Tips for Commuting by Bike

May is National Bike Month—the perfect time to celebrate biking as a form of recreation as well as transportation! Faster than walking, more eco-friendly than driving, and good for you to boot, commuting by bike has lots going for it.

Even in a car-centric city like Topeka, biking for transportation may be easier than you think. Topeka has a number of well-marked bike streets, and the Shunga and Landon Trails make it possible to criss-cross much of the city without setting a wheel on a main road. This trail map can help you plot your route. And the city has plans to make getting around easier yet, with a comprehensive Bikeways Master Plan that has already added miles of bike lanes and multi-use side paths as well as share-the-road signs on many streets. 

Today, we share tips on bike commuting from Full Circle supporter Hannah Nuest. Hannah does all sorts of errands on her bike. She chose her apartment for easy access to the Shunga Trail, which provides most of the route to her office downtown. If you see her at Full Circle, she'll probably have her helmet in hand, loading her veggies and mason jars into a sturdy bag to haul home on her bike. 

Basically, Hannah's a bike-commuting expert, and below are her tips on how to make biking to work—or wherever you want to go—work for you!

1. Bike route recommendations on map apps are usually good, but I like to look at the satellite view ahead of time to see if any difficult spots, like busy roads without bike lanes, are included. I can often find a safer road nearby. Since moving to Topeka, I've been pleasantly surprised at how many places I can bike to mostly using the Shunga Trail!
2. Ask your workplace if they have a shower you can use. If your workplace has its own exercise room, there is a good chance they do. If not, a sweat towel, deodorant, and a change of clothes is usually enough. Even as the weather is warming up, mornings are still around 40-60 F.
3. Ask your workplace where you can store your bike. If they don't have a place to safely lock it outside, they may allow you to keep it inside.
4. Remember that when you bike on the road, you are subject to the same rules as drivers. Some cars may yield to you even when you don't have the right of way simply because you are on a bike, but don't ever expect this.
5. Be prepared. Charge your bike light while at work, so you're ready if it gets dark earlier than you expected. Bring a poncho in case it rains. There are all sorts of tools you could bring for emergency bike maintenance, but at the very least, a fully charged phone will allow you to call for help if you need it.

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Commuting by bike takes a little more thought and preparation than driving. You need to be attuned to the weather, daylight, and safety. You need to think in advance about bike storage and make sure to have a lock. You need to think about how you'll carry things with you (backpack, saddlebags, basket/rack). And you need to think about clothing, making sure you're appropriately dressed for the ride as well as the activity you're riding to. But as you practice, these preparations will become habits—like taking your bags to the grocery store or checking the thrift stores before buying something new. 

And remember: sustainability does not have to be an "all or nothing" endeavor. If you can't bike every time, bike sometimes. Or maybe you'd rather walk, carpool, take the bus, or simply combine errands to make fewer trips in the car. If Americans drove just 10% less than we do now, we would reduce carbon emissions by about 110 million metric tons—the equivalent of powering nearly 14 million homes for one year. Even the little bits add up and make a difference!

Feel free to reach out if you have questions about biking in Topeka or to share your own tips on car-free transportation. We'd love to hear your thoughts!

Happy trails!

-Justine and Hannah