Summer driving can be maddening: Roads are often clogged with tourists, highway construction can cause delays and above-average temperatures can make sitting in hot cars feel unbearable.
For those living close to urban centers, it might be a good time to hang up the car keys and opt for a bicycle commute.
The city of Durango has made efforts in recent years to promote clean commutes: walking, biking and public transportation. The city’s e-bike rebate program and Clean Commute Week encourage residents to try alternative means of transportation. And the city has established dozens of miles of trails and bike lanes.
For those thinking about giving it a try, Katie Scott, a shop hand at Durango Cyclery, offered some general thoughts and tips when it comes to bicycle commuting.
Scott has three years of volunteer work under her belt with the nonprofit Community Cycles and has worked at Durango Cyclery for more than a year.
By her own account, she has become a little obsessed with bikes.
KS: To be honest I don’t think it’s a great town for bike commuting. The corridor from Backcounty Experience up to College (Drive) is a death wish. Durango could improve on its infrastructure like bike racks, shoulder safety and safety in crowded corridors. Jennaye Derge, who founded Bike Durango, has done some advocacy work for bike safety, bike parking and encouraging more folks to get around by bike.
The things I see when people bring in really gnarly bikes is the drivetrain is really dirty. They should clean their drivetrain and replace their tires.
Start riding your bike places. For this town I see a lot of people with really nice bikes and they do not want to beat them up and leave them out in the elements. I suggest a cheaper bike you’re OK beating up, like steel or aluminum. The shop bikes that we sell for the cost of labor from restoring them are a good option.
A used bike, helmet, a lock, lights, a pump, some chain-lube and maybe a spare tube. That would be your starter kit. That would come out around $700. You can do it for less than that, but parts might not last or be serviceable. Hunter Bultemeier at Velomancer is doing a lot to get folks on bikes affordably.
It depends on how much you ride it, what terrain you ride and if you store it outside. I can’t say you should bring it in on a specific schedule, there’s too many factors. There are preventive things you can do to keep it running. That is keeping your tires inflated, lubing the chain and cleaning your bike.
