Shifting Gears: Commuting Aboard The L.A. Bike Trains

Kinda like the bike buddies program here.

Shifting Gears: Commuting Aboard The L.A. Bike Trains

by ALEX SCHMIDT

December 01, 2013 5:33 PM

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All Things Considered

4 min 1 sec

L.A. Bike Trains brings together groups of five to 10 cyclists who commute en masse.

Courtesy of Bruce Chan

One of the largest obstacles in getting people to bike to work is their fear of getting hit by a car. A new grass-roots project in Los Angeles is helping folks navigate the ins and outs of traffic.

It's 6:45 a.m. and Barbara Insua is busy packing a bag. She will ride seven miles from her home in Pasadena to NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab, where she works as a graphic designer. She only started doing this ride a few months ago. Entire story here.

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Permalink Reply by Julia 3.5/7.5 mi on December 4, 2013 at 8:37pm

I LOVE this idea! When I started biking here, I had no idea how to get around and how to feel comfortable in city traffic. The first time I rode, I actually took North Ave home because I didn't know any other route to get home. (It was terrifying!)

At this point, I've officially gotten one other person into year-round bike commuting and I'd love to help others make the leap. I think some people don't realize how easy and how quick it can be to get around on a bike in Chicago. Most of the time I can get to work faster on a bike than I can on a bus, train, or car. Even if you're biking more slowly, it's a far more enjoyable commute.

I generally ride Logan Square to Lincoln Park or occasionally Logan to South Loop and would love to lead or join a bike train here. I think the camaraderie alone would be worth it!