Rob Raux - Observations

Commuting to work in Ann Arbor on a bike - Week 2

It’s official, I’ve biked over 100 miles in a week, the first week!

The odometer read 102 miles before I left for work today and I’m sure it reads well over that now.  I feel like I just may have made it over whatever hump that existed.

I purchased a rack and 2 Panniers today for the bike.  They’re nothing crazy, water resistant, and relatively small.  This is just what I was looking for (well apparently water-proof packs are relatively expensive).  So for now I will travel with my stuff in bags inside of the packs, something I would have been doing either way.

The bike responds differently with the weight set more on the back wheels, however my back and my body responds much differently as well.  I feel like I made a great trade off, I feel much more free.  It does take me a bit more to get started however I do not do that much stop and go as it is, so the effect is relatively negligible.

I’m looking to take a class at one of the bike shops regarding tire care, tire changing and a host of other things that can go wrong.  It’s quite cheap at $10 and I’d rather learn a bit there before I go for the trial and error approach.  I’d rather not wreck anything I don’t have to no matter how simple it may seem.

I do finally have a simple PSI measurement stick that will allow me to make sure the tires are riding right.  Past that point I will be all set for now.  The ride continues to be enjoyable and refreshing every day although I am experiencing leg soreness, go figure.

My physical soreness is in the thighs and lower back.  The back I feel most likely comes from carrying a heavier pack, I’m feeling better already.  The thighs, although they had time to heal over the weekend are in 60 miles in 3 days at this point.  Although definitely feeling stronger, they seem to achieve an anaerobic state much quicker than on Monday.  This isn’t unexpected, merely an observation.

I continue to stretch before and after each ride, along with drinking lots of fluids.  I’m hoping that this will help me retain stability throughout the week.

Since last week was only a 3 day biking start after acquiring the bike, Thursday and Friday should be interesting.  My body should respond well but I’m into uncharted territory.

One good sign is I find myself finishing the ride strong.

One bad sign is that I find myself weakening on hills quickly, not even wanting to think about standing up.

Some things learned this week in biking:

1. Keep moving. Stopping at lights takes away valuable time, not to mention it can get hairy with cars.  Try to keep moving by using side streets.  Although you will end up going father, you will most likely get to your destination faster.
2. Right turn only lanes suck. As you peddle down a two lane road, an intersection appears and the lane splits into two, a right turn only lane, a straight ahead lane, and a left turn lane.  What is the most appropriate approach to take for these?  If there are no cars coming, the solution is obvious, take the lane.  If there are cars, do you continue down the center lane, or veer to the right as you make the approach?  Which is safer?