Before more people commute on bicycles, we must learn from early commuters. Here is my advice after setting a modest goal to bicycle commute once a week.

I have commuted more than once a week. I enjoy riding outside with a breeze in my face. I smell flowers, hear birds and roll alongside the Columbia instead of feeling confined and polluting. 

But I had to overcome some monumental social hurdles. People would see my ‘helmet hair.’ I would be wearing bicycle clothes. They would see me sweat.

I cut my hair short. I hide my helmet and wear clothes that look normal. And I do not sweat because rides to meetings are downhill.

The ride home from the Apple Loop Trail is a workout. I crisscross up lightly driven streets like Devon and Country Club Rd., arriving in triumph.

However my neighbor says, “Riding your bike is admirable, but doing it in this heat is crazy.”  Showers cool me off.

I do not feel as safe as I do clicked in my lumbering SUV, but slow riding makes me feel safer. I not only spot dangerous washouts and unexpected cars, but also breathe through my nose to avoid bug snacks.

Flat tires scare me. The guys at The Second Wind put a rubber shield and slime between my tread and inner tube to plug leaks. A mechanic said, “Pull out a thorn and rotate the tire so slime seals the hole.”

They also mounted a small air pump with a wrench. Karen just carries her cell phone.

Drivers have been respectful. They swing out wide and wave me through intersections. The scary exceptions are people on Ninth Street turning right onto Sunset Highway in front of riders and pedestrians crossing to and from the pipeline bridge.

Communities are just starting to accommodate bikers. I do appreciate bike lanes where Eastmont was widened. Better yet are developments such as Briarwood that have paths through cul-de-sacs leading down to Eastmont. Few stores have bike racks.

Commuting bikers are isolated and mocked. One friend leaned back in his convertible to shout, “Get a motor on that thing.”

Oh for more commuters. I felt safer bicycling in Chinese streets filled with droves of commuters.

We saw lots of commuter bikes, also called “utility bikes.” They have motors, wider seats and storage for live chickens. They have step-through frames, reduced maintenance brakes and guards to protect clothing. Some fold in half. In time we should see more such models displayed in local bike shops.

Support bicycling so all of us have healthy, economic, quick and safer commuting. Changes to enable significant usage should be a long time coming.

Help us stay safe and join us once in a while.