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How to Bike Commute with your Morning Coffee

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 16, 2012

Coffee and Bicycles - Together at last

It might be Bike to Work week, but it’s still hump day. After the exhilaration of Monday and the settling in of Tuesday, you’re now looking at Wednesday – still 3 days to go until the weekend. Even if you’ve been riding to work every morning, there are days where you just can’t skip the morning coffee, and this might be one of them.

But just because you’re riding your bike doesn’t mean you can’t have your morning coffee on the go. And it doesn’t mean riding with one hand on the bars and one hand holding the cup. Thanks in large part to growing numbers of bike commuters, there are now a variety of different cup holder attachments for your handlebars. It’s an easy and safe way to get yourself and your coffee to work, while still being able to grab a sip at the red lights.

A new meaning for coffee bar?

As you can see from these pictures, attaching the cup holder to your bars is similar to mounting a bracket for a light – just a single bolt. If you find it’s still too loose after tightening it down, you can always cut some old tubes to use as a shim. If you don’t have any lying around, just pop in to your local bike shop – chances are they have more used tubes than they know what to do with and will be only too happy to help you out.

Another plus of the handlebar cup holder is that it can fit reusable plastic and metal travel mugs, in addition to the standard paper/styrofoam cups from the coffee shops. This means that both you and your caffeinated beverage can get around with less negative impact on the environment.

So if you’re a coffee drinker and a bike commuter, you should look into a cup holder for your bike. It lets you ride with both hands on the bars, which is important for safety and control, and it means you can ride with your caffeine at hand (although not in hand), so you’ll be good and alert for the morning commute.

Do you have a cup holder on your bike? What are the pros/cons for you? Is it an accessory you’d recommend to other commuters?


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Rush Hour Race Results: Cyclist Wins!

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 15, 2012

Yesterday, Somerville Bicycle Committee, Cambridge Bicycle Committee, and LivableStreets Alliance got together to organize a rush hour race. Starting at Davis Square in Somerville, MA, which mode of transportation is the fastest way to get to Kendal Square in Cambridge, MA? Three racers took part – a cyclist (Josh Zisson of BikeSafeBoston), a T rider (the T is Boston’s subway system), and a car driver. Although there is no set route for the participants (except the T rider) the shortest route is approximately 3 miles.

To nobody’s great surprise the cyclist won handily, coming in about 10 minutes faster than the next closest competitor, the T-rider. The driver finished a distant 3rd. And for those of you who might be wondering, yes, the cyclist stopped at all the red lights and obeyed traffic regulations.

Hopefully this race will inspire more people to give bike commuting a chance. Especially if you live within 5 miles of your workplace, you’ll likely find that it’s as fast or faster to ride to work than to drive. You don’t have as high a top speed on a bike as you do in a car, but in stop and go rush hour traffic, being able to go 60mph is not going to be helpful. Being able to travel in bike lanes though, or along the shoulder of the road to the right of traffic (legal in MA), is.

Too Far to Ride? Save Time with a Park & Pedal Commute

Too far to ride? Try a Park & Pedal commute

Of course, not everyone lives within an easy riding distance of their workplace. But even long distance commuters can take advantage of the time savings of a bicycle commute. With a Montague bike folded in the trunk of your car, combining driving with riding a bicycle is easy.

Maybe you can’t avoid the interstate – if so, drive until you exit, find a place to park, and ride the rest of the way. And not only will you be saving yourself time on the commute, you’re getting your exercise in too – so you can skip the gym at the end of the day.

Did you expect the cyclist to win the race? Do you ride to work? Is time savings one of the reasons you do? Anybody out there a Park & Pedal commuter? How much time does it save you?


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Happy Mothers’ Day: Why Don’t More Women Ride Bikes?

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 14, 2012

Yesterday was Mothers’ Day. Whether you saw your mum yesterday or not, think about her for a minute. Does she ride a bike? Not can she, but does she? To work? Or to the store? On a regular basis? If you live in North America, the answer is probably no.

24% of bike trips in the U.S. are made by women

In the U.S., only 24% of bike trips are made by women, 76% by men. While cyclists’ numbers have been increasing in recent years, most of the increase has been in men between the ages of 25 and 64. Despite the financial and health benefits bike commuters experience, the average American bike commuter is a white professional male with an income of $44,000. What’s going on here?

Clearly, the difference is not due to anything biological, and you don’t have to look any further than Europe to see that. In the Netherlands, 55% of bike trips are made by women; in Germany 45%. So it’s not that women are physically incapable of riding in greater numbers here in the U.S. and Canada. They’re choosing not to. Why?

There are a number of reasons people offer in response to this question, which range from the superficial to the profound.

A woman takes the T in Boston with her Montague folding bike

Vanity: People who offer this explanation claim that women do not ride more because it’s hard to ride in skirts and heels, women don’t want to get sweaty, and they don’t want helmet hair – women want to look pretty, and that’s why they don’t ride.

While maintaining their appearance might be a factor for some women, it seems unlikely that this is a major reason more women don’t ride. There is pressure for women to meet a certain standard of appearance, but the multitude of blogs by women with photographs of themselves and others riding in all types clothing (including skirts and heels) and  advice and instruction to other women on how to ride in whatever clothing they want probably means that vanity is not the primary inhibiting factor.

Safety: People who suggest that more women don’t ride bikes because it’s perceived as dangerous (whether or not is actually is dangerous – statistically, it’s safer than driving). Because most American cities do not have a comprehensive infrastructure of bike lanes and paths, the shortest routes often involve busy roads with narrow shoulders and high speed limits, and drivers can be aggressive towards cyclists on the road, safety is a legitimate concern, but it also seems more like an explanation for why more PEOPLE don’t ride, and is not specific to why more WOMEN don’t ride.

Time: Bicycling takes time. And this is something that, by the numbers, women have less of than men. In 2004, employed women reported an average of one more hour of housework per day than their employed male counterparts. These same employed women reported twice the time spent caring for young children. Employment status being equal, we have more household duties and are far more likely than men to be caregivers for aging relatives.

A woman enjoys the ride on her Montague folding bike.

The above quote is from the article “Bicycling’s Gender Gap: It’s the economy, stupid”, by Elly Blue, that first appeared in Grist. In her article, she focuses on the socio-economic factors that make it more difficult for women to ride than men. She concludes that the reason more women don’t ride “isn’t because we’re fearful and vain; it’s because we’re busy and broke and our transportation system isn’t set up for us to do anything but drive.”

You can read her article in its entirety here.

What do you think of cycling’s gender disparity? Which reason do you find most compelling? Do the women you know ride for transportation? To our women readers: what gets you on/keeps you off your bike on a regular basis? Why do you think other women don’t ride more?


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AMGEN Tour of California Starts Sunday

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 11, 2012

May is a great month for cycling – not just because the weather has finally warmed up and dried out in most of the country, but because some of the biggest, most prestigious bike races (outside of the Tour de France) take place in This Sunday, May 13th, the 7th edition of the AMGEN Tour of California kicks off in Santa Rosa, CA. Over the next 8 days, the racers will ride over 800 miles, and climb to elevations higher than 7000 feet, before the race finishes up next Sunday, May 20th, in downtown L.A. The Tour of California is the only hors categorie (highest level of UCI categorization) race held in the U.S., and a major focus for many Americans (and American teams – including BMC and Garmin) on the UCI pro circuit.

What Makes the Tour of California Different

From Santa Rosa to L.A.

Besides the fact that the Tour of California is the biggest stage race in the U.S., this year’s tour at least, is unusually hilly. Many longer stage races (e.g. the Tour de France) feature a combination of hilly stages (suited to the climbers) and flat stages (suited to the sprinters). In a flatter stage, more racers will still be in contention at the end, which gives sprinters an opportunity to break from the field in the final 500 meters or so. But in hillier stages, it’s more common to see a breakaway of a small group of riders battling at the finish. Considering that this year, the only 2 of the 8 stages are relatively flat – stage 5 (the individual time trial) and the final stage (a 40-mile circuit around downtown L.A.) – the Tour of California really gives the climbers an opportunity to shine.

The Tour of California is also involved to the charity, Breakaway from Cancer, which aims to increase awareness of resources, from prevention to treatment to financial assistance, for people at risk for and currently suffering from cancer. In recognition of this, after each stage, along with the yellow leader’s jersey, green sprint jersey, and red climber’s (King of the Mountains) jersey, Tour of California awards a white Most Courageous Rider jersey to “a cyclist who best exemplifies the character of those engaged in the fight against cancer – courage, sacrifice, inspiration, determination and perseverance.”

In addition, the Tour of California also sponsors a lifestyle festival throughout the week of the Tour designed to educate people about cancer prevention and research, healthy lifestyle choices and to promote physical activity. The festival is at the finishing area of each stage, and promises to offer something for cycling fans (and non-fans) of all ages.

Where Are All the Italians?

From Denmark to Italy with the Giro

If you look at the list of riders participating in the Tour of California this year, you might notice a dearth of Italians. That’s because the Tour of California is held at the same time as one of the grand tours on the UCI calendar – the Giro d’Italia. Held over 23 days in May, the Giro is a 21-stage race that takes place throughout Italy (and this year, the first 3 stages were held in Denmark, to help promote the sport of cycling in that country). Italian riders see the Giro as their home race (much as Americans see the Tour of California as their home race) and prefer to ride it instead of the Tour of California.

For riders who don’t have a home-road preference, some feel that with the Tour de France coming up in early July, the Tour of California is better preparation for it, since riding two grand tours in such a short time can be overly taxing. Riders who want to focus on the Tour de France will sometimes skip the Giro for the shorter Tour of California.

What Would You Ride?

Given the choice, would you ride the Tour of California or the Giro? Have you ever been to either of these races in person? Attended the Tour of California Lifestyle Festival? Have you ridden the route or partial route of any of the California stages? Ridden in Italy?


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Getting Ready for Bike to Work Week

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 10, 2012

As we know, May is National Bike Month here in the U.S. (in Canada, with its later spring, it’s June), and the coming week (May 14-18) is Bike to Work Week, which culminates on May 18, with Bike to Work Day. Throughout the week, look for specially themed bike events, and most importantly, get out on your bike and enjoy the ride!

If you’re a regular bike commuter, you’ve probably got your morning routine down, but if Bike to Work Week is going to be your first commute or if it’s your first ride in some time, a little preparation is required.

The Bike

Make sure your bike is ride-ready for Monday

If you’re going to commute to work, regardless of how long the ride is, you need to make sure your bike is in good working order. Most importantly, check that your brakes work, that your tires are in good shape (this means no dry rot, no visible threads, and no strange bulges once properly inflated), and that the drive train (gears and chain) are functioning properly.

If it’s been a while since you’ve last ridden your bike, you should probably give it a quick ride around the block, and if anything seems amiss, take it to your local shop. It’s probably good to do this sooner rather than later, if you’re planning on riding for Bike to Work Week, since spring is a busy time of year for bike mechanics and they can get backed up.

A bike that rides well is important from both a safety and an enjoyment standpoint. No matter how psyched you are about riding to work, you need to make sure that your bike is in good enough condition to get you there.

The Route

Riding the Montague Crosstown folding bike.

If you’ve never ridden to work before, you’ll definitely want to do some scouting. Even if your regular drive doesn’t take you on the interstate, the fastest driving route isn’t always the best cycling route. Google Maps is a good place to start – if you enter your home as the start point and your work and the end point, and select the bicycle, Google Maps will not only suggest a route, but it will also show you bike lanes and bike friendly streets in the area.

Be sure to plot your route home as well, especially if your route to work takes you down one-way streets. You don’t want to ride your bike the wrong way down a one-way street. It is both illegal and very dangerous.

After ensuring your bike is in good working order, do a practice commute on the weekend. You’ll be able to get comfortable with the route, since traffic will likely be lighter than during morning/evening rush hour, and it will give you a sense of how long it takes, and if you’ll need to allot yourself any extra time.

The Day Of

Before the morning of your first commute, you’ll have to decide what you are going to wear on the bike. This is largely a matter of personal preference, but there are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do you sweat? How much does this bother you/will it bother your coworkers? (Can you shower at work? Can you ride more slowly? Can you do a wipe down at a bathroom sink and then change clothes?)

• Do you want to commute in your work clothes? If not, how will you transport them with you? (Backpack? Basket? Panniers?)

• Does it look like rain? If so, are you prepared? Do you have rain gear? A change of socks?

You’ll also have to consider some logistical matters:

• Where will you leave your bike during the day? (Are there bike racks? How secure are they? Do you need a sturdier lock? Can you bring your bike inside?)

• Will it be dark when you leave work? (If so, you’ll need to get yourself some lights).

None of these presents an insurmountable barrier, and considering these questions should not discourage you from attempting the commute. If, for example, there aren’t bike racks at your work, ask if you can bring your bike inside. If this isn’t possible, then inquire about what other options are available to you.

Other Advice?

Have you been commuting by bike for a long time? Have anything you’d like to share with first-time commuters? If you’re new to commuting, is there anything that would be helpful for you to know? Are you planning to ride during Bike to Work Week?


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May 9 is the Inaugural National Bike to School Day

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 9, 2012

In anticipation of Bike to Work Day next Friday, the League of American Bicyclists, the advocacy group behind National Bike Month here in the U.S. has designated today, May 9, as Bike to School Day.

Encouraging kids to ride to school is a great way to expose them to transportation cycling at a young age. And if they grow up thinking that it’s normal to ride a bike to get somewhere, they will value things like complete streets and bike infrastructure. And if it matters to the future voters, it will also have to matter to future politicians.

Riding to school is also a great way for kids to get some exercise, before school even starts. Childhood obesity is a major problem in the U.S., and a Canadian study recently found that parents vastly overestimate the amount of physical activity their kids get on a daily basis. Riding to your child’s school is an activity you can do together, and it’s also a good opportunity for you to get some exercise. And the time you spend together on your bikes will likely be a lot more enjoyable than sitting in the drop-off line of cars in front of the school.

Try organizing a neighbourhood Bike Train. Photo courtesy of BikePortland.org.

It can also be a neighbourhood activity – some communities form bike trains, where all the kids on a street will ride together with a couple of adults. That way, if you can’t ride with your kids, they will still be riding in a supervised group – which is important for safety, especially if the ride is on the longer side or crosses any major roadways.

If your child’s school doesn’t have proper bike racks, Bike to School Day is also an excellent opportunity to bring this to the attention of school officials. If the proper facilities (this means not just bike lanes/paths, but bike racks as well) are not in place, it makes it that much more difficult for kids to ride their bikes to school.

And while Bike to School Day is a great event, try to see if you can make it a more than a once annual ride. You might not be able to do it every day, but some schools, based on the success of Bike to School Day, have taken it upon themselves to organize weekly or monthly ride days.

Are you riding to school with your kids today? Do you ride with your kids every day? What do you think the advantages and challenges of riding with kids are vs. driving them in the car?


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Are Fenders Right for You?

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 8, 2012

For transportation cyclists, fenders aren’t a strict necessity, but they are an incredibly functional accessory for any city rider or commuter. Fenders (or “mudguards” as people outside the U.S. call them) are what will keep you from having a skunk stripe on your backside if you ride in the rain, and a front fender will help protect your feet and ankles from spray if you’re riding in the rain or even through a puddle. If you’re riding in a torrential downpour, they probably won’t do a lot to keep you dry, but even in a light drizzle, you’ll be dryer, warmer, and more comfortable with fenders than without.

Check out those fenders: Ready for all-weather commuting

That said, fenders aren’t a must for every cyclist. While they certainly have their place, and are useful to some, others will be encumbered by their presence. If you’re unsure whether fenders are for you, consider which of the following best describes you and your cycling practices:

You should probably consider adding fenders to your bike if:

No fenders necessary for off-roading

  • You ride in the rain.
  • You ride in the winter (fenders help keep road sand and salt off your clothing).
  • You’re a weatherizing enthusiast.
  • You’re not planning on carrying a change of shoes, socks, and pants with you.
  • You’re going on a group ride on wet roads (fenders keep the rider behind you from eating dirt…literally).

You can probably skip the fenders if:

  • You plan to ride only in dry weather.
  • You’re riding primarily off-road (if you’re out for a trail ride, you probably expect to get a little dirty).
  • You prize clean lines and simplicity above all.
  • You’re racing (fenders add extra weight).
  • You’re planning to change clothes at your destination and don’t mind wet feet and ankles en route.

And to answer the question you’ve all been dying to ask: YES! You can put fenders on your Montague bike.

QR Fenders available through Montague.

Fenders already come standard on a couple of the pavement models – the Boston 8 and the Navigator. If you’ve got a Crosstown, Boston, or Fit, you can add fenders as an accessory – the same fenders that come standard on the Boston 8 and Navigator (we don’t spec fenders on all our bikes because – see above – not everybody wants/needs them). And the nice part about these fenders is that they’re quick release – easy to remove if you decide you don’t want them, or if you want to take them off when the bike is folded.

If you’ve got a Montague mountain bike, the fenders we offer for the pavement bikes won’t fit. They mount on the bolt of the caliper brake (our MTBs have V-brakes and disc brakes – no caliper bolt to mount on) and they’re also a little narrow for the MTB tires. There are a number of companies out there that make great mountain bike fenders though, and you can easily find some through your local bike shop or by searching online.

Ride How You Like…

Regardless of where you fall on the fender spectrum, the most important thing about your bike is that you like it. Think fenders look dorky? Leave them off. Worried about getting caught in a downpour? Put some on. If you’re not comfortable, you won’t ride – and as always, Ride Safe!


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Shape Magazine Features Montague’s Boston 8 Folding Bike

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 7, 2012

In line at the grocery store? Check out page 28 of Shape magazine – you might see a bike you recognize!

That’s right – Montague’s Boston 8 folding bike is in Shape’s Bike to Work feature, “Ride and Go Chic”. The text reads,

Smart Cycle Can’t find a bike rack? Take it inside! this super-portable MONTAGUE BOSTON 8 BIKE ($1,099; montaguebikes.com for stores) weighs just 27 pounds and folds in half with the flip of a lever.

Indeed, the Boston 8 is a smart and stylish model – perfect for commuters. The partial chain guard protects your pant leg, so you can ride in your work clothes.

Are you riding your bike to work this spring? When do you ride your Montague bike? Do you take it in to work with you? What are your tricks for riding in work clothes but still arriving looking good?


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Montague Bikes at MassBike Fashion Show

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 4, 2012

Last night, MassBike, a statewide bicycle advocacy organization in Massachusetts, hosted its annual Bike Night. This year’s theme was “Beyond the Spandex” and showcased bikes, accessories, and apparel, with a focus on bikes as commuter vehicles and every day transportation.

Check out these photos of Montague bikes at the MassBike Fashion Show:

The Montague Crosstown rolls down the runway.

The Montague Crosstown, again.

The Boston 8 is a great commuter bike.

The Boston 8 again - Can't miss that reflector!

The Boston 8 on the runway.

The evening was a great showcase of how bicycles can easily fit into everyday live – they’re not just for kids, they’re not just for the spandex-clad, and they certainly can be an option for anyone who’s willing to give them a try. Montague bikes make it even easier, since they’re so easy to combine with other modes of transportation, so if you don’t want to ride the whole way to work, you certainly don’t have to.

Did you attend the Bike Night Fashion Show? Any similar events in your area? What’s your favourite part of riding? What do you wear on for your commute?


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Save Green by Going Green

By Montague Bikes | Published: May 3, 2012

On the MBTA Green Line with a green bike.

Over the past month, gas prices around the U.S. have topped $4/gal in many areas. This price hike got many drivers to change their habits – either taking transit, combining trips, carpooling, or bike commuting. Now that gas prices are, at least temporarily, headed back down, there’s still no reason to get back in the car. $4/gal gas might be more than we’re used to seeing, but $3.49 still isn’t exactly cheap. It’s a lot more money in your pocket at the end of the month  if you ride to work instead of taking the car.

We all know that gas is a major expense when it comes to driving – but that’s not the only one. What about all the tax dollars that are spent every year creating and maintaining roads? Not that cyclists don’t pay taxes that go to maintaining roads, and benefit from them (in fact, many early roads just after the turn of the 20th century, when cycling experienced a surge of popularity, were the results of cycling clubs’ lobbying efforts), but a bike puts a lot less wear and tear on a road over the course of a year than a car. If more people rode bikes, those tax dollars would go a lot further.

Getting out into the green...

And if you want to be the greenest of them all, you can save green by going green on a green bike. Montague offers both pavement and mountain bikes in various shades of green – the Fit (for the road) and the classic Paratrooper. Depending on your riding style, either of these bikes would be a great choice for getting out, getting some exercise, and saving a little on the bottom line.

Is it Easy Being Green?

How are you affected by gas prices? Did the recent price increase change your transportation habits? What colour is your bike?


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