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Team Kaos Featured In The Reader |
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Written by Sean Weide
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Friday, 16 September 2005 |
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Healthy Commute
By Sean McCarthy, The Reader newspaper
Estimates from the 2004 U.S. Census reported 81 percent of Omahans commute to work alone. The average commute time in Omaha is about 18 minutes. Fewer than two percent reported traveling to work in a mode other than a car, such as a bicycle.
That figure may change if fuel prices continue to fluctuate. In the past two weeks, employees at The Bike Way at 15115 Industrial Road (thebikeway.com) and Bike Masters at 5265 N. 129th St. (bikemastersomaha.com) said people have cited the rising fuel prices as one of the reasons to buy a new bike.
"We’ve seen a lot of hybrid-style rides go out,” said Dan Sundermeier, a manager at The Bike Way. Hybrid bikes are crosses between road bikes and mountain bikes and are a popular choice for in-city commuters. Sundermeier said his shop has also received calls recently about commuting options from people whose bikes have been gathering dust.
Those who are re-entering the biking world can find a plethora of tips about commuting from bike shop employees and the internet. One local website, teamkaoscycling.com, offers tips on what to do before your first bike commute. Team Kaos is a group based in Omaha that promotes cycling as a healthy lifestyle.
Marco Vasquez, president of Team Kaos, recommended people get their tires checked at a bike shop if their bikes haven’t been used for some time. One reason for this is because the inner tubes of the tires can become dry and brittle.
Vasquez and most bike shop employees recommend buying reflective clothing, lights for riding in the dark, a spare inner tube and a pump or compressed air cartridge. The most important accessory is a helmet. Selecting your commuting route in advance and going on a few dry runs to determine the length of the commute is also recommended. The extra preparation pays off, Vasquez said.
“It’s a great way to get up in the morning,” he said. “You save some money and you save the environment.”
Those whose jobs require dress codes may have to get creative with their commuting strategies. Vasquez recommended bringing a few days worth of business outfits or uniforms to work and storing them in a closet or locker. He also recommended bringing a hygiene kit or getting a joint-use agreement for a neighboring company with a shower.
Even with advanced planning, Vasquez admitted commuting is not for everyone. Vasquez himself doesn’t commute to work because his job as a perfusionist at UNMC requires him to be on-call.
People’s jobs and personal attitudes aren’t the only potential roadblocks to commuting. Most of Omaha’s major trails, such as the 144th Street Trail and Big Papio Trail primarily stretch in a north-to-south direction. The lack of major trails stretching east to west can be a problem for people whose jobs are located downtown or at West Omaha hot spots like Village Pointe or Lakeside.
“The city is laid out to be dependent on the car,” said Tim Wilson, an employee at Bike Masters.
Wilson, who commutes via bike to his job, was optimistic that Omaha could turn into a more bike-friendly community, providing the city maintains its existing trails and makes an effort to finish the trails it has in development. In the meantime, drivers and bikers will have to learn to share the road, he said.
“You have to be fairly aggressive and visible,” Wilson advised bike commuters who have to go through high-traffic areas to work.
Dan Sundermeier agreed: “It’s not uncommon to get flipped off on the way to work.”
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