About Bike Commuter

Welcome to my new bicycle blog, Boston Bike Commuter.  I’ve been thinking about starting a bicycle blog for a long time and have dragged my feet about it but with spring coming in, this is as good of a time to get started.

A little bit about myself:  my name is Liam, I’m 37 years old and I’ve lived in the Boston area for 12 years.  From 1999-2007, bicycling was my main form of transportation to get to work, go to school, run errands, attend social occasions and just for fun.  In the fall of 2007 my wife & I moved to Jamaica Plain and I put my bike aside intending to find some time to explore my new neighborhood.  Then my son was born, then it was winter, then I had a serious back injury and then I started commuting with my son to his daycare when he was too young for the bike.  Finally, I got back in the saddle again last spring riding to and from daycare and work with my son in the back seat.

I don’t ride as much as I once did, but I hope to get back into more regular commuting and I intend to use this blog as a way of keeping me in check.  I also feel that my many years of experience as a bicycle commuter could be helpful to others.  Boston feels like a scary place to ride a bike, but I’ve found my experience riding in the city Here’s what you may expect to read on the Bike Commuter blog:

  • Ride Log – stories about my experiences biking in and around Boston.
  • Tips –  suggestions for how to make your ride in the city safe and enjoyable.
  • Advocacy – political action to support bicyclists and bicycle facilities (I may sometimes venture into overlapping issues related to walking, public transportation, and urban planning).

Things you won’t see on this blog:

  • Athletic pursuits – if you’re into bike racing, endurance rides, and/or mountain biking, I salute you, but you’re probably not going to find anything you’re interested in.  This blog is more geared to the every day person who uses a bike to get around.
  • Rampant consumerism – much of what is on the internet about bicycling is geared toward convincing you that you need to spend money on the right bike, the right accessories, and the right clothing if you want to be serious about riding a bike. This blog is here to convince you to get a bike that works, put on it what you need, wear what you have on and get on the road.

Thanks for reading.  I hope you and enjoy this blog and find it useful.  Please feel free to leave comments and (polite) criticism.

I have two other blogs, so if you’re interested in reading what I write on other issues, check them out: