BIKE-FRIENDLY FRIDAYS
October 12 to November 16

The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA), Commuter Connections, and the Downtown Business Improvement District (DBID) invite area residents to start the weekend one day early by enjoying a ride on their bicycle to the office, to shop, to the movies, or to socialize with friends.

Bike-Friendly Fridays, which will take place between October 12 and November 16, will provide a regular opportunity to enjoy autumn in the city without the stress of driving. WABA will provide bike commuting ride leaders to help bicyclists travel from each Ward in DC to the downtown business district on Friday mornings, and will provide information online to help bicyclists find bike routes, parking, showers, and other amenities.

Downtown retail locations, restaurants, and attractions are invited to participate as Bicycle Friendly Businesses by offering special consideration for customers arriving by bicycle such as discounts on beverages, a shopping coupon, designated bicycle parking areas, or free DC bicycle maps (available at no cost through DBID).  If you would like to offer something to bike commuters on these days, please email Jenn Bress at jenn@waba.org.

Bike Friendly Fridays Commuter Convoys

Bike Friendly Fridays bike commuter convoys will be led by an experience bike commuter that can provide you with great information on area biking as well as routing information.  All convoy routes will end at Freedom Plaza in downtown DC. For a list of our commutor convoys, click here.

Bike Friendly Businesses

Select area businesses are teaming up to offer discounts to bike commuters on Bike Friendly Fridays. For a list of businesses providing discounts for bicyclists click here! If your business would like to particpate please email Jenn@waba.org.

Spread the word about BIke Friendly Fridays! Tell a Friend!

Other valuable information:

Bike and Trail Maps
Safe Cycling
Bikes on Transit
Bike Laws
Commuter Assistance
Family Friendly Biking

Commuting By bike:

Going to work by bike is simple, healthy, clean, and economical. Congested roads and rising gas prices are two in a long list of reasons why commuting to work by bike Just makes sense.

To ease the transition to bike commuting so that you can join thousands of other DC area employees check out the Commuter Connections guide on Biking to Work in the Washington Area.

Clothing:

If bicycling is going to be your primary form of transportation you don’t have to have a whole separate wardrobe .  Being car free means being more in tune with your environment and having daily weather mean something more then the temperature you may experience on your way to and from a car.

First, there are a two primary factors that are going to influence what type of clothing you wear.

• Weather
• Route

Second, please keep in mind that cycling, like all physical activity, warms you up.

Third, wear whatever clothes you feel most comfortable riding in. If you think that $100 pair of bicycle shorts is giving you greif the

n keep wearing your old pair of cut off jeans.

Here are a few tips:

• Layering your clothes is the key to comfort for the fall and winter months.

• Your hands and feet tend to get cold faster than the rest of your body so invest in a gloves and warm socks for the winter.

• During the Spring and Summer expect to sweat. Don’t worry it’s perfectly natural.

• Use rain gear made out of breathable fabric

• Wear form fitting clothes. Baggy clothes will slow you down and could get caught in your bike while you are riding.

• Cuff your pant leg or use a leg band to prevent your pants from getting caught in your bike while pedaling.

For more information about dressing for you bike commute see the above Commuting By Bike section.

Shopping by bike and other load bearing errands:

Not only are bikes fun to ride, but just like cars they can be used to help you with your everyday activities. Going shopping for groceries, but not sure where you are going to put all your food if you don’t have a back seat or a trunk?  Don’t feel like carrying a lot of weight on your back?

The solution is simple: Panniers.

Panniers come in all shapes and sizes for multiple purposes and can be adjusted to fit on any bike. Whether you want to bring your laptop to work, visit the library, or go to grocery shopping using panniers will keep the weight off your back and help you easily adjust to living car free.

parking and locking

Eventhough a car free lifestyle will provide you with the luxry of never having to worry about parking tickets, or getting towed, you still have to worry about theft. Nothing is theft-proof and there is no perfect lock, but you can take certain steps to deter thieves.

Never leave your bike unlocked or unattended.

Where do you park and lock your bike?

• Park your bike in open areas where it can be seen easily.
• Be sure to lock your bike to something that is permanent and not easy for a thief to take.
• Lock to a bicycle rack, parking meter, metal fence post or large tree.
• Sign poles are not reliable places to lock your bike. I you have to lock to a sign pole check to see if it can be pulled out of the ground easily or if a thief could easily remove the sign and slide your bike over the top.
• Don’t lock to a stranger’s bike, door handle, or small tree.
• If you keep your bike in a garage, basement, or on a porch, lock it!

For information on reliable locks check out the Missing Link Bicycle Co-op’s guide to locking your bike.