

The collected jwz bicycle wisdom - bootload
http://www.jwz.org/blog/2008/05/the-collected-jwz-bicycle-wisdom/

======
extension
I could pick apart a lot of this questionable advice but let me just say this
instead: in my experience, those who try to get into cycling with a very
pragmatic and cynical approach -- get a cheapo inefficient bike, don't take
care of it, expect it to be stolen -- tend to not stick with it.

Get a bike that you _want_ to ride, whatever that may be. Maybe it's a hot
road bike or maybe it's a gnarly mountain bike or an artsy low-rider..
whatever floats your boat. If nothing floats your boat, just ride _something_
for a little while and you'll figure out what you want. But if your bike isn't
fun to ride then you won't ride it.

Also, get the best lock money can buy. If it's _better_ than most other locks,
and you use it religiously, and your bike is not studded in diamonds, it
probably won't get stolen.

And if you feel any inclination to become some variety of bike nerd, don't
hold back, because that makes things a _lot_ easier. It really doesn't take
much mindshare.

~~~
cromulent
There's always the TiGr.

<http://tigrlock.com/pages/>

------
eloisius
This is some of the worst (and even dangerous, see #11) advice I've read
pertaining to owning and operating a bicycle.

Choosing a hybrid over a road bike isn't an awful idea if you don't mind
sacrificing speed and lightness for some durability. I also reject the idea of
riding a fixie--no matter how cool they look, I don't commute 10 miles a day
on a velodrome. However, I can take the more rigid feel of a 120psi road tire
in exchange for averaging 15MPH in hilly Atlanta. I paid $250 for a 1984
Cannondale and have probably invested a total of $30 in maintenance and parts
at this point.

The absolute refusal to maintain the machine yourself? I'm definitely no
mechanic-nerd and I do take my bike to the shop, but seriously, do you take
your PC to the Geek Squad when you get some spyware? Change a tube yourself.
Just "knowing how" isn't good enough, unless you want to spend 30 minutes on
the sidewalk in 94° weather because you caught a puncture on your way home and
are unpracticed in getting a tire off the rim.

Also, please don't use sidewalks because an intersection looks "iffy." For
one, it's rude (and illegal in most places) to pedestrians and two, a driver
is much more likely to see you if you're occupying a lane on the street than
if you come zooming into the crosswalk while they're making a right turn.

This whole list reeks of someone that has simply not taken the time to
appreciate and learn to properly use a tool.

~~~
mblakele
Upvoted, but (11) makes sense if I read it as "get off of your bike and cross
on foot, as a pedestrian". I'm not sure if that's what jwz had in mind or not,
but that is what I do when things get iffy. Agreed that riding on sidewalks is
dangerous.

------
colanderman
For some reason JWZ thinks I'm most comfortable reading things off of green-
screen CRTs. Readability link: <http://www.readability.com/articles/fd86bcaw>

That said, most of the advice seems pretty solid -- I've been (unwittingly)
following most of these rules except for #10. I'd _rather_ get greasy lubing
my chain and save that $20 for a nice meal. But that's just my preference.

------
guelo
Slightly off topic but one thing that surprised me when I moved to SF a few
years ago was how bicycle unfriendly it is with very few dedicated bike lanes
and downright dangerous in many parts, including a lot of The Mission. For
some reason I imagined the liberal utopia would be a Portland wannabe but it's
really not. My guess for why, besides the steep hills, is that bike culture
here is more centered around the aggressive hipster types and not the everyday
commuters and thus the big political push hasn't taken place.

------
6ren
> 14\. Cross train and trolley tracks at a 45° angle or more, or you will die.

45° gets shallower the faster you go - it feels like you are crossing at a
safe angle, but at speed, it's shallower than you think. Swanston Street tram
tracks vet here (Melbourne).

~~~
bootload
_"... Swanston Street tram tracks vet here (Melbourne) ..."_

Swanston is pretty grim, especially at intersections like Collins ~
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/2658435132/in/set-7215...](http://www.flickr.com/photos/bootload/2658435132/in/set-72157607405827577/)

------
angdis
It doesn't matter if JWZ is entirely correct or not. He is doing a nice public
service by providing some guidelines to help folks to introduce utilitarian
biking into their lives.

For those that are completely new to biking, his advice is as good as any.
Biking is not rocket science, everyone can do it, and it is lots of fun and
practical. Many cities are developing bike infrastructure so it makes sense to
take advantage of it.

But I will shut up now because I'm lycra-wearing racer-boy bike nerd and JWZ
says people should not take my biking advice.

------
copper
I dunno, doesn't $370 seem expensive too? I went through a few of these
things[1] back in the day, and even now a new one should cost about the
equivalent of $50. They're fixed gear, and likely not feature comparable, but
they comfortable enough to drive uphill, light enough to actually carry
around, and even on the kind of roads I used to drive, flat tyres were usually
because of bent nails or broken glass.

[1] <http://www.herocycles.com/jet2.htm>

------
duck
_You really do need to tuck in or roll up your right leg._

Or buy the $2 velcro straps they sale that go around your leg and not worry
about it again.

