Suburban Assault

Once again  GOOD Magazine is doing a series for bicycling. This year, it’s called Bike Nation. Unlike last year’s Guide To Biking, this series is not collection of helpful tips, but rather a nice curation of their posts that address the topic for bicycling. Some of their notable articles are What Drivers Really Think About Bikers: The History and Psychology of Sharing the Road, GOOD Video: Don’t Be a Douchebag! 45 Seconds to a Calmer Commute and If You Build Bike Lanes, They Will Ride. Overall, GOOD Magazine’s Bike Nation is a good read, with some interesting perspectives on bicycle advocacy.

This series is sponsored by Clif Bar’s 2 Mile Challenge.

I’ve grown in my bicycle commuting experience, to where I’ve become more confident with getting around my suburban part of north Dallas. As I read about and experience more on the road, I’m discovering that there are better and safer ways to ride my bike to my destinations.

Education has been the next step in the evolution of my cycling journey and my goal is to gain the most knowledge and skills available so that the risk I take on my commutes is greatly reduced. The first step in this journey was the League of American Bicyclists Traffic Skills 101 course that I took last month – which was really informative.

Last weekend, I got the opportunity to take the Florida Bicycle Association‘s Cycling Savvy course through their local group, CyclingSavvyDFW.

I was invited to take the course last year by one of the instructors, but the timing and money situation wouldn’t allow it. Before that, I had never heard of the course and wasn’t sure what to expect. Their website says:

The CyclingSavvy workshop is a 3-part program carefully designed to help you explore proven methods for safely and confidently navigating anywhere* in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex by bicycle. You will learn strategies for safe, stress-free integrated cycling and come away with the tools to read and problem-solve any new traffic situation or road configuration … You will cycle away excited, empowered, and ready to enjoy cycling anywhere* in Dallas/Fort Worth.

When I had asked around about the course, some folks had warned me that this was a hardcore cycling course with an agenda against bicycle infrastructure like bike trails and bike lanes. I was informed that, at least one of the instructors, has been outspoken on his criticism of the Dallas Bike Plan – which I am a supporter of. Not to dig too deeply on this topic – which might make it to it’s own post later – I decided to try the course out an form my own opinion about it.

Day 1 – Truth and Techniques of Traffic Cycling (the classroom portion):
This was a pretty informative presentation. They discussed bicycle traffic laws, “traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies” and some techniques for better riding. They went through some statistics about cycling accidents, broke them down and explained their causes. Although a large portion of cycling accidents were not cause by collisions with cars, we did focused on that and went thought some animations and videos to learn techniques to avoid them. It was a lot of really good information in just 3 short hours. My only criticism with the course is that there wasn’t an extensive recap of all this information in the packet provided – for quick reference later. However, there are links on their site with many of the resources available.

At the end of the class, I felt very informed and inspired. Not only did I feel that it was a good course for cyclists, but also for drivers. I strongly recommend it for anybody who drives or rides on north Texas roads.

Day 2 (morning) – Train Your Bike (parking lot drills):
This part of the course was very similar to the Traffic Skills 101 parking lot drills, and quite frankly, much needed in my case. We went through the ABC Quick Check as well as mounting, starting, shifting and stopping on our bikes. We went through several handling drills which included scanning and signaling. We then did hazard avoidance maneuvers such as quick stop, rock dodge and instant turns. Having a smaller class helped us get more practice time in.

Day 2 (afternoon) – Tour of Dallas (road skill drills):
This part of the course was very different from the road skills portion of the Traffic Skills 101 course. We did travel as a group to each location, but each exercise was performed as a solo ride by each student. Before each exercise, thorough instructions were given on how to ride, what to expect and where to go. Maps were also chalked out when visual aid was needed. This was followed by a demonstration by one of the instructors, with a play-by-play given by one of the others. Then, one-by-one, each student executed the exercise.

Admittedly, some of the exercises seemed intimidating at first. However, with careful instruction, and more practice throughout the afternoon, we were feeling more and more confident as we worked through them. Plus, if we felt too nervous on any of the drills, we had the option to ride with an instructor. Nobody felt the need for that.

During the afternoon’s tour of Dallas, we practiced several skills, such as being predictable with lane position and hand signals. We learned ways to read and problem-solve traffic situations – even on major roads with heavy traffic. We learned how to politely control and release traffic, making it easier for drivers to make good decisions around you. We also learned how to deal with hazards, such as the door zone and traffic on single lane neighborhood streets. Most importantly, we learned how to feel confident and ‘empowered’ in any traffic situation.

At the end of the day, I felt more in control of my safety on the road. Riding has become less stressful on my commutes to work.

Conclusion:
Unlike what I was lead to believe, there was no political agenda against bicycle infrastructure or to get people out of the bike lanes or off the bike trails. In fact, there were some useful instructions on how to safely use and avoid hazards that may occur while using bike lanes. There was no scheme to force you to ride on busy Dallas roads or to become a Vehicular Cyclists. However, the class does instill enough confidence, that inspires you to make better decisions with your bicycle rides.

I feel the Cycling Savvy course is a great resource for bicycle education – which I greatly support. The class has provided me with many tools to help me be a better cyclist. Overall, this course was well worth the money and time. If you are a serious about riding confidently around Dallas for commuting, sport or pleasure, you should take this course.

Click here to see all of my pics.

I recently took Florida Bicycle Association‘s Cycling Savvy course through their local group, CyclingSavvyDFW, and I will be posting a review soon.

Just to tease it a bit, the course is a great resource for bicycle training and ‘empowerment’. The instructors did a great job at teaching me new techniques to confidently and safely ride to my destinations.

Until my review – just like the Traffic Skills 101 course – I highly recommend that you take this course. You will become a better cyclist.

Raise your hand. How many of you ride a bike without ever learning how to ride a bike? I’m not talking about that moment when you discover your balance on a two-wheeler and the training wheels come off. I’m talking about actually learning the skills and rules that will actually keep you safe on the road.

Like most of you, I was given little to no training on a bike. My parents sent me to a traffic safety course when I was a kid, but that was just to teach me basic knowledge of stop signs, yield signs, crosswalks and traffic lights. If anything, we learned how to make hand signals. I remember years of my childhood, carelessly riding around the neighborhood without helmets and barely watching out for traffic. It’s amazing that I’m still alive.

As I got older, most of my road travel was by car. My road knowledge came from driver’s ed and years of experience while navigating through rush hour traffic. Even so, I felt that riding my bike around town required a new level of training.

I’ve been wanting to take the League of American Bicyclists, Traffic Skills 101 course (hosted by BikeDFW) for a while, but was never able to make the time. Last weekend, I was finally able to attend.

The local class has been modified so that the first part of the course is done online. That portion had to be completed and passed, prior to meeting up for the bike skills training. The online course is relatively easy, as long as you pay attention to the materials. It consists of 4 chapters that cover everything from Bicycle Parts, Bicycle Selection, Adjusting Your Bicycle, Clothing & Equipment, Pre-Ride Safety Check, Tools, Tires, Gears, Adjusting Derailleurs, Adjusting Brakes, Bicycle Handling Basics, Bicycling in Traffic, Emergency Maneuvers, Crash Avoidance, Road Hazards, Riding Enjoyment, Energy Maintenance, Trail Etiquette, to Educating Motorists. The online course can be finished in a couple of hours (more or less, depending on if you are watching TV at the same time).

The classroom portion of the course took a good part of a Sunday, where I wasn’t sure what to expect. Was this going to be a reprise of my slightly useless childhood traffic safety course, or was this going to he a hardcore drill that would toss me in the middle of a major road with hundreds of cars speeding around me? I soon learned that this part of the class was divided into two sections. The morning was set aside for the parking lot drills, while the afternoon was left for the road portion.

After a nice morning of breakfast, introductions and a quick review of the online course, we went out to do our first lesson – the ABC Quick Check. Here we learned how we should be inspecting our bikes to ensure a safe ride to our destinations. This is something that should be practiced every time you go out for a ride. Steve A from DFWPointToPoint, who was there as an instructor, pointed out that a quick release always seems to work itself loose and you should never assume it’s locked. Sure enough, mine were loose.

Next, we rode out to our first destination, a parking lot down the street so that we could learn and practice some basic handling and safety skills. There, we divided up into two smaller groups, where two instructors, each, took us through several drills. Our instructors, Renee and Brad, taught us quite a bit, including starting and stopping, scanning, signaling, rock dodge, quick stops and instant turns all while maintaining good control of our bikes. Quite frankly, I thought this would be the easiest part of the class. To my surprise, I found the drills to be somewhat challenging – especially the instant turns.

Once we had completed all of the parking lot drills, the instructors took us out on the streets to familiarize us with the route of the bicycling in traffic portion of the course. After that, we took a break for lunch.

After lunch, the instructors separated us into even smaller groups. Each group rode a few loops of the street course with an instructor following close behind – offering up instruction, tips and feedback as we utilized the skills we had learned earlier at the parking lot. The route covered several lane changes, obstacles and challenges all while riding in moderate to heavy traffic. Riders had to think ahead, observe all the traffic laws, communicate with drivers (via eye contact and hand signals), be predictable, handle hazard avoidance and deal with lane position – all while keeping their cool and maintaining control of their bikes.

I was most apprehensive about the road portion of the class. Although I ride on the streets, they’re usually back roads with low traffic, so I wasn’t sure what to expect getting on this busier route. Again, to my surprise, I found that it wasn’t at all what I was expecting. The online course and the parking lot drills helped build my courage for bicycling in traffic. My fellow rider, Steve and instructor, Brad also helped me ride confidently when it was my turn to lead the group.

It was a good day of quality training that made me a better bicyclist, while undoing many years of bad riding habits.

Overall, I felt that the Traffic Skills 101 course is well worth it, and everybody who rides should take this class. Even if you find yourself a confident road rider, it’s always nice having some knowledge and a few skills to take on the ride with you.

Here’s a really good idea for bicycle visibility and safety. Industrial designer Nathan Wills came up with the concept of incorporating a lighting system within the helmet. Similar to the Lazer Helmets that are on the market, but with more lighting and an urban style. It looks like something you would see off the set of Bladerunner.

From their Kickstarter page:

Torch is a new brand that focuses on lit apparel for the urban rider and skater who’s not afraid to have fun after dark. The T1 helmet, our first product, is unique as it draws attention to the rider at night by elevating the light signature above city traffic.

In addition to our primary goal of safety, we focused on creating a helmet with a clean, iconic style geared towards urban riders. To achieve this we started with a classic silhouette and kept the details simple.

The helmet will be produced using an in-mold technique with a thin polycarbonate shell and an expanded polystyrene body. This method creates a very light, yet strong helmet. Torch will also include an adjustable system for a more accurate fit, making the helmet safer and more comfortable.

The helmet features front and rear lenses which the LEDs project onto. This projection method is important as it disperses the light across the lens. This creates increased visibility and brighter light from wider viewing angles. The lenses also protect the LEDs from water, dust, and debris.

The helmet will be available in three exterior colors (red, black, or white) plus a special Midnight Edition (black with smoked lenses). Torch will be fully CPSC certified and retail for around $100 (batteries not included). We are offering a discount to our Kickstarter backers because without your support we cannot make Torch a reality. All funds raised on Kickstarter will go towards tooling, initial production, packaging, and domestic shipping to our backers.

I’d love to see more products like this on the road, because bike safety is one of my top priorities. Also, because I love bike clothing that doesn’t look like typical bike clothing, I love seeing safety gear that doesn’t look like safety gear. I’m a fan of the Torch Midnight Edition with smoked lenses, but it looks like their sold out. There are plenty of other options if you want to support this project.

So, I learned something on my bike to work commutes last year – I’m getting old. No longer is my body resilient to some of the abuse it takes on the road. I’m not talking about the bumps and shakes I get from all the potholes in the road, but rather, numb hands from keeping the same ride position for over an hour.

To help prevent/reduce the numbness, I’ve heard and read that it’s good to change your hand position during your ride. Coming from the mountain bike world, my rides were equipped with flat or riser bars – with just one hand position. My first thought was to replace those with some drop bars. However, I’m cheap and didn’t want to pay for all new bars, levers or shifters. I’ve also considered some bullhorn bars, but I’m also lazy and don’t have the time to learn how to tape them properly.

My quick and cheap solution: bar-ends.

I used to keep bar-ends on my mountain bike, mostly for handling. They gave me a bit more control and better stance on all my climbs. As I’ve been transitioning over to road/utility/commuter cycling over the past few years, I felt they were unnecessary, extra weight. They ended up in the spare bike parts box.

As it turns out, putting bar-ends back on my bikes has improved the comfort level on my commutes. They give me just enough change in my hand positions, that the numbness has reduced or gone away. Unfortunately, I’m still getting old. I’ll let you know if I discover a modification or a part that helps that.

On a side note, I did have to replace one of my handlebars. I had trimmed my stock bars on my Monocog too narrow to accommodate bar-ends, so I ended up getting a really cheap Ritchey Comp riser bar from Amazon. What’s funny is the really complicated instructions that came with the bars.

Just when I thought I would be able to get a jump start on my bike to work commuting, I got hit with that bug that’s been going around. I don’t usually get sick, but when I do, it takes it’s toll on my lung capacity. I thought for sure that I’d be able to get one commute in this week. But, I haven’t gotten back to 100 percent yet.

Hopefully, with a little more rest, I’ll be ready for my Traffic Skills 101 class on Sunday, and a couple of commutes next week.

When I think about bike safety on the road, I feel being visible is just as important as being aware and being predictable. This is especially important in the early morning and late afternoon hours – when the sun is rising or setting. I often think about how the low sun was believed to be a factor in the death of a local a cyclist Anthony Mungioloi in 2009. Knowing that the low sun affects the visibility of those on the road, I try to choose my routes accordingly.

Fortunately for me, most of my commutes move away from the sun. The blinding light is to my back and not impairing the view of those who may be approaching me. Having a fancy orange vest doesn’t hurt either.

It’s my fault. My bike part purchasing has been based on random need, availability and price — not through a grand plan of consistency. For example, my tail lighting system. The plan should have been: I own “X” many bikes, so I should buy “X” many tail lights of the same kind. That way, I could use one mounting system and interchange them from bike to bike if there was ever a need (say a quick change for dead batteries, etc). Of course, that’s not how it happened and now I have tail lights of various shapes and sizes.

In order to keep with my plan, I opted to skip the unique, clunky mounting brackets that came with each and hang the lights directly to my saddle bags, using the clips on their backs.

That works for the most part. However, every once in a while, I’ll find myself hopping a curb or hitting a bump and inevitably, my tail light will pop off. I’ll usually hear it, stop and pick it up.

One morning, as I was sitting at Starbucks, I noticed that my tail light was missing again. I assumed it was lost for good. Fortunately for me, I was heading home the same way I came and there it was – sitting in the grass. I had taken a short cut through a small, bumpy field – which is probably why I didn’t hear it fall off.

To avoid this in the future, I’ve decided to add some tape to the mounting clips. Hopefully, they’ll have a better chance of staying put.

As we stated in this post, Suburban Assault and Biking In Dallas were mentioned in a local magazine, the Far North Dallas Advocate. It actually made it to print in their March 2012 issue. Unfortunately, since this is the last day of the month, most of those issues are gone or replaced with April issues. So, keep an eye out for the March 2012 issue, and grab a few.

Fortunately, if you miss it, you can download a digital copy here. Or, you can always read Emily Toman‘s online article here.