Because Biking Is More Fun

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Happy National Bike to Work Week, Wranglers!

Across the US this week, folks are hopping on their bikes and heading in to work, often faster – and more efficiently – than their car-driving compatriots. And, word on the street is they are having more fun.

We caught up with Reid Bauer, Information Technology Specialist at Teton Science Schools and long-time bike commuter aficionado.  Reid has gone from not owning a bike, to consistently commuting every day in the Jackson summer.

We followed Reid along on his afternoon ride home learned about his commuting journey and insider tips and knowledge. Reid is a curious and thoughtful individual, the kind of person you can learn something amazing from over a casual lunch conversation. We are so excited to share his commuting story and #bikelove.

WW:  How did you begin your commuting journey?

RB:   I started bike commuting in 2013.  Two of my friends, Joe and Kelli Petrick, lived in the same employee housing development and were working for the same organization and they biked to work every single day.  Up until that point, I had always written it off — “oh, it’s too far, too hard, I don’t own a bike.” Those were my excuses. But seeing my neighbors do this every single day for 7-8 months of the year made it hard to not try!  I didn’t actually own a bike at the time, but my roommate had a 15 year old mountain bike. I borrowed that to try bike commuting a couple of days a week and did that for about a month or so. I would bike when the weather was nice and when I felt like it. I decided I really liked it!

Because bike commuting is just better.  It is more fun. It is a better way to travel. I once heard this quote that bike commuting is like golfing to work.  It’s doing the thing I like to do in my spare time, but I get to do it all the way to work.

– Reid Bauer

WW: What is your daily commute like?

RB: I’m a fair weather commuter.  My condition is that the path is clear of snow! So usually sometime in April I’ll start biking — once it is above 20-25 F. My commute is just under 4 miles from the town of Jackson.  I usually leave around 7:30ish or so for my 15 minute commute plus 5 minutes of putting-bags-on-bike time. I live west of Town Square. I get on Broadway and take the bike lane until it becomes cycletrack (bikepath).  My first 200 ft is the most intense part of my ride in the bike lane, and then it is all separated bike path through town to high way 22, to the cow tunnel. Usually coming home is the same deal in reverse unless I’m swinging by Roadhouse for a tasty delight.

WW:  What has been your most memorable commute?

RB: The most memorable ones are the ones that are really bad, when it’s started to snow, rain etc.  I was biking home from work and was meeting friends. It wasn’t supposed to rain — and a huge thunderstorm rolled in.  It was just pouring rain, the temperature dropped to what felt like 39 degrees, I was just soaked. I looked like a drowned cat. Completely soaked, completely cold.  Was I happy I biked that day? I’m not sure. But I felt like a badass for getting home in those nasty conditions. Walking into the bar, completely soaked to the bone, that felt great. I earned it.

WW: What do you love most about bike commuting?

RB: So, I’ve tried all the logical reasons to love it: it’s good for the environment, it’s better for your health, the bicycle is a money printing fountain of youth, but beyond all of that — even if none of these things were true,  I would still do it. Even if there was no carbon savings, no impact on my health, I would still do it. Because it is just better.  It is more fun. It is a better way to travel. I once heard this quote that bike commuting is like golfing to work.  It’s doing the thing I like to do in my spare time, but I get to do it all the way to work. I am not a road cyclist, I’m not a serious cyclist going out for century rides, I’ve never done Lotoja — biking is just more fun. It’s just a better way to travel around. It feels better!

WW: What is your bike maintenance routine?

RB: I try to clean my bike about once a month.  A few years ago, Fitzgerald’s Bicycles offered a maintenance class and I brought my own bike to the training.  It was well spent money! I had never maintained a bike until I started bike commuting. One thing they really emphasized is to keep your chain and drive chain clean to help those really expensive components last longer.  You can feel when it’s been too long, you’ve been through too many rainstorms, and it starts making a hissing noise and you know it’s time. I replace other components as they wear out. So far, it’s just been brake pads for my caliper brakes. They basically cost nothing!  

WW:   What are your ride or die essential pieces of gear?

RB: One thing about bike commuting is that you don’t need to start off with $1,000 worth of stuff, because a) you’re not sure if you are going to like it and you might not stick with it and b) you don’t know you need gear until you need it.The three essential pieces I carry are a lock, rain jacket and a bike light. I’ve learned about all of these from trial and error.  Even if you are going to the grocery store at 8:30 in the morning and you are just picking up milk and going home and are sure you won’t need it, you still need to bring a light. I have been proven wrong so many times! Biking home in the dark is no fun. I bring a lock, rain jacket and a bike light with me everywhere.

Just think about bike commuting for one day and do everything you can to make it is easy as possible.

– Reid Bauer

WW:   What is your advice to someone who is interested in starting to bike commute?

RB: Try to do it for one day.  And if it’s too far, like you live on one side of a mountain pass like Teton Pass, drive and park and then bike the rest of the way. Just think about bike commuting for one day and do everything you can to make it is easy as possible. Have the clothes you plan to wear already at work, pick a day that is nice, don’t do it on a day that you have a high stakes presentation at 9 AM — try to make it as easy as possible on yourself. If you don’t own a bike, that’s fine too!  Chances are, someone you know has a bike they will loan you for a day. Don’t worry about having the right bike or the right gear — don’t go buying everything right away! It might not be for you. And that’s ok! But it is worth at least trying. Then you can start buying the gear as you need it. As you commute more, things start becoming less intimidating.

That’s how it has been for me with bike commuting. It has been a slow process of getting more comfortable with adverse conditions. Once I started commuting at weird hours, I got bike lights. Once I started carrying more stuff because I was going to the gym before work, I got bike panniers, once I wanted to go faster, I got SPD pedals and bike shoes. It was a slow process of acquiring things as I needed them, as opposed to having the optimal bike set up on day 1.

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Reid’s Top Reads About Biking

How to Carry Major Appliances on Your Bike

Get Rich with Bikes

Electric Bikes: Gateway Drug to Bike Commuting?

In the City of Bikes

Pedaling Revolution

How Bikes Make Cities Cool [As Reid says, “The best video online about Bike Commuting”]

Find Reid on Instagram @favoritenephew