Why you should bike in cities

Biking is simply the most effective way to get around in a city. For particular dense cities, such as New York or Boston, you're generally able to get to your destination faster and cheaper by biking than if you were to drive or take public transportation.

In Boston, as a student, city biking has been particularly invaluable. During the semester I'm quite strapped for time during the day, and yet there are so many interesting events I could potentially attend. Simply put, city biking in Boston has allowed me to do more with my time. A party at Tufts? A famous speaker at Harvard? A cool event or a class at MIT? Free food at Boston University? I'm there in 15 minutes flat.

Tips for getting a decent bike

Go on craigslist or Facebook marketplace and grab a used bike for <$200. Here are some features you should look for in a city-style commuter bike:

• Fenders. If you're biking to commute to your job this is 100% necessary, since you plan to use your bike rain or shine. Without fenders, you will get absolutely soaked if you bike through even the most shallow puddles.
• A step-through or low-cut frame. Importantly, the step-through frame allows you to quickly and easily bail from your bike if something unsafe is happening in front of you. Additionally, step-through frame bikes generally position you upright rather than in the downwards aero formation, giving you a better view of the city around you. Also, If you're extremely set on using your bike for exercise too, just buy anoher cheap bike off craigslist.
• A rear rack/basket. You want your bike to be useful to you, right? Getting your backpack or groceries off your back and handlebars while biking is the ultimate freedom!
• Chain guard. It guards your chain. It fends away rust and prevents getting your pants, jacket, or whatever caught in the chains.
• An internal gear hub. Derailers are inconsistent and prone to slipping out of alignment; internally gear hubs are so much more consistent, and virtually never need maintenance.
• Kickstand. Because you'll want to get off your bike at some point too.

For good measure, check out some of the cool bikes I've owned:

Which bike lanes should you ride in?

Check out the following bike lane diagram from Boston's city government:

In general, it is not safe to bike in shared lines or conventional bike lanes, as the number one way experienced bikers get injured and bikked is by getting doored. It is generally only safe to bike in separated bikelanes, or in the middle of the street away from the parked cars.

Some city biking tips

For fun, here's my set of semi-controversial city biking tips :D

• learn to cycle at least one-handedly, or with no hands if you can. Super helpful if you need to adjust your pants, your hat, your music, or anything else on the fly. Biking no-hands is also extraordinarily fun and lets you text, check google maps, etc mid-ride. Personal anacdote: I rarely, if ever, see other people cycling no hands in the states, but in Europe it was fairly common.
• If you're going listen to music with wireless earbuds, wear just one ear bud on your right side. This way you can still hear traffic coming from your left while still jamming out.
• Make eye contact with drivers, do hand motions at them, and also do the turn signals with your arms (make sure you're 100% comfortable with biking one handedly!)
• Make sure your laces aren't too long, or else they may get caught up in the pedal or gears, and you may die
• if your rear rack is sturdy enough, it can carry people! This seems to be quite common in Europe, but not so much in the states
• If you're not riding in a separated bike lane, just take the entire car lane with your bike. Seriously, ride in the middle of the car lane instead of going in a bike lane. Biking in the center of the lane maximizes the distance between you and all cars, maximizing the chance you'll be able to react in-time to any bad drivers, therein maximizing your safety. In my city this is legal to do, but check legality in yours.
• The most consistent way to take the center of a car lane is to do the following. When at red lights, ride past the stopped cars to the front (usually on the first half of the crosswalk), then run the red light as soon as it's safe. After running the red, take the center of the lane. In many cities red lights may be treated as yields for bikers; check your state's laws.