Great Lakes - Embarking on new adventure, commute to work by bike, advise please

Hello everyone in the Great Lakes forum. I am posting this here, instead of the commuting forum because I need advice more narrowly focused to the city in which I live.

A few weeks ago a radical/strange idea took seed, I started to consider if it would be feasible to commute to work by bike rather than car. The reasons why, gas prices are ridiculous and I'd like to lose some weight. Now, I live in Detroit (stop that booing & hissing :D, those who are so inclined) and I have seen increasing numbers of people in my Southwest Detroit neighborhood on bikes, with dress clothes on and a briefcase or laptop bag on the rack. Most of them seem to sedately peddle up Michigan towards downtown. My commute won't be that straight forward.

Let me share the stats of me and the commute. The bike I will ride: a brand new Raleigh Venture 3.0 with mudflaps and a rack. My gender:female. My commute:11.8138 miles. Details of the commute: I live in Southwest Detroit near Michigan and Clark, my job is in Northwest Detroit, at 8 Mile Rd and Greenfield. The route I have mapped out by car and with Google maps: Michigan to Martin Street, Martin across the I-94 freeway, thru the neighborhoods to Tireman. Tireman to Wyoming and then a long stretch on Wyoming up to the Lodge, Then the Lodge Service Drive all the way to Greenfield. I have a place inside my job to store my bike. My commute will be during daylight hours, so no night time riding for me. And last, I plan to do this thru the fall, once winter hits I'm back to the car.

The stretch on Wyoming worries me a bit because Wyoming is fairly narrow. As I drove up Wyoming in the car this morning checking out the route I started to consider that on this stretch I might be better off on the sidewalks. Is this a good idea or not? I'm stuck riding on Wyoming because there is no consistent residential street on either side that goes straight thru. That's because it's an industrial area and the businesses that sit on Wyoming take up the space directly behind their buildings.

I've been preparing by reading all the information I can find online that concerns commuting by bike in urban situations. I plan to get the book "Effective Cycling" by John Forester this weekend at the library and I have ordered "The Art of Urban Cycling: Lessons from the Street, I've been harassing the guys at Back Alley Bikes for information and mudflaps as well as a bike rack.

Here is my "things I need list"; pepper spray (2 kinds, 1 for humans 1 for dogs), a decent aluminum water bottle, Topeak Compact Survival tool kit, On Guard Beast 12 mm Lock, Viewpoint Flashpoint High Intensity Tailight, Flash Flag http://www.flashback.ca/bicycle.html, gloves, helmet and fluorescent triangle to slap on back of my shirt. Please let me know if I'm missing anything crucial or wise.

I've been taking rides of 4 to 5 mile lengths on my new bike to see how it feels to ride in traffic, thus far I've been alright with it. Boy do people give you strange looks when you ride in the center of the lane. One problem I am having is that around mile 4 my backside starts to hurt. The seat/saddle on my bike is one of those cushy ones by "Avenir" with shocks and everything. Is this hurting backside something I'll have to live with till my rump gets hardened up, or is it a sign that I need another seat/saddle.

Any advice from current Detroiters or people who used to ride in Detroit will be very appreciated. Also, advice from people anywhere who decided to commute by bike and had very little experience with riding. To be frank, I haven't been on a bike regularly since college, and that as in the 80's early 90's.

I know this was a long post, if you read it all THANKS.

P.S. On my experiment rides I've noticed a lot of glass in the street and the sidewalks, do I need to invest in the "Kevlar" tires. I'm afraid to even look and see how much they cost. "Kevlar" it just sounds expensive.

Thanks again,

ESLUV

Get good tires. If your bike runs a 700c wheel then look into cyclocross tires. If it runs a 26" then look into flat resistant mtn bike tires.

I used to live in Canton worked in Plymouth. You get a gold star for even thinking about riding in Detroit. I would never even dream of doing it. Detroit just always scared the living crap out of me.

Your saddle probably sucks. Saddles are counterintuitive. The less padding it has the more comfortable it is. Finding the right saddle is like finding the perfect pair of shoes. It's a quest.

A1 for effort and attempting it. Commuting is one of the best things in life.

Esluv, I hate to say it, but your route is horrendous, I would personally go Michgan to Lonyo, to warren at Warren and Wyoming take the Street Littlefield the one that Is at a 45 degree angle to the intersection take Littlefield to Joy, take Joy to Hubbell then HUbbell north to the Lodge service drive, Hubbell is a busy street, but not near as dangerous as Wyoming, plus Wyoming scares me to drive on yet alone bike, I am talking traffic, I have seen more acidants at Wyoming and Five mile than any other intersection.
A lot of crazy drivers trying to beat the Lodge slow down in rush hour in that area.

Good luck if you need any more advice feel free to p.m me.

Oh BTW Psimets tips are spot on, but usually he is always a fountain of good advice.

esluv,

I would recommend a simple route: Grand Blvd to Grand River to Evergreen (or one of the parallel residential streets. It's about 12 miles. Note that all three of these roads are slated for bike lanes in the future. There isn't a time line for implementing those yet.

I commute through Detroit a few times each week. I've ridden in many other U.S. cities, including some highly rated ones like Austin, but their roads are not even close to being as bike friendly as Detroit's. If you resolve your saddle issues, I think you're going to love it.

As for tires in Detroit, I rarely have a flats with normal road bike tires as long as I try to avoid glass and replace the tires when they're worn. I almost never flat with normal mountain bike tires.

esluv,

I would recommend a simple route: Grand Blvd to Grand River to Evergreen (or one of the parallel residential streets. It's about 12 miles. Note that all three of these roads are slated for bike lanes in the future. There isn't a time line for implementing those yet.

I commute through Detroit a few times each week. I've ridden in many other U.S. cities, including some highly rated ones like Austin, but their roads are not even close to being as bike friendly as Detroit's. If you resolve your saddle issues, I think you're going to love it.

As for tires in Detroit, I rarely have a flats with normal road bike tires as long as I try to avoid glass and replace the tires when they're worn. I almost never flat with normal mountain bike tires.

Grand Blvd is not even between her destinations, Grand River, ehhhh Might actually not be a bad idea. Evergreen is way out of the way. plus is busy as hell and only has two lanes and a lot of parked cars.


Fail.

Generic urban commuting advice....

1. Learn how to take your wheels off (front and back) and change a flat (patching, and swapping tubes) before you commute. Youtube has videos that show how.

2. Commuters should know how to fix or adjust things on the road. Brakes, loose handlebars, seats, etc. Learn to use that multitool. www.parktool.com repair section is full of great instructions.

3. You're getting a rack...carry at least one spare tube, patch kit, tire levers, pump (I carry a Topeak Road Morph for commuting). Take your cell phone in case you have a breakdown you can't fix and need a lift. I didn't see these listed in your items to get.

4. DON'T ride too close next to a line of parked cars. Leave enough space so if someone opens their door, you won't ride into it, and you won't have to suddenly swerve into traffic (because you're already there). I can't tell you how many times this happens to me in Chicago. Don't be scared to take the lane.

5. I use Specialized Armadillo tires for commuting. They ride like wagon wheel, and a giant PITA to get on the rim, but I've NEVER had a flat with them.

6. Try to avoid glass, road debris, and potholes.

7. Learn to signal. Be predictable. Ride a straight line.

Your backside will need to acclimate to riding, give it a week or two. That cushy suspension seat you describe is great for cruising around the neighborhood, but anything longer than a few miles and you'll be hurting. Only you can find the right saddle for you. Two bike shops I frequent have a policy on seats...buy it, try it, return/exchange within 30 days so you can test them out. Ask your shop if they'll do the same so you don't end up with a pile of seats in the garage.

Kudos to you for taking the plunge. Good luck!

oh....and have a backup plan for a broken spoke.


:mad: (result of my commute this morning)

I stuck one of these on my bike. The small pouch holds the cell phone in case I need to call for a ride (backup plan). The larger portion holds two road sized inner tubes. My multitool and a few patches and some other stuff is in the seatbag.
http://www.rei.com/product/678726
http://media.rei.com/media/756546.jpg

I've never used one, but have read on some touring posts about the flexible kevlar emergency spokes.

I'm looking to upgrade my low count high spoke tension wheelset with some 32 or 36 spoked wheels.

A light for the front would be good too, it's hard to be too visible. Congratulations for taking the first steps.

1 broken spoke shouldn't disable you unless it is a low spoke wheel <32. I've had a couple broken spokes while commuting (standard 32 3X). In each case the rear wheel went about a cm or two out of true and I just opened the rear brake and continued to my destination using only the front brake.

Also consider wearing bike/athletic clothes made of organic polymers and changing and toweling off at work.

That bike is ok to start off, but over time you may come to prefer something a little faster. Either now, or when they wear out, replace the tires with the thinnest, slickest ones the rims can accomodate as that will speed you up considerably, and replace the suspension seat post with a solid one. The bouncy feeling that seat post gives you is energy being stolen from your riding efforts. If you have to ride over a rut or pothole, stop pedalling and stand up slightly, and use your legs to absorb the bump.

If your butt is sore, it will certainly improve. If it is going numb, your seat may be too soft.

Effective Cycling is an excellent book, but be forewarned that it is very long and the writing is long-winded, and the author is viewed by many people as extremely dogmatic and rigid. The Art of Urban Cyling is also excellent.

1 broken spoke shouldn't disable you unless it is a low spoke wheel <32. I've had a couple broken spokes while commuting (standard 32 3X). In each case the rear wheel went about a cm or two out of true and I just opened the rear brake and continued to my destination using only the front brake.

Yeah....ya think.... :rolleyes:

Problem was it was a stock crap pre-built that came with the cross bike I am now using. I build my own wheels but you would think I would put my own on the rig for commuting....no....that would be too easy.

I have a 50 mile round trip commute. 1 broken spoke on a prebuilt radial laced NDS POS rear wheel on a loaded rig with panniers a few miles (3 or so) from home (start of ride) = go home.

Also Topeak Road Morph frame pump, an extra tube, one spoke wrench, one kevlar repair spoke, and a multitool.

For panniers I recommend Ortlieb rollers. I've had mine for over 15 years now and they still function and are watertight like new.

EDIT: I've been slow. nvr has already mentioned all that.

Oh, and try to ride in traffic like a car. Do not go straight when you are in the right side of a turn right lane. This could kill you.

The stretch on Wyoming worries me a bit because Wyoming is fairly narrow. As I drove up Wyoming in the car this morning checking out the route I started to consider that on this stretch I might be better off on the sidewalks. Is this a good idea or not? I'm stuck riding on Wyoming because there is no consistent residential street on either side that goes straight thru. That's because it's an industrial area and the businesses that sit on Wyoming take up the space directly behind their buildings.

Just one thought - my apologies if someone else already covered it.
My only caution to riding sidewalks is that cars do not seem to see or and/or yield to bikes on paths. I've had several near misses and been clipped once when I have had the right-of-way on a path. But then, I am on a road bike, going a bit faster... Either way, proceed with caution here especially since on a morning commute drivers are consumed with their coffee, radio, cell phone, putting their makeup on, scanning the radio for weather/traffic... blah.

happy travels.

Problem was it was a stock crap pre-built that came with the cross bike I am now using. I build my own wheels but you would think I would put my own on the rig for commuting....no....that would be too easy.

Yea I hate botique wheels with low spoke count or proprietary spokes. A lot of bikes come with lousy wheels.
The newer Trek road bikes have those low spoke count Bontrager wheels known for cracking. Other bikes come with nice wheels but a poor build. My Trek 06 520 and old 1990 1400 came with decent wheels that where not really built at all. The front wheel on my Trek had spokes so loose that it looks like they just laced them up and didn't tension them at all. It took 2 1/2 full nipple revolutions to get them to proper tension. I guess that all the more reason to build you're own wheels, If you want it done right...

Esluv,

Good luck with your commute. Once you find a decent route, you'll see the joys that comes
from commuting to work. You'll do good for yourself, your environment, and have good stories to tell.

For the seat issues, I would highly recommend one of the newer-style models that are designed to accommodate anatomy. These "saddles" are available in male-specific and female-specific models and often appear with a slot along the long axis so that pressure is not applied to the perineum. Some brands forego the slot in favor of a center strip of padding with lower density, hence less pressure.

I have two such saddles. The older one is pretty thick on an old mtb, but I also have two bikes outfitted with narrow racing style saddles from Specialized. I can sit on any of these all day long but would have to abandon a non-slotted saddle after 5-10 mi.

Again, Good Luck!

Dave

My .02 on commuting (for the whopping 15 mile round trip).

I am going to disagree with cooker, I ride 30 mm tires on my commuter. Riding to work is not a race and they are more comfortable than any 23 mm tire. What would I gain? An extra 30 seconds with the 23s, I don't think it is worth it. Mine are cyclocross tires as Psi also suggested, and they are tubulars.

I also have some Reelite blinkies, no batteries, woo hoo!
http://www.reelight.com/

Without a flame war, consider a Brooks saddle, they come in many shapes and sizes and are known for their comfort. But also as Psi wrote, they aren't right for everyone.

I have a bell, great for pedestrians who get confused by "On your left."

And I carry a change of clothes in a messenger bag.

Pictures of my commuter can be seen here.
http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/v/David_P_Beck/Torpado+Commuter/

I am going to disagree with cooker, I ride 30 mm tires on my commuter. Riding to work is not a race and they are more comfortable than any 23 mm tire.

I'm certainly not recommending 23 mm racing tires. On the Raleigh website the bike is shown with 1.95" (approx 48 mm) cruiser tires, and hopefully she can replace those eventually with something like 1.5" (approx 38 mm) commuter tires (assuming the rims are not too wide to mount them). That's still fatter (and slower) than your 30s, but they'll be quicker than what she has.


http://www.raleighusa.com/bikes/comfort/venture-30/?page=specs

You're right, that bike is a little too "comfortable" for commuting. Narrower tires would be better for functionality.

Sorry, Esluv. I thought you were working at 8 Mile and Evergreen. I'd swap Greenfield for Evergreen.

Effective Cycling is an excellent book, but be forewarned that it is very long and the writing is long-winded, and the author is viewed by many people as extremely dogmatic and rigid.
I think that nails it. I bought the book but never read it. It's a good reference, though I haven't even used it for that. Googling is easier.

Esluv, hope your commuting has been going well. Don't let a little bump in the road discourage you, either if it happens or has happened, from commuting. I personally, when commuting (not often) or just riding, get idiots telling me to go on the sideWALK (hm...) or honk their horns. Also, Google Maps and Google Earth are useful tools for commuting, to check out and plan routes.

My commute is 10 miles in each direction, perfectly flat. I have several bikes, but I do it most often on a hybrid road bike, which is currently outfitted with Schwalbe Marathon tires (700 X 35). I pump them up to almost 100 psi, which is slightly over their recommended limit, every other day or so, whenever I am near the good floor pump. I like the feeling that all of my bikes will last forever. Unless I perish in a mangling crash, somebody will ride my bike after I die or get too old for it.

I've had about ten flats in four years, four of them on this bike and the remainder on other bikes. It is very rare for the front tire to go flat. It always seems to be the back tire. I always carry a spare tube, tire irons, and a hand pump. I leave them on the bike when i am not around, and nobody has ever distrubed them. I am i n a low crime area.

I maintain the bike once every week or two, by cleaning the chain outdoors with a spray organic solvent, and then adding new lubrication. It takes about 15 minutes. The chain works beautifully. I have a little bit of a clunk sound right now, indicating some wear. At the end of the season, I will get a new rear tire and a new chain. Front tires last twice as long. For good measure, I will also replace all the cables and the rear hub bearings. I expect all of that, parts and labor with a chain to my high level of expectation and performance, to cost under $200. That's a typical maintenance cost averaged over time. Regular bike riders do not skimp on maintenance, because they know how great any bike feels if is well maintained. My late 1970s sport utility racing bike is just awesome if I don't need to carry anything.

The hardest part about fixing the flat is getting enough pressure into the tire afterwards using a little hand pump. I like having the tires really full. These are wide tires, but I have surprised many a road bike with 23 mm tires that I can keep up with them. I have a few spare 26 inch tires and tubes to give away next time some Chicago charity has a swap or resale I can give them too. Now I am only going to ride 700s. The larger wheels are much smoother.

The only piece of equipment on the original bike I really had to replace was the seat. Buy a great seat for yourself. I haven't owned one for years, but a Brooks is a good bet. For an older guy like me (almost 52), maybe a split saddle.

Carrying a good front light that stays mounted in front is a problem. The rear lights are easy. They blink, and you change the batteries once a year. I've occasionally found that somebody turned one of my lights on while it was parking and left it running. Probably just curiousity, and unawareness that the blinker has different cycles, not just an on-off switch.

Glad to have you on the road with us. The more of us there are, the safer we will feel. I feel like I am in excellent shape from doing this ride, and I think I have cut my total auto mileage roughly in half.

Howard

...and remember to not let the comments motorists hurl at you as they drive by get to you. If you commute on any kind of busy road you most likely will get a few. Just ignore them and remember you are losing weight and getting in shape while their hip flexors are wasting away and abdominal size increases.:thumb:

The generic commuting advice here is all good. I'll just add two worthwhile safety investments, if you don't have them yet:

- a rear-view mirror;

- hi-viz cycling gear such as a neon lime jacket. Size it big enough to fit layers under it for cold weather.

Ease into the commute to work. It may take a moment to adjust to riding. Where will you park your bike?. How will you organize your clothes for the work day. ?Bring plenty of food and snacks so you will have enough gas to make it back home.? My current commute is only four miles. My previous jobs have been rt 34 miles. I did not have to pratice before any of my weekend long distance rides because of the commute training. Once you get used to riding you will feel great:) Also you can find great bargins in the second hand stores- I got a great lime green cycling top for one dollar. Target is also a good place for the tee shirts with the wicking material-on sale. R.E.I. is a good store for bargains and the customer service is great:love:. They also have classes on commuting to work as well as how to make minor repairs. You will need to learn how to fix a flat tire in about five minutes.
I have been riding in the Metro Detroit area for years. Since i have worked with the homeless population I have worked in areas that i would not drive or park my car. Never had a problem. now that I work in the suburbs i get stopped by the police who tell me to ride on their dangerous sidewalks. All minor anoyances.
Oh yeah, I live in the 8 mile Greenfield area.

Gas, .69 cents the price of a can of beans.

Chicago has some great resources for commuters. Here's some info:

http://www.biketraffic.org/content2.php?id=1496_0_6_0

I have a Brooks B72 saddle (ignore the fact that it's 32 years old :D) it's the most comfortable thing I've ever sat on. It hasn't been ridden in 8 years, but with a little proofhide (Brooks' leather treatment), it's as soft as ever. You need to allow time to let it break in. From everything I've read about them, it's all about the angle you set it to. I rode mine for years before figuring this out (two weeks ago) and I still think it's the best seat I ever used.