Combining biking with transit is a great way to make a long commute possible without your car, or to make a slower transit connection faster. But taking your bike on the bus or MAX can be intimidating the first time - so here are some ways to make it easier.

First, here are some great resources from the Portland metro-area's transit operator, TriMet:

TriMet's brand new video about biking-around-buses (covers lane positioning, interactions at bus stops, what to do if you have a bad experience, and more)

Instructions for taking your bike on MAX (including maps of MAX trains showing where the bike hooks are located)

Instructions for taking your bike on a bus (with photos)

And my tips:

Try it on a Sunday
If you're nervous about putting your bike onto a bus or a MAX train that's full of impatient morning commuters, try it out on a weekend day first. You can take your time, get it wrong, and then get it right without feeling pressured.

Try it on a resting bus
If there's somewhere in your neighborhood where buses regularly lay-over, ask one of the drivers if you can try their rack while they go to the restroom or take a smoke break. You'll have plenty of time to get the hang of it.

Leave space when opening the rack
I often see people stand close to the bus rack with their bike between them and the rack. That means that when they open the rack it falls down onto their bike. It's better to either hold your bike behind you with one hand, and open the rack with the other; or to start 3 feet from the rack with your bike in front of you and lean waaay over to open the rack.

Tell the driver before removing your bike
I can't over emphasize this. They're terrified of running someone over. Sit or stand near the front of the bus for your ride to make this easier.

Let your knee do the heavy lifting
If you are big or you have a lightweight bike you can probably put it up on the MAX hooks using your arms alone, but if you're small or your bike is big that's not so easy. Here's how I do it: grasp the handlebars of your bike, roll it forward on the back tire as you lift up the front tire into the air; your bike is now doing a mega-wheelie, balanced on the back tire alone; roll it (on the back tire) a little closer to the hook; finally, put your knee against your bike seat and use that fulcrum point to lever your top tire up onto the hook.

Be strategic about where you board
At peak hours, MAX trains fill up with bike-toting and non-bike-toting passengers alike. Even if there's a bike hook available, getting to it through a sardine-tight crowd of other riders can be awkward at best. So learn the crowding patterns for your trip and be strategic about where in downtown you board. Remember, you can bike across downtown far faster than the MAX.

Put your bike on the better side of the train
If you're traveling at rush hour, try to remember which side the platform is on at your destination. If you have a choice, hang your bike on that side of the train.

These tips are specific to TriMet (though most bus bike racks are similar) because that's the system I use often. Do you have tips for your local transit network? If so, share them here!

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