March Meeting Recap: Get Bike-Ready

written by Yvonne Malone

With temps forecast to hit 70 degrees for the last week of March, Greener Grove (GG) timed its meeting, “Get Bike-Ready,” perfectly!

GG member, Ryan Coughlin, along with Ari Andonopoulos and Andrew Almazan of RTT Cycle Shop in downtown Downers Grove, shared bike maintenance tips, highlighted some of their favorite products for keeping safe and protecting your bike, and answered lots of questions from attendees.

Protecting You and Your Bike

Throughout the presentation Ryan, Ari and Andrew stressed the importance of investing in lights - lights that help the cyclist to see and lights that help the cyclist to be seen. This means adding lights to the front of your bike that point down and straight ahead, as well as lights on the back of your bike under the seat and to backpacks. 

Other safety tips/gear mentioned included:

• Wear a reflective vest and a neon bike helmet cover to increase your visibility.

• Add a flag(s) and more lights to bike trailers, whether carrying groceries, kids, or dogs.  

• Invest in a foldable bike lock made of steel - these locks are hard to cut through so help prevent your bike from being stolen when it is parked in a public space.  

Bike Maintenance

Depending on how many miles you ride each year, bike tires typically last a maximum of 5 years. Even if you’re not riding that much, materials simply break down over time given the temperature fluctuations here in the Midwest. Helmets also have a life span of 3 to 5 years because the materials used to protect your head, like styrofoam, dry out. 

Regular annual maintenance can help prolong the life of your bike for years. Taking your bike in for a spring tune up will help keep your bike in good working condition - and identify worn parts that need to be replaced, ideally, before they interfere with the function of your bike.

Several essential tools to take with you on bike rides include:

• Mini-bike pump (or a CO2 tire inflator if you’re unable to attach a mini-bike pump to your bike frame or if storage space is a limited)  

• Bike multi-tool

• Bike tube (ideally two bike tubes, though one is sufficient for shorter rides)

• Tire lever 

Having these tools with you on a ride will allow you to, hopefully, repair a flat until you can get home or to a bike repair shop.

Check Out Local Bike Routes

Reviewing route options when planning a bike trip can help you avoid busy roads, take advantage of bike paths and sidewalks, and introduce you to new areas. So, whether you are mapping out a bike route to work, a local forest preserve or some other destination, there are several resources to tap into, including:

• Downers Grove Bicycle Club -  https://www.downersgrovebicycleclub.org/home

• DuPage County Forest Preserve District - https://www.dupageforest.org

• Ride Illinois: https://rideillinois.org

• Google Maps - click on the bike icon

• Local bike shops like RTT Cycle Shop - https://www.rttcycleshop.com/

Take Action  

• Start with using your bike more rather than automatically getting in your car to run errands or visit a local park. A couple of  interesting facts the presenters shared:

  • The Transportation sector is responsible for 71% of all U.S. petroleum use.

  • Increasing the mode share of all trips by bike and walking from 12% to 15% could be equivalent to replacing 19 million conventional cars with hybrids per year.

Source: People for Bikes, Environmental Statistics: Bicycling and the Environment.

• Attend the April 8th Village Council Meeting. As part of the comprehensive planning initiative underway, Guiding DG, both the Sustainability and Mobility Plans (which includes biking) will be presented at this meeting. The agenda will be posted by 5pm on Friday, April 4th.

  • As highlighted on the Guiding DG website, the Mobility Plan “serves as a vision and blueprint for building a more bikeable and walkable Downers Grove. The Guiding DG Mobility plan will result in transforming Downers Grove into a ‘pedestrian first’ community.” 

• Advocate for continued improvements. Once the Mobility Plan is finalized, continue to attend local meetings and reach out to local officials to support cycling initiatives. We can do this as individuals and through organizations like GG. GG, for example, has formed alliances with other entities in the Downers Grove community to promote common goals, leverage ideas and advocate for change. 

• Promote a cycling culture. Commit to riding your bike more, participate in local cycling events or clubs, and take advantage of local bike paths to explore the area where we live.  

A side note: While the meeting was all about getting bike-ready now that spring is here, for those who prefer to walk, it is also the start of a new season - one without ice and snow to navigate. Like biking, walking invites you to take in your environment from a different perspective and avoid defaulting to the car for each errand. On the “Take Action” steps above, replace “cycling” with “walking”.