Biking Gloves - Reflective

I love these biking gloves with the reflective patches on the back. And before anyone jumps down my throat, I know, I know - reflective material is only useful at slow speeds from 30 feet away or less. But that's why these are perfect! They are meant for signaling to someone nearby that you're going to change direction. The only people who would care about that are drivers and cyclists within 30 feet.

Riding in the dark demands extra attention to safety. If you get hit, it might be the other person's fault, but you're the one who is dead or seriously injured, so be in charge of your own rescue and use the following:

• flashing tail light
• headlight
• LED arm band
• reflective material on ankles or back

And, for when it's time to deviate from the course, these brilliant gloves with the reflective patches and arrows that say, "I'm going THAT way!"

Caveat: the gloves themselves are not great. They're a semi-tight knit that has no water repellent elements. So, these are only good for cool, dry weather or over something warmer and drier. 

Ride safe. Don't be ashamed to be the cycling equivalent of a disco ball. Looking forward to seeing you out there.

Review of Biking Skirts

This is a semi-cyclist's review of two biking skirts (or biking skorts, if you like word mash ups).

Why wear a bike skirt: Bike skirts are not promoted as serious training gear. They are for women who like to use their bike as transportation when going to far away places. The padded short protects your bum during the ride. The skirt hides your padded diaper butt when you get to your destination.

Note: You can also buy bike shorts that are hidden within an ordinary short. I opted for the skirt because the padding made the seat of the ordinary shorts look a little full. I also could have gone for the baggy style shorts, which would have hidden the padding better. However, my personal look is a bit more fitted/classic, rather than baggy surfer/biker chick. Choose what works for you!

How does the bike skirt work? Easy. The bike skirt has two layers. The inner layer is bike shorts made of spandex with a padded seat and a griping band around the thighs. The outer layer is a skirt. Preferably, the skirt is made of something stretchy and quick drying, so it will be comfortable for riding and won't hold sweat.

Bike skorts reviewed: I reviewed the Flare bike skirt by Terry,

which says they design for women, and the Cruiser Bike Girl skort by Skirt Sports.


The skirt: Both skirts are made of quick-drying, stretchy fabric. Both have side slits. Both are sewn to the short at the wide waistband, rather than being attached at the hips by tethers, like some combo gear I saw. When riding, both skirts blew up, revealing the short. I tucked the hem into the short to keep the skirts in place. Differences:

• Terry's Flare has outside pockets on the hips of the skirt. 
• Upside: two pockets that are easy to reach. You might be able to stuff a tennis ball in this pocket so, if your goal is to ride and then hit some balls, this is perfect. 
• Downside: the pockets aren't reliable when you're cycling because they are loose and don't have closures. Visually, the loose hip pockets also make the wearer look wide.
• Skirt Sports' Cruiser Bike Girl had higher slits. 
• Upside: more freedom of movement. 
• Downside: It was a little harder to make sure I was riding on the skirt, instead of trailing it behind. Also, if you're walking in a windy place, you're more likely to give a show.

The short: Both shorts had just two panels per leg. Better bike shorts have more panels. Both had

Terry's thin shorts materials

padding that the designer claimed was woman-friendly. Both were made of stretchy material. Both had grips around the thigh. However, the differences in the short are why I ended up choosing the skort by Skirt Sports.

• Terry's material was thin. Aside from ventilation, this is all downside. The shorts are see-thru and don't compress as well as bike shorts should. The thin material allows the shorts to sag so that, when I got off my bike after a 4-mile ride, the padding hung between my legs and required serious adjusting, in public. Charming.
• Terry's padding was not as sturdy as I like
• Skirt Sports used traditional bike short spandex for their short. Upside: compressing, stability,

  

  Skirt Sports' thick shorts material

  not see-thru.
• Skirt Sports padding has contours that reflect a woman's anatomy. Also, the material feels sturdy and appropriately thick. I have yet to find padding that makes cycling feel like riding on air, but this will do.
• Skirt Sports short includes a pocket on each thigh that is big enough to hold an iPhone. The pocket is tight - made of the same material as the short - so nothing is falling out of it and it has a low profile when you're walking around. A hole in the skirt allows your phone's headphone cable to reach your ears.

Cost:  I bought both skorts on sale. The Terry was about $45 at REI and Skirt Sports was about $60 from Competitive Cyclist (now on sale even more from Skirt Sports). The upsides of the Skirt Sports bike short made it worth the extra $15. If you don't ride much, the Terry bike skirt's price is tempting, but I think you'll be getting what you pay for - a cheap skort that you won't want to wear.

Summary: I recommend Skirt Sports' Cruiser Bike Girl. It works well and looks good.

Good luck and enjoy the ride!

What to Wear Biking...to/from Work

I bike to work at least once a week because it: doesn't pollute, doesn't give me road rage, gives me a workout, is fun, is way more scenic than highway.

Whatever your reason, here's a random assortment of possibly helpful tips for biking to and/or from the office.

1. Map your ride - riding to work isn't just about getting to the office. Turn the everyday into something better by taking a different route. Take a side street or cut through a park or both!
2. Plan your gear - depending on how long your ride and how much your sweat, you may have some flexibility with gear. I take my bike on the train in the morning, so I only have a 1-mile ride, allowing me to arrive in my work clothes. Going home, I bike the entire distance, so I wear cycling gear. This saves time on arrival (no changing) and fewer people have to see me in bike shorts. If you have a long ride or sweat at the mere thought of cycling, wear gear and change in the handicap stall (more room so you won't drop a pant leg into the toilet while getting dressed). Important: no matter what your plan, figure it out the night before and pack accordingly. There's nothing worse than planning on changing at work and realizing you forgot shoes.
3. Do a practice ride - especially important if you're planning on riding in your work clothes. Do you have any idea how sweaty you get when riding in pants and a button down shirt? Can you even peddle in your skinny jeans? Is there a hill that seems like a gentle slope in the car but is actually a mile climb?
4. Be safe - in the summer, more daylight makes us feel more visible but being seen is always an issue when cycling. There is no shame in being a human torch if it saves your life. Bright yellow vests and jackets are best in summer daylight but at night, get lit! And don't just think about what's ahead, remember the car approaching from behind. Reflective gear is good when traffic is going under 25mph. Bright, flashing lights are needed for anything faster.
5. Remember your bike lock - you never know when you might want to stop and smell the flowers. Be prepared to pause with a lock. Also, some offices don't let bikes in. If that's your situation, politely raise a ruckus - if FedEx trolleys are allowed in, so should bikes - and lock up outside until your ruckus gets results.  

It probably would also be smart to learn how to change a flat and carry a flat-tire kit. I don't so do as I say and not as I do. Or don't. Most importantly, enjoy the ride!