billwatson58
05-17-04, 09:45 AM
Sorry about that. Forgot you had to log in to be able to read them. I'll need to split them up as I can't send them all at once. There are six articles.
New reasons to take up the 2-wheel commute
By Julie Deardorff
Tribune staff reporter
May 16, 2004
Dave Glowacz, Chicago's resident expert on bike commuting, has heard all the excuses. "I'm out of shape." "It takes too long." "It's too far." "It's raining." "Cars are scary."
But apparently, the biggest roadblock is the fear of body odor.
"They worry they'll offend co-workers, or get fired, one of the two," said Glowacz, who guesses that smelling bad isn't likely to lead to the unemployment line. "When you're trying to bike to work, begin by separating the challenges."
For some, that might simply mean taking advantage of Chicago's annual bicycling celebration, which has blossomed into a three-month extravaganza from May through July, with a biking event for everyone. Once just a weeklong attempt to get more people on their bikes, the official pedaling party, called Bike Chicago, is jammed with more than 150 events designed to promote the joy, efficiency and health benefits of riding a bike for transportation or recreation.
This year, Chicago has done more than expand bike lane coverage over 90 miles of streets (with 110 more miles on the way) and increase the number of bike racks to 9,551, up from 1,111 in 1993. The Millennium Park Bicycle Station, the first such facility in the Midwest, is expected to open in late summer.
Cyclists will be able to roll into Grant Park, lock their bikes in a secure facility, grab a towel and a shower, greet the Chicago Police Lakefront Bicycle Patrol Unit (newly stationed at the facility), buy coffee and a sandwich and head to work, the lakefront or the park.
Though not located in the heart of downtown, which would be more convenient for many commuters, the $3.1 million bike facility could significantly spur bike usage in the area, bike advocacy groups say.
"If you're coming to a concert at Grant Park and want your bike securely locked, it's a gem," said Randy Warren, program director for the Chicago Bicycle Federation. "It's situational, but if you live or work in the area, it will be great."
The 16,448-square-foot bike depot, which also will have bicycle rental and repair, will cater to bike commuters, recreational cyclists, runners and in-line skaters.
It's touted as the nation's first bicycle parking commuter station serving a major event venue (Millennium Park) and multimodal transit center (Metra's Randolph Street station and the McCormick Place Busway both connect to the Millennium Park garage).
Metra, however, allows only folding bikes on trains, something bicycle groups are working to change.
Though the facility won't be done in time for the bulk of this summer's events, able-bodied Chicagoans have no valid excuse for not getting on a bike. Bally Total Fitness Clubs has joined the cause with its free "shower program," running through May and June. (To qualify, just present your bike lock key at one of the participating clubs.)
Meanwhile, the list of organized biking opportunities ranges from architectural tours from Pilsen to Wilmette, to scavenger hunts, safety workshops and toddler parades.
The premier event is the federation's "Bike the Drive," on May 30. The annual ride is a five-hour stretch when Lake Shore Drive is closed to cars and open to bikes, resulting in a striking change in air quality. All ages and skills can try the 15- or 30-mile ride.
Other events during the next three months include Bike to Work Week June 14-18, which includes the Bicycle Commuter Challenge (www. biketraffic.org)--a race to see which method of city transportation is the fastest--and the Bike to Work Day Rally, June 18 at Daley Plaza.
Kevin Williams is a past winner of the Commuter Challenge and is part of a die-hard group of Tribune employees who bike to Tribune Tower from the city and the suburbs. Some even make the trek year-round.
For more information: www.bikechicago2004.org and www.ci.chi.il.us/Transportation/Bikes/bicycle.htm
Article #2:
Tales of the trek
By Chicago Tribune staffers Julie Deardorff, Kevin Williams, Robert Becker, Jon Van, Max Rust, Devin Rrose and Al Lanier
May 16, 2004
I'm the first to admit there are plenty of pitfalls in biking to work--I forget to bring critical pieces of clothing, or it's sunny in the morning and storming when I'm about to leave. Drivers are oblivious and the air can be foul.
Still, there's no way I'd rather get around. Biking makes me feel as though I'm getting away with something. I'm exercising when others are sitting. I'm flying past the traffic when I should be stuck in it. And I'm getting to work in half the time, alert and exhilarated.
Why doesn't everyone do this? For most women, the big three obstacles are clothes, body odor and parking.
First off, I never bike in work clothes, though it is possible if you ride slowly. I sweat whether it's January or July, and I'd rather haul everything to work in a backpack or panniers (saddlebags attached to the side of the bike) and put on a fresh outfit after showering in the Tribune's fitness center. (For years, I used baby wipes to "towel off.")
I wear sweat pants or skorts (a skirt and short combination) and wicking exercise tops, with the number of layers depending on the weather. A helmet and yellow tinted glasses that can be worn at night are essential.
My work clothes are practical and tend to be made of wrinkle-free material. I purchased a packing cube at a travel store and each night, I pack my outfit, along with travel-sized toiletries and makeup, in a backpack for the next day. I leave a versatile pair of black shoes at my desk and a heavier winter coat in the office closet.
Parking my bike was simple when I was riding a $200 Schwinn Woodlands that few would be silly enough to steal. I could lock it to a parking meter or a secure pole. Some parking garages have bike racks and attendants provide a bit of security. We now have a fancy, locked bike corral at Tribune Tower, but I still generally U-lock my newer bike to the nearest post.
The key, really, is getting into the habit of thinking that the bike is your primary form of transportation--no matter what--and dressing for the weather. Now, whenever I do sit in a car, it feels like an absolute luxury.
-- Julie Deardorff
The compulsive cyclist
For me, cycle commuting is more than pain and suffering though cold, sleet, rain and a dearth of common sense. It's a way of life that relies on consistency, creativity and a bit of compulsion. Bags and panniers are not my thing. Anything dangling or swinging drives me up a wall, and slows me down.
So if, like me, you're a serious fitness or racing cyclist and want to ride to work, get compulsive. Pick out work clothing for two weeks and drive the lot down to the office on a weekend. Children's hangers, available at the Container Store, work in shallower lockers.
The other logistical dilemma is an olfactory one. If you've had a good, hard ride, you stink. Mother Tribune has a health club with showers, which leaves me all daisy-fresh. If you lack such an amenity, look for a YMCA or low-cost fitness center nearby. Or you could soak a towel with witch hazel and wipe down before changing. Just be sure that your colleagues know you ride to work because of the helmet you carry, not the scent.
And you needn't fret about winter's diminished daylight. Candlepower is your friend. From behind, I run a Cateye HL-500 5-LED taillight, along with GlowSport RoadLites, a red LED light that replaces the handlebar end plug on a road bike.
From the front, my arsenal is an excessive but effective pair of NiteRider HID (high intensity discharge) lighting systems, a Blowtorch on the bike and the Storm on my head. Both offer four hours of run time, and are bright enough to stun.
-- Kevin Williams
Dear Mayor Daley ...
During many of my rides to Tribune Tower from Oak Park, I compose a letter in my head to Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley. It usually goes something like this.
"Dear Mr. Bicycling Mayor: I want to thank you for extending over the winter the bicycling lanes on Washington Boulevard all the way to Laramie. It sends an important message that bicycles are part of the transportation system throughout this wonderful city--regardless of neighborhood."
But as I dodge the glass shards sparkling in the morning light, my letter takes a sterner tone. "It would be nice if those hard workers in the Streets and Sanitation Department could find their way out to the West Side--other than near the primaries--to pay some attention to the streets. In the three years I have been riding into town on Washington, I've seen a street sweeper only twice. Something tells me that's not the case in Bridgeport."
Neverthless, my thrice-weekly ride is remarkably easy on my Trek touring bike, equipped with panniers and tools to fix a flat. (You should not attempt any commute unless you can repair a flat.) I subconsciously mark the progress of my ride with sights and smells: the Blommer Chocolate Co. or Wishbone restaurant on the ride in; a coffee roasting place near Wrightwood and a bakery near Naragansett and the railroad tracks on the ride home. I'm always tempted to stop at this great-looking tavern on Charleston.
Round trip it's around 24 miles, but it takes only slightly longer than my walk-and-wait Green Line commute. It makes me happier and most certainly healthier.
And if the mayor wants to explore the bike lane issues I'm talking about, he's welcome to join me. I'll spring for breakfast at Wishbone.
-- Robert Becker
Cold? Ha!
When I zip between other commuters, stuck in their lanes of metal prison cells, it is comforting to know my bicycle is one of the most efficient forms of transportation in terms of energy expended per mile traveled.
For the last several years, I have biked year round to work. In the colder months, I always wear an REI windbreaker, which is like a suit of armor against the cold. Then there's the spandex headband for the ears and REI's famously attractive Lobster gloves. Your hands will sweat in minus-30 degrees.
Finally, I usually wear an extra pair of socks, but there's probably a better way to keep my toes warm. As far as maintaining traction on ice (the next inevitable question), it usually isn't a problem after Streets and Sanitation trucks empty their small mountains of salt on the city. And there's something addictive about slicing through snow with medium-size bike tires.
-- Max Rust
Daniel Boone of commuters
I've been commuting to work by bicycle for 30 years. At first I gave it up for about three months in the winter, but have been doing it year round for more than 20 years. My commute was from Oak Park to the Tribune from 1974 until 1999, when I moved to Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood.
Things have changed a lot in three decades. When I started commuting, I wore regular work clothes, but on warm summer days, this proved unsustainable, so I started wearing cut-off jeans and a T-shirt, changing into long pants and a dress shirt upon arrival. Then I switched to full-fledged biking clothes. I keep a few suits, dress shoes, pants and several shirts at the office.
Most of the year I ride a Bob Jackson racing bike to work, but in the winter I either ride my Trek touring bike or a Schwinn fat-tired mountain bike. I can't say motorists are more or less of a problem now than three decades back. Most difficulties with cars seem to be caused by inattention or poor driving skills rather than outright hostility. There's always been some of that, but not a lot.
-- Jon Van
A newbie pedals in
I recently biked into work for the first time. I dreaded the idea of it--but I've reached the point where I dread public transportation more.
After my first ride in, my legs felt like Jell-O, my lungs burned and I had a bad case of helmet hair. But I had traded the sniffs, coughs and cell-phone prattling of my seat-hogging fellow commuters for the lakefront's comparative quiet and space, and the trip and the tradeoff left me exhilarated and calm.
I hauled my work clothes in a backpack, which was fine for my usual jeans-and-top ensemble. But I quickly discovered one disadvantage to the new routine. You know how when you dress for work at home, you can say, "Oops, I'm a little chunky for this outfit" or "dang, there's a stain on this top"? Once you get to work and make those realizations, you're out of luck.
As for the ride, I had borrowed a $675 Breezer from Rapid Transit Bike Shop; it's believed by many in the biking world to be the ultimate commuter bike.
All I know is that it felt smooth and I loved ringing its little bell, which wasn't necessary because there was hardly a soul on the lakefront path during the 10 a.m. trip.
-- Devin Rose
Exercise caution
My reasons for biking to work are quite modest. I don't pretend to be the next Lance Armstrong.
Biking gets your heart rate up and, most important, flushes out your brain. There is no frustration or worry that can survive a quick ride through Lincoln Park or along the lakefront. If you have time, walk your bike through the zoo and visit the animals, particularly the sea lions, who are a most agreeable bunch.
Biking is the only exercise routine I have ever kept up--even through the winter--probably because once you're halfway to work or home, you just have to keep pedaling.
My bike is a hybrid, as the name implies, a nice compromise between a heavy mountain bike and an ultralight road bike. I don't trust the latter on wet pavement. I've installed a clunky but practical wire basket on the back to carry a duffel bag with my change of clothes at the Tribune health club. Outfits may include long or short Lycra pants and a bright yellow jacket to make sure others see me. I always wear a helmet and at night use lights front and back.
I constantly vary my route so I don't get bored.
But above all, I'm a cautious rider. No impatient figure-eights at busy intersections while the light changes. I slow down for stop signs and, yes, watch for car doors. My only accident was "getting doored," as cyclists call it. Among competing vehicles on city streets, you're at the bottom of the food chain. So keep your eyes open.
-- Al Lanier
billwatson58
05-17-04, 09:56 AM
Articles 3, 4, 5. Turns out there are 7 articles, the last two to follow.
Article 3:
In the 'burbs, commuters are pedaling too
By Julie Deardorff
Tribune staff reporter
May 16, 2004
Fed up with sitting in traffic during his 10-mile suburban commute, Todd Underwood ditched his car for his trusty bicycle.
At a cost of just 10 more minutes each way, Underwood found he could bike along the Fox River Trail in South Elgin to his office in West Dundee. Not only did he glimpse often-overlooked wildlife along the way, but by the time he rolled into work, his mental well-being had improved.
That was 12 years ago. Since then, Underwood, 41, has logged 30,000 miles to and from the office--a small design firm now in Palatine--and represents a rare but determined breed of cyclist: the suburban bike commuter.
Though the car-dominated suburbs are webbed with crushed limestone trails and residential back streets, they pose special challenges for bike commuters: high-speed roads (also known as "rings of terror" to cyclists), median strips, on and off ramps, and drivers unaccustomed to sharing major roads with cyclists.
"If you're going to bike on main roads, you have to be assertive and take your place on the roads. You've got exits and entrances as opposed to intersections," said Dave Glowacz, author of "Urban Bikers Tricks & Tips," which also addresses suburban commuting issues and specifically advises how to deal with ramps. "You can't be gingerly about it."
Even trails such as the extensive Illinois Prairie Path and the Great Western Trail aren't necessarily safer, Glowacz said.
"On the street you have drivers who follow the same rules," Glowacz said. "On the trail you have not only the bike but also runners, walkers, skaters and strollers."
Dan Bailey, 51, uses the Prairie Path for much of his commute from Wheaton to Schiller Park. By car, the 17-mile route can take 50 minutes. By bike, it takes about an hour and a half.
"The crushed limestone slows me down but it's a beautiful way to start the workday," said Bailey, who is on call 24 hours as a locomotive engineer for Canadian National Railroad. "We could be so much more in touch with what life was about if we just did [these types of things]. Why not ride your bike to work?"
Tom Pedrick, 49, could offer a few reasons, based on experiences during his 12.5-mile commute from Carol Stream to Hoffman Estates.
About two miles into his first attempt last year, he went down at an intersection, picking up a nasty case of road rash. The following week, he found himself on busy Barrington Road without a sidewalk. For safety, he tried pedaling through the grass but ended up sliding into a sewer and cutting the sidewall of his rear tire.
But Pedrick, an asset manager for SBC, hasn't given up. To avoid the height of traffic, he leaves his house at 5:15 a.m. On a heavy traffic day, he could spend 45 to 50 minutes in his car. The bike commute takes about an hour and 15 minutes.
"This way, I'm doing two things at once," he said about the exercise. "Plus for every five times I'd ride in, I save a week's worth of gas."
Article 4:
Cycling needs to gain traction as travel mode
Julie Deardorff
May 16, 2004
Joe Breeze, an inventor of the mountain bike, has a simple, sane solution to traffic congestion, air pollution, road rage and obesity.
It is, of course, the bicycle, which Breeze wants Americans to use for more than just recreation. It's "transportation for a healthy planet," he recently told a small gathering at the Wicker Park Field House. The bike is a vehicle, he wholeheartedly believes, that has the potential to transform millions of lives.
Breeze already revolutionized how we view the bicycle, when, in the 1970s, he designed and built one with fat tires that actually was comfortable and could be used off-road. For his dream to take hold now, however, he must change the narrow American mindset that considers cars to be the only form of mobility.
Instead, the bike must be seamlessly integrated into daily life, he said during his "Healthy Transportation Choices Now" tour of the Midwest, which stopped in Chicago and Evanston.
It's not only a way of thinking. If the bike transportation movement is going to work, cyclists need a wholly connected system. We need suburban bike lanes leading to the train station and to downtown areas. Metra, which can't seem to grasp the utility of allowing bikes on trains, must begin a real program as soon as new, more accommodating trains are phased in. The current pilot program, rated a failure by the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, is so limited and restrictive that it's not worth trying.
Drivers, meanwhile, need to learn how to share the roads with a smart, socially conscious transportation alternative.
The biggest obstacle to all this, however, is a backward Illinois law that creates disincentives for cities and villages to designate bike lanes and post signs. The law stems from a 1998 Illinois Supreme Court ruling that bikes are "permitted" but not "intended" users of the roads, meaning that local governments have a limited responsibility to keep cyclists safe. Municipalities are immune from bicycle-injury lawsuits unless the street has been clearly marked as a bike route.
Not surprisingly, communities stopped encouraging cyclists and counties removed signs for the Grand Illinois Trail, a 535-mile uncompleted loop trail in northern Illinois on paved roads, limestone trails and paths. No other state in the nation has such a bike disincentive, said Ed Barsotti, executive director of the League of Illinois Bicyclists.
"We've talked with various towns where the staff thought bike lanes were a good idea but local attorneys said they'd have additional liability," said Barsotti. "When they hear that, local leaders often decide it's not worth it."
Illinois Senate Bill 275--stalled in the House for the last year--would remove the liability disincentive to add bike lanes, mark bike routes and give cyclists reasonable protection.
A fear of cars is a major reason more people don't use a bike for daily errands. But Chicago found that after installing bike lanes, accidents decreased 9.9 percent at intersections and 15.4 percent at midblock, said Barsotti. "Bike lanes for shorter trips and Metra for the longer ones. It's all part of the puzzle of building communities that are bike friendly."
Thankfully, some cities have forged ahead anyway, and more should follow their lead. Chicago has developed a comprehensive network that includes the lakefront, bike trails, 90 miles of bike lanes (with 110 more miles on the way), more than 9,000 bike racks and bicycle access on CTA trains, CTA buses and Pace buses.
The Millennium Park Bicycle Station, expected to open in late summer, will have bike parking, lockers and showers and will connect to a CTA hub, the McCormick Place Busway and Metra trains.
Naperville, another enlightened community, in March began requiring new or expanding businesses and apartment complexes to include parking for bicycles as well as automobiles. The west suburban city has explored six proposed downtown bike routes, which also would link with the bike trails system.
Breeze is so convinced the bicycle can become basic transportation that he stopped designing mountain bikes and started SimpliCity Cycle Co., which produces bikes specifically created for commuting. He travels the U.S. encouraging people to work cycling into their daily lives.
Given the bike's history, it's easy to see why he's enthusiastic. Elegant and efficient, it has done everything from inspire motorized flying vehicles to empower women of the early 1900s through free movement and rational dress.
With gas prices rising, more people might view it as a solution to many of our ills. But for bikes to change the world again, we need to embrace Breeze's vision.
Article #5
No spandex required
Skirts and suits on a bike? No problem, pedalers say
By Emilie Le Beau
Special to the Tribune
May 16, 2004
Blister-inducing, "incredibly gorgeous" high heels inspired Karen Furlong to get off her feet and onto a bike--in her wedding dress--for the trip to City Hall in New Orleans. Her dress was above the knee, her groom wore a suit, and Furlong says the bikes were the answer to their transportation woes for their recent nuptials.
"I couldn't walk in the darn shoes," said Furlong, 32, of Chicago. "There are certain shoes you probably couldn't walk in but you could ride your bike in."
Like the bride on the bike, many Chicagoans get around on two wheels--not four--but want to do so in style. Showing up at work or a dinner party in a spandex outfit a la Lance Armstrong isn't the ideal fashion statement. That's why some couture-conscious cyclists have found ways to make their outfits cycle-chic.
Retired college professor Marlea Edinger zips around the downtown area to go to the gym, the grocery and her volunteer job as a museum tour guide.
On one of her recent tours, Edinger, 63, showed off the Museum of Contemporary Art to a class of high school students. She wanted to look professional for the group and wore black pants with a shirt that had hints of copper and three-quarter-length sleeves.
"I always wear a cute top and dangle earrings," she said. "That's where the creativity comes in, trying to be practical and trying to come up with something that doesn't look like you're just riding your bike."
For many cyclists, an outfit has to be both stylish and sweat-proof.
"I'll wear a sleeveless dress as opposed to a short-sleeve dress where the arms can stain," Furlong, an English teacher, said.
Trading a backpack for a bag that straps to the bike also can cut out perspiration evidence.
"I never use a backpack," Furlong said. "If you're a heavy sweater, you'll get a mark on your back."
Grease stains are another concern. Cyclists wearing light-colored pants can tuck pant legs into socks and avoid a greasy disaster, said Dave Glowacz, author of "Urban Bikers' Tricks & Tips."
If a pulled-up sock seems like a fashion no-no, Glowacz said, Velcro straps can be bought at bike shops for just a couple of dollars and will hold a raised pant leg in place.
Skirts can be compatible with riding too. Minis won't get caught in the wheel but getting on the bike might compromise modesty. Glowacz recommends laying the bike on the ground and stepping into the frame rather than trying to hike your leg over the bike.
Long skirts require some finagling. Glowacz recommends tucking the flowing ends into a belt or an underwear waistband. "It brings the dress tighter along the legs so it doesn't get caught in the wheel," he said.
And as long as the kicks don't slip off, bikers can wear their favorites.
Chicagoan Derrick James, 37, said he prefers shoes that pass as both cycling and casual wear.
For him that usually means black, low-cut shoes that look like hiking boots, with casual clothing such as khakis and polos.
"You want to dress in comfortable, looser-fitting clothes that allow your skin to breathe," he said.
He often bikes three miles to his marketing job while wearing a button-down shirt and tie.
Glowacz also bikes to his job at the Chicagoland Bike Federation and said riding in a suit is not that big of a deal.
"To me," he said, "it makes a statement that anyone can ride a bicycle."
billwatson58
05-17-04, 09:58 AM
The last two articles.
Article #6
Skirts, er, skorts, to go
Wendy Navratil
May 16, 2004
In fashion-speak, "skort" sounds about as cool and modern as "slacks." But skorts can be cool, really!
- Picture Sanctuary's skort. The exterior miniskirt with grommeted wide belt, cargo pocket and low rise is as cute and trendy as can be. But the shorts beneath improve its mileage. Perfect for cycling to street fairs and assorted evenings out, the skort is $73 at the Denim Lounge at Madison & Friends, 940 N. Rush St. (312-642-6403).
- If you want to kick up the technical merits, try Terry Precision Cycling's skorts. Underneath are serious bike shorts with a gripper to keep the shorts in place, a covered thigh pocket and a chamois pad for the seat area. Outside, a non-wrinkling skirt, with a rear Lycra triangle for flexible fit, is secured at the side with an adjustable buckle. The Pro Racer Skort is $80 at www.terrybicycles.com.
Article #7
A breeze of a bike
Julie Deardorff
May 16, 2004
When it comes to commuting, few bicycles could beat the Breezer Villager. Comfortable and solid, it comes with perks that cycling purists often pooh-pooh because of added weight.
Fenders and mudguards protect you from the spray of puddles, a kickstand permits civilized parking and a chain guard protects pants or skirts. For visibility and safety, there's a self-generating light, a taillight and a bell to get in-line skaters out of your way on the lakefront path. The bike is also equipped with an oversized back rack for mounting bags or a computer.
Mechanically, an internal hub transmission means the gears are tucked away in the hub and shifting is simple and problem free.
Best of all is how steady and safe the bike feels over rough Chicago streets. It's heavier than a typical road bike and the bell chimes softly whenever you hit a significant bump, but the frame geometry, suspension seat post and Velo Plush saddle make the bike a pleasure to ride.
In both men's and women's models, it's about $675. Call Rapid Transit Bikeshop, 1900 W. North Ave., 773-227-2288.