.

3) Inspect your bike: cables and tires
While reviewing for cracks, also check your cables and housing for any signs of fraying or damage which is far more common. A trip to the bike shop can easily fix these issues. Lastly, make sure that your tires are inflated to the correct pressure. Don’t know the right pressure, check the sidewall on the tire for the recommended PSI. If you have a pump, but no gauge to determine the actual pressure, a quick rule of thumb is this: squeeze the tire between your fingers, if you feel it compress it needs more air. ​​

4) Check your brakes
​Your brakes are one of the most critical components of your bike. Test your brakes to ensure they are functioning properly. Make sure your brake pads are not worn out and that they make good contact with the rims. If you have disc brakes, check the rotor for any signs of warping or damage. Here's a short video from a Washington bike shop on how to check and maintain rim brakes.

Summary 
If you haven't been riding, now is a great time to get started. Just remember to prepare your bike in a few easy steps:
clean your bike, inspect your bike  for cracks and rust, look at the bike's cables and tires, and check your brakes. 
before you roll out the door. 

Are there steps you do to prepare your bike before riding?  Share your suggestions in the comment below. 

Riding a bicycle with a mirror can have both advantages and disadvantages, depending on the circumstances. Here are some of the main considerations:

Advantages:
Improved situational awareness: A mirror can give you a better view of what's happening behind you, which can help you anticipate traffic and avoid collisions.

I completely agree with this statement. Similar to drivers, cyclists also have blind spots. One of my existential fears is being hit from behind by a vehicle. In my mind, through no fault of my own, I could be taken out by a car and perhaps not even know it until after the fact.  Despite that concern, for years I resisted the notion of riding with a mirror, preferring instead to periodically turn and look over my left shoulder to see what’s coming from behind. 

About five years ago, after a friend's hearty endorsement, I decided to give it a try. Since she rides often and has contributed articles to this blog, I valued her advice  to purchase a mirror for my helmet. At first, I purchased one that had a rigid post which stuck out 5+ inches. My thinking was the further out it extended the better my viewing. Sort of a biker’s version of the huge mirrors now affixed to the side of pick-up trucks. Did you know that trucks have been getting steadily bigger and heavier, and thus posing a greater risk to cyclists and pedestrians?

Well, the mirror did not quite work in the manner I expected. Trying to align it with my line of sight was tricky. Further, the mirror moved during the ride. As a result, I would quickly lose any settings. Quite frankly, it was a hassle and distracting. However, I did notice for the few minutes it would stay aligned, the view was helpful. So, my initial reaction was good idea, poor implementation.
 
Convenience: Checking a mirror is quicker and easier than turning your head to look behind you, especially if you need to keep your hands on the handlebars.

Agree with this statement as well. As mentioned, the mirror was helpful when it worked. I checked in with my friend to see the model of bicycle mirror she was using which was a Cycleaware Reflex bicycle helmet mirror and purchased one. It had the benefit of a flexible post for easy adjustment, and the mirror itself pivoted for extra adjustment. Best of all it retained its position. An added bonus was the mirror detached from the base affixed to the helmet so I could easily remove the mirror when I wasn't wearing the helmet. The new model worked like a champ.

Disadvantages:
Distraction: Constantly checking your mirror can take your attention away from the road ahead, which can be dangerous, especially in fast-moving traffic.
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Agree with this statement too. It is easy to get distracted by looking at the mirror instead of what’s in front of you. I do think however, it’s a bit like learning to ride with clipless pedals. At first, it feels a bit awkward, and like most riders, I forgot to release my foot and feel over at the first stop. With the mirror, it's a bit more like finding the right balance of when to look ahead and behind. I recommend initially using the mirror on a less busy street. For me, after two/three rides, I started to get the feel of how to use the mirror effectively.

False sense of security: A mirror is not a substitute for looking over your shoulder or being aware of your surroundings. It's still important to scan the road ahead and be alert to potential hazards.

Yes, to this statement as well. As a cyclist, you are ultimately responsible for being aware of your surroundings. Because as cyclists we are vulnerable  and it helps to ride defensively.

During the last three weeks Chicago has received over 36 inches of snow - the equivalent of almost an entire winter! And the average daily temperature has been well below normal, among the coldest since record keeping began. Valentine's Day was a record high of 4 degrees!. The next time Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, I'm going to take it seriously. 

Compounding the situation is that drivers cannot maneuver their cars as close to the sidewalk and start encroaching on the bike lane. As a result, the parking lane shifts into the bike lane as snow accumulates over time. Unlike warmer weather months, when parking in the bike lane is done  deliberately, many drivers have no where else to go. 

My commute is along city streets and riding with traffic is already a challenging activity. With snow and ice blocking the disappearing bike lane, it's downright dangerous. Having fallen numerous times, I have no desire to go down again, nor be squeezed in front of a car by clear pavement disappearing in front of me. So, I'm grounded at least until some more melting occurs. After sloughing through sixteen winters in Chicago, this is the longest stretch I have gone without riding the bike to work. 
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Interestingly however, there is one location where biking is still occurring. Along the lakefront bike path. Why? Because it's plowed regularly. A dedicated through-way for bikes, the Chicago Department of Transportation maintains the bike path just as it would a city street. And they do an admirable job. 

Thirteen of the sixteen winters I have bike commuted in Chicago have been along this path. Due to a job change, I don't' go this route anymore.  In hindsight, I realize what a gift it was that the path was cleared regularly. Biking was almost always possible, even in the aftermath of significant snowfalls, 

Outside of the bike path, most of the bike lanes in Chicago are on-street (lines painted on the street) or protected lanes (physical barrier separating cars and bikes). On-street lanes are plowed to the extent that snowplows can maneuver alongside parked cars. Basically, the snow builds up in the bike lane. Protected lanes are cleaned with specialized, smaller equipment however, coverage seems to vary. 

All of this got me to wonder, how do other cities that have a sizable bike population and winter weather deal with clearing the streets.  From my unofficial survey, I learned that Minneapolis is plowing protected bike lanes, as is Washington, DC even though the winters there are relatively mild. In New York, according to Streetsblog NYC, "It's Snow Problem for Drivers, But a Hot Mess for Cyclists" - it seems like a struggle all around. And according to Denver's Department of Transportation & Infrastructure, "crews will make every effort to plow through the bike lane to the curb whenever possible; however, during swift, heavy snowfalls, bike lanes may become snow packed." The city uses a smaller plow to clear the protected bikeways. Although local news reports maintain this is not happening consistently. 

Given the number of cars to bikes, the current strategy is understandable. That said, the snow is a real barrier to biking in the winter. If cities are interested in increasing the number of year-round bike commuters, a more comprehensive approach to snow removal is needed.

For now, I'm looking forward to the stretch of warmer, sunnier weather that is coming our way. 

Over the past few months during the COVID-19 pandemic, I have read numerous articles about the surge in sales of bicycles within the US. With headlines such as What do Bikes and Toilet Paper Have in Common... or Thinking of Buying a Bike, Get Ready for a Very Long Wait, among others. All of it got me to thinking, why has biking become so popular?  It is a strange phenomenon when you consider the situation. Cars are suddenly not illegal to use. In the few times I have driven during this pandemic traffic is easier to navigate.​

My theory is that the virus has precipitated a fundamental rethinking of what it means to get around. Let’s start with destinations that accompany most journeys. For me, commuting to/from work was a regular part of most of my days. Ironically, I did that mostly by bicycle. And as I am now working from home, I am actually riding less miles. There were also visits to the YMCA and meeting up with the running group on the weekends.  Add in worship services and volunteer meetings, etc. and almost every destination that was important to me in the past, has suddenly become off-limits.

• Yesterday, I actually met face to face (safe distancing of course) with a co-worker who I had not seen in months.  After exchanging pleasantries, she mentioned with relief, “it’s nice to have a destination.”  And it hit me: there is a SHIFT in our daily destinations – and a realization that we can get there on a bike, not a car.

This need to get out and get somewhere with purpose. What are the destinations we have right now? Grocery, pharmacy, take-out, maybe the hardware – practical things that are hopefully close to home and all of which are accessible by foot or by bicycle. In fact, the number of times I have driven over the past few months have been a fraction of the pre-COVID era.  Given this change in end points, my sense is that individuals are reevaluating what can they reach under their own power and questioning, “how do I actually get around?”

There is another dimension to the health issue. After being cooped-up for hours on virtual calls and online activities, I personally feel a need to get outside for some sort of exercise or at least motion. Riding a bicycle is an incredible sense of freedom and it appears many people are starting to discover or rediscover that joy. I hope that you are among them!

As some of you know, during the past two years, I have taken a break from writing articles on bicycle commuting and relevant trends. Instead, I have been working with a dedicated team on an innovative product based on my personal frustration with finding an easy and quiet way to carry a u-lock and other items on a bicycle. I'll share more about the back story in a future article. If you really cannot wait, please click the link in the nearby picture for more details.

​Safe riding!

If you like the article, please give it a share on Facebook or Twitter to help spread the word!  ​

Writer's Update: It's been two years since I first wrote this article reviewing the heated gloves. I ended up buying the set. They continue to work great. Not sure why I waited so long to take the plunge.
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For 13 years, I've bike commuted through Chicago's winters. While some years are more challenging than others, one thing that remains is the need to keep my hands warm while biking on the coldest days. Over the years, I have devised various measures for addressing this issue, but have never discovered a definitive solution. Rather, I just resigned myself to accept cold rides, cold hands.

So, you can imagine my excitement when my friend Hector recently loaned me a pair of his BlazeWear heated glove liners. At a retail price of $150, these liners are a luxury I've never given myself, although the allure of warm hands has tempted me more than once. I brimmed with excitement over the possibilities. Was this the solution I had been seeking? Was it a sign that the gloves made it into my hands (pun intended) freely? And most importantly, would they work?

Hello bike commuters,
I wanted to inform you that I am now living in Lilongwe, Malawi and continuing my work with the Peace Corps. It is an exciting position and an exciting place to be in the world. I intend to write a series of posts about Lilongwe in regards to bicycle community and bike culture. My first article is meant to give you a sense of Lilongwe's layout and the bicycle community that has developed around it. Through this series, I hope to promote bicycle awareness in Lilongwe as well as relate the bicycle experience here to you, wherever you are located.
-Paul

The picture above is of the largest city in Malawi, Lilongwe. Despite the deceptive corn field foreground, Lilongwe is a city of 1 million people and every year it grows. Lilongwe's design initially began in the 1970s. The new Life President, Hastings Kamuzu Banda decided to move the capital from Zomba, an old colony city, to Lilongwe. Before he did, Lilongwe was a town of around 20,000 people in 1966. It was the perfect clean slate to build Malawi's new great capital.​ Roads and infrastructure could be designed to fit the needs of the soon-to-be booming city. That is to say designed with the automobile in mind and the bicycle in the rear view mirror.

By Lauren Spatafore

Lauren is a lifelong rider and guest contributor to ZappaWheels.

Bicycle commuting isn’t just for urban dwellers.  With an open mindset and a bit of pre-planning, anyone can do it! I started bike commuting to work in September almost two years ago. It's a quick, easy ride for me, less than 10 miles round-trip. Now, regardless of what the day will bring, I begin each day with the satisfaction of knowing I've already exercised.  

​It wasn’t always this way. Before 2015, I worked at a school across town, about a 25 minute commute by car. There was not a direct or safe route for me to travel by bicycle.  Often, I would take my bike with me so I could get in a ride after work, while it was still daylight and still before rush hour. However, I wasn’t getting in the miles that I wanted. So, when a position opened up at a school closer to home, I jumped at the opportunity for less travel time and the ability to ride to work.

Improving the safety of bicycle commuting is a key concern for the team at ZappaWheels. In this posting, we take a look at LED technologies which are increasing the visibility of riders. The article is courtesy of freelance writer Jenny Holt, who is based in the UK. 

Safety while riding a bicycle is one of the concerns preventing more people from cycling. According to the survey of the European Commission, there are only 4% of UK respondents who cycle daily. This is one of the lowest percentages in the EU 28 although bike ownership or access to it in the UK is high with 42% of people or around 25 million owning a bicycle. Other European countries have cycle rates of 43% in the Netherlands, 30% in Denmark and 20% in Finland.

The Divvy bike sharing system in Chicago has been a phenomenal success supporting over 10 million rides since its launch in 2013. For those of us that have used Divvy the impact to our streets has been nothing sort of amazing. What you may not know however is the positive impact that Divvy has on the underserved and underemployed in our society. ​​

Over the past four years, an experiment in changing transportation behavior within local neighborhoods has been playing out in Chicago. The purpose is to get people out of their cars and introduce them to new forms of transportation such as biking, walking and public transit. And ideally to make a small change in transportation behavior. 

Dubbed the "Go" Campaigns, the effort has impacted five local Chicago communities over the past four summers including Pilsen, Bronzeville, Albany Park, Edgewater, and most recently Garfield Park. ​The campaigns are a comprehensive effort at building awareness for local engagement with transportation options besides driving alone. Most impressively, they are getting results.