Category: Safety

Profile Bike Friendly Business: Fremantle Tours

We love finding bicycle friendly businesses and were giddy to spot Fremantle Tour’s vintage bicycles (and cafe). The business tucked along South Terrace isn’t just bicycle friendly, it consists of bicycles – tours around town to be specific. We’ve invited Michael from Fremantle Tours to tell us more about himself, why he and his partner Lucy started their business and what it’s all about. Have a read:

‘G’day, I’m Michael. I am a 3rd generation Fremantlian and passionate Fremantle resident. I love cycling, restoring old bikes (with help) and the simple joy riding a bike brings. A love of travel has seen many adventures overseas and domestically, with Lucy and I loving a good camping and road trip. We have previously lived in Margaret River and the East Kimberley where I worked as a tour guide.  A strong pain for the environment and hospitality saw me take the step from my conservation biology degree to tour guiding 4 years ago and I’ve never looked back.’

‘From taking gorge walks and 4 wheel drive tours in the north of the state, swimming with whale sharks, manta rays and turtles on our beautiful Ningaloo reef to hiking the 135 km Cape to Cape track in the south west to fishing, the work has taken me to some amazing places.  But Freo is certainly home and we are excited to be showing off our port city to visitors and locals alike through our new business Fremantle Tours.’

‘I started riding as a child, but when my training wheels broke, I refused to ride my bike and then sold it to our neighbour. I didn’t start riding again until I learnt how to ride without training wheels in year 7. Riding to school from then really started my enthusiasm. This really escalated when I began university and was commuting further and further and wanting to go faster and faster. That’s when the Lycra and cleats came in and I never looked back.  When my wife and I started living in central Freo we ditched the car and just had our bikes for 4 years.’

‘At the moment I do all my commuting around town on my bike.  To the shops, beach or work. I have ridden longer distances in the past with groups as well as solo. Plus I ride all around Freo showing off our great city on BIKE tours by our business Fremantle Tours.’

‘Riding a bicycle makes just the perfect pace. Fast enough to cover a bit of great whilst slow enough to really experience your commute. You can hear, smell and see so much when on your bike than in a car. It still makes me feel like a kid: a mix of joy, child like wonder and mischievousness. There is a simple joy in powering your own transport.’

‘I think that bikes could save the world! Imagine if everyone rode their bikes to work. All of a sudden we live closer to our workplaces, limiting urban sprawl and habitat loss and destruction. People are happier and healthier plus no pollution from cars. It’s inspiring how passionate the people of Fremantle are about bikes and I feel that we could be an even more bike-centric city.’

‘In November 2017 my wife Lucy and I began Fremantle Tours. A local tour business offering bike and walking tours of Freo plus bar tours and progressive dinners. We cover the amazing history of our port city, giving some context to what’s made Freo Freo whilst pointing out all the latest cafés, restaurants, shops and street art. We love showing off a different side of Freo, a local side taking in the backstreets, allys and best spots to eat and drink.’

‘We are certainly spoilt for choice in Fremantle from history, great stories and fantastic venues. As a result, no two of our tours are the same and we are constantly updating our routes to take in new spots. We are finalising a few new tours including a South Freo DRINK tour, both a central and South Freo shopping tour plus changing up our current DRINK tour to enjoy the new venues Fremantle has to offer.’

‘Our WALK and BIKE tours, for a maximum of 10 people, run twice a day from Thursday to Monday and cost $25 and $55 respectively, which includes a coffee along the way. Our DRINK bar tour runs every Thursday, visiting 3 local venues plus a cheeky ice cream along the way. They cost $70, including a drink at each venue and snacks along the way. The progressive dinners are by booking only and are completely customisable.’

‘Anyone interested in more information about the tours or is keen to book can visit our website. We’re also on Instagram and Facebook.’

What can drivers do to increase the number of people on bicycles?

If you see a ‘war on our roads’ and tend to spill your anger and vile about atrocious behaviour of cyclists or motorists all over your keyboard, then this post is not for you. Anyone else who is genuinely curious and open to other perspectives, please keep reading:

I’m a person who sometimes sits in a car, sometimes on a bicycle. I know the two worlds. I know what the two worlds feel like. And I know there’s a lot each and every one of us (yes, including me!) can do to make the people in both worlds feel a little better.

Does a person in a car have any interest in increasing the number of people on bicycles? Yes, we do. Every person on a bicycle means I’ll have one less car queuing up in front of me at the traffic lights (at the bowser, at turns, on the freeway – you name it). Every person on a bicycle means I’ll have a better chance of finding parking at my destination. Every person on a bicycle means someone else is helping to decrease pollution. Every person on a bicycle means our health system will be under less stress in the future because they are less likely to suffer from preventable diseases (think heart, diabetes, cancers).

The more people around me making the decision of swapping their car for a bicycle the better my drive will be today and the better my future looks in 20 years’ time.

If this motivates you to make others quit cars then follow these tips:

  1. Pay attention

When I drive, I accept that my vehicle can be dangerous to others (and to myself). It’s fast, strong and it relies on me who, even with the best of intentions, isn’t perfect. A minor inattention can have severe consequences and every time I drive I make myself acutely aware of this.

If you want to make sure more people ride then focus on what’s important, which isn’t the song on the radio, your phone call, nor the conversation with your passenger. Be there and pay attention.

  1. Accept reality

People who commute by bicycle usually feel the opposite of people who commute by car. When I get to work by car I’m often stressed, frustrated and upset about the world. When I ride I’m refreshed, motivated and genuinely happy.

I accept that the two worlds sound very different to the point of disbelieve and I also accept that there’s reasons why people chose either mode of transport.

If you want to be supportive of people who ride then accept that people chose their reality as much as they chose the colour of their shirts. Would you question someone’s fashion choice? I didn’t think so.

  1. More love, more patience, less anger

Honestly, I’m no stranger to cursing and cussing behind the steering wheel. Looking through that square window, beautifully sound proof, the profanities seem to be just tumbling out my mouth. And, hey, it doesn’t hurt anybody now, does it? Well, yes, it does. All my anger and lack of patience is a whole lot of negative energy that’s shifting my brain into awful mode. It’s self-perpetuating. The more upset I am the less resilient I become.

Dealing with people, even if they can’t hear me (and remember everyone can SEE me) is a lot easier if I let it go. I can’t control whatever silliness other people commit. The only thing I’m in control of is myself and the little car I’m sitting in. Even if I’m acoustically shut off from the world – everything I do is still a complete reflection of myself.

So, let your actions speak louder than the shouting in your car. Every single person on a bicycle (as well as in a car) will appreciate it.

  1. Stop the blame game

If you accept that patience and care is pivotal to making the world a better place then keep your finger-pointing in check. ‘He was too slow, she was too fast, he was tailgating, she jumped a red light, that car is parked across two bays, this one is blocking the driveway. I get it! We all make bad decisions in life for all sorts of reasons varying from almost understandable to ignorant and downright ridiculous.

I’ve been yelled at in my car. I’ve been yelled at on my bicycle. I’ve had rubbish thrown at me while riding. I’ve had rude gestures waved at me when driving. And, touch wood, fingers crossed, since I’ve had my driver’s licence for almost twenty years and have ridden my bicycle for almost 30 years never had an accident. Other people’s rudeness was just a moment of THEIR judgement on me.

I don’t need your judgement. You don’t need mine. I accept that you’re not perfect nor would I expect that I am. Can we agree on this?

Particularly, don’t tell a person on a bicycle off by honking your horn. It scares the living daylight out of them. If you think you’re perfect then practice perfection and let it go.

Do you have more suggestions of what we can do as drivers to make this world a bicycle friendly one?

Switch your thinking: Speed date an E-bike

For the last twelve months we’ve been part of Switch your Thinking and it’s been such an amazing experience. Switch your Thinking is a project initiated by the RAC and run by the City of Gosnells that sees a fleet of four e-bicycles being supplied to different local governments for a specified period of time, usually for a month.

The goal of the project is for the participating local governments to trial how staff respond to e-bicycles and whether they are used to replace short car trip. Different cities amend the framework to suit their goals – some allowed staff to take the bicycles home and use them for commutes, some enabled people to take them home over the weekend and allowed private use whereas others were keen to focus on work trips only.

The parameters of the induction training were that it had to fit into staff’s lunch breaks and couldn’t impact on their service delivery. With this in mind we’ve developed a very short and sweet training concept the “Speed date an E-bike” focusing on the elementary aspects of using the features of e-bikes effectively and safely.

Providing staff with an induction in such a short time frame is challenging from a trainer point of view, but the results of the training are instantaneous: there’s not a single group we’ve trained that didn’t whoop and cheer as soon as the pedal assist kicked in. There is something magical about discovering how easy it is to ride an e-bike and what options suddenly open up. Staff who work in the field suddenly realise they could simply ride to their locations instead of driving, or commutes could become feasible to travel by bike.

For local governments’ trialling the use of e-bikes without having to commit to purchase equipment is a low-risk, low cost project and can build a compelling case for future projects. With Switch your thinking coming to a close soon revisiting the data and measuring the outcomes will be interesting.

As a training provider it’s been an exciting challenge to work within the time constraints and developing a training session which is providing the most essential information and is fun and accessible.

Have you been part of Switch your Thinking? If so, let us if and how the project has affected you, we’d love to hear your story!

Payal’s chain reaction

I actually never learnt riding when I was young, just one of those things that got totally missed out. We had a bicycle at home and my brother rode it often, but I never did! I learnt how to drive a car but could never balance myself on a bicycle and never really tried. Somehow, I wanted to learn much later in life in my late twenties, but never came around to doing much about it.

I had my kids and then whenever they’d ride I would think of teaching myself. Finally, when I saw the course at the City of Belmont I just had to join. I learnt a lot at the course, but my balance was still off even on the last day of training. By that time though my confidence was high and I was persistent. I just learnt how to balance very recently after practising with my kids on my elder boy’s bike. It’s only been three or four weeks since I can ride a bike. But I enjoy it immensely.

Now I ride about two to three times a week and for very short distances. I still do not have the stamina to ride uphill from my cul-de-sac, so haven’t gone much further from home yet. But I practice regularly and intend to eventually be able to ride farther from home, maybe to the train station or every day for work, if possible.

My kids ride with me too. And just a couple weeks back my husband bought a bike for himself. Even my father in-law has picked up bike riding. He used to drop my kids to school and walk with them while they rode, which was frustrating for him. He now rides a bike alongside them when he goes to drop and pick them up. This all started in a way after I mentioned that I wanted to learn how to ride…like a chain reaction!<

Christina buys a tent: more experiences in quaxing

I’ve learned two things on the weekend.

  1. A lot can be accomplished in a dress [or, insert any other garment that is generally considered only suitable for looking pretty] and
  2. One must know the the word  “quaxing”.

After my recent post on transporting things on bikes I was keen to share my latest experience with Jillian, who writes on this blog too. Jillian knows everything – especially when it concerns dresses, bikes and social media.  She loved my story, because it contained dresses and bikes and she introduced me to quaxing, which I know now translates “to shop,  in the western world, by means of walking, cycling or public transit”. Apparently I missed the twitter row in 2015 about whether people shop by bike and public transport or not. It’s a shame, because I would have loved to add my two cents worth. As social media has the longevity of a mayfly I’m basically reaching back into the archives and add some more fodder to the topic that is quaxing.

So. Last weekend I decided to buy a tent. Not just any tent. I decided that the humongous six people sleeping Spinifex Huon was EXACTLY what a couple with dog (by dog I really mean “tiny pooch”) needed for a weekend away – the verdict whether this purchase was wise is still out. But: it was on special. How can one resist?

My Saturday started with a semi-work function at part the Perth Writers Festival at the University of Western Australia. If you’re not from Perth: this venue is notorious for expensive, limited parking and best, if not solely, accessible by bus.

Picture crystal blue skies, sizzling summer heat, I’m strutting along in a flattering wrap-dress. On my way to the bus stop after the function I’m thinking, ‘Well, it’s now close to 40 degrees and not even noon yet. Do I want to catch the bus to Innaloo, pick-up the tent and then bus, train and bike the package home to Fremantle? But yes, of course I do. Not only am I half-way there already, it’s also on special. Who knows whether any will be left tomorrow?’

So, off I go and hop on the bus to Innaloo and do what I do best on public transport: relax and listen to music. I arrive at the outdoor shop and ask for the tent. The friendly shop attendant hauls my parcel onto the front counter. It is not just a cute box. It’s THE MOTHER OF A TENT: a 13.7kg bag, which from hereon I will refer to as ‘the mother’. I gulp and reconsider the parameters of my adventure: a big box, a girl in a dress, a bus, a train and a bicycle. I’m thinking, ‘Well, I could leave ‘the mother’ at the shop and come back tomorrow. But I’m already here and it’s on special!” So I pay and haul ‘the mother’ to the bus stop to start my journey home.

The great thing about public transport is, once you’re on it, your work is accomplished. So, I sit, relax and listen to more music. The bus I’m on will go all the way to the Fremantle train station, but if I change on to the train half-way, I’ll save about twenty minutes. It’s basically public transport on special – do you see a pattern here? I’m also considering poochy at home, who is probably longing for me so, of course I swap to the train at Shenton Park.

After a seamless transfer, I marvel at the ocean (another perk of riding the train) and realise, I have actually no idea of how to attach ‘the mother’ to my bicycle. In wise anticipation I packed three straps, but I have no clue how to use them. Vivid childhood memories of teddies and bags resurface that I had tried to transport on my treadlie only to realise they had either disappeared along the journey and worse, flipped off and almost taken me with them. I’m thinking ‘the mother’ is not to be reckoned with, a fluffy toy she aint! If the box moves or tips only slightly there’s no doubt I will come off my bike.

But that’s okay, because the great thing about public transport and smart phones is that I’ve got space and time to research the best approach to my next phase of getting home. I google “How to strap a box on your bike rack”, because everything has already been done and documented. And it has. I find this excellent forum in which ‘freiheit’, a forum user, has taken the time to explain EXACTLY how to do what I’m about to do. Because I’m a visual learner I’m greatly appreciating ‘freiheit’s’ images of how to attach things.

Once I arrive in Fremantle I already know how to handle ‘the mother’. Freiheit recommends having a second person on hand to load the box, but using my kickstand is just fine. I wrap the straps around my rack, place the box on top, fasten the straps, compare my work with freiheit’s images, jiggle the box: it’s tight as!

The extra weight makes the bike a tad sluggish, but the best part about my ride home is that I don’t have to lift ‘the mother’. She’s tightly secured and stays in place just fine. Who would have thought it’s THAT easy to quax in a dress?

Here is a photo of me – ‘the mother’ is lingering behind me, out of sight, but I promise she was there!

Me in pretty dress. 'The mother' is safely tied to the bike behind me.
Me in pretty dress. ‘The mother’ is safely tied to the bike behind me.

Your Bike and Transporting Stuff: Product Review

If you use your bicycle for transport or commutes it is essential that you can carry a good amount of loads easily. As we get many questions about what the options are and what works  best we thought it’d be worthwhile to give you the pros and cons – what works for some may not work for others.

You should also know that none of the products/companies mentioned below have paid us or provided free goods.

Backpacks

Packing your gear or shopping into a backpack is probably the cheapest quick-fix – that is, if you already own a backpack, of course. I’m personally not a fan of riding with a backpack as it gets hot and heavy on my back. As I have back issues and prefer comfort over speed I’ve always been keen to explore other options of transporting stuff on my bicycle and luckily there’s plenty of other options.

Having said that, anything else will require your bike to have a penny rack installed. For the weight conscious rider (that is the weight of the bike, of course) this may be a thorn in their eye as it adds a fair few grams, which means it’ll slow your ride down. There are lightweight bike rear carrier options available though and if weight is a concern for you than it’ll be worthwhile searching for lightweight options.

Also, your bike will need to have attachment points to fit a rack. If that means absolutely nothing to you, ask your bike shop if it’s possible to add a bike rear carrier.

Basket (on the back)

I like a sturdy basket (as you can see on the picture). This is a wire/mesh basket that is attached with four screws and holds a decent sized shopping bag, or a small Maltese, which is what I mostly carry with me. The dog loves it, but the shopping has been observed to bounce out of the basket, which is terribly inconvenient. A good bag prevents groceries from vanishing and anything else you might like to take with you fits easily.

But, there’s a lot of cons for me too. Firstly, I like to use different types of gear on my bike rear carrier and exchange the basket with something else takes a moment. That moment is usually fifteen minutes I didn’t plan into my routine and can be annoying.

When I use my basket I can’t swing my leg over the back of the bike either. Usually puppy’s head is in the way or groceries are sticking out so that I have to move my leg over the bike’s middle bar. It’s also not a biggy, but it’s annoying.

And lastly, similar to the backpack, the centre of gravity is quite high. That means, if any of your goods role or move you start swaying on your bike. Just a little bit. Enough to be a bit annoying and unsettling for the puppy.

As the basket is the only option for doggy to come along I’ve made my peace with the gravity issue and have looked around for a basket that’s solving my biggest issue: the ex-changeability. Low and behold, Ortlieb have produced a basket that’s using an easy clip on/off system. It’s just big enough for the puppy and takes seconds to attach and take off. Yay!

In comparison to my mesh basket the only down side (as far as I can see for now) is the cost. It’s been a bit of an investment!

I’m not a fan of baskets in the front as most systems attach to handlebars, which annoys me so much that I’m not even contemplating it. If you like the look of front baskets please be aware that any weight interferes with your steering and it should be kept to the absolute minimum.

I do love the idea of baskets in the front that are attached to the frame, not the handlebar, which doesn’t pull so badly. My bike doesn’t cater for those though. Similar to the back rack your bike frame needs particular attachment points to allow the rack to secure in place. It’s certainly not impossible, so check with your bike shop if you’re keen.

Panniers (detachable)

Hands on my heart, I love my panniers. If you have a bike rear carrier and you like shopping for handbags that match purposes and looks then you may share my love. I have a set of small and large Ortlieb bags that clip on within split seconds. They are waterproof and I can chuck in almost anything (apart from the dog). Goods sit tight and neat and don’t roll or bounce around. The bags have a strap so I can use them as a normal bag too.

For work days I have less sporty panniers from CycleChic. I’ve had different versions and all of them work well and look gorgeous as handbags. The waxed canvas bags are water-repellent and big enough for a laptop, if you need to carry one with you. The sizes are generous handbag sized and don’t work for a lot of shopping, but that’s when my sporty versions help out.

What I love most about panniers is that no matter how heavy your load, the low centre of gravity means that your ride gets smoother and more stable. My biggest ‘aha’ moment with panniers was when we packed gear for a weekend trip camping, loaded the bikes with at least 20 kilos of tent, mattress, food, water and other paraphernalia and rode down a hill. Zooom! Yes, it’s weight you have to push up, but once your going it’s such a lovely sensation to just cruise and feel the weight working in your favour.

I don’t own permanent panniers. That’s a version that is attached to your penny rack and stays on. You can throw your gear in or put it in bags that you take out and with you when you’ve parked your bike. I personally prefer flexibility and changing things around, though I have seen very pretty versions that made me contemplate a purchase.

The downside of panniers? They’re not cheap and you need a bike rear carrier.

What is your favourite way of carrying your stuff with you?

Making riding a bike safer: what can we do?

Safety, or lack of perceived and actual safety, is one of the main reasons people don’t choose to ride a bicycle. how can we make riding a bicycle safer?

Building better infrastructure, one in which bicycles, cars and pedestrians are completely separated from each other, may be a quick reply, but not a quick solution. Planning, design, development and implementation takes decades and that’s if only if those involved in infrastructure projects are favouring a separation approach. Our car-centric philosophy is only slowly changing; a painstaking process.

Creating a more harmonious culture on the road may be another approach. Changing people’s behaviour on the road – regardless of how they travel – is a terrific idea and one badly needing implementation. In theory, few people disagree with a statement that “we all have to share and care for each other”. But then there is reality. On our daily commute home we’re sorely reminded that it seems everybody elses mission to get home QUICKLY counts more than safety.

Encouraging road-harmony requires advertising and educational campaigns to change actual road behaviour. Reports looking at behaviour changes as a result of Queensland’s passing distance laws suggest the media blitz around the introduction of the new laws had an instantly positive effect on people’s behaviour.

Admittedly, this can be a costly approach, not as pricy as building a more cohesive network, but still worth a couple of millions, no doubt.

While we might be waiting for both advertising and infrastructure a little while longer is there something we can do to increase our own safety (apart from flatly refusing to ride a bicycle)? Without people on bicycles already riding “out there”, proving and promoting that riding a bicycle is a smart transport solution, there’d be little point in tackling any long term solutions.

What we can look at is the most common factors for accidents. Particularly useful is the Monash Alfred Cycle Crash Study (MACCS), completed in July 2012, which collected data from 158 patients who were presenting at two emergency departments in Melbourne.

Reading a comprehensive crash report may not be everyone’s cup of tea. It is fascinating, completely worthwhile and I encourage you to give it a go though.

Firstly, there are a few parameters of the study that slightly skew the image: the study surveyed people on bicycles who had been involved in an accident – excluding fatalities. The majority of interviewees were male, between the age of 35 and 54. Almost all possessed a drivers licence. More than half were riding more than 50 kilometres weekly and almost all of the other half were riding even further – more than 100 kilometres per week. If your guess is they were mainly riding road bikes you’d be spot on. And yes, most wore a helmet, also no surprise given Australia’s helmet laws.

In other words, according to this study, if you’re male, middle-aged, riding long distances you’re more likely to have an accident. Well, the majority of people on bicycles tick those boxes, it doesn’t mean young female riders are safe.

Elements of the study that were useful (keeping in mind above bias and the small sample number) are the following: 60% of the accidents occurred as a single road user crash, meaning only the rider was involved. The other 40% of crashes involved moving cars, other bicycles, parked cars and stationary cars (in exactly this hierarchy of occurence).

More specifically, of the 21 cases which involved moving cars the cars had been turning (either parallel left turn, same direction or across an intersection).

Particularly interesting was the fact that more than half of the riders involved in an accident were travelling at or over 20 kilometres an hour. Given that more than half of the accidents only involved the bicycle speed is a crucial factor. People travelling on fast road bikes have little time to respond to obstacles. Unfortunately, being conducted in Melbourne, tram tracks are a big problem.

So, advice to take with you when riding out and about: slow down, pay attention to objects in front of you and watch out for turning cars. On that note, happy pedalling.