1. Get on your bike first
RACV Senior Manager Transport, Planning and Infrastructure, Peter Kartsidimas, says those contemplating a bike commute for the first time should get a little match fit first. “Go ride around on the weekends just in your area on paths and streets where you feel comfortable. Get some confidence and fitness up and think ‘is this for me?’ Most people will realise how much fun it is and see the benefits. And with a little fitness they can plan a longer and safer and possibly more scenic ride to work.”
2. Plot it out
Use an app like RACV’s arevo to plot your route from home to work. Its new dedicated bike map allows users to search for routes specifically for bike riders, and uses a colour coding system to indicate the type of path and safety features. Blue indicates an off-road shared path, green a protected lane on a road with physical barriers separating bikes from cars, gold an extra-wide buffered bike lane, and orange a painted green or white on-road lane about a metre wide. Once you’ve narrowed down potential routes, do some additional research.
3. Ask around
Plenty of your fellow cyclists have been commuting for years, so take a shortcut and ask them where they prefer to ride and why. “Ask those you work with and those you live near,” says Peter. “They’ll have a lot of information you wouldn’t otherwise have known – where it’s safest to ride and where they feel most comfortable riding, as well as places to avoid – some routes are not as welcoming as others.”
Looking for the rest of the ten tips on how to choose the best route for your upcoming commute? Read the entire story below:
https://www.racv.com.au/royalauto/transport/cycling/choose-commuter-bike-route.html
