As I conclude I would like to add a few more safety tips on how to ride safer in the streets. I love biking too much to be hurt by it, so I even try to ride to best of my ability to ensure my safety. Because these cars out here will honk at you, try to hit you, race, and get annoyed at bikers. So its best to know the rules of the rode and safety guidelines when dealing with traffic, cars, pedestrians and the streets.
-Ride in the street
-Ride with traffic, not against it
Being a bike rider and a pedestrian at times I feel like I know how to maneuver in different situations. But as a bike rider I tend to notice that so many pedestrians look down as they are walking, which makes it much harder for bikers and traffic to maneuver around them to avoid getting hit. This happens all the time, especially on campus, I’ll be riding through and so many students are walking with their heads down not paying attention and I just about crash into them. Continue reading
If I’m having a rough day and want to get away or just go somewhere for a little peace and clarity I ride through Guadalupe River Trail. Its an 11 mile bike trail that runs, like a secret passage way, through downtown San Jose, along the river. Every time I ride through it I see little ducks in the water and squirrels in the trees. Continue reading
Random Rant About My #BikeProblems: I just noticed that yet another piece off of my bike fell off. I noticed it after I came home from work. The red reflector that was attached to the top of my handle bars was gone. This is the second time a piece from bike got loose and fell off. The first time the white reflector that was attached to the back frame of the bike went missing. Continue reading
For Your Information:
Before every ride you should examine your bike to avoid any problems on the streets. Use this checklist to ensure a safe ride, every time!
-Let your bike fall: drop your bike about 5 feel off the ground and check for any rattling of loose parts.
-Test your brakes: make sure they are working properly.
Since bike upkeep is substantial for yourself and the longevity of your bike, I decided to give my fellow riders a few tips to tune up your bike yourself. You can use these steps anytime your about to go out for a long or short ride, just to make sure your bike is intact and ready to go.
#1 Clean your bike- this will help increase the longevity of your bike and bike parts. Just simply use soap, water, and a towel will do.
This weekend while I was on break at work I noticed a booth in the Farmers Market for bike tuneups. I haven’t had my bike tuned up for over a month so I decided to bring it over. I left the bike for about 30 minutes until I came back to get it. As the bike tech was taking my bike off his rack he told me “Your front tire was on the verge of coming off and if I was to ride it, it definitely would of spun off during the ride”. I was so shocked and in awe after he told me. If I didn’t get my bike tuned up randomly I would have been probably in the worst accident of my life. Continue reading
The other day I decided to splurge a little bit on on some bike necessities. I went to the bike shop downtown, called iMINUSDA, to shop. This store has top notch bike apparel, quite expensive for a broke college student like myself, so I bought a purple and black Chrome Messenger backpack. Its one of the best backpacks for fixie riders, light on your back, has compartments for locks, and big enough to hold your personal items or schools supplies. I chose this backpack because for me personally I needed a big bag to hold my groceries and shopping bags whenever I ride out. I also see a lot of riders sporting these backpacks as well. Along with the backpacks trendiness, its convenient to have while your riding because everything has a place which makes for a much smoother ride.
I wanted to learn a better way to secure my bike for when I move back home to greedy streets of Los Angeles. I talked to a bike tech from iMINUSD bike store and he suggested that I invest in a wrench. He explained to me that you use the wrench to take off your front tire, and lock your front tire up to your back tire, frame and the post, with a sturdy u-lock and wire lock. Continue reading
So the other day my roommate and I decided to ride out Walmart. The street we usually take is 10 street, which is a one way street. As we are riding down 10th street, on the street but in the bike lane, and not to mention we were riding against traffic. A cop car pulls out from traffic right in front of us and starts shining his lights. Continue reading
Martina's Fixie Fun 