apparently my city literally literally banned public rail funding, and people online love jerking off about how good biking is, so i figured might as well try. I have come up with:
pros:
- good for mental health / exercise / endorphins
- arguably quaint
- feel like an old timey guy taking his wares to market
- feel european
- can annoy others
- less of a police state around them vs cars
- more flexible parking, routes
- capacity to be peaceful
- nice in summer
cons:
- look like an annoying dork (esp w neon - which also hurts the quaint factor)
- have to wear a helmet (^)
- getting sweaty, potentially “unpresentable” for work
- still have to find safe parking
- still takes a while
- have to find new routes to places
- can’t listen to music or might die
- little meaningful protection against severe injury
- can only carry so many groceries/etc
- sucks in winter
From a European perspective (I use car/bicycle/train/longboard), a few pointers rather than a pro-con/list
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The more people use a bicycle, even casually, The more it put pressures on local politician to do something
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For short distances (<5km) in town, it’s faster than the car
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Gloves are more important than helmet, on the couple of fall I got, gloves protected my hands, while my head didn’t hit. However, if you’re in a severe accident a helmet can make the difference so I still recommend one.
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Beware of your clothe, if you wear black, at night, without lights, you call for problem, and I can see how even good faith motorists can hit you.
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Paint isn’t infrastructure but at least remind the motorists that you have the right to be there. I can see how the mayor call the infrastructure director and ask them for bike lane without any budget, but it sucks
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Be a bit agressive, and look for eye-contact before passing between car, keep distance from parked car, they can open a door, If you don’t think a car can pass you with a safe distance (small urban streets) stay in the middle of the road, and stop to the side when you can to let the car pass you.
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A backpack, or bike pack helps a lot carrying groceries, not really an excuse
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The problem isn’t that much the winter (unless you live on a really cold place) but the rain, good clothe can help, but still.
Just wanted to comment on this bit.
- Gloves are more important than helmet, on the couple of fall I got, gloves protected my hands, while my head didn’t hit. However, if you’re in a severe accident a helmet can make the difference so I still recommend one.
Gloves will save you from very annoying and painful scratches on your hands, but helmet can save you from becoming vegetable or dead. I don’t think there’s any competition for which is more important, helmet any day.
Still, definitely recommend both but at very least a helmet
Rebuttals to a few of the cons:
- don’t dress like an ‘annoying dork’- unless that’s your vibe, no need to change anything to ride a bike.
- you don’t ‘have’ to wear a helmet. Though there are some less bulky, big, or wherever this cons comes from. Probably best to wear one.
- no need to go fast and work up a sweat, or e-bike as other have mentioned. There may be financial rebates available. Other commuter tips include: bring extra clothes, and wet wipes to clean up once getting to.
- until a matter transporter comes along, it takes time to go anywhere.
- you get to find new routes. Find new shops, new neighborhoods, new parks. Feel like a part of you community. Not locked in a metal box or tube.
- bone conduction headphones, or other non noise canceling headphones
- there are bikes, racks and bags in any combination that can carry all sorts of groceries.
- no bad weather, only bad gear. I’d say heat of summer is worse than winter.
I don’t disagree. I’ve worked on an ambulance, I’ve seen what the results of improper protection does to a person. But also how it affects everyone else involved- from the people scraping you off the street to the family that has to take care of you. The unseen injuries of head trauma. At the end of the day, it’s a personal choice- just think about the possible consequences to yourself and those around you.
Think of it this way- don’t wear a helmet because you ride a bike, wear a helmet because everyone else is in a car… they don’t look for you, they don’t care about you. Only you can care about you. It’s car culture pushing the responsibility of safety onto the cyclists to avoid culpability.
Two fairly interesting videos arguing each point and may help yall convince others to wear a helmet better than calling them stupid.
https://youtu.be/rhzH6mEpIps?si=UGH6OVQVYDOH7oLf
https://youtu.be/1JfbTwrtOWU?si=WF7RlOLg4h_uv58e
Be safe, anything can happen. Wear a helmet, even for the ‘safe’ rides so it becomes second nature.
Guess dutch people are stupid, but at least they have way less death per kilometer while cycling ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Ikr, I live in the Netherlands and not only do i not wear a helmet myself but I’ve seen dutch people ride with no hands, holding an umbrella and a phone, with bikebags full of groceries, in the rain, without a helmet.
That shit is close to a circus act, istg.
Could be even lower if they wore helmets though. I don’t even wear a helmet myself, but it’s objectively smart to do so.
My friend got something caught in his front wheel and went over the handlebars at 20mph. Could have been turned into a vegetable if he wasn’t wearing a helmet.
A helmet is only needed if you intend to spend significant time in traffic. Most of the world doesn’t use one.
The math behind using one is a lot more on the margins than people realize. In order for it to save you, it first has to prevent a head injury, and then prevent one that is in the range of severity that makes it useful. The vast majority of bike injuries won’t fall in that range, they’ll either be related to another part of the body, or in the case of high speed crashes from a car, too severe for a helmet to matter. But helmets do give people a false sense of security. Statistically people ride faster and take more risks with a helmet on. Lastly, again statistically, the visibility gear you put on yourself while riding does more to keep you safe in traffic than a helmet. Lights, reflectors, reflective vest, etc.
All this to say, the religiosity with which people proselytize helmets is misplaced. I still wear one, but I don’t judge people who choose not to.
A helmet is only needed if you intend to spend significant time in traffic.
The worst wreck I’ve ever had on a bike was without a single car in sight. Pinch flat while carrying speed through a steep downhill curve. I split an expensive MIPS helmet in two and still hit hard enough that I had a minor concussion, road rash up one side of my body, and cracked the face of a week old watch just to pour salt in the (metaphorical) wound. I mostly landed on my head and that helmet is the reason I didn’t have drastically more severe head injuries.
Helmets aren’t just for traffic.
the religiosity with which people proselytize helmets is misplaced.
It feels very much religion like, but also an online phenomenon only. IRL the helmet discussion goes like this for me: “You don’t wear a helmet?” “No.”
The topic coming up is super rare too, while on every picture of a cyclist without a helmet on the internet you got all these comments from helmet fundamentalists going nuts over it.
The helmet is not the sole saviour. But If I can eliminate or even highly reduce any risk, especially high risk brain injuries just by wearing a helmet, why wouldn’t you?
Seems silly to tempt fate when a helmet is so easy and mitigates a lot of risk.
Not true, winter biking really isn’t that bad and bikes are remarkably stable even on ice
At 06:25 they explain that 35% of the people use special wheels with nails, so that’s different of course (they also use such rails for the winter triathlon (running (with spikes), cycling (with spike wheels), cross country skiing)).
With such wheels it for sure is safer, if someone wants to go cycling in winter that’s definitely the way to go. But if there are 20 cm of fresh snow you’ll still get stuck, you need clean roads like in the video. If the roads are clean (at 09:20 they say that the roads are clean 24h per day, max. 2 cm of snow, absolutely highest they let it go is 4 cm but that’s the exception, they also have an app that shows snow levels on each street in real time) and there’s no elevation and no sharp turns it even works with normal tires, but that’s rarely the case.
Get spike wheels and stay on clean roads, if there’s too much fresh snow you’ll get stuck. Avoid elevation! And obviously avoid sharp turns
Or use one of these (only downhill) https://images.app.goo.gl/A1NitHgRBS3Qanza7 You can rent them in most ski resorts (at least in Austria)
there are bikes, racks and bags in any combination that can carry all sorts of groceries.
Paper and liquid products are not cooperative with two-wheeled transportation, so there’s still a tangible limit
Where there is no will, there is no way.
If it’s a Costco monthly trip, no. On your carbon road bike, no. Full suspension downhill bike, no. Holding a 2liter bottle of Shasta Cola and three rolls of TP? Rethink some things.
If you know it’s going to be a utility bike, yea. Easily done. If it’s a zippy get about thing, consider a little trailer for the hauling trips- buy used, even the old ones roll fine.
I’ve been going for about a year, with two panniers and a front rack, for weekly groceries for a family of 3. Milk, eggs, toilet paper, no problem. Back when Mission Workshop just split off from Timbuk2 I got their expand-o Marry Poppins backpack (the rambler)which is awesome- though I wouldn’t buy it at the current price (eye watering)…it does fit A LOT, like 12kg bags of dog food and still has room. It can carry the weirdest things.
The worst part is getting the panniers up the flight of stairs to our apartment…which would be the same struggle regardless of transportation.
I have a trailer that I attach to my bike whenever I have to haul a lot of stuff. It’s very convenient. You can add a little wheel at the front to use it by hand with its handle. It carries 40 to 60 kg and is foldable to take less space if needed.
I wear the same clothing when I am biking and not biking. The clothing is by no means a requirement.
If you were trying to get to work that could be problematic, especially business attire in a hot place.
I used to bike to work occasionally. It was maybe a 5 minute drive, 15 minute bike ride. I would bring a backpack with a change of clothes and change in the bathroom once I got to the office.
Bikes are a scam perpetuated by big tire. Run at full speed for all of your travel.
Pros:
- Green (non industrial footprint)
- No bike to get stolen
- Harkens back to primitive man chasing gazelles
- Fantastic for heart health
- Just as fast as biking if you run as fast as you bike
- No need for safety equipment (raw)
Cons:
- Others will be intimidated by your presence
- May require barge poll to fend off potential suitors
pros:
- I don’t sit in a cage in the middle of a traffic jam 2+ hours a day
- When I get to work, I’m awake and in a good mood, when I get back home, I’ve left the work stress behind
- I’m actually faster door to door than in a car in rush hour traffic on my 8 mile commute
- It keeps me fit even if I don’t do any other sports
- It’s fun
- I can fix everything myself with a toolbox I bought for 40€
- My bike cost 1000€, 4 years ago, and I think I spent another … 30€ on it in all that time, for lube and tubes
cons:
- It can’t fully replace a car. Around once a week I need public transit for longer routes. Around once a month I have to rent a car, too.
- Bike lanes don’t exist or aren’t usable everywhere. In places without them you need some thick skin to deal with the incoherent rage of strangers who feel like your choice of vehicle threatens their entire lifestyle.
- Biking has become a political statement for some reason
From your con list, the only one that is actually true in my opinion is:
- little meaningful protection against severe injury
(which is mostly a problem due to cars on the road)
All the other ones either simply aren’t true, or are only an issue if you’re starting out and haven’t figured out what’s important yet.
Second this. The inconvenience of winter weather in particular. Dutch people are used to say that there is no bad weather to ride a bike, only inadequate gear.
Try that in Canada though, it’s not going to work out. 15cm of fresh snow with ice underneath and it’s still coming down, while the sidewalks haven’t been cleared yet? Good luck biking to work then…
You would have to use transit for about half the year here
Can confirm. Especially wet snow/sleet can make bicycling completely impossible. A few centimeters is only a minor annoyance, but 10 cm is a serious problem. Fortunately, it doesn’t last long where I live, since the streets get cleared fairly quickly. During one of those mornings you better take a bus/train/subway instead. It also really depends on how well your town takes care of the streets and what public transport options are available.
Realistically it’s only those 1-2 days after snowing when things are still being cleared that it’s an issue. I bike commute 52 weeks a year in Minnesota and there were only 3 days this year I regretted biking. 2 snow days and one heavy cold rain. I can always supplement another option on those days.
That’s nice for the Dutch but I’m not riding a bike in 15+ cm of snow and ice while it’s -30c lol
It’s true that it’s possible to ride all year, even in places with harsh winters.
It’s going to be decidedly less fun, though.
This was enough to tip the balance in favour of taking transit during the months of snow and slush here in Sweden, but I’m also spoiled for choice here. Now I’ve moved and have less of a ride to work, so I think I’m probably going to shoot for biking all year now.
The sweat thing is important imo. I don’t want to show up to work or school or whatever drenched in sweat. Sometimes it’s too hot outside, or you have to ride against too strong a wind, or the terrain on your route is difficult. Either way you can easily arrive at your destination soaking wet. Unless you have an e-bike, there is no easy or convenient solution for that ç. A very real consideration that most certainly has made me not choose my bike on many occasions.
While we’re on the topic of wet, weather is also an important consideration. Keeping yourself protected against the rain on a bike is not easy.
Somehow I’ve managed to commute to work on a bike year round for 10 years now, and I’m in a customer-facing role.
When it rains I wear rain clothes (jacket, rain pants and over-shoes). I also have full fenders and a chainguard on my bike.
If necessary, I ride in cycling clothes, carry my work clothes and some deodorant in a pannier, and quickly dry off and change in the bathroom when I arrive. It takes 5 minutes.
