Tag: riding for transport

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!

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?