Top Things to Know Before You Bike to Work

With gas prices still a little too high for comfort, biking to work can be a viable option for anyone that is within distance. National Bike To Work week is May 11-15, 2009. Are you going to join the challenge?

How Far Are You Going?

The distance that you're going by bike is important. If you live half a mile from home, biking to work won't be a problem. But 25 miles or more is going to be impossible without some training and serious determination. 25 miles or more, is also most likely a "once a year" ride.

You have to remember that the ride TO work is easy, at least on your body. It's the ride home after work that will kill you. Be sure that you can comfortably bike twice the distance to work from your home. That means that you shouldn't be waking up the next morning, sore, and you should be able to continue your daily activities after work: making dinner, watching television, going to bed, etc. If you're not an avid cyclist, I suggest a 5 mile distance to work, max. That gives you anywhere between half an hour and an hour on your bike, depending on your speed, to work and back from work.

What Route Will You Take?

The route is important. If you can ride on back country roads, your ride will be easy, and your concerns will mostly center around the wind speed, the smell of the cows, and what bush is best to use as a bathroom if an emergency comes up. My guess is, though, that you'll be riding in a city. Although you should always be aware on a bicycle, riding on city streets can be scary and dangerous. You'll need to decide which route you're taking - the sidewalk or the shoulder? It's actually against the law to ride on the sidewalk in some places, and visibility to cars is increased if you're riding on the shoulder. If you come off a sidewalk to cross a side street, cars on that side street might not be able to see you.

But riding on the shoulder can mean harrassment by drivers. If you're going too slow, getting in their way, or they don't understand that it's better for your safety AND theirs for you to be riding on the road, things can get nasty. In any case, as long as you stay calm, use hand signals to indicate where you're going, and have some form of bright clothing on, riding on the shoulder is probably the way to go.

What Will You Wear?

You can't ride to work in a suit or a dress. Pick up some cycling shorts from dicks, or wear some clothing that will minimize rubbing on those sensitive spots. Always "test" your clothing before going on a longer ride. Wear bright colors, or spend the extra ten dollars to pick up a reflective vest. Think of it as motivation - everyone can see you, and know that you're making the healthy choice.

If you need to bring clothes to change into - as most probably will - understand that your body will not stop sweating immediately after you stop riding. The cool thing about riding is that the wind will dry your sweat - but when you stop moving, and go inside, you'll keep sweating. If you throw your work clothes on right away, it will look like you stepped into the bathroom sink and had a party. Wait ten minutes or so, and cool down, before you even think about changing.

What About Food and Water?

Bring small snacks with you. In terms of nutrition, you want to eat breakfast before you leave - preferably high in protein, fiber, "good" carbs. You want to give that time to settle - at least fifteen minutes. While you ride, you want to drink every few minutes. If you start to feel thirsty, you're already dehydrated. You should go through a lot of water - because you lose a lot of water while cycling. If you're going to be on the road more than an hour, bring something like a Luna bar or a Clif bar with you to munch on half way through. There are also gels that you can buy which will serve the same function.

When you finish the ride, eat a small piece of candy. It will help restore your carbs. Make sure to eat throughout the day - don't skip lunch. Stay hydrated, too. If you start to head home sleepy, dehydrated and hungry, your ride will not be fun. When you do get home - eat another piece of candy, and pray you won't regret the ride the next morning.

It should be noted that bananas are known among cyclists to stop cramping - the science behind it is questionable, but the basis of the theory is that bananas restore potassium, which is needed for muscles. So eat a banana, too.
Now What?

It's time to hop on your bike. If you can't do the full distance yet, now is the time to start training. Remember, Ride To Work week is the second week of May. I hope to see you out there!