As fuel prices soar, folks are cutting back on how much they drive their cars, and more people are turning to using bikes to do routine chores. This is great news for many reasons — reducing demand on gas supplies, personal fitness, a healthier atmosphere — but shopping by bike can be frustrating if you use a backpack to haul your stuff. One solution to making shopping by bike more efficient and less stressful on your body is to use panniers designed for the job. Read more…

Hauling things on a trailer with a bike is a great way to combine exercise and chores in one go. Take the recyclables on the trip out and bring groceries back to double the efficiency of your journey. But what kind of trailer? Two commercially available designs are available — one-wheeled (or in-line) trailers, and two-wheeled trailers. Each has its advantages and disadvantages. The single-wheeled designs are preferred by cyclists who travel off-road, while the two-wheeled trailers are a favorite among parents who transport their kids in them. For shopping, the two-wheeled bike trailer is a winner. It’s stable when hitched or unhitched, it’s easy to load, and it distributes weight well.

Shopping with a trailer instead of panniers makes sense for bulky loads and for trips when more than about 40 pounds will be hauled. But shopping with a bike and trailer isn’t exactly like shopping with your car. With a little thought and adaptation, however, it’s a satisfying and economical way to do this necessary chore. Read more…

Tags: bikes, cycling, outfitting, shopping, trailering

When you venture away from the beaten path, could you patch a bad blister, find your way in a fog, or survive an unplanned night out? Ask yourself that question and then ask what you’d need to have along in order to cope.

Everyone likes a good list. Paddlers, hikers, and cyclists are no exception. You won’t find a better list than the Ten Essentials, either. It’s as valid today as it was when The Mountaineers first put it together back in the 1930s—and notwithstanding the list’s alpine origins, it’s equally useful to canoeists and kayakers, cyclists and hikers.

1. Map(s)—for staying found
2. Compass—ditto
3. First-aid kit—for patching yourself and companions
4. Knife—for too much to summarize
5. Extra food and water—to keep stoked and hydrated
6. Matches and firestarter—to light a life-saving fire
7. Flashlight—for seeing in dark places
8. Sunglasses—for staving off blindness in glare
9. Sunscreen—to protect your skin from burns
10. Extra clothing—to maintain healthy core temperature

The next time you head off in your boat, whether you’re just puttering around Golden Pond, venturing out across the wine-dark sea, strolling along your favorite woodland trail, or on a Sunday cycle on a remote singletrack, make sure you Take Ten. Don’t leave home without ‘em. Read more…

Tags: & Sit-on-Topping, cycling, hiking, Kayaking, Let's Paddle! Canoeing, safety, ten essentials