• Twin Cities Bike Swap Meet – February 14, at the National Sports Center. $5 admission to a really giant event. Tables $40 to sell.

• TCBC Swap Meet – March 27, at the Hopkins VFW. Free entry, free to sell for TCBC members and sponsors.

I’m sure there are others upcoming, although few have the widespread allure that a Valentine’s Day swap meet in Blaine offers. Stop by the swap meet, then go to White Castle for dinner!

Right now, the littlest cyclist rides in a trailer. He gets a bit bigger, we may use a child seat for a while before graduating to tag-a-longs and eventually a tandem. With any of these options, I think routing is a key to making the experience good for parent and child. here are key elements I’d want in any route used for family cycling:

• Reasonable distance: Distance is both a factor of parental fitness (especially with a trailer!) and child willingness. Know your kid, and plan accordingly. Toddlers require input and diversion. This can either be built in as stops to allow for longer mileage, or shorter mileage can be planned to accommodate the kiddo.
• Destination/Rest stop: As above, where will you be stopping? With a toddler, a chance to play and run about a little is nearly essential. Ice cream or a tasty snack – either carried along or purchased on route – is also a big plus. My kid loves the ice cream stops – a genetic predisposition, to be sure.
• Terrain: With any sort of extended trailer, trail-a-bike, etc., be sure to avoid anything especially technical. The idea of taking the downhill next to Fort Snelling, which is steep and has a sharp left turn at the bottom? Just say no. If the kid is an active participant, ease into hills.
• Timing: We like to time rides such that they coincide with Natty’s nap. The gentle rhythm of the trailer puts him straight into zonk-zone.

This last weekend we rode 18 miles, mostly via trail or trail-option routing. We stopped at DQ. It was flat and shady, and Natty got Blizzard and hot fudge. Happiness.

Ice Cream Sundae – 18 miles (jpg)

Minnesota law discusses the need for lights in darkness in 169.22:

Subd. 6. Bicycle equipment. (a) No person shall operate a bicycle at nighttime unless the bicycle or its operator is equipped with a lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front and with a red reflector of a type approved by the Department of Public Safety which is visible from all distances from 100 feet to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. No person may operate a bicycle at any time when there is not sufficient light to render persons and vehicles on the highway clearly discernible at a distance of 500 feet ahead unless the bicycle or its operator is equipped with reflective surfaces that shall be visible during the hours of darkness from 600 feet when viewed in front of lawful lower beams of headlamps on a motor vehicle. The reflective surfaces shall include reflective materials on each side of each pedal to indicate their presence from the front or the rear and with a minimum of 20 square inches of reflective material on each side of the bicycle or its operator. Any bicycle equipped with side reflectors as required by regulations for new bicycles prescribed by the United States Consumer Product Safety Commission shall be considered to meet the requirements for side reflectorization contained in this subdivision. A bicycle may be equipped with a rear lamp that emits a red flashing signal.

A common question I hear is if a helmet lamp is suitable under this statute. While I am not a lawyer or a law officer, I know quite a few of each. The answer I’ve gotten from them is “uh, sort of.”

The statute says “No person shall operate a bicycle at nighttime unless the bicycle or its operator is equipped with a lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front,” italics mine. Obviously, a headlamp would be attached to the operator. The challenge is that the light is intended to be seen 500 feet to the front. The light is really intended to function similarly to that of a headlamp on a motorcycle or headlights on a car: visible face forward.

When a helmet lamp is attached to a head, however, it may not always face forward. It may face to the side or another direction as you peer around. This is somewhat contrary to the point/language in the statute.

My sources say that a helmet lamp probably qualifies under statute, but that you’re probably better off with a light attached to the bike. This can be in addition to a headlamp. By having a light that is fixed to a forward-facing position, you may be able to avoid a lot of shenanigans in the event of an accident, particularly when dealing with an insurance company trying to prove something to be your fault for not complying with law.

Hot Clif Shot, originally uploaded by Between Stations.

This can’t be a good idea.

Because they’re moist towelettes in individual packs, they fit perfectly in a jersey pocket or in a waterpack for mid-ride sunblock refresh. You still need help to get the back of your shoulders, but that’s true with any sunblock in my experience.

Sunblock: Still needed in winter. That reflection off the snow will burn you every time.

If I could give them a few tips, here are the things I would put into place as need-to-knows:

1. Learn to change a tire. This is a simple and necessary skill if you’re going to be riding regularly, and it’s pretty dire to blow a tire and not have the equipment or the skill to fix it. Then you’re stuck roadside hoping that a nice person comes by who has all of the above, or looking for a phone-a-friend. When commuting, this can be especially rough.

   The equipment needed? A spare tube that fits your tires, a set of tire irons/levers, and a pump that fits your tubes. Many compact frame pumps exist, some better than others. You might also carry along some handi-wipes for post-change clean up; I generally appropriate mine at gas stations and/or Famous Dave’s.

   There are many good online resources to find out how to fix a bicycle flat, else many bike shops are happy to show you how. If you have a bike geek friend, buy them a refreshing beverage in exchange for a lesson. And practice!

2. Get a light set. Whether it’s a flat tire or something unexpected, you never know when twilight is going to overlap your ride. Light sets can be had far more cheaply than medical care because someone couldn’t see you.

   For bonus points, go to a boat/car place and find reflective decal tape. (I find boat places have the best stuff.) Cut strips of this and attach it to your pedal arm (the bit that attaches your pedal to the cogs) and to your wheel rims. This gives you awesome side-on reflectivity – lights really help most with front and back visibility, and side-on is also a good thing.

3. Check your bike for road worthiness before you go out – every time. The ABC Quick Check is a good drill, and fast.
4. Don’t blow stop signs, lights, etc. Traffic rules apply to you, too.
5. Learn to ride on the road, and ride properly. Go with the flow of traffic, and always position yourself to the right side of the right-most lane that leads to your destination. The LAB has a fine page on road rules that is worth a read.
6. Wear a helmet. Sure, some will argue that a helmet won’t protect from all injury. Neither will a seatbelt or an airbag, but they’re good ideas in an automobile. Brain injury can be a really awful thing. Sure, you might be in a wheelchair after an accident, but will your brain work, or will you have a tube in your nose and constant supervision because you scrambled your eggs?

I’m sure there’s more I could say, but these are really the basics. Urging road confidence and lane positioning is scary enough for some, after all. But bikes really do fare best when they behave as vehicles and share the road according to traffic rules, applicable laws, and common sense behaviors. By following common traffic rules, cars can predict your behavior and know where you will be, and then can follow rules of the road that apply to them in regards to you, such as leaving a 3-foot zone between you and them when they pass you.

They’ll also enter you for faboo prizes. If you commute more than the 8 times/8 weeks, there’s apparently more benefits available, but Metro Transit is vague.

1. No helmet on dude
2. No helmet on DAUGHTER
3. White visor always fashion faux pas
4. Midgrade 28c more than standard
5. Midgrade called “Silver”
6. Front tire low
7. Back tire flat
8. Seat too low
9. Cellphone use while riding
10. Flip flops

(Picture from Associated Press.)

With that comes a deluge of people asking: “What bike should I buy?” I end up answering that a lot for friends, relatives, random co-workers who see the picture of me and my husband on bikes I have in my office and who have heard rumors that I’m some sort of biker person.

I think my answers frustrate some, because they want me to tell them to go to a specific place, and buy a specific brand and model. Of course, it’s not that easy. Questions need to be answered.

What kind of riding do you intend to do? Be honest with yourself.

• Are you looking to do short bike commutes to work?
• Paved street and trail riding?
• Charity events?
• Off-road and unpaved journeys?
• Do you want to be able to haul a Burley? A trail-a-bike?

Figuring out HOW you plan to use the bike is key. A few years ago, I helped a friend find a bike. He saw the sort of riding my club did, and wanted to join in. He liked the idea of a fitness activity that wasn’t murder on the knees. So we found him a good road bike, suitable for group rides, with the best possible frame that would fit him, and components worth using… but easily upgraded. Six years later, he’s still riding that frame, and has rebuilt most of the bike several times.

A lot of people get hung up on brand. Brand is irrelevant. If the frame doesn’t fit, the brand won’t matter. Every brand has its own merits and geometry. Pick one that fits your body and budget.

As a rule of thumb, the frame is going to be what makes or breaks the whole bicycle purchase experience. if you buy a frame that sucks or doesn’t fit, you won’t ride the bike. Period. Getting good components is a nice plus, but on most bikes, you can upgrade them later. If you use the bike enough, they’ll need replacement someday anyway – parts wear out on bikes, just like they do on cars.

Depending on your intended use, you’ll need different features of the frame and components. The second biggest mistake I see people make, after getting a frame that doesn’t fit, is getting the wrong wheels/tires. Most people are using their bikes on paved streets and trails. They will want a smoother tire. However, many get big knobby mountain-style tires thinking they’ll be better. Actually, on pavement, they slow you down a lot. Other people get sleek race-style wheels because they ‘look cool,’ but may be meaning to use their bike much more casually, and have little experience in wheel maintenance. Low-spoke, sleek race wheels require more care and maintenance than many are going to want to put in or learn.

Another thing I see is people messing up seat choice. The seat on a bike at purchase is always negotiable. However, it’s not always true that the biggest, plushest seat will be the most comfortable. Seat choice is going to depend a lot on your riding position (upright? traditional road?) and your actual tuckus. Many people are awfully surprised when they find that something without massive padding makes their butt happiest. (And early on, ANY seat is going to create a bit of post-ride ow – you have to break in both your butt and your seat!)