The Chainlink

Advice for a new biker

This summer I was selected by New Belgium Brewery to trade my car for everything I need to bike for the next year. I will not be driving, which is a big change for me.

I want to embrace this opportunity for a major change in my lifestyle, but I need help! There are people out there with LOTS more experience getting by without cars than I have, especially here, which is why I pose my question to all of you:

Help! How do I do it?!

What tips can you offer that helped you live without a car? What biking accessories are worth it and which are not?

As a start, here's what I've got as far as biking goes:

  • Bike
  • Helmet
  • Fenders
  • Rear rack
  • Panniers
  • Front Light
  • Rear Light
  • U-Lock
  • Cables for lock
  • Chain lube (wet and dry)
  • Degreaser
  • Tool kit
  • Reflective vest
  • Sunglasses
  • "Summer" and "winter" tires
  • Spare tube
  • Frame mounted pump

Let me know what you think. I'm looking for not just equipment suggestions, but anything that's helped you!

Please help me take the plunge into living car free!

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Permalink Reply by Matheis on August 12, 2012 at 2:12pm

I agree with Duppie - don't get too caught up feeling like you need to buy stuff.

You'll figure out what works for you in time. I sold my car almost 2 years ago and haven't looked back.

I highly recommend looking at bike maps to figure out the best streets to cycle on. The City of Chicago will mail you a FREE one, or many bike shops carry them.

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/cdot/provdrs/bike/svcs/r...

ActiveTrans also publishes the Chicagoland Bike Map if you plan to do suburban riding.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 12, 2012 at 2:35pm

His commute is about 7 miles from one end of Elmhurst to the other.

Karin Evans said:

You didn't say where you are commuting to, did you? I am a reverse commuter in the suburbs and I have done a lot with train/bike combinations on Metra. I have plenty of complaints about Metra but it has mostly worked ok for me. I am able to take a bike on the train because of the reverse commute. You do have to learn Metra's rules and be prepared if the conductor says there is not room in the car. Usually they will send you to another car. I have never been kicked off a train. Some conductors are more laid back than others, and if you establish a pattern of taking a particular train, you will learn which conductors' cars to head for and which to avoid.

I think there is some factor of gender/age discrimination in how the conductors treat cyclists. I am your nice gray-haired lady and I do pretty well - the conductor probly thinks I look like his mom. I've heard from chatting with some of the younger guys that the conductors don't treat them as generously. This kind of thing isn't going to go away on Metra until they have policies that allow the conductors less personal discretion. Which does cut both ways - when you learn who the "good" conductors are, you won't want them to have any less personal discretion.

I buy 10-ride tickets for several different zones. Then, depending on weather and darkness and traffic, I ride as far as I can, then I get on the train and use whichever ticket applies. This saves me money because Metra charges by the zone.

Timing is everything when you reverse-commute, since there is usually only one train per hour. You can't afford to miss it. The morning trains usually run on time. The afternoon trains have a lot of freight interference and are often late, but you can't count on it. Bring something to read, play with your phone, meditate - it's all good. Have fun, Bill, and congratulations on your new car-free life!!!

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