Quick & Easy Guide to Bike Commuting

The very thought of biking through Chicago’s streets is intimidating for many, but it doesn’t have to be!

All year long, Chicago’s bike lanes are filled with cyclists going to and from work, but it can be very overwhelming for an outsider to know the best way to join their ranks; I know because I was the same way not too long ago. I’m here to tell you that it’s easier – and more fun – than you think! To help you get started, I’ve outlined some basic tips & guidelines to keep in mind as you start your journey to becoming a true bike commuter!

Step One: Get a Bike

To start out, any bike will do. Very often, the best bike is one that you already have, but if you don’t have one to call your own check out our previous blog post to learn more about how to pick out the right bike for you! If you don’t want to purchase a bike right out of the gate, renting a Divvy Bike is a great way to get started.

Step Two: Plan & Practice Your Route

One of the hardest things about biking through Chicago as a beginner is knowing which roads to take. For me, it tooks some time to learn which Chicago streets are good for cycling & which ones to avoid. Luckily, there’s a lot of resources out there that help you plan your route, like the Chicago Bike Map which maps out the city’s network of bike lanes & paths. There’s also the Mellow Bike Map of Chicago, a crowdsourced mapping tool which will suggest routes that keep you on side streets & bike paths away from roads where you’d have to share the street with car traffic. And when you’re out riding, it’s a good idea to have Bike Lane Uprising’s app downloaded to report bike lane obstructions & hold violators accountable.

Once you have your route planned, it’s very helpful to ride the route on one of your days off to get an idea of how long it will take you & what you can expect ahead of time. It’s nice to know exactly how many pot-holes you might run into or what kind of traffic there will be. Often, these mapping tools don’t stay updated with information on when certain bridges will be closed or when different roads are going to be resurfaced, so it’s nice to get familiar with side streets and alternate routes you may have to take without the added pressure of running late to work.

Step Three: Get Dressed

Depending on how long your ride is & what you have to wear to work, you may or may not want to consider wearing cycling specific clothes under or instead of your work clothes. If you do plan on changing at work, yoga pants & a t-shirt can work just as well as a cycling bib & jersey – it all comes down to what you’re comfortable riding in. Personally, I have a very short commute, so I ride in wearing my work clothes, but your mileage may vary with this if your work clothes involve a full suit or fancy dresses.

If there’s any one piece of clothing that is worth investing in, it's a good pair of cycling shorts. The padding in them makes a world of difference when you have your butt in the saddle for miles & miles everyday. To get started though, the only clothing that you’re really required to wear is enough clothes to comply with your local public indecency laws.

Step Four: Pack Your Bag

Before you can pack a bag, you first have to decide what kind of bag you want to ride with. The choices basically come down to either a backpack or a set of panniers. A backpack can be nice because you probably already have one lying around, but is not going to be the most comfortable to ride with – especially if you have to carry anything heavy like a laptop. Panniers can be a bit of an investment since you also have to get a rack to attach them to, in addition to making sure your bike frame has a spot to mount the rack. However, panniers are so much nicer to ride with because they literally take the weight off your shoulders. Plus you can generally fit more in panniers than you could in a backpack.

Once you have your bag picked out, you can start packing. Of course you should pack anything you would need for a workday – keys, laptop, basketball, lunchbox, etc. (I don’t know you, only you’ll know what you need). You should be carrying a flat repair kit with you anytime you ride your bike, and commuting by bike is no different – the only thing worse than being late to work because you got a flat, is being even later because you weren’t prepared to fix it. It’s also a good idea to pack a change of clothes, regardless of if you’re riding in your work clothes or not – you never know what might happen on the road between your home & workplace. Wet wipes & extra deodorant can be a godsend if your office doesn’t have showers in the building; these can also be stashed somewhere at work if you want to keep your bag light.