Getting to work

Last week I had the opportunity to ride a snazzy bike to work. Lucky me!

When I lived in New York City I had a boss who gave me a bike to get to and from his studio. I commuted this way approximately two and a half times before 6th Ave. traffic anxiety got the best of me. (I could literally hear my mothers sigh of relief from the west coast)

San Francisco presents its own set of challenges with steep hills and lack of bike lanes. I was hesitant at first, but after a few recent adventures on a friends bike I warmed up to the idea. With a couple helpful websites and advice from experienced riders I had a terrific morning ride to our SOMA office.

Here’s what I learned:

Fashion. I’m not a fan of spandex as business attire, are you? With the proper upright geometry on a bike you can get away with wearing just about anything. This includes heels. No running to catch the bus!

The proper bike route: This website got me to work on flat, bike friendly streets. Plus most directions on Google Maps now have a bike route option.

The right bike: Here are a few of my favorite bike makers and sellers. Public Bikes and Adeline Adeline are creating female friendly bike brands that didn’t previously exist in the states.

Safety: It’s tempting to plug in your headphones, but drivers and fellow bikers can sneak up on you without you ever hearing them. Yikes.

Helmets: When I see riders in the city without helmets I say a small prayer for their mothers. These ones are stylish and fit comfortably. No excuses!

Reflectors. Night time riding is a whole different ball game, but there have been some cute handmade reflector pins popping up on Etsy! A Pac Mac set, and a clover for good luck!