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Back into the biking routine

ROSEMARY MACEACHEN | SWEET RIDES

I have often felt that Labour Day is a more accurate date for our ‘new year’ than Jan. 1. Families are getting back to the school routine, summer vacations are over and the working world is back with deadlines crunching and gnashing their ugly teeth to meet quotas, finish projects and launch new programs before Christmas. September is when we truly set our routine for our ‘working year’ ahead and our riding routine is an important part of that planning. During the spring and summer, the days are longer and warmer, so jumping on the bike to get to work or school was a bit easier. However, with some planning and a few key pieces of equipment, you can still enjoy your ride to work for several months ahead. Families with children are fine-tuning their timing and there is no better time to start the routine of walking or riding to school if you live within a reasonable commuting distance. If children know their route and are old enough to ride on their own, that is wonderful. It’s also a precious time of day to share with your kids if you join them on foot or by bike, and the fresh air and exercise prepares brains of all ages to learn and work effectively. If your own work routine doesn’t allow you to ride with your kids in the morning, perhaps you are flexible after work to go for a family ride before supper preparations begin. The days will start to shorten at an alarming rate, so the sooner you can get out there, the better. And it will help everyone unwind from the day and sharpen attention spans for homework, too. Kids will have outdoor breaks at school but likely won’t have as much time outside as they did during the summer months, so try to carve some extra outside time into your home routine to keep them feeling energetic during the day and physically tired enough that they sleep well at night. It isn’t just children that benefit from playing and riding outside either. Tweens, teens and adults also need to unwind from electronic devices, get some fresh air and keep those bodies moving. The weekdays will be increasingly busy with afterschool sports, parent meetings and homework, but try to include at least some physical activity each day and follow that up with some extra outdoor time on weekends as the school year progresses and the days get shorter. If you have been commuting to work by bike since the spring and want to keep that routine going, you will need lights and some reflective clothing to stay safe. Front and rear flashing lights will help you be seen in the dusky morning and twilight hours, but if you will be heading out or coming home in darkness, you are going to need a light system to illuminate your path and improve your visibility to other vehicles as well. The light system you choose will depend on your route, the speed at which you are riding and the length of time you will be riding. Riding on the road means that you will need a light that will illuminate a path far enough ahead for you to see while travelling at speeds of 20km/hour or more. And if you are on rural roads without street lights or the rail-trail, I recommend lights of 500 to 750 or more lumens. A good quality rear light will have several flashing options including a higher, brighter setting for daytime/twilight and a lower, longer-lasting flash for night-time conditions so that you won’t blind the traffic behind you. Clothing, helmets, socks in bright neon colours don’t just mean that the ’90s are back! These bright pinks, greens and ion yellows available in an array of accessories and cycling clothing are easy to spot by drivers at a quick glance. That can make all the difference when they are pulling out from a street corner or deciding if they have enough room to pass as an oncoming car approaches. Stop in at your local bike shop and see what options there are for you to keep enjoying your ride this season. The South Shore often enjoys great autumn weather, so enjoy the cool, crisp mornings and cherish the warm afternoons while they last. And make sure to enjoy your ‘new year’ routine!

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