Commuting & Biking During COVID-19

We’re getting asked a lot about using electric bikes to commute to work and staying active during a shelter in place mandate. As you can imagine things are changing pretty quickly, and we’ll try to keep this up-to-date but please use your judgment and verify based on your local situation.

We’re going to tackle general biking first and then go deeper on commuting and wrap it all up with some fitness tips.

Biking Etiquette During COVID-19, and Good Hygiene Tips for Every Other Day

DON’T BIKE IN LARGE GROUPS:

• Follow the recommendations and stay 6ft away from anyone else.
• If you’re stopped at traffic lights, keep your distance from other riders.
• We think riding with another person from your house is OK but don’t meet up with friends. You never know where they have been.

MAINTAIN GOOD CYCLING HYGIENE

• Avoid spitting and snot rockets.
• If you need to cough, try to Vampire cough or cough into your arm. Granted this may be difficult if your riding.
• Minimize direct contact with surfaces to avoid contaminating your fingers. It’s unknown how long the virus can last on external surfaces and who has touched them before you.
• Wear gloves if possible and use your knuckles to press any traffic buttons instead of your fingers
• Avoid touching your face. I get it. Your sweating and want to wipe it off or adjust your sunglasses – try to avoid this.
  Bring back the 90’s sweatband or bandana under your helmet to catch those beads of sweat.
• Ride within your limits. Don’t go too fast or take any chances. Preventing any injuries from adding additional stress to the healthcare system.

BENEFITS OF COMMUTING ON AN ELECTRIC BIKE DURING COVID-19

Not everyone can work from home. If you need to go to a different location for work, biking may be a good solution to maintain social distancing while commuting.

• You’ll be able to get to work without using public transportation. Most bikes have a range of over 40 miles on a single charge.
• Electric bikes can make cycling uphill (both ways) easy. Even the hilliest routes become no problem.
• You won’t arrive to work sweaty and out of breath.
• No need to pay for expensive parking or struggling to find a spot. Simply remove your battery (and charge it during the day) lock your bike up and be on your way.
• You will avoid being stuck in traffic. When you’re on a bike you can adjust your route and be flexible to keep moving and get home faster.

STAYING ACTIVE DURING COVID-19

As health groups call for social distancing, it’s important to find ways to stay active. For me, this means avoiding the gym and group fitness activities. Instead, I’ll be getting out on my bike.

• It’s an outdoor activity: I’ll be outside in the fresh air and hopefully with a little sunshine.
• I know exactly where my bike has been. No need to worry about who else has been using it and cross-contamination.
• It’s healthy: Its low impact and helps stop old injuries coming back.
• Keeps me away from crowds: I can follow the social distancing advice and avoid bigger crowds.

Of course, I’m biased but I hope you can see the upside of getting out on your bikes.

If your thinking about trying an electric bike but unsure which is right for you – TAKE OUR FREE FIT CONSULTATION. Answer a few quick questions and we’ll recommend the perfect bike based on your needs.