I changed the subway and the car for the bike: everything I have learned as a cyclist in a big city

Those nougat that weigh, the illusion for the new year and the social pressure of the new resolutions flooding Instagram. It is possible that you too have seen yourself in the same situation and have decided to take the leap, move a little more and try end that sedentary lifestyle that weighs on our day to day. One of the simplest solutions: go to work by bicycle, always with the permission of the pandemic.

In my case I made the leap to becoming a cyclist on a daily basis partly encouraged by a company he worked for and partly by the rise in the price of the transport pass. As I will tell you in the next few lines, these factors were decisive for me, but over time I discovered that anyone can take the step, find your own motives, and dare with a little planning.

Each person is different and has their reasons

As I have anticipated, in my case two reasons were joined for change the subway for the bicycle. I live in Madrid and my old office was located about six or seven kilometers from my house. In the Community of Madrid, the transport pass becomes significantly more expensive from the age of 26. Currently, those who turn 27 go from paying a flat rate of 20 euros to a minimum of 54.60 euros, almost triple. In addition, in my old job we had a guarded space to store bicycles and we had showers. Few more incentives can be asked for.

You may think that, with such conditions, it is certainly advantageous to encourage others to change the car and the subway for the pedals. I don’t deny it, but over time I discovered that I could use my bike for much more than just commuting. In most cases, he spent less time pedaling than taking the subway or car if he wanted to go to a store or to have a drink with friends.

And we are talking about a city like Madrid, whose historic center is full of ups and downs but which, over time, has been betting on greater facilities for cyclists: the kilometers of bike lanes continue to grow, there are a good number of parks to cross. and the spaces where to leave the bicycle also increase little by little. There are even private garages where you can rent a place with continuous surveillance for as long as you need.

What to keep in mind before getting a bike

As you imagine, going from the car or the subway to the bicycle from overnight is not easy, and it is surely not possible in many cases, but in my experience it has not been an excessively complicated change. First of all, we must analyze our usual routes. At this point I would take into account three factors:

• Usual distances we travel
• Type of roads we will travel on
• The safety we have among road traffic

If your routes are short, on flat terrain and you have many kilometers of bike lanes, as can be found the cyclists of Valencia The Sevilla, a touring bike can be very comfortable and, in addition, they are easy to find for little money.

In the event that you move through streets with greater unevenness and you are not too safe next to the rest of the cars, I would value looking for a bicycle with electric aid. In this way you will save efforts on the climbs and, above all, you will reach a speed very quickly in which you do not pose a hindrance to other vehicles, reducing the possibility of being harassed by drivers or motorists.

By last, if you are an experienced cyclist and are used to moving between cars, there’s nothing quite like a lightweight city bike or cyclocross bike. With them you will be able to ensure a not very heavy but hard vehicle in the face of obstacles that you may encounter along the way.

One last tip: safety above all else

Traffic in a city like Madrid can be really stressful and it is easy to bring out the worst in ourselves. Thus, if you go by bicycle, keep in mind that you always have to lose and what are you, next to the scooters, the most vulnerable group that moves down the road.

My experience tells me that the first days try to find safe ways, prioritizing parks, bike lanes, and single-lane streets in each direction. If, in addition, these last streets are one-way, the better, as we will reduce the risks derived from overtaking.

That you go with caution (and always respecting the rules of passage, such as traffic lights) does not mean that you do not enforce yourself on the road. In Madrid, for example, it is allowed ride in the center of the lane. In fact, the City Council itself recommends it. Maybe some malicious driver stick too much and don’t keep the safety distance but keep calm we’ll be doing the right thing. In addition, we will prevent a confused person from seeing us when opening the door of a parked car and we have an accident.

Lastly, invest money in security. Although you can drive around the city without a helmet, spend money on a good model, as it can make a difference. Never forget to mount a white front light and a red rear light to alert you to your situationIn addition to using brightly colored clothing whenever you can, leave dark clothing for another time. Another good solution is to wear a reflective traffic vest over the last layer of clothing. And it is also useful to invest in some small reflectors with magnets, an accessory with a double function: it closes our pants, avoiding hooks with the chain, and we will become more visible to other traffic officers.

I hope these tips are helpful to you. For my part, I can only confirm that doing a little daily exercise on the bike improved my fitness and, above all, the spirit with which I face the workday.

Photos | Snapwire Y Daria Shevtsova