Bike to Work Week is upon us, which means that from Monday, May 17 through Friday, May 21 it is a great time to leave the car at home and head out each day by bicycle! And since there is a good chance you will find yourself out and about throughout the week on your bike, it’s a perfect time to start running errands by bicycle, as well. Therefore, this post is dedicated to that other piece of many people’s daily commute – the shopping piece.
General Statistics on Running Errands
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics in the United States, 45% of daily trips are taken for shopping and errands. Meanwhile, only 15% of daily trips are taken for commuting. The average American takes 4 trips per day, which might be to work, to run errands, to social gatherings, etc. However, 60% of said trips are 1 mile or less, but a shocking 90% of trips between 1 and 3 miles is made by car in the United States. Given this information, a large percent of car trips could be replaced by bicycle (or walking) trips, given the short distances. This would help to reduce congestion on the roads, since the short distance trips are the most numerous. And reduced car traffic and congestion could mean better roads for cycling! So in addition to Bike to Work Week, I suggest we also implement a Bike to the Shops Week. But in the meantime, this post will provide some useful information on running errands by bike.
How to Carry Your Stuff
Whether it be commuting by bicycle, running errands by bicycle, or any combination of daily trips, you need to find a good way to carry your stuff by bike. If you are combining a commute to work with an errand-running trip, you will need to consider how much stuff you have to leave the house with each day and how much you might return with, especially if the trip involves some shopping. Generally, if you are going shopping after work, as many people do, you will need to leave some space for the items you plan to come home with. However, assess each situation on a day-to-day basis, as it will likely vary a fair amount.
For smaller shopping trips, bike bags and racks are usually sufficient to carry a fair amount of stuff, depending on the size of the bag and rack combo and the nature of your purchase, of course. We have a great post, which describes some of the easiest ways for carrying your stuff using bike bags and bike racks. However, for large shopping trips (for example getting a week’s worth of groceries for your family) you might want to consider investing in a cargo bike, a bike trailer, or an Xtracycle. Consider it the family truck. I assure you, purchasing and maintaining such a vehicle is much, much more affordable than purchasing and maintaining a real truck! We will have a post dedicated to carrying your stuff by cargo bike or bike trailer in the near future.
Logistics
If you are new to the idea of general bicycle transportation, don’t be afraid to take some time experimenting with what works best for you with regard to logistics. Everyone’s needs and trip routines are different, so take some time to figure out what works best. Especially when it comes to running errands by bicycle, you will need to assess your carrying capacity, the distance you are traveling, the weather conditions, and how much you need to purchase before you embark on each trip. Also, if you are making multiple stops on one shopping trip, you will want to consider how you want to keep your purchases safe between stops. If security is an issue, you might consider an enclosed bike trailer that can be locked. You might also consider shopping with a buddy, so that one of you can stay with the bikes while the other shops.
Again, this is all highly contextual, so experimentation is key. Nonetheless, running errands by bicycle is a great way to save money and time, while simultaneously getting some fresh air and exercise. So for the next five days, we invite you to bike to work and the store in celebration of Bike to Work Week. And if you enjoy yourself, keep it up for the rest of the month, the summer, or the year!