Plenty of people have deconstructed his points, so I’ll just say this: riding slow bikes with underinflated tires on the sidewalk may work for this guy, but it sucks. Bikes that are made to go a reasonable speed are just so much more efficient that it makes getting places easier, and a lot more FUN.

1. Yeah, don’t take the advice of the lycra’d/skinny-jeaned crowd as gospel. Take it with a grain of salt, but take it. You’re smart enough to know what is reasonable for you and what isn’t. So, often times, are they.

2. Get a hybrid if you’re more comfortable riding it, but you’ll be fine on “skinny” 700cc tires too…if you don’t *try* to run *into* potholes. Still, maybe a hybrid will work out better. Just keep in mind that many “city bike” hybrids have geometry with “foot-forward” geometries that work well for flat cruising, but which make climbing hills really awkward.

4. If you have to climb a lot of stairs with your bike, get a lighter bike. Get stronger, too, if you like, but at the end of a long day, your bike commute shouldn’t culminate in a weightlifting workout. Even one flight of stairs with an overly-heavy bike is a needless pain in the ass.

6. Get a U-Lock *and* a cable lock. Use the U-Lock for one wheel and the frame and the cable lock for the other wheel. Get a mini cable lock for the seat, too, if you lock up in areas where the resale value of a used bike seat is sufficient incentive for theft.

7. If you carry a U-Lock and a cable lock, you don’t need to ditch your quick-release skewers.

8. You really should be filling up your tires on a weekly-ish basis regardless of what kind you have.

9. You can get a little adapter that allows you to convert a Schraeder (“gas-station-style”) to Presta. For, like, two bucks.

10. I’m as mechanically inept as they come. Can’t do very basic shit. But I can change a flat tube. Everyone can learn this and everyone should — flats don’t only happen in places within easy walking distance of a bike shop (or during business hours).

11. Yes: be paranoid. Assume they don’t see you. And I personally don’t mind bikes in the sidewalk, but as a point of courtesy and safety, only when they’re riding at walking speed and, furthermore, can hold a straight line at that speed.

15. Or you can just put a chainguard on your bike and wear your pants however you damn well please.

I think he has a point in cycling novices needing advice tailored to them. Hard-core elitists will often overestimate the general populations abilities.

But this guy grossly *under*estimates them.

If you want some sound advice, check the bike coalition’s resources page:
http://www.sfbike.org/?resources

Then also check out Bike Commute Tips:
http://bikecommutetips.blogspot.com/
and Commute by Bike:
http://commutebybike.com/

Even if you’re not riding as a commuter, but want some good urban riding advice and a place to ask questions, they’re great sites.

this is why whenever I see a biker riding on the sidewalk, i talk my walking stick and stick in their rims. I love watching them fly off the bikes and skid face first on the sideWALK.

How ’bout no.