Navigating Manchester’s Urban Paths
Hello Manchester! Welcome back to our recurring column about navigating our lovely city on foot, scooter, bicycle, etc. If the heat’s not too horrible, you can still get out for a little adventure, even if only for a walk. Even a little exercise is good for you – both physically and mentally.
In this edition, let’s talk about ….
- Deadly Scooter Accident in Jaffrey
- NH Surge in Traffic Deaths
- A Dozen Items for Every Ride
- Mellow Map of Manchester
- Manchester’s new Zoning Ordinance
- Better than Bungies?
Scooter Rider Dies After Accident in Jaffrey
I see many folks on scooters in Manchester, which is great. But, when you ride, pay attention and be careful! A 17-year-old from Dublin is now dead after Jaffrey police said he was hit by a car while riding an electric scooter. More info here.
NH Surge in Traffic Deaths
Undoubtedly many of you are aware that traffic fatalities are up recently across the state. So whether you’re a pedestrian, a cyclist, are riding a motorcycle or driving a car, if you’re around road traffic, be cautious! More info here.
A Dozen Items for Every Ride
Every time you leave your house on your bike you should have these items with you. Will you need ALL of them EVERY time? I sure hope not. But you’ll need SOME of them. Every single ride. Others are more in the nature of first aid or insurance. You hope you won’t need them, but when you do, you’ll sure be glad you have them.
1. The bike
Well, d’uh, yeah! But this is more than just HAVING a bike … make sure it’s in solid working order, with no obvious squeaks nor squeals, no shimmies nor shakes. Ensure the handlebars are tight and will turn the front wheel. Make sure the brakes will actually stop the bike, because if they don’t, a ride on that bike could be your last! And no one wants that!
2. Lights
Lights are about two things: (1) seeing, and (2) being seen. You’re on a fast moving vehicle that, unlike a car, does not wrap you in a cocoon of metal. You need to see where you’re going and obstacles in your path. Equally important, you want other people on the road to see YOU, especially as many of them will be behind the wheel of their own vehicles that are much larger and heavier than yours. Lights are vitally important on every ride. Consider blinking lights in the daytime. You may not need them to see, but they’ll help other divers notice you and not accidentally hit you. And that’s something we all want to avoid.
3. Helmet
Plenty of people ride without helmets. They never need the helmet until suddenly, they do. Recovering from a Traumatic Brain Injury is no fun! (I speak from first hand experience. My helmet saved my life.) Some people NEVER recover, living long lives afterward with reduced abilities and changed personalities. So wear that helmet!
4. Backpack/Pannier
You can carry your stuff (laptop, tablet, books, papers, lunch) in a backpack, but a backpack will stick to your back as you ride and block airflow across your back, meaning you’ll arrive at your destination with a wet & sweaty back. An alternative is panniers, which hang from a rack over a wheel (usually the rear wheel), typically with each pannier (there’s often one on each side) roughly the save volume as a backpack. As a wise man once said, “Get the weight off of you and onto the bike.”
5. Basic Tools
Breakdowns can happen anywhere, anytime. They can be major or minor. Some are common (chain fallen off gears), some are rare (chain broken). You really should have some small tools along with you, at least to fix the more common problems, or you’ll have to do a lot of walking and pushing. For a chain fallen off gears, it really doesn’t even need tools, except maybe a rag to wipe chain grease off your fingers after you manually re-position the chain. For other problems, I recommend a multi-tool of some kind. I recently bought one from REI, called the Multi-Nineteen made by Crank Brothers, for about $30. It contains 19 separate tools all attached into a single device, with a weight of 175 grams (about 6.2 ounces).
6. Spare Tube
When you ride, always bring a spare inner tube. You never know when you’ll get a flat but you can bet it will be far from home.
7. Mini Pump
When you get that inevitable flat, the replacement tube that you brought along (right?) will need to be inflated. That means you’ll need a pump. There are all kinds, from some that mount on the bike frame, to little battery powered pumps that can be carried in a bag.
8. Tire Levers
When you go to fix that inevitable flat, the replacement tube can’t go on until first you remove the tire. To do that you’ll need a couple of small plastic pieces called “tire levers.” They’ll help pry the tire off the metallic wheel rim, then pry it back on once the new tube is on there. Tire levers are simple, small, and cheap. See here for more info on how to use them.
9. Water
The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that cyclists take in eight ounces of water for every 20 minutes of riding.
Also, drinking an electrolyte-enhanced sports drink that is six- to eight-percent carbohydrate will result in better—and faster—rehydration. The intestinal tract moves carbs very quickly into the bloodstream.
You can also make your own sports drink at home, using any of these DIY sports drink recipes.
10. Bike Lock
As cycling has gotten more popular, bike theft has become more common. Don’t be part of that trend. Secure your bike! You want it to stay where you left it. Your lock doesn’t have to be the best; any lock is better than no lock. But use the best lock you can. Cable locks are reputedly easily cut by bolt-cutters. Better are chain locks. Better still are U-Locks. Some of the best locks are folding locks (shown above), consisting of several hardened steel plates linked together.
11. Bell
A bell is the best way to alert nearby pedestrians as you approach. A bell is cross-cultural and multi-lingual. Even someone who would not recognize nor understand “on your left” would recognize a bell. They’re handy, they’re cheap, and to many of us they emit a sound that is undeniably happy.
12. Bike Mirror
Do you really need a mirror? I mean, you’re out in the open, with no seat belt. Can’t you easily pivot or turn your head to look behind you? Yes, you can. But that takes conscious intention, and will require a 1/2 second or so, during which your vision in front of you will be interrupted. The benefit of a mirror is that it’s instantaneous and does not require you to remove your vision from what’s in front of you. Just like when driving a car. So maintain your vision, help your neck, and stay safe. Get a mirror.
Mellow Map of Manchester
The Mellow Map of Manchester has come together! Keep in mind that this is a first draft. Also, this is very much a living map. We are reliant on feedback and input from you, the riding public! If you find mistakes on this map, or additions that should be made, please let us know! We want this map to be useful to you.
We recognize that many of us are moderate in our skill on a bike, and may lack comfort on the open road. While we don’t yet have a network of safe connected cycling paths separated from traffic, we shouldn’t let that stop us from riding — riding is healthy & fun.
Our aim is that this map will clearly depict safe & low-stress bike routes with mild vehicular traffic, with few revving engines & giant trucks, and that it will be useful to folks who may be uncomfortable navigating busy traffic.
The Mellow Map of Manchester is graciously being hosted by the Queen City Bike Collective. You can view it here.
Send feedback to: [email protected]
Guide to using the map
The graphic portion of the map operates in a fairly conventional way, much like other on-line maps.
The black banner at the top of the map offers three additional controls.
One control icon at left, and two on the right. The left icon reveals additional information. Of the two right icons, the left-most is for sharing the map. The extreme right icon shows a larger view of the map.
When clicked, the left icon will cause a panel of additional information to slide in from the left. This panel shows some textual information at top, and below that, some lists of items on the map that can be disabled if desired.
Clicking one of the arrow icons at left of this panel will reveal more information. For example, clicking the top most arrow icon will show:
Second from right is an icon showing three connected dots, symbolizing sharing. A click will show a menu allowing you to notify friends of this map vie a few different mechanisms.
At the extreme right is a rectangular icon which will produce a larger view of the map, expanded out from the QCBC web page. This larger view can be useful for exploring the map.
A view of the larger map:
Details about the map:
Have your say about Manchester’s new Zoning Ordinance
Zoning is always relevant to streets, transportation, and safety.
The first draft of Manchester’s revised Land Use Code (a.k.a. Zoning Ordinance) is now out for public review. The city would like to hear your feedback. Read more about how, and what will come next.
Watch out for snapping bungies!
Bungees can be really handy, but they’re also liable to slip out of your fingers just before you secure them, snapping back hard, coming right for an eye. Sheesh!
This biking hobby sure has a lot of risks! Especially if the bungees have hooks on the ends! OK, maybe I’m being a little dramatic. But seriously, if you secure things with any kind of bungee, pay attention and be careful! Your future eye-patch wearing self will thank you.
Or, use something safer and arguably better, like ROK Straps, developed 25 years ago by an Australian engineer specifically to reduce eye injuries.
Don’t miss the delightful video at the bottom of the ROK straps page! Or see it here.
Watch a review of Rok Straps by Path Less Pedaled.
Call for Input
We very much want to hear from you! Do you have any questions or concerns? What topics would you like us to cover? Send your feedback our way and we’ll get on it! We want to ensure this column meets your needs.
Stay safe and have fun out there!