Tag Archive | bicycle
More Bike Commuter Pants! Spring 2014 Update
It’s that time of year again – I am scanning the websites of my favorite clothing manufacturers, looking for anything that I would really want to wear in their new spring collections. Over almost three years of dedicated bike commuting, I have had a few tastes of functional clothes that reflect my non-girly persona, and […]
Winter Biking Outfit
I think it was 12 degrees Fahrenheit when I left the house yesterday morning. I set off for errands: Midwest Mountaineering, grocery store, bank. All told, I biked and shopped for 2.5 hours and returned home in 15 degree weather. Here’s what I was wearing: On my bike: Bern helmet, windproof fleece balaclava, fleece earband […]
New York City: Trying Out Citi Bikes
I recently got back from New York City, where I tried bike share bikes for the first time. That’s right, Minneapolis/ StPaul has had them since 2008 and I have managed to never, ever ride one. I love the idea but I have three of my own bikes and have just never gotten around to […]
Tax Breaks for Bike Commuters
Everyone knows that biking to work instead of driving or using public transit can save you money. What I didn’t know until recently is that it can get you tax breaks, too! For Employees There’s this thing called the Federal Bike Commuter Benefit that allows employers to offer a tax free benefit of up to […]
The Custom Long Haul Trucker is (Basically) Done
Here’s a photo of the custom Surly Long Haul Trucker I’ve been working on. I don’t really consider it to be finished (lacking fenders & a bell and I am probably going to change the stem) but it’s rideable and I have been riding it for several weeks now. I chose a touring bike for […]
Bicycling and Mental Health
May is both Bike Month and Mental Illness Awareness Month. Coincidence? Probably, but there’s some good stuff out there about the connection between biking and mental health. Consider: the National Alliance on Mental Illness reports that 1 in 4 American adults lives with a diagnosable, treatable mental illness. Twenty-five percent! Whether you know it or […]
Bike Trailer Errands
Today I borrowed this B.O.B. bicycle trailer from a friend and set off to haul heavy, awkward stuff around Minneapolis. I was pleasantly surprised at how simple it was! Sure, 30 pounds trailing behind my bike gave my legs a good workout, but the ride was smooth and uneventful. Connecting the trailer’s drop-outs to the […]
30 Days of Biking – another year!
Like the image says, Monday, April 1st is the beginning of 30 Days of Biking. The name is pretty self-explanatory: bike somewhere – anywhere – every day for one month. This annual tradition started in Minneapolis, and has spread throughout the world. I participated last year and thought it was pretty sweet. After a long, […]
Custom Long Haul Trucker – in progress
I’ve been wanting a nicer bike for a while. After saving up, I’m building up a Surly Long Haul Trucker frame. Here it is last week at the public shop space of Sunrise Cyclery, waiting for me to decide what tires, saddle and brake levers I want. Parts have been ordered! Stay tuned for the […]
Reflecting on Commuter Apparel
I have a complicated relationship with reflective clothing. I love how it makes me more visible and therefore safer while I’m riding my bicycle. I hate wearing flashy stuff (ha!) when I’m off the bike. Since I generally use my bike for transportation, there’s a fine balance to be struck. Here are my top three […]
Girls Biking to Work 