commuting Archives - Good Cycles

There are 4 common categories of locks:

1. Coiled cable locks

On these locks, typically the cable bit is around as thick as your little finger. They are cheap, lightweight, versatile in terms of what you lock your bike to, easy to carry but not very secure as they can be cut with hand tools like bolt cutters. These locks are good for locking your bike for short periods of time in a location that is fairly safe. For example https://www.goodcycles.org.au/product/onguarddobermancoilcombolock/

The OnGuard 8030 Coiled cable lock (available online or in-store)

2. Armoured Coil locks

Armoured Coil locks are thicker and heavier than the above. The inner cable has a shield of solid metal plates around it to prevent almost all hand tools from getting through it, while some have a coating designed to jam an angle grinder blade. They are much heavier than the smaller cable locks but still have the same versatility but are harder to carry on the bike. Example: https://www.goodcycles.org.au/product/lockonguardrottweiler8024/

The OnGuard 8024 armored lock (available online or in-store)

3. D-Locks

D-Locks (also called U-locks or shackle locks) are the most secure locks. They are typically solid steel and need to be cut twice (rather than once) to free your bike. Usually heavy, fairly expensive, and a bit unwieldy to carry, but the best option for security. You can get mini D-locks which are lighter and easier to carry but their versatility in terms of what you lock your bike to are reduced. Great for locking your bike for long periods of time. We suggest locking your rear wheel and frame to the bike hoop or post. Example: https://www.goodcycles.org.au/product/abusultra410d-lock230mmx105mm/

The Abus Ultra 402 D-lock (available online or in-store)

4. Folding plate locks

Folding plate locks, probably our favourite and most popular lock. Almost as secure as a D-lock but has the flexibility of a cable lock and carries well on the bike, they are fairly heavy though and not cheap. Good for commuting as most come with a good mount to hold the lock on your bike where a drink bottle cage would go. Example: https://www.goodcycles.org.au/product/abus-folding-lock-ugrip-bordo-5700-2/

The Abus Ugrip Bordo 5700 lock (available online or in-store)

When choosing a lock consider these key questions

Where and for how long are you locking your bike?
How secure does your lock have to be?
How will you carry your lock?
Could you leave at work if you don’t make stops to and from work?

Hopefully, you never experience a stolen bike!

More and more people are getting on a bike in 2021, particularly to commute to work. And our team is no different.

Here are some stories from our team members who choose to cycle to work and what works best for them.

A reliable solution for Kate

I wanted a reliable solution to my commute to work. My trip is only 8km but public transport is really crowded and ends up taking a long time. A car isn’t practical at all – partly because of the cost of parking and partly because of how long it takes in stop-start traffic.

I was riding a regular bike but I found the weight of all the gear I carry was making the trip a bit of a hassle. I would arrive at work feeling dishevelled – especially if there was a headwind or if the weather was hot or wet. And public transport is even more terrible on days like that.

Moving to an electric bike changed everything for me. Now I can carry everything I want to without hassles. I am a lot fitter but I don’t have to worry about arriving looking like I’ve been dragged through a hedge. I lost about 4 kg just by riding regularly! In fact, I barely use a car now.

For me the electric bike is 50% of the solution and great accessories is the other 50%. When you’ve got the right gear you can ride conveniently in any weather.

Kate with an ebike and gloves on — Kate with her Pearl Izumi gloves on

One of my favourite accessories is my trusty Quad Lock so my phone (i.e. navigation) is securely mounted on my handle bars. Other accessories are to manage the weather conditions:

a merino gaiter that stops me getting cold or getting earaches in the wind
water repelling gloves with touchscreen fingertips so you can still operate your phone on cold mornings
waterproof rain jacket and pull-on waterproof pants
Merry People boots: you cannot get cold or wet in them

A new way to commute to work for Jen

I never thought I’d commute to work by bike, it just never occurred to me as something I could do. I’d only ever ridden for leisure and riding on the road seemed scary. My thoughts and attitude towards commuting changed when I started work at Good Cycles. Most of my colleagues cycled to work and public transport had long lost its appeal even before the pandemic. Hearing Kate’s story of how she began commuting on an eBike sparked my intrigue even further. After many questions and much support from my colleagues I realised; I can ride a bike to work.

I got my hands on an eBike, I planned my route, I did a test ride with a friend and I haven’t looked back since.

Riding an eBike makes my 30km round trip to work a breeze, especially when it comes to the hills in my neighbourhood. Time I once spent sedentary and mindlessly scrolling through social media on a bus, train or tram is now spent moving my body, breathing the fresh air and arriving at my destination with a clear mind. It takes the same amount of time to cycle or take public transport, but the benefits of cycling for my mind and body just can’t be beaten. It’s easily one of the best decisions I’ve made for myself.

As a first time commuter, my favourite accessories are:

a drink bottle and bottle cage, there is nothing fun about riding dehydrated
a quadlock for mounting my phone with the arevo app to help me plan my routes
and give me panniers over a handbag any day. It blows my mind how much they can hold and I can’t even tell they’re on the bike, even when loaded up

Quad Lock mounted on bike handlebars — Quad Lock mounted on Jen’s handlebars

We hope these stories inspire you to ride to work if you don’t already!

An eBike is a very approachable way to begin commuting if you’re just starting out or have a lot to carry with you. Take a look at our range for a bike suited to your specific needs.

commuting

Choosing the right lock for your needs