(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)
How good does it feel to be able to pedal bikes again after all those snow and ice storms?
This is the first full week we’ve had since early December where the roads are dry and we can get back to a somewhat normal commute (yes, we know about all the gravel and we have a story about that coming up next). To kick off the return of fellow riders to the bike lanes, I thought it’d be fun to do a People on Bikes. This is a regular feature where I stand in one place and photographing people as they roll by. There are a lot of cool things we can learn from this. Here are some of the questions I have in my head as I look at the images:
– Who’s riding? And perhaps more importantly, who’s not riding?
– Are people riding fast (hunched-over) or slow (more upright)? And what does that say about our infrastructure?
– Do most people wear “cycling clothes” or just regular clothes?
– Does everyone wear a helmet?
– What type of bike set-ups do people prefer? Drop-bar road bikes? Racks or backpacks? Skinny tires or fat? Any e-bikes?
All these images were taken between 4:45 and 5:15 pm on Tuesday. I was standing on the grass to the south of the eastbound path of the Broadway Bridge as it comes to Larrabee (just before the Moda Center parking lot).
Have a look for yourself and let us know if you spot any trends or have interesting insights. Happy scrolling!
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
Advertisement
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
BikePortland is supported by the community (that means you!). Please become a subscriber or make a donation today.
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
These people look typical of winter commuters I encounter. What astounds me is how much they wear — I would burn up if I wore anywhere near as much as they do.
Commuting is usually low intensity over short distances. For some, that’s not enough activity to keep them toasty. That said, I’m always looking for ways to reduce layers but increase heat/dry.
Now that’s funny! I was just thinking the opposite. We must live on opposite ends of the comfort spectrum.
I usually look about like #8 when I’m taking my kid to school (2/3 mile one way), but then more like #14 (minus the jacket, unless it’s raining) on my way to work (12 miles).
The thing I always wonder about when I see these collections of photos is my bike fit. I always feel like a lean, mean, gliding machine while I’m riding, but I get a sense that if I saw myself in one of these shots, it would be like hearing my own recorded voice: “do I really look that dorky/scrunched/pained/overstretched…?”
And for the most part good use of helmets.
Well, none of them are on backwards but three are being worn in the purely ceremonial manner.
At least 6 people seem to have realized that invisible helmets are more effective in traffic.
I uuh…never stopped riding. 😀
A lot more folks are smiling than in the morning cuz here they are going home! (Or to the pub)
Notice how few of the these winter commuters are wearing “clipless” cycling shoes and matching pedals. I think that when the rubber meets the road Grant Peterson is right.
Love seeing all the fenders. That’s the first place I look to determine experienced commuters from newbies or folks that might not ride as much.
Today was dry.
Experienced people might bring out faster bikes without fenders when the weather allows. I know I do.
Since when do fenders slow you down? 😉
They are useless weight, an aero penalty, and they make noise.
The difference is negligible at lower speeds but as you add speed and incline, it becomes more noticeable. As you extend distances saving a few tenths of a mph here and there adds up. Plus it’s more fun to feel more sporty.
Are we talking about commuting here or a fantasy race to somewhere? Fenders make sense in the PNW year round, for the kind of riding I do, which is mostly commuting and spirited weekend rides. And I don’t ride slow.
They are absolutely not needed most of the time. I bike commuted over 40 miles/day year ’round for over 10 years, though current commute is less than half that.
Fenders do not change a fast rider to a slow rider, and removing them will not make a slow person fast. But the little choices improves the speed and fun factor.
Ride a tank, mount heavy flat resistant tires, carry a bunch of junk you don’t need, wear too much and let that flap in the wind and even a strong rider gets slowed down a lot. That’s great for people who enjoy that, but I like to feel sporty.
I thought this would interest you. Jan Heine spent some time in the wind tunnel at UW. I wonder if any riders are now going to sport only front fenders in order to improve their aero?
“Well-mounted metal fenders do not affect the bike’s aerodynamics. The front section of each fender shields the tire and reduces the wind resistance, while the rear fender increases the aerodynamic drag. The two effects cancel each other.”
https://janheine.wordpress.com/2012/05/02/aerodynamics-of-real-world-bicycles/
Seems like when I don’t have a rear fender I get a stripe of wet mud, etc on my butt. I’d prefer rear fender if I could only have one.
A couple thoughts. First of all, I agree with their observations on where the real aero gains are. I agree with everyone here that fenders are not a significant source of air resistance. Having said that, wind tunnels are not realistic environments. In real life, air hits you from all kinds of angles that shift continuously in terms of both direction and magnitude. Looking too closely at wind tunnel data for understanding bike aerodynamics is like focusing entirely on physics equations for figuring out how to climb hills — it’s helpful for understanding, but misses important elements.
The contention in the article that “The front section of each fender shields the tire and reduces the wind resistance” needs a bit more elaboration. For the rear tire, sure. But for the front tire, someone explain exactly what is being shielded? The way front fenders are mounted, it works like an air scoop. The mounts introduce a small amount of drag, and the fenders themselves will too as you introduce more air from the sides. Don’t forget lots of people run huge flaps on their fenders.
This corresponds with my experience. Over many years, my fendered speeds have never matched speeds without them even if I can move right along either way and see others doing the same.
Plus, they add another 1-2lbs to the bike. Why do that if it’s not necessary? Ride with slightly larger/heavier bags, an oversized pump, carry just a little extra more than you need and we’re talking adding extraneous weight that’s the same as a gallon of milk as well as additional aero penalties. That will noticeably slow you down.
My regular road bike won’t take permanent fenders, only the strap-on kind, which are fussy. I have a rain bike with fenders mounted on. The rain bike is much heavier, and doesn’t have as wide a range of gears, so it’s much less fun for me to ride. I use the regular road bike as much as I can.
#34 & #39 don’t need to worry about the fender noise, both ears have buds in them. hiss boo. I like fender so my jacket/shirt doesn’t get a mess, with all the gravel and such.
Also toe overlap.
Once I ran over a piece of metal in the road and somehow it apparently came up, got into the fender and stopped the front wheel instantly. Over the handlebars I went. I was bleeding and pretty slow after that. 🙂 That was on a road bike with very little clearance between the tire and fender. Try to get lots of space between the tire and the fender – one of the reasons I prefer riding Mountain Bike now – I’m leery of fenders that are close to the tire.
Did you have plastic breakaway mounts for the fender?
No. Actually it folded the fender up between the top of the tire and the fork. Instant stop.
I just put proper fenders on my bike after 10+ years of year-round commuting…because I am now towing a dog in a trailer and I didn’t want to spray him in the face. Crummy “keep most of the crud off me” plastic clip ons were fine for 10 years, and about $150 cheaper after installation, but the pooch is worth it.
If I towed a dog, I’d run fenders full time.
Stripping fenders might get you a few tenths of a mph if your cruising speed is around 20. At dog towing speeds, weight and aero difference won’t be measurable. And more importantly as you bring up, it’s better for the dog.
But you have no idea how fast I tow that dog!!
…let’s just say that the granny gear gets a workout on the hills 😉
I’ve encountered many cyclists towing dogs over the years, many of them very strong.
I have yet to see someone tow a dog fast. Handling and safety issues (particularly for the dog) aside, I’d guess the dog wouldn’t like it.
So much black/dark clothing! Why don’t folks make more of an effort to be visible? There’s so much going on in the shared road space that I’ll do anything I can do to be seen when I cycle.
Also interesting how few people wear eye protection.
Mirrors are basically nonexistent in this sample. Knowing what cars are doing is enormously useful for dealing with them.
Who needs a mirror when you can just turn your head?
I’ll ride without a helmet before I ride without a mirror.
A mirror allows you to know exactly what everyone is doing all the time without turning your head. You can see subtle changes in movement indicating what drivers intend to do. You can time interactions based on traffic patterns far behind you. It is an excellent defense against the right hook.
When people intend to buzz me, I move *towards* them — partly to create space for me to work, but partly because I can manage the encounter down to the inch. This messes with drivers since they don’t know I’m doing this on purpose
Often that’s why I do where my helmet. My mirror is on my helmet and I really miss it when I don’t where a helmet. I used to be the “why don’t you turn your head” person, but then I got a stiff neck that lasted a while so I put the mirror on. Plus I made it with a spoke and a beer bottle cap and it gets a strange number of compliments.
…because when you turn your head, you can’t see what’s in front of you… A quick glance at a mirror doesn’t require losing concentration on what’s coming ahead.
AND when I turn my head I usually veer off course a bit. Not good.
I talked to a bike shop owner on the coast a few years back. He said most of the bike accidents he heard of along the 101 of bike tourists were at least partially caused by turning their heads. There are many sections where the shoulders along the road are quite narrow, with cars going really fast, and when cyclists turn their heads to check traffic they’d either veer off the side of the road and crash (especially when they see how fast and close the cars are and then panic), or veer into the path of traffic and…
Needless to say he highly recommended mirrors.
I wear black in the winter because it does not look wet after riding in the rain. I also wear black in the summer because it does not show sweat. Black is the most versiile color for everyday riding.
I wear black on the outside because it’s how I feel on the inside.
Explaining why you wear black could make for an interesting song.
I should totally start a New Wave band.
I think an Oregonian Black Metal band would be more appropriate. Can I play bass?
I wear black because Johnny Cash would.
He once shot a man just to watch him die.
Jonathan shot 44 people for this article.
When I drive, it’s never the color of the clothing that I notice. It’s reflectors/reflective tape and well-placed, bright lights.
When I drive or walk, many times I’ll notice a cyclist with no lights, dark clothes, no reflectors, and it is very difficult to see him/her. Sometimes, when the light level is low, even when I know they are there they “disappear” into the background. Risky.
“So much black/dark clothing!”
So much broad daylight! How can anyone be expected to see anything?
I spotted at least 11-12 motor vehicles sporting “black/dark” paint in the photo set. Drivers should really invest in some hi-viz, magnetic “body stickers” and slap them all over their cars, if they expect to be seen and have everyone scamper out of their way.
I’ve noticed that many dark colored cars have bright lights on them to make them more visible at night and in bad weather.
The better solution would be to look inside the cars for the underlying reasons for why they choose to be dark on the outside.
I do the same thing with my non-motorized vehicle; I use bright lights that are visible front, back, and sides. I even throw a reflective sash on my person at night, sometimes over my black or dark-colored sweater.
However, these photos look like they were taken neither at night nor in bad weather. The fact that we can all clearly criticize everything from clothing choice to fender-installing skills from Jonathan’s photos indicates all the subjects were clearly visible.
It probably says more about us than it does about them.
Great shots, as always, JM!
Ha! I spotted my coworker. She is wearing street clothes, but I know she is beating fools down.
I think you really freaked out #10.
He got caught paying for bike fun. Think of the poor, sweet Yuba he left at home. Think of the Skuuts.
This is with little doubt my favourite recurring segment. Every Time I hope to see myself, but I’m still happy when I don’t.
#15 is local Deaf Advocate Chris Balduc, super dude. You can see an exhibit about visually sharing music through light shows for the deaf community at the Portland Art Museum right now. It’s in the tunnel between buildings.
based on these picts, a ‘how to install fenders’ article might be helpful.
Grandma, who are all those cyclists on the big mural on the side of the longhouse? Well grandson, those are the hardy folks we are all descended from. Once the gas was gone and climate change set in the weaker folk in their automobiles disappeared fast, and the pedestrians and cyclists who could brave the tough new weather were the only ones who lasted long enough to have offspring. All hail to those hardy few.
I was struck by how many ride with their instep, rather than the ball of the foot, on the pedal.
I’m so happy I finally made a “People on Bikes” segment. To me, it feels like I won the smile contest on the Ramblin Rod Show.
20″ wheels rule!
Is that a non-folding dahon?
Ramblin’ Rod rules! Wow. I was on that show back in…never mind.
Not a single brake-less fixed gear!
Seems like the most iconic part of the portland bike scene is versatile jackets.
Hey! I’m on here!! 😀 NEAT!
No one using Bar Mitts (pogies). Mystifying.
I put them on both bikes when the rain really starts, and don’t take them off until fingerless gloves season.
Number 12 does. Love them during the winter.
Whoops. Thanks for the reality/vision check.
Lots of folks carrying their gear on their backs. I guess that’s fine for short distances, which is kind of a norm these days.
And just for Kyle Bannerjee, look at all those rear bags that have such poor aerodynamics. My short in-town riding also involves bags on my body and stuff in huge rear baskets. Just to complete the unsporty look, I ride an old step-through Schwinn one-speed. (Actually, I have two speeds: slow and stopped.)
I have a longass commute and went back to a backpack. I like to stand when I’m climbing and prefer the weight on my back rather than on the wheel.
I’m with Brian — I prefer the weight on the rear rather than the front for handling purposes.
What works for different people is all about objectives. How far you need to go, terrain, traffic, weather, hauling needs, etc.
My commute is strictly utilitarian and slow putzing around would be a deal buster for me. If there’s not enough efficiency, fun, or exercise involved, I’d go another way.
I used to work with the guy in #18.
If I was wearing half as much as these people I’d be sweaty. How do they not melt wearing some of those jackets? No one was wearing lycra in these pics, interesting. You always get the Lance Armstrong wannabes trying to get a training ride in on their way home.
While I’ve found lycra to be a great defense against overheating I’ve always fancied myself more of an Ivan Stevic wannabe.
What you wear when commuting depends on how far/fast you ride, how much you sweat, whether you can shower at work, the weather, etc. Looks like many different scenarios represented in photos above.
Safety gear missing:
gloves – 3 people (one on the Nike bike may have been an out of towner?)
helmet – 5 people (ditto)
eye glasses or goggles – 32 people (a bug or piece of gravel in the eye is gonna ouch)
bright colors – about 22 people, although many of those did have lights, both is best
If they were only traveling a few blocks, probably not huge risks, but our goal is 0.
If JM took 44 photos of motorists, here’s what he would find:
Safety gear missing:
None of the people in motor vehicles would be wearing proper helmets
None of the people in cars would be wearing eye protection
None of the people in cars (unless in a child seat) in 5-point harnesses
Very few of the cars in bright colors
Many (usually 5-20%) of the cars with defective lights/operation
Overall, I’d say the people on bikes are showing a far greater use of safety equipment.
B. Carfree:
Maybe you didn’t notice, but:
Head and eye protection is built into the design of cars. Cars have air bags and seat belts. Cars are fairly visible because of their size so color and lights are not as critical as on a bike. Also, due to the protection afforded by the many safety features, the occupants are fairly well protected.
Keep trying, B. Carfree – eventually you’ll get one right – even a stopped clock is right twice per day.
😉
None of the people in motor vehicles would be wearing proper helmets
None of the people in cars would be wearing eye protection
None of the people in cars (unless in a child seat) in 5-point harnesses
Very few of the cars in bright colors
Many (usually 5-20%) of the cars with defective lights/operation
Overall, I’d say the people on bikes are showing a far greater use of safety equipment.
“A new report conducted by the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and State Farm Insurance found that of the more then 55,000 teenage drivers and their passengers who were seriously injured in auto accidents during 2009 and 2010, 30 percent suffered acute head injuries, including concussions, skull fractures and traumatic brain injuries (TBI). While there’s been a welcome decline in fatalities at the hands of teen drivers over the past six years, according to the Centers for Disease Control car crashes remain the leading cause of TBI-related death among 15- to 19-year-olds.”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jimgorzelany/2012/04/02/forget-football-car-crashes-are-the-leading-cause-of-fatal-head-trauma-among-teens/#1f8c987c2cec
Not everyone sees every fun ride as a chance to die. I prefer to see the enjoyment in life, not the fear.
I’d say the goal should be to not need all that safety gear.
Please let us know the very minute that goal has been achieved.
What’s your point with saying that?
Also, why are you speaking for everyone with your “OUR goal is 0″ in regard to wearing helmets, gloves, eye protection, and bright colors?” I’ve never, ever heard a single person before you having every cyclist wearing eye protection and gloves as a goal. If it’s your own goal, fine–say that. Or if you think it SHOULD be “our” goal, say that. But don’t say “our goal” for a goal that includes something so inane as having every cyclist wear eye protection and gloves.
The consensus on this topic in health research is that biking has a large net health & safety benefit (health benefits from exercise is much greater than health costs from crashes). The net benefit is so great that my estimation is that the effect of safety gear is relatively insignificant (i.e. someone wearing no safety gear gets a large net benefit; someone wearing all the safety gear gets a slightly larger net benefit).
That is why I don’t wear any of the things you mentioned. I’m already coming out WAY ahead by biking rather than driving or taking the train. I personally decline to go from WAY ahead to slightly further WAY ahead at the cost of some personal comfort and convenience.
(Note: I do use lights, copiously, as I guess that bike-mounted lights are, happily, both the most effective and least inconvenient safety method).
always an entertaining post!
Thanks for doing another one of these, I always look to see if there are things/ways to ride I might not have otherwise considered. Cheers!
I think I would look pretty different in winter vs summer. different bikes, fenders, lighting, gloves, balaclava, glasses, shoes, layers…but at all times, a helmet mirror.
Scare the hell out of me to ride without one. I even miss it when I am walking.
Great post.
Couple observations: There are about twice as many men than women. Am I the first to remark on this?
About 90 percent wear helmets (I’ve done my own scans on Portland streets, and always come up with a similar figure).
I moved to Portland last summer from Budapest, Hungary. What I notice (in John’s pix and in in day-to-day riding) is that Portlanders tend to wear sportier clothing and ride sportier bikes. I chalk this up partly to Portland being quite spread out and average commute distances long — you work up a sweat. The other thing is that Portland is an outdoorsy, sporty kind of place, and a lot of riders are into cycling for fitness or competition reasons — even if also for transport reasons.
There’s also much more helmet use and high-vis clothing. This may also be due to many riders coming to cycling for sport/fitness reasons — and perhaps because of the spotty public lighting. I’d be curious what long-timers think.
Hi Greg,
Nice to hear you lived in Budapest. I love it there! My wife was born there and still has family there. We had an awesome visit last summer.
I think you’re right on with your observations about the differences between portland and budapest. The US is obsessed with performance/sports and it pervades many of the things we do… include cycling for transportation. And yes, distances people cover here are far more than in Budapest — because we are much less dense in terms of housing and land use.
Your wife’s from Bp?? I’d enjoy chatting about that sometime … Next time you plan a trip to Budapest, I’ll hook you up with some people in the cycling community there. Fun people doing important stuff.
Sounds good Greg. Cheers.
BP guys wife is from Bp. Which I find amusing.
Yes I noticed this too.
Bike counts show my area, through Washington Park and over the west hills, between 86%-92% men. During the offseason, between October and May, and especially during the darker months when they don’t do counts, it feels more like 98%-99%. I can’t explain it.
I wonder what this would look like from 5:45 to 6:15. I feel like that is the real rush on this corridor. (Jonathan I’m not trying to make you late to see your kids, just a comment)
Oh My Gosh you people. Who cares if they’re wearing gloves or helmets or glasses or have weirdly installed fenders or don’t ride on the balls of their feet. LOOK AT ALL THESE PEOPLE RIDING BIKES HOME instead of driving a gas-powered personal vehicle! How cool is that?!?! Aren’t you glad to be part of that tribe?
(OK, I’m bummed not a single kid riding their own bike. But it is significantly after school has already gotten out.)
I for one ride bicycles in the winter one way (the right way) and am literally incapable of understanding why other people have different preferences.
Its sounds like some people here think you should only be in full racing kit riding 700×23 tires pumped up to 120 psi. Only then can you be a real bike commuter.
Those people are fools. You should only be in full racing kit riding 700×23 tires pumped up to 90 psi.
How could you say such a thing! 60-pound dutch bikes and tophats should be mandatory for all bicycle riding. Folks from the West Hills could especially stand to slow down and take note of the present moment, and trudging up the hill(s) pushing their 60-pound monstrosities certainly helps you slow down. It’s mindfulness and whole-body exercise at the same time!
Highly recommend 60-pound Dutch bikes, though they do make quite a bit of the city inaccessible. I typically only ride mine if I have stuff to carry under 5 miles over flatish terrain, otherwise I’m on the Disc Trucker.
I rode mine as my only bike for many happy years. Ah, the halcyon kid-less days of yore in inner Southeast!
Nonsense. West hills residents commute exclusively via helicopter. Everyone knows this.
Duh. Who else do you think the teachers at schools there are referring to when they complain about all the “helicopter parents”?
Not sure why anyone would pump them up that high unless they are particularly heavy.
It’s like driving a car — best air pressure and max pressure the tire can handle are not at all the same thing.
love seeing the douze in there. hi harper family.
When are you doing “People in Cars”?
You’d have to wait too long for 44 cars to pass and everyone would look grouchy. That area is consistently gummed up at rush hour.
That’s on DrivePortland.org
You should see their comments section…
I dig the guys on obvious kid carriers (41, 42) – represent! Nice style too – especially 41’s nice grey coat and patterned scarf.
My friend just pointed out to me that my photo is here (#1) on bike Portland. Fun! I was really happy at the time this photo was taken because I had just had a much needed massage. It was cold that day! I was riding slow with a few extra layers, and staying cozy and relaxed. Keep riding, Portland!