The Realities of Cycle Commuting in St. Louis

Commuting by bicycle in a city like St. Louis has drawbacks--mainly the traffic, which is to be completely avoided in my opinion. Many drivers in the city and county are not only uneducated about cyclist traffic laws, but can also be vindictive, unsafe and generally unaware of the presence of cyclists. This means that routes need to be more circuitous, and therefore longer, to achieve a high level of safety. So, deal with it. The more you ride, the faster you can go.

The second drawback is the vast sprawl that makes up St. Louis County. Things can be very far apart here. We have immediate family who live over 20 miles away. These routes are meant to be safe, not direct. Remember, cycling is a slow form of transportation. But that's why we love it, right?

The final drawback is the terrain. St. Louis' roads may feel okay inside a car, but when you ride a bicycle with high pressure tires you begin to wish you had front suspension. The more you ride, the more used to it you get. If you have sensitive elbows, consider using a mountain bike or lower pressure road bike tires to help cushion the ride.

Biking in St. Louis has its perks as well. There are some seriously beautiful places to ride. There are some great roads, neighborhoods, parks, bike paths. There is nature, there are big buildings. Heck, there is even camping within 30 miles of the city (and a nice ride, I don't mind telling you). There is lots of area to explore, and because St. Louis isn't a densely populated city, most of it can be done with a high level of safety from cars. The Fucking Bike Club is awesome, Bike St. Louis is awesome, the Katy Trail is awesome. Missouri Cycling Highways will give you the chance to see some nice places in and around St. Louis that you may never have seen, all while safely getting you to the places you need to be.

Here are some important tips for novice commuters:
-Get a helmet. I don't care. You can't convince me it's worse to wear one.
-Get lights, front and rear. The brighter the better.
-Get reflective tape, and put it onto everything.
-Get a bike with strong wheels.
-Learn the rules of the road.
-Learn cycling etiquette.
-Learn to assert your presence without being a jerk.
-Don't hate, educate. Help motorists understand that you have a right to be on the road too, without getting into a pissing match.
-Get some cold weather clothing. It doesn't get that bad here and with a little determination, you can easily ride through at least 10 months of the year.
-Ride cautiously and assume that none of the cars you encounter see you at all.