Welcome. We're your premier source for fun places to explore by bicycle or on foot. Offering guides, maps and articles on road and trail riding for the novice to seasoned cyclist - helping you find your #NextBikeAdventure
This bike pic Thursday, the World of eMobility begins today in Amsterdam. The show offers a diverse and inspiring group of exhibitors at the forefront of the e-mobility revolution. For two days, October 26 & 27, the show will display cutting-edge electric Vehicles and sustainable two-wheel solutions that are reshaping urban mobility and adventure riding opportunities. The show will also include sustainable construction and machinery processes that are making electric mobility more eco-friendly.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
This bike pic Wednesday enjoy the sun and warmth before the cooler temps bring rain and snow again to the upper Midwest. If life were a mountain bike trail and a wheelie helped smooth out your day-to-day ride or aided you in dropping into your sweet spot, why not review the following tips to make your week an adrenaline high?
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
With determination, this Bike Pic cyclist demonstrates his passion for riding in style, as money is no object. Here in this photo. This biker dude has detailed his low-rider in U.S. currency. With the leaves still turning and perfect fall weather biking, we hope you get out on your bike, regardless of accessories or details.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
In this recent bike pic, we captured a biker dude on a recumbent bike having fun pedaling into the Monday morning sun on a fun history tour.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
It’s Ice Cream Smiles Sunday around the world. In this Bike Pic, a young lady and her friends stop along the bike route along the canal in Bruges to enjoy a creamy cool treat before resuming their bicycle ride.
So, get into the zone when continuing your time outdoors and your #NextBikeAdventure. View all the great ideas and bike destinations in the latest Iowa or Minnesota Bike/Hike Guide. Then plan your next outing with family and friends, and check out more stories at Let’s Do MN.
Thanks for viewing our latest bike pic
Now rolling through our 19th year as a bike tourism media, enjoy! As we pedal forward, we aim to encourage more people to bike and have fun while highlighting all the unforgettable places you can ride. As we continue to showcase more places to have fun, we hope the photos we shoot are worth a grin. Enjoy the information and stories we have posted as you scroll through.
Do you have a fun bicycle-related photo of yourself or someone you may know we should post? If so, please send your picture(s) to [email protected]. Please Include a brief caption for the image, who shot it, and where. Photo(s) sent to us should be a minimum of 1,000 pixels wide to be considered. You will receive photo credit and acknowledgment on Facebook and Instagram if we use your photo.
As we continue encouraging more people to bike, please view our Destination section at HaveFunBiking.com for your #NextBikeAdventure. Also, check out the MN Bike Guide, now mobile-friendly in our 14th year of producing this handy information booklet full of maps.
Bookmark HaveFunBiking.com on your cell phone and find your next adventure at your fingertips! Please share our pics with your friends, and don’t forget to smile. With one of our cameras ready to document your next cameo appearance while you are riding and having fun, we may be around the corner. You could be in one of our next Pic of the Day.
Cyclists enjoy a beautiful day riding with a flower garden in the background.
Having enjoyed another summer season of cycling with many great memories, it’s time to think about preparing your bike for winter storage. Unless you plan to pedal your two-wheel steed throughout the winter. If not, wouldn’t it be nice when the temperature warms next spring, you are ready to ride? And you are not cleaning and tuning up your bike when you should be riding next spring. Or even worse, waiting two to three weeks or more for your bike shop to get it ready for you.
Preparing your bike for storage
When putting your bike away for the winter, there are several things you will want to do to store it properly. Following the helpful tips listed below or taking it to your favorite bike shop will help you avoid future problems and ensure that it will be ready to ride next spring when the weather breaks.
These tips apply whether you’re putting your bike in your basement, garage, or storage unit. Many bike shops now offer winter storage if you don’t have a storage place at home and don’t want to rent an entire storage unit. Just don’t let your bike sit outside.
Bikes left outside over the winter
You would think this wouldn’t need to be mentioned, but visit any college campus in the upper Midwest in February and see dozens of beautiful high-end bikes out suffering in the cold and snow.
In any case, follow these pointers so you are ready to go when the weather warms up next spring:
1. Wipe down the frame and inspect it
Inspecting the frame is important
Use a dry rag and a spritzer bottle, with water or a lite detergent mix, to wipe it down while inspecting it. While I’m not a fan of wet washing a bike with a water hose. Which can create problems if water gets down into your components. Be sure to wipe the bike dry to ensure all metal parts don’t rust.
The best way to do this is to take a brush to knock away any chunks of dried-on mud on your frame or wheels. Then, take a damp rag to your bike, wiping it all over to remove any remaining dust or dirt. Also, remove any grease or grime accumulated around your drive train or other areas where lubrication can attract dirt.
2. Inspect your frame
Look for cracks, signs of fatigue
Here’s a bonus hint. Wiping down your bike offers you a chance to inspect the frame thoroughly. While cleaning, look for cracks or metal fatigue, particularly near welded spots and on the bottom bracket, which supports much of your weight.
3. Cleaning your drivetrain
Wiping the chain is important
Now is an ideal time to clean and lube the cassette, chain, and crank to eliminate all the crud that may have accumulated over the riding season. Plus, a fresh coat of lubricant will help protect against rust. If you have several thousand miles on the chain or a lot of wear, this is the time to consider replacing it.
4. Lubricate the cables
Apply oil near cable housing and work in
To avoid problems that may pop up in the spring, with rusting or poor cable performance, take a few minutes to lubricate the cables that control your brakes and derailers. Apply a few drops of light lubricant on a rag and rub it on the exposed cable – lightly work through the cable housing. This will help keep your shifting mechanism in shape while eliminating stress on your cables.
5. Inspect tires, wheels, and brake pads
Tires should be free of cracks
While wiping down your tires, check your wheels for loose or broken spokes by spinning them and looking that they still spin true. Ensure your wheels spin straight, with no wobbling from side to side and no rubbing against the brake pads. If your wheels don’t spin straight, it’s probably time to take your bike in for wheel truing.
At the same time, inspect your brake pads for proper alignment and any excessive wear in the pads.
6. Then inflate the tires
Before putting your bike away, be sure to inflate your tires fully, especially if you store your bike on its wheels. If your tires are flat, the bike’s weight presses down through the rims on one spot on the rubber. Over several months, that can cause deterioration of your tire as the rubber can end up distorted and/or the tire can develop a weak spot in the sidewall. If you hang your bike from the ceiling by its wheels, having the recommended pressure in the tires is still good.
7. Wipe-down the tires, saddle, and handgrips
A conditioner will keep it soft
Now that you have cleaned and lubed your bike wipe down all the remaining components for any wear or misalignment. Take an optional step that mainly affects the appearance of the bike. Armor-All works well for your tires, rubber handgrips, and seat – if it has a leather, vinyl cover, or another smooth synthetic surface. Products like this are both a beautifier and protectant and will give a nice, clean, and shiny appearance while keeping the material soft. This only takes a few extra minutes and will be something you’ll be glad you did in the spring, as your bike will look sharp and ready to go.
8. Remove any batteries or charge to the recommended capacities
Remove any accessories with lead batteries, like front and rear lights, to avoid corrosion from battery acid leaking onto your bike while in storage. If the battery is hard to remove, as in the case of some Lithium Ion batteries on electric-assist bikes, charge it to the recommended capacity, normally around 85%. See “How to maintain an E-bike” for more information.
9. Clean out your panniers and trunk bags
If you choose to leave your bike bags on in storage, clean them and wipe them out. Ensure no food items are left inside, as you may find a family of rodents nesting there next spring.
10. Empty water bottles and Camelbaks
Clean and dry the insides of your bottles if you plan to store them on the bike
Take all your water bottles off your bike, or drain and give them with a light bleach rinse. Dumping out whatever is left in them since the last time you rode and running them through the dishwasher to get them nice and clean is best. When finished, leave the lids off to allow them to dry entirely inside.
If you have a Camelback or backpack canteen water carrier, flush the bladder with a very mild solution of vinegar and water, and then follow that up with several rinses of plain hot water, then leave the lid off to dry.
Now, as you sit in front of the window watching the snow fly, recalling all the memorable rides you had this year, you can rest assured that when the first opportunity to ride next spring comes, you are ready.
Congratulations, Zamira Mendoza, from Redwing, MN, our E-bike contest winner!
Zamira, testing out her new e-bike.
We are happy to announce that Zamira’s e-mail was drawn from our pool of e-database of contest registrants. We enjoyed delivering the new Magnum Navigator X from our 2023 Bike/Hike Guide campaign. Seeing her enthusiasm and plans on how she will use the bike was refreshing. She is excited about having her new e-bike to commute to work. Her route will be easier with the many hilly streets and trails along the Mississippi River bluffs. Stay tuned for another e-bike contest in 2024,
About the e-bike contest bicycle.
The Magnum Navigator X is a beautifully designed electric bike, perfect for urban riding or commuting. With a step-thru frame, the e-bike makes it easy to mount and dismount. Add the powerful 500W 48V power system with a fully integrated battery and you have a fun mode of transportation. It is great to climb those hills and make most commutes sweat-free.
Everyone’s favorite bike media company is planning for 2024
HaveFunBiking (HFB), started in 2004, sharing news and information on outdoor activities. We are entering our fifteenth year of producing the print and digital Bike/Hike Guide. Check back regularly as we prepare the 2024 edition. You will find the guide full of fun places to ride, helpful tips, and our next e-bike giveaway. When buying an e-bike, check “Helpful tips to consider before buying an E-bike.”
Living in the upper Midwest with four unique seasons, fat biking can be a fun way to pass the time in the winter while getting a good cardio workout. Many studies state the benefits of staying active in cold weather, and riding a fat bike will do that. As an avid cross-country skier, times are changing. With climate change affecting us all, the fat bike is a great alternative to stay active throughout the winter when the ski trail turns into a bobsled run.
Don’t get me wrong; I have not nailed my skis to the wall as decoration. I still loved the thrill of kick-an-gliding through the rolling forests and open fields. But climate change is a growing concern making the trails icy and sometimes baron of snow for skiing. In the last several years, it seems we are seeing more freeze/thaw temperature swings making skiing hazardous. If you are like me and want to stay active when the trails are icy or sparse of snow, the fat bike is an option.
Options, with studded tires when conditions are not for gliding over the trail. Here are some places to ride the trail.
Fat biking trails are waiting for you in northern Minnesota
Please note: check before you head out. Not all federal, state, county, township, or city trails are open to fat biking, but the list is growing.
Here, north to south, are some Minnesota trails waiting for you as we enter the winter season:
With plenty of layers and a mask, this biker dude is having fun in the True North.
Split Rock State Park Trails, northeast of Two Harbors. Here on the shore of Lake Superior, ride 8.7 miles of groomed trails, perfect for fat biking and skate skiing. Currently, access is only allowed near Beaver Bay.
Giants Ridge Trail, east of Biwabic, is a resort on the edge of the towering Superior National Forest that offers several fat tire biking adventures. Ride their 37-mile -plus Nordic trail system or experience downhill fat biking via their high-speed chairlift!
Redhead Trails, at the Minnesota Discovery Center, in Chisholm. This new park offers all skill levels of fat bikers nearly 25 miles of hand-crafted mountain bike trails. Here you will find an oasis of fun riding through the diverse terrain around the old open mine pits.
Suomi Hills Trail in the Chippewa National Forest is north of Grand Rapids. Here you will find a 19-miles remote and stunning trail system in a semi-primitive non-motorized area. While in the area, you will also find several other primitive trails to explore in this National Forest.
Lester River Trail, in Duluth. Fat bikers will find this 12.5-mile trail one of the most beginner-friendly trails in the area (especially riding back down). Other trails in the Duluth area are rated intermediate to advance for the steady incline/descent and rocks/roots.
Winter fun, as this fat biker takes a break for a photo op.
Jay Cooke State Park Trail in Carlton. Nestled along the St. Louis River, the state park groomed 5.4 miles of fat biking trails allows you to ride through and possibly spot white-tailed deer as they winter in this area. The trail here is intermediate, with uneven terrain and small hills.
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Crosby/Ironton. A rugged park of old open mining pits, now lakes, with stockpiles of discarded quarried rocks scattered to create over 50 miles of groomed fat biking trails. Here you will find a few loops for beginners. Most trails here are designated for intermediate to advanced skill sets.
Detroit Mountain, in Detroit Lakes. The bike park here features approximately 4-miles of downhill flow trails that make the most of the natural landscape in the park. The trails mimic a rollercoaster, with a series of fast and flowing sections that take you up and down the mountainside.
Fat biking trails in the Twin Cities
Come November; it’s a perfect time of the year to jump on a fatty.Anoka Nature Preserve, north of Anoka. The nature preserve here is nestled along the bank of the Rum River with over 5-miles of double-wide trails. The perfect trail system for the novice fat-tire biker looking to enjoy nature in the winter and preserves gently rolling terrain.
Elm Creek Trail, west of Chaplin, in the north metro of the Twin Cities, is a 4,900-acre park featuring amenities for many outdoor activities. Including trails for fat biking, built to accommodate all skill levels of riders. So grab your fatty for 10 miles of fast-flowing groomed trails of winter fun.
He was commuting to work on his fatty, along the frozen lake channels in Minneapolis.
Gateway State Trail, in North St. Paul. A favorite for a quick getaway from the city, this section of the popular trail offers almost 12 miles of riding for fat bikers in the winter. From Cayuga Street to Jamaica Avenue, the plowed trail is perfect for beginners taking you out to the open fields of Ramsey and Washington County.
Theodore Wirth Park Trail, in North Minneapolis. Winter fat bike enthusiasts flock to the woods of this north metro park for seven miles of tightly twisting singletrack and a skyline-view pump track.
Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, in Salvage. This peaceful wilderness park in northeast Scott County has its wild side. Another challenging trail intertwined in glacial ridges, hilly terrain, and heavy forests. Riding a fat bike here in the winter is a fantastic off-road experience.
Minnesota River Valley Trail, in Bloomington. Affectionately known as the “River Bottoms,” the trails attract a variety of nature lovers, bird-watchers, hikers, and mountain bikers throughout the year. The River Bottoms here is a fat bike paradise perfect for the beginner, intermediate, and those looking to race in the winter.
As winter temperatures drop, it’s time to dig out the layers and have some fun!
Fort Snelling State Park, in south Minneapolis. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, where the Minnesota River meets the Mississippi River, this park offers 6-miles of groomed for fat biking. Most of this state park is on the Minnesota River’s floodplain. It is easy to ride the trail along the river’s braided channels and see white-tailed deer, foxes, and wild turkeys.
Lebanon Hills Reginal Park, in Eagan. With nearly 12 miles of a single-use, one-way trail system, winter fat bikers are discovering the park’s popularity as one of the go-to trails in the metro area. The trails feature riding for all skill levels and world-class facilities to enhance your riding experience.
South Minnesota fat bike trails are waiting
Dig out your favorite Christmas sweater and take a fat bike for a spin.
Kaplan’s Woods Singletrack, in Owatonna. For the avid fat biker, you will find 5-miles of fun loops. With a tight singletrack trail system winding through the hardwood forest next to the Straight River, climbs are short and punchy to leave you breathless on each descent.
Bronk Unit Plowline Trail, a part of the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest, is north of Winona. The fat biking trails of varying difficulty consist of a south loop and a north loop for 6.5 miles. Both loops generally follow the woods’ edge, or the plow line, as they go around the ridge, rising and falling, giving them a “more difficult” rating.
Do you have a fun trail for fat biking that we missed?
If you have a fat bike trail that you want to see added to this list and published in the Holiday Edition of the Bike/Hike Guide, send us the location and link to [email protected] – Thanks!
With cooler weather approaching, it’s time to clean and store away your summer bike gloves especially if you plan to reuse your gloves next year. Even if they look clean, they are not. How often have you wiped the sweat from your brow, or worse, as a tissue? Cool mornings and pollen make them disgusting bacteria collectors if not cleaned regularly or before storing. Here are the best ways to clean them, even if they are not machine washable.
Gentle washing with a little bacterial soap and/or white vinegar may clean and sanitize them
Preparing bike gloves for storage
Thankfully, like shorts, jerseys, and other articles for bicycling, most bike gloves are made from materials that can be machine-washed. Many gloves can easily be machine cleaned with a little care and hanging them up to air dry. So, before packing away your summer bike gloves, follow these steps for healthy and extended use – for both cloth and leather.
Supplies you may already have on hand for cleaning your cycling gloves:
Step 2 – Wash the bicycle gloves using cool water and mild liquid soap in a sink. If the gloves are dirty/smelly, add 1/8 cup white vinegar to your wash water.
Step 3 – Rinse the gloves well and inspect them for soap suds. Rinse again if necessary.
Step 4 – Lay the gloves flat or hang them up to dry. It’s even better if you can hang the gloves out in the sun. The sun is a “natural sanitizer” that disinfects your clothes. Plus, if you dry your gloves under the sun, they will smell fresher.
Cloth Gloves (machine wash)
Step 1 – Close the Velcro, snap, or button on your gloves.
Step 2 – Put the gloves in your washing machine, set them on cold water, and add laundry detergent. Do not use bleach. You may wash other items with the gloves. If your gloves are particularly smelly, add 1/4 cup of white vinegar to the fabric softener slot of your washing machine.
Step 3 – Rinse the bike gloves by hand after the wash if any soap suds remain.
Step 4 – Then lay the gloves flat or hang them to dry, or you can hang them out in the sun to dry. The sun’s ultraviolet rays will help kill bacteria on your workout clothes. But they need to be completely dry in the sun to be disinfected.
Leather Gloves (handwash only)
Step 1 – Put on the bicycle gloves and run some cool water over your hands, applying mild soap, such as Castile or leather soap, into the dirtiest parts of the glove.
Step 2 – Rinse the gloves well, spending twice as long on the rinsing as you did washing to ensure all the soap is gone. Do not wring moisture in the gloves. Squeeze gently to remove the water.
Step 3 – Remove the gloves from your hand and place them between layers of a bath towel. Then press to remove excess water.
Step 4 – Put the gloves back on and flex your fingers a few times to mold the gloves back into shape. Then, remove and lay the gloves flat to dry without pressing them again.
Step 5 – If desired, massage your cycling gloves with a pea-sized amount of leather conditioner when almost dry – use less conditioner if only part of the glove is leather.
Other Helpful Tips
In between washes, if they become smelly and damp while you are riding. While wearing the gloves, lightly spritz and rub vinegar into the gloves and let them dry as you ride.
Leather and cloth gloves may be stiff once dry but soften with little use.
Wash leather gloves as infrequently as possible. If you are a dedicated long-distance rider, they may not last more than one season, regardless of how often you clean them.
With school in session and Fall in full swing, using passively bright gear is a critical component to being better seen while riding our bikes. The two primary forms of visibility we need to focus on are passive and active visibility. Things like reflectors and bright colors are forms of passive visibility. In contrast, lights and blinkers are great examples of operational visibility. Read on to see where each one is helpful and most efficient.
Using visibility passively
Most autumn rides start in the light and only devolve into darkness as the ride stretches. Most riders rely on passive visibility to get them home in these cases. If your ride is under street lamps or lights, that passive visibility will get you home safely. The most common form of passive visibility is a lowly reflector. The CPSC requires these plastic devices installed on all bicycles sold in the United States. You will find glasses in white (front and wheels) and Red (rear).
Additionally, many apparel companies install reflective materials on their products. Like the reflector on your bike, these reflective materials will take any light thrown at you and return it to the source of the morning. Passive reflectivity falls short when there is no light source to activate visibility.
This jacket offers excellent visibility through color and reflective materials.
Sealing makes some excellent winter gloves that are both visible and insulated.
Using visibility Actively
When the area lacks a light source, you must create that light to keep yourself safe as a rider. For cyclists, Lights and blinkers are the most common devices for light. The light and the blinker differ because blinkers are designed to be seen, while lights allow a rider to see and be seen.
Great lights are usually rechargeable and use an LED bulb. These lights are necessary for riders who spend much time off-road or on unlit paths. While most mount onto the bars or helmet, a few companies integrate lights into the bike or your helmet.
Several bike helmets offer lights with a remote (inset)
Blinkers are usually battery-operated and use an LED to flash intermittently. These blinkers can easily be mounted to your bicycle. Blinkers are sometimes incorporated into helmets, gloves, shoes, saddles, and handlebars.
The Omni Bike Helmet, with a photoreceptor, is covered and lights on.
What to use this Fall
Mount a pair of blinkers to the bike (one front and one back). Switch on the blinkers when riding in low light and high traffic. A front light makes things safer if your route will be unlit for any portion. Overall, think ahead before your next ride and pack to ensure you can see in the dark while others can see you.
About John Brown, the author
John operates Browns Bicycle in Richfield, MN as a lifelong cyclist and consummate tinkerer. It all started for him in grade school when the bike bug bit him, and that particular fever is still there. Now, and over the past thirty years, he has worked at every level in the bike industry. He was starting by sweeping the shop floor while learning anything he could about bikes. He eventually graduated as a service manager and then a store manager. Through the years, he has spent extensive time designing and sourcing bicycles and parts for some of the largest bike companies in the world. All the while focusing on helping as many people as possible enjoy the love of riding a bike. In that pursuit, he has taught classes (both scheduled and impromptu) on all things bikes. John also believes in helping every rider attain their optimal fit on the bike of their dreams. Please feel free to stop in any time and talk about bikes, fit, and parts or share your latest ride. You can also see more of John’s tricks and tips on the Brown Bicycle Facebook Page.
