Get Ready to Ride
We all know it’s lame to show up to a bike event and realized you forgot to put air in that low tire, or didn’t bring a jacket on a rainy night. Use this page as a checklist to make sure you and your bike are ready for Bike Party!
- Be Gear-Ready
- Check your lights, front and back – need fresh batteries?
- Inflate your tires.
- Test ride your bike around the block:Â do the brakes, shifters, etc. work?
- Check the weather – Bike Party rides rain or shine, and it’s often cold. Bundle up, dress in layers!
- Bring snacks and water! We will usually be out for 3-5 hours, and there are few places to stop for water or snacks (sometimes none!). Dehydration is no fun – an entire Bike Party with no water will leave you a nasty dehydration hangover the next day, if not worse.
- Bring a lock if you plan to stay out after the ride.
- Be Responsible
- Know the law, and follow it…especially when doing otherwise might endanger others.
- Remember to bring front & back lights, and side reflectors!
- Helmets are not legally required, but we think you should wear one.
- No open containers, no public inebriation. You can get a DUI on a bicycle. It is very expensive and inconvenient, as this foolish rider noted.
- Review the how we ride page. Understand how to ride in a large group. Make sure you can ride in a straight line at a slow speed without swerving, or you will have lots of unhappy riders around you.
- Leave no one behind
- Pack a fix-it kit among your group: pump, patch kit, spare tubes, and tools.
- Make sure you have a friend’s cell phone number in case of a problem.
- Coming alone? Make a friend, ask someone to help if you encounter a problem.
- Check the route – know how to get home in case you lose the group. A map is a brilliant thing to study & carry – use it!