May 11-15 is the official “Bike To Work” week—with many designating Friday as the official day to hop a bike and pedal to work. Many cities throughout the country have scheduled local celebrations to encourage commuter cycling to work and/or school. So breath deep—our air should be cleaner this week! This event has gained growing popularity throughout the country over the years and continues to gain momentum in cities such as San Francisco, St. Louis and Austin, to name a few.
If you choose to participate in “Bike to Work” week, be sure you and your bike are ready to roll with the proper safety equipment.
Head and Tail Light—In case your biking in low light during the morning or evening, be sure you have dependable lights affixed to your bike. Your head light serves as a way for your to be “seen” rather than to “see”. It should be a white light that is bright enough for motorists to notice. Make sure it’s properly charged and check the run time so that you’re not unexpectedly caught in the dark with no head light.
Making yourself visible to motorists from the rear is vitally important, as well. Your tail light should be red (blinking or fixed light) and either affixed to your bicycle seat post or your backpack. Most tail lights last for a hundred or so hours, but you should keep some extra AA batteries on hand…just in case.
Rain Gear—Don’t forget to pack a windbreaker or rain poncho in case the weather gets cool or rainy. It only stands to reason that if you bike regularly, you’re going to run into rain at some point. The appropriate rain gear can make all the difference—especially if you’re biking to work. Soggy clothes are uncomfortable and may leave a bad impression with the boss or, worse, your clients.
Frame Tire Pump—This is an all important piece of equipment that should always be with you when biking. It’s inevitable that you’ll have a bike flat at some point, so be prepared with a good pump and patch kit.
Biking to work or just around town is a great way to “go green”, get exercise and enjoy the sites and your surroundings. Being prepared for troublesome situations while biking will allow you to relax and enjoy bike touring or just pedaling around your neighborhood. Enjoy National Bike Month!
