Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with biking

Impervius!

Salvor Hardin — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 16:33:14 -0800

Underground in a secret lab, the hive mind works feverishly and with a single purpose: to create...the perfect Boston bicyclist! Impermeable to wind, water, ice, slush, and mud, there's nothing Boston can throw at him that he can't handle! We had our first really miserable, blinding drenching ice/slush/rain-pelting-down days in Boston. My SO and I have decided that we're going to make ourselves waterproof.

We'd like suggestions for picking out some waterproof bad-weather bicycling gear. I imagine we'll need:

jacket, pants, shoes, eyewear, headwear, handwear, etc (anything else that you've found helpful?)

to combat the nasty winter weather that Boston can dish out. Specifically I want something that can keep me some close approximation of dry during a 4 mile bicycle commute. Let's say we each have up to $200 to throw at this (hopefully it won't take that much).

I'm a 6'2" male, she's a 5'2" female.

Here are my priorities (in approximately descending order):

1. Keeps me DRY! I'm talking hermetically-sealed/space-worthy.
2. Flexible (i.e. suitable for bicycling-type movements)
3. Stops the wind
4. Simple/fast to remove (I'm usually behind schedule, so speed of operation is desirable)
5. Not too many pieces (I'm terrible about losing accessories)
6. Not too much $$
7. Doesn't accumulate too much sweat

Any ideas are welcome! My SO already has a normal set of rain gear, and she still ends up completely drenched by the end of the ride, so I think we need something a bit extraordinary.

I've seen this question, but brands and products change a lot, and I didn't see the fervent testimonial I was hoping for. My favorite from that was the deep-sea fishing gear, but I'm not sure if it'll be flexible enough for biking, or if it'll interfere with the chain.

Thanks!

Company bike fleet?

greggish — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 07:04:20 -0800

My organization is interested in providing a small fleet of bicycles for employees to use for meetings, workday errands, etc. The only reason *not* to do this that comes to mind is liability—although we could provide waivers, right? One way or the other, I haven't yet found examples of other companies doing this. What do you know about it?

Biking in the rain

rabbitrabbit — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 09:19:51 -0800

Questions about bike gear for the rainy season. I live in the Portland, OR area and I've been biking to work since April. So, I'm about to hit my first rainy season and I would like to arm myself to successfully continue biking at least into the fall and hopefully through winter, too.

SHOES: My main question is about shoes that make biking in the rain not a chore. I have been using toe clips and Converse all-stars this summer, but that will absolutely not work with the rain, so I'm going to need to either get waterproof shoe covers, or buy waterproof shoes. And if I buy waterproof shoes, maybe I ought to just upgrade to clipless pedals and shoes? Also, I think I like the velcro straps so I don't have to deal with laces, but I'm not entirely sure what the pros/cons are there.

JACKET: I have a chartreuse bike jacket that has been good for cooler mornings, and it dries fast so it will be good for early on in the fall, but I am going to eventually need some kind of heavier jacket, I think. But I'm afraid that anything heavier will = more sweat, which I don't want (no shower at work). Is there something warm, waterproof, breathable, AND visible that I can get?

FENDERS: I ride a Specialized Crossroads, so it has the overlap. I kicked out my front fender early on in the summer and haven't yet replaced it because it's been unnecessary so far, but I'm going to need a new front fender or maybe one of those things that attaches to the front tube (not sure what it's called exactly) to deflect water. If I get a new fender, I guess it will need to be super-tough since I don't 100% trust myself not to kick it by accident again. Do those things that attach to the bike instead of the wheel work well, would that be a good option?

What other things do I need to bike in the rain? Waterproof gloves? A helmet liner? Goggles which don't let rain bead up on them? Etc.

I've seen this and I've seen this, and both were helpful though they're a bit old now; is there new stuff out there that is awesome?

Also, any recommendations for a bike shop to buy this stuff at? I've heard River City is good. I would love to be able to try out the clipless pedals before I buy, is there any shop which would let me do that?

I know the fifth anniversary gift is wood, but...

Anonymous — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 07:54:41 -0800

Is there a known Best Winter Hat for Cyclists? For our fifth anniversary, I want to buy my husband an awesome hat to wear while he commutes to work on his bike. We live in the snowiest neighborhood in Cleveland, so it needs to have the following characteristics:

-Somewhat waterproof
-Super warm (he's pretty much bald)
-Extraordinarily attractive
-Not too flashy (he's a pretty conservative dresser.)
- it would be for under-helmet use

Let's assume money is no object, even though it is.

Bike riding in the Hudson Valley!

kmtiszen — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 09:51:39 -0800

Perfect autumn bike rides in New York's Hudson Valley. I imagine the Hudson Valley can be quite beautiful during the fall, so I was thinking about taking my bike out there for a day or two. Can anybody recommend some leisurely, daytrip-type routes that would let me enjoy the fall foliage along with some of the area's quaint little towns?

I'd prefer something within an hour's drive of Manhattan, but I'm always open to other suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Blogs for bike commuters

Brittanie — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:45:16 -0800

Recommend some bike commuter blogs I live in Houston. I have recently resolved to start commuting by bike about 3x a week (more if it's feasible). I live on one of the busiest streets in the city, but I have an almost direct route, a really good bikeways map and alternate route, and all the gear I think I need so far.

What I'm looking for now is tips, in the form of blogs which I can subscribe to, on commuting by bike. I don't have time right now to read through 5 different websites or books. I would like my tips in easily-digestible nuggets.

I've read these posts and found them very helpful. More along the lines of those hints, product reviews, news, etc., please! Bonus points if the blogs relate to Houston or Texas.

Right now I ride a hybrid bike (you should see our potholes!) and I'd like to wear street clothes/work clothes as much as possible. Tips on making this work in the Houston heat are especially helpful.

Digital camera recommendations for bicyclists?

Mr. Palomar — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:50:34 -0800

What is the best digital camera to take on bike rides? I have a full DSLR (Nikon D80), but am thinking about getting a smaller compact digital camera to take with me when I ride, and am looking for recommendations/advice on what a good balance of features might be, what tradeoffs I should consider, the best place to pack it, etc. I'm not hardcore into either biking or photography, I'd just like to have something small/light enough that I won't dread having to pack it, durable enough to withstand moderate mountain biking, and good enough to take respectable occasional photos.

What do I need to do to store my mountain bike?

logicalsequence — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:23:36 -0800

I'm fairly new to the mountain bike game and unfortunately I am having to park my mountain bike for three months whilst I work away. Security is not an issue but in general what maintenance and precautions do I need to take, if any, before it goes away? FYI: I have a 2008 Kona Cinder Cone (linky) and the bike is currently in a reasonably clean state (but not spotless).

What can I expect from this bike race?

TurkishGolds — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:10:54 -0800

I'm participating in The Top Notch Triathlon tomorrow in Franconia, NH. I've never done an sort of competitive event like this. What can I expect, and are there any essential tips that I should know about? I'm on a relay team, so I'm only responsible for the 6.5 mile bike ride (which is primarily uphill, in the woods). We're basically just doing this for fun, and don't hope to have any sort of spectacular times or anything like that. I'm an experienced recreational road cyclist, but have very little experience with mountain biking, and no experience with racing of any kind.

I scrutinized the results from previous years - times for the ride are usually around 30 minutes to an hour. I'm going to try to pace myself so that I end up somewhere in the lower end of that. I'd be ecstatic with 45 minutes, but could live with "not last."

From what I understand, there are going to be real extreme athletes at the event who are there to win, and there are going to be family teams that are just there for fun. I hope to find a pack of riders who are holding a pace that I'm comfortable with and just stick with them.

Does anyone have inside tips specifically about this race, or this kind of event in general?

Tell us everything you know about the San Juans!

amanda — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 15:47:54 -0800

The Mister and I are planning to head to the San Juan Islands in Washington for an extended outdoor adventure in September. Tell us what you know about visiting the San Juans! We are pretty avid hikers and campers and bikers. We'd like to get on the water, too, though we've only been on a kayak once or twice. We're considering doing a multi-day guided kayak tour. This seems a little namby-pamby for diy backpackers but, well, it is open water and there may be whales and they do all the bivouacking and cooking for you. Has anyone done a kayak tour either with or without a guide? Any recommendations on a company -- there's at least 6 to choose from.

Also, we're torn between camping and lodging and may try to do a bit of both. I love the idea of waking up in the early morning and being able to wander out of my tent, make some coffee on my little stove and look out to sea. The lodging there is very expensive so we may do one or two nights lodging as a splurge and camping the rest -- any advice on either of those options. Right now, we're thinking of staying on either San Juan or Orcas island.

Lastly, we're having a bit of a conundrum as to whether to bring our own bikes, rent bikes and/or bring our car with us. The upside to the car is simply hauling our gear around and if we get a crazy ass rainstorm (crossing my fingers that this does not happen) it would be nice to decamp and head to the car. September is usually glorious here in Oregon -- total paradise -- but the coast is something else. If we were just planning to stay at a hotel the whole time, I'd totally bring my bike and leave the car because we could just ditch our stuff at the hotel, take a cab or two as necessary and head out. But, because we're thinking of mixing it up, a car just sounds so much... easier.

Oh, lastly lastly, should we bike on Shaw Island? Is it awesome or would we be better off hiking around somewhere else?

Many, many delicious calories

Captain Rayford Steele, Tribulation Force — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 16:12:40 -0800

Please give me your best long-distance hiking / bicycle touring / <insert other adventurous endurance activity> food recipes! The watchwords here: densely caloric, easy to prepare (ideally in a single pot over a white gas cookstove), delicious and made from ingredients that are readily available in small, out-of-the-way groceries. Bonus points for recipes featuring lightweight, easily luggable ingredients.

Bike distance riding hacks and tips

readery — Fri, 29 May 2009 07:56:39 -0800

Recommendations, tips or techniques for distance cycling. Last year I rode in a fifty mile event, which was marred by sweat mixed with sunblock running into my eyes. I had liberally coated my forehead with sunblock, then wore a helmet in 90 degree heat resulting in squinting through the miles with stinging, tearing eyes. Duh!
This year I'm planning a few longer rides and would like some tips in water storage, snacking, comfort and general pleasure inducing (or pain reducing) bicycle riding techniques.

Thanks!

Moab filter: bike rental?

dzot — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:22:25 -0800

Any recommended bike rental shops in Moab (for next week)? Google turns up many places to rent but if you have good/bad experiences or suggestions, please share.

I'm ready for Bike Riding 102 now

not that girl — Thu, 07 May 2009 11:58:39 -0800

What do I need to know to be a more efficient bike rider? Three years ago I asked this question about what bike to get. It included this extremely excellent answer about how not to hurt your knees biking, which, had I paid sufficient attention to the last two paragraphs, would probably have saved me from last fall's knee surgery. "Sadly ignorant," indeed.

So, tell me about how to ride a bike. I've been keeping them upright and going forward for coming on 40 years now, and I've even done long-distance trips in my youth. But about 15 years ago, the notion of "cadencing" was new to me, and welcome. And this spring, I'm spinning a lot more! I wonder what else I ought to know about about?

I don't think I need bike fit tips, but what else should I know about using my bike and my body more efficiently?

Exit Plan Strategery for the Nissan Pavilion (VA/DC)

actionPetential — Mon, 04 May 2009 10:35:33 -0800

Help me if you know anything about Nissan Pavilion in Northern Va! Are the traffic problems still as bad as they used to be? If so, does anybody have any tips? Hey all, am going to see one of my favorite bands later this month and am terrifically excited! However, as the concert is on a weekday, and I haven't been to the Nissan Pavilion in years, it's hard to imagine being able to deal in stride if, after the concert, we're obliged to submit to one of the Pavilion's legendary three-hour parking lot 2 mph waits. So, I was wondering if anyone had been to a big show recently (say, in the past year) at Nissan Pavilion and could attest as to whether it was still as bad as it used to be. Have they built those new lanes on 66 yet? And - this might sound crazy - but would it be possible to park somewhere a mile or so away, and then bike to the venue? Any and all recent experiences would be helpful!

How to bring bikes on vacation?

Argyle — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 13:35:45 -0800

Mrs. Argyle and I want to take our road bikes on vacation this summer. What's the best way to take them along? We live in LA and will be going to the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Hard bike cases look to cost in excess of $300. The airlines want $150+ to bring them on the plane.

Any experience with packing & shipping bikes to a bike shop at the destination who can reassemble them and after a week, re-pack and ship them home?

Any bike boxes that cost less than $300 that are meant for shipping?

Thanks!

traffic on riverside drive

nanhey — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:02:17 -0800

NYC biking filter: what is traffic like on riverside drive weekday mornings between 7am-9am? i'd like to bike my normal route (up riverside drive and over the GW bridge) before work, but i'm worried there is going to be tons of traffic. anyone how the traffic is there compared to the weekend?

Looking for a cycling computer

Argyle — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 08:48:40 -0800

Cycling computer - I recently started cycling (road biking) and have slowly been gearing up. I usually use RunKeeper, an iPhone app, while I ride to track info, but it's useless during the ride since it's in my back shirt pocket. I'm looking for a traditional bike computer to look at while I ride. I'd like the wireless kind, since my wife swears by her's. What are your suggestions?

Go away Leatherface

pcameron — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 19:42:43 -0800

Working all winter as a bike courier seems to have taken a toll on my skin. What can I do to mitigate the damage and lessen the effects of future harm? I rode all winter as a courier in Toronto. I wore a jacket that had a hood and a built-in facemask, so the only part of my face exposed while I was riding were my eyes and lower forehead. Now, after six months on the job, there are prominent wrinkle lines under my eyes that look permanent, the skin on my forehead looks scaly and rough, and my face generally looks puffier and rougher. I'm sure some of this is natural aging, but that doesn't explain it all.

Right now, I'm just using a generic pharmacy brand moisturizer on my face before bed, and I've started wearing sunglasses to try to lessen the damage around my eyes. I'm worried the sun this summer is going to start off where the cold weather ended and do a whole new number on my face. Any ideas on how to treat my skin, make it look a bit less rough, and be more proactive about avoiding further damage?

Cheap Mountain Biking experience in greater Sydney?

gttommy — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 02:36:43 -0800

Cheap Mountain Biking experience in greater Sydney? I'd like to organise a mountain biking excursion for my mates. But from what I see the offerings in the Blue Mountains are all pretty expensive (AUD $120+ per person).

Any ideas? Some place cheap (say under $60), has easy-medium grade route and with an instructor would be ideal.

What should we do for our adventure in Ireland

TurkishGolds — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 17:15:04 -0800

We're flying into Shannon Airport on a Monday morning in late June, and flying out of Dublin the following Sunday. Help us come up with a plan. We're at the very beginning stages of starting to plan an itinerary for Ireland, and it's all a bit overwhelming ...

I think that we'd like to stay put as much as possible so that we're not just checking in/out of places the whole time. We do want to do some exploring, though, and I'm up for the challenge of renting a car and braving the roads.

We'd really love to spend time outdoors - biking, walking, maybe swimming, and so on. Romance, scenery, food, shopping, and music are also things that we're interested in -- all on a budget.

From googling around and poking through Lonely Planet, it seems like Killarney might be a neat little place to explore on bike. I found a hostel that rents bikes: http://www.killarneysuganhostel.com/accommodation.php. The "Gap Of Dunloe" looks awesome, and I think that we should be able to bike (or bike to a boat) from that hostel.

The only drawback that I can see from what I've been reading is that Killarney might be a little bit too touristy. I'm not adverse to a certain degree of cheesiness, but I'd like to feel like I'm in Ireland and not in Disney World.

I think that we can mostly avoid cities for most of the week, since our trip is likely to end with a night or two in Dublin.

So where should we go to stay, bike, and explore? To be clear: we don't want to carry much gear on our bikes, and we'd like to avoid busy roads as much as possible. Ideally, we'd spend a day or two riding an easy, scenic 20 or 30 miles tops.

Thoughts on this stuff? Anything that we absolutely shouldn't miss? We'd love some specific advice about where to go, where to stay, where to rent bikes, and so on. Thanks so much!

ONE BIKE TWO BIKE RED BIKE BLUE BIKE

suckerpunch — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 23:46:27 -0800

Bike nerds : give me a recommendation for both a long-haul touring setup and a flat-city fashion fixie setup. I've been riding long enough - and for long enough distances - where I feel comfortable actually spending money on upgrading my rides. (I'm a(n in)famous skinflint. In 2003, I know I racked up at least 5k miles, and in 2008, my guess is just under 3k. I'm finally buying a new bike.) I have two main styles of riding - commuting, and late-night bar-hopping. What sort of equipment should I be looking for? What should I be taking into account?

As far as the commute, I have dreams of one day touring cross-country, so I would want a frame capable of carrying that load. Also, I'd be looking at a sane max gear inch, and using that to choose my front crank (triple, natch) and my rear cassette. I would like the SPD/flats mix pedals for this bike, but I'm open to ideas.

As for the fashion fixie, I care most about getting a hot yellow/black look using the current tires and wheels I use (yellow Vittoria tires, black Wienmann rims and Formula hubs) and a decent geometry for short-run riding. Front brakes are necessary, rear brakes are nice, but not needed. Powergrips are the likely pedal unless if you've got better ideas. Points awarded for frames with beautiful details (lugs, seatstay ends, etc.)

Apart from all of this, I would want a bike that could do assisted solo rides well, such as the Hotter Than Hell 100. However, I'm pretty sure that most racer-oriented bike shops have this angle covered, and I really don't have money to spend on this, so I'll probably continue to use my current commuter ride ('99 Diamondback Expert that I've put a zillion miles on) for this.

So? How about it?

Active Holiday end October?

beemsterman — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 03:46:20 -0800

I'm looking for a holiday destination. Last weeks of October where I can hike (mountains), bike (atb) and learn diving (padi). No resorts or too much luxury, just basic accomodation. I'm alone so it would be nice to meet more travellers. Doe you have suggestions?

How to keep backpack drive in rain while biking?

amedia — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 22:19:31 -0800

Anyone have any good DYI ideas on how to keep your bag dry in the rain while biking? Some kind of plastic cover with elastic? Not interested in buying a new pack, just want to keep the one i already have dry.

Cute Cycling clothes for Women

seekingsimplicity — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 19:14:50 -0800

Women cyclists-----can you recommend some cute and comfortable biking tops? I bike with a friend a few times a week for exercise doing hills and paths in our town and would like some tops that feel good and look good. I also do errands on my bike from time to time. I have black padded shorts and need some tops that will inspire me to get out and ride. Any recommendations for summer tops and if you have ideas for fall biking clothes I would be interested in that too! Thank you!