By Stan Purdum
For most cyclists in these anxious days, riding solo is the choice that best fits the stay-at-home guidelines currently in place in most states. Those rules generally permit outside exercise, but with the stipulation that we all stay at least six feet apart. (The only exception is if you are cycling with another member of your household.)
In my case, I’ve settled on a loop ride that starts and ends at my front door. It’s long enough to give me a good workout but short enough that I don’t need to stop anywhere to eat, use public facilities or interact with others. For a bit of scenic variety, I ride the loop clockwise one day, counterclockwise the next and so on.
Riding solo is a good reason to make sure my bike is in good shape to minimize roadside breakdowns, and I carry ID and instructions about who to call should I crash.
I have cyclist friends that are doing similar rides of their own, and we’d prefer to be riding together, but we hope the current social distancing isn’t necessary much longer.
But for now, bicycle solitaire is the only game in town, and we might as well make the best of it.
If nothing else, riding the same loop day after day is good chance to work on personal-best performance goals. I’ve been keeping track of my average speed, and it’s gradually going up.
In many places, this is also an opportunity to ride on roads that are normally heavily traveled. In my case, I was in high-tourist part of Florida when the lockdown occurred, and with our home state of New Jersey being a hotspot for the pandemic, it made sense to remain here. But with tourists no longer coming, roads that I had considered too crowded with traffic to pedal on are now relatively quiet, and I use one of those roads on my daily loop.
Best of all, the time on the bike is an outlet for nervous energy, and I return home tired, but calmed and refreshed, not incidental benefits when the national news is troubling.
Stan Purdum has ridden several long-distance bike trips, including an across-America ride recounted in his book Roll Around Heaven All Day, and a trek on U.S. 62, from Niagara Falls, New York, to El Paso, Texas, the subject of his book Playing in Traffic. Stan, a freelance writer and editor, and Methodist minister, lives in New Jersey. See more at www.StanPurdum.com.
I think every cyclist should wear a RoadID, especially if riding alone. They are inexpensive and indispensable if you have a crash that requires medical attention..
Thanks, Greg. I came to say this, though in my case, I have dog tags with vital information.
Roads are pretty barren in the fairly rural area I’m in so I’m giving my route and approximate duration to family. I’m also cutting risk by not barreling down hills. No point in sitting in a ditch with no passers by and with family not knowing my route. No point being in Urgent Care or the ER now, further taxing the system.
Even riding solo you may come upon other riders so use caution. Cyclists leave a plume behind them which could contaminate someone else. A Danish study recommends at least 10 meters spacing when riding slowly and 20 at faster speeds.
Will
The Dutch study was an academic treatise detached from reality. Devoid therein was any consideration of the cross winds experienced on virtually every ride I’ve taken. More importantly we should not become slaves to fear and paranoia. Statistics indicate that most victims of Covid 19 are people with underlying medical problems. Most bikers are in excellent health. I would encourage all to press on heartily on the saddle .Do not deprive yourself of the great joy that we have at hand.
Ken
The conclusion of that Dutch study has been called into question in a number of places due to its lack of it being an actual scientific study. Here is one such article about it:
https://www.bicycling.com/news/a32097735/coronavirus-viral-simulation/
Stan, You Nailed the truth with this discernment. “But for now, bicycle solitaire is the only game in town, and we might as well make the best of it.”
Praying for eradication of this disease.
This debate reminds of the flip-flop that the CDC did with respect to wearing masks and face covering – initially don’t do it b/c it’s ineffective (to stop 100% transmission), then later, do it b/c it helps though not 100% effective. No doubt a peer-reviewed study with actual virus used, etc. would qualify this computer simulated hypothesis, but that’s is really not the point. The point is that under many circumstances, including cycling, a 2-meter/6-foot distancing is not sufficient. So I believe it’s appropriate to ride, run, hike, etc. alone or only with those whom you co-habitate.