Commuting – Shifter

A single-speed bike may be the key to your ultimate bike commute

by Tom BabinBikes October 9, 2019October 9, 2019One Comment

It’s the forgotten step-child of the bike-commuting world, overlooked in favour of flashier models loaded with extras, like, you know, gears and shifters. But there’s something magical about the simplicity of a single-speed bike. Lacking derailleurs and all the associated mechanics that come with them, single-speeds are the kind of bike you never have to …

Bike racer or city cruiser: Who has the best bike commute?

by Tom BabinCities September 17, 2019September 17, 2019Comments are Disabled

Is going as fast as possible the best way to commute to work on a bike? That’s the question we’re testing in this video, thanks to a guest appearance by former pro cyclocross racer, current coach and all-around amazing guy Mark McConnell, aka Hot Sauce (go check out his website here.) Here’s how we tested …

City bike, road bike or e-bike? What’s best for bicycle commuting?

by Tom BabinBikes June 17, 2019June 17, 20192 Comments

What’s the best bike for commuting? This is the second video in which I test different types of bikes on my commute. This time, instead of a mountain, road or city bike, like I did last time, I tested these bikes: A slow, comfortable city bike, a light and fast road bike and a pedelec …

How to dress for winter bike commuting

by Tom BabinWinter January 7, 2019February 24, 20194 Comments

When the temperature drops, riding a bike to work gets a tad more complicated. Especially in North America, where bike commuting is sometimes viewed more as an athletic pursuit than a simple transportation mode. That’s why, in this video, I look at two ways of dressing for bike commuting. Version 1 we’ll call Dress for …

7 ways to choose the right route for your bike commute

by Tom BabinCities June 8, 2018July 5, 201810 Comments

Veteran hard-core commuter cyclists are good at many things. Telling you exactly how much mileage they’ve logged far this year, for example. Clip-clopping in their stiff-soled cycling shoes in places where that is totally inappropriate. And offering the simplest advice to anyone who has ever expressed interest in riding their bike more: “Just get out …

A practical guide for choosing when to ride a bike

by Tom BabinBikes, People February 27, 2018July 5, 20183 Comments

When should I ride a bike? Here’s a guide for choosing the right trips.

The bicycle commute test: Cruiser, road or mountain bike – which one is best?

by Tom BabinBikes November 9, 20172 Comments

As a rootless, tribeless and bike-agnostic cyclist, I ride anything with two wheels. My daily rides can range from fast road bikes when I’m looking for a workout, to a city cruiser when I’m on a slow roll to the pub. But I’ve often wondered which method was best for my commute to work. So …

Forget all the other reasons you should be riding a bike. This is the one that matters

by Tom BabinCities, People August 9, 2017February 1, 201827 Comments

A new study offers perhaps the most definitive reason yet why society should be doing more to encourage cycling, and serves as another reminder that the health benefits of cycling far outweigh the risks. This British study took a comprehensive look at the health benefits of bicycle commuting, and the results are staggering. Over the …

Here’s why people ride their bike to work

by Tom BabinPeople May 9, 2017May 9, 2017Comments are Disabled

On Bike to Work Day, I asked people a couple of straightforward questions about their chosen commuting mode. Here’s what they said. Take note of how many who said they ride for environmental reasons, for ideology, or because they hate cars (hint: none).