Taking Your Bike on the Bus: Tips From Years of Experience

I've been getting around without owning a car for nearly 20 years, and one of the things that's made it easier is combining bicycles with public transportation. I've taken my bike on the bus more times than I could count, whether I was going to work, running errands, heading out to ride mountain bike trails, or just trying to get somewhere. Taking a bicycle on the bus can make getting around a lot easier, but it also comes with some frustrations. I've had buses show up with full bike racks, had bikes scratched and damaged, and even had one of my mountain bikes fall off the front of a moving bus. Despite those experiences, I still think combining a bicycle with public transportation is one of the most useful ways to get around without a car.

Why Take a Bicycle on the Bus?

One of the biggest reasons to bring a bicycle on the bus is that bus stops aren't always close to where you actually need to go. I've had plenty of trips where my destination was a mile or more from the nearest stop. Walking that distance takes time, especially if you're carrying something, but on a bicycle you can usually cover it in just a few minutes. A bicycle also gives you more flexibility when planning a trip. Instead of being limited to places within walking distance of a bus stop, you can ride to the bus, travel across town, and then ride the rest of the way to your destination.

For me, another big reason has been mountain biking. I've used buses to reach different riding areas and places where I wanted to film videos. One example is taking the Omnitrans sbX bus toward Loma Linda so I can ride at Hulda Crooks Park. Rather than riding the entire distance just to reach the trails, I can take the bus for part of the trip and save more of my energy for mountain biking. I've also enjoyed taking a bus somewhere farther away and then riding my bicycle home. It's a good way to explore new areas and find routes you might not normally ride.

Sometimes I Take the Bus, Sometimes I Just Ride

One thing I've learned after years of combining bicycles and buses is that you don't always have to plan everything around a bus schedule. I actually prefer riding my bicycle most of the time, but there are situations where taking the bus makes more sense, especially if I'm traveling a long distance and want to conserve some energy. Sometimes I'll already be riding down a road that a bus travels on, and I'll see one coming up behind me or stopped ahead. If I can catch it, I'll throw my bike on the rack and ride for a while. If I miss it, I'll just keep pedaling.

I've done this so many times that I sometimes think of myself as a rider of opportunity. If a bus happens to come along at the right time, great. If not, I was already riding anyway. Of course, I've also had plenty of moments where I was trying to catch a bus, only to watch it pull away just as I was getting off my bicycle. I've even tried signaling to drivers so they know I'm trying to catch the bus, but that doesn't always work.

The opposite happens, too. I've waited at bus stops for what felt like forever, only to eventually decide, "Screw it, I'll just ride." Sometimes the bus finally arrives, but the bike rack is already full. Rather than waiting for another one and hoping there's room, I'll just ride to my destination. Depending on how far I'm going, I might get there before another bus would have picked me up anyway. That's one of my favorite things about having a bicycle with me. I'm not completely dependent on the bus. If I miss one, the rack is full, or I miss the last bus of the night, I still have another way to get around, assuming the distance and route are manageable.

How to Put Your Bicycle on a Bus Rack

If you've never taken your bicycle on a bus before, loading it onto the front rack might seem a little intimidating. I don't remember the first time I did it, but I'm sure I was nervous about holding up the bus while trying to figure everything out. Fortunately, once you've done it a few times, it becomes pretty straightforward.

Most of the buses I've used have a folding rack mounted on the front. You lower the rack if it isn't already down, lift your bicycle into one of the wheel trays, and secure it using an arm that goes over the front tire. The exact design can vary depending on the bus, so it's worth checking the instructions for your local transit system before trying it. Many transit agencies provide diagrams or videos showing how their racks work. One thing I'd recommend is making sure your bicycle is properly secured before getting on the bus. Don't just assume everything is fine because the wheels are sitting in the rack. Check that the securing arm is positioned correctly and that your bike isn't going to move around.

I've also learned that not every bicycle fits every rack. Years ago, when I was riding mountain bikes with wider downhill tires, I occasionally had trouble getting the tires into the wheel trays. There were even a couple of times when I had to let some air out of a tire to get it to fit. If you have a fat bike or unusually wide tires, don't assume they'll fit. Check the transit agency's bicycle restrictions first. When I'm traveling with my dad or a girlfriend, I usually handle loading and unloading their bicycles as well. Once you're familiar with the racks, it becomes a pretty quick process.

What Happens When the Bike Rack Is Full?

This is probably one of the biggest disadvantages of taking a bicycle on the bus. For a long time, most of the buses where I live only had room for two bicycles on the front rack. That meant if you were waiting at a bus stop and the bus arrived with two bikes already loaded, you were out of luck. You could wait for the next bus, but there was no guarantee that its rack wouldn't be full, too.

It's even more frustrating when you're traveling with someone else. If you're riding with a friend or family member and there is only one available space, that doesn't do you much good when you both have bicycles. Many of the buses I see now have racks that hold three bicycles, which is an improvement, but they can still fill up. I've dealt with this countless times over the years. Sometimes I waited for another bus, and other times I decided it would be easier to ride the rest of the way. If you're using the bus to get to work or somewhere you absolutely need to be on time, this is something worth considering. Just because a bus is scheduled to arrive doesn't mean there will be room for your bicycle.

Your Bicycle Can Get Scratched or Damaged

Something I don't see mentioned enough when people talk about taking bicycles on buses is the possibility of damage. I've had bicycles scratched up quite a few times while riding on bus racks. Sometimes it's from other people struggling to load their bikes. Handlebars, pedals, and other parts can end up hitting the bicycle next to them. I've even had a derailleur broken once or twice from other bicycles getting tangled up with mine.

This is one reason I mentioned in my article about using a mountain bike for everyday transportation that I don't necessarily want an expensive bicycle for commuting. If I'm regularly locking my bike outside stores, riding in bad weather, and putting it on bus racks, I'd rather have something affordable that I don't have to constantly worry about scratching. That doesn't mean you shouldn't take an expensive bicycle on the bus. Just understand that damage is possible, especially when several bicycles are packed close together. And sometimes things can go a lot worse than a few scratches.

The Time My Mountain Bike Fell Off a Moving Bus

One morning, around 5:30 a.m., I was taking the bus to work with my mountain bike on the front rack. I was almost at my destination when I overheard one passenger say something to another about a bicycle falling off the bus. At first, I wasn't really paying attention. I was looking out the window, but something about what they said made me look toward the front of the bus. That's when I realized my bicycle wasn't there anymore.

I immediately yelled something like, "Driver, stop! My bike!" I jumped off the bus and ran back down the road a couple hundred feet to find it. This happened in a pretty rough part of town, and I was honestly surprised nobody had grabbed it by the time I got back. Unfortunately, the bicycle was pretty messed up. The front wheel was badly bent, and it wasn't something I could just hop on and ride to work. To make things worse, the bus didn't wait for me. By the time I retrieved my bike, it was already driving away. I ended up calling my boss to explain that I'd be a few minutes late because I had to walk the rest of the way.

I still don't know exactly why the bike fell off. The bus had hit a big pothole, but I can't say for sure whether the securing arm came loose, whether I hadn't secured it properly in the first place, or whether something else happened. I've taken bicycles on buses countless times, and that's the only time I've had one actually fall off. But it definitely made me more careful about checking that everything was secured before getting on.

Keep an Eye on Your Bicycle

Another thing I think about when taking my bicycle on the bus is theft. I've heard stories about people having their bicycles stolen right off the front of buses. I've never personally had that happen, and I don't know anyone it's happened to, but I've had moments when I was concerned about the possibility. Because of that, I prefer sitting somewhere I can keep an eye on my bicycle, especially when riding at night or traveling through rougher neighborhoods.

I wouldn't want to sit all the way in the back of a crowded bus where I couldn't see what was happening at the front. That doesn't mean you need to spend the entire trip staring at your bicycle. I just think it's worth paying attention to what's going on around you. After all, if someone did remove your bicycle from the rack while you weren't looking, you might not realize it until it was too late.

Don't Forget Your Bicycle When You Get Off

This might sound obvious, but it's easier to forget your bicycle than you might think. I had a friend who was riding the bus with his bicycle on the front rack. When he reached his stop, he got off and started walking away, completely forgetting that his bicycle was still on the bus. By the time he realized what he'd done, the bus was already driving away. He tried to get the driver's attention, but it was too late. Fortunately, he contacted Omnitrans and was eventually able to get his bicycle back.

Ever since hearing about that, it's something I think about when getting off a bus. I also prefer exiting through the front door when I have a bicycle on the rack. That way, I can let the driver know I'm getting my bike. I've seen people exit through the rear door and loudly tell the driver they're getting a bicycle, which can work, too. The important thing is making sure the driver knows what you're doing. Don't assume the driver remembers that you loaded a bicycle or is watching you unload it. Once you're outside, retrieve your bicycle promptly and move away from the front of the bus when it's safe. If you've removed the last bicycle, it's also common courtesy to fold the rack back up, provided that's what your transit agency instructs passengers to do.

I've taken my bicycle on the bus so many times that now, since injuring my knee and having to ride the bus without it, I sometimes get off and immediately think, "Oh shit, my bike!" Then I remember I didn't bring one. It's become such a habit that even when I don't have a bicycle with me, part of my brain still thinks I need to grab it off the rack. So I can definitely see how someone who's distracted or not used to bringing a bike could forget theirs.

Some Buses Have Bicycle Storage Inside

Not every bus uses the same type of bicycle rack. One of my favorite buses to take is the Omnitrans sbX, an articulated express bus that bends in the middle. I've used it to travel toward Loma Linda when heading to Hulda Crooks Park for mountain biking. What I particularly like about this bus is that it has bicycle storage inside rather than the usual rack on the front.

In my experience, there's room for roughly four to six bicycles, depending on how they're positioned and how busy the bus is. I've never had a problem getting my bicycle on one of these buses because of the bicycle spaces being full. Another advantage is that I can sit next to or near my bike instead of having it hanging off the front of the bus where I can't easily see it. I wish more buses had setups like this, although I understand that interior bicycle storage takes up space that could otherwise be used for passengers. The important thing to remember is that bicycle accommodations vary by transit agency and even between buses on the same system. It's always worth checking what your local buses allow.

Is Taking Your Bicycle on the Bus Worth It?

Despite some of the problems I've experienced, I still think taking a bicycle on the bus is worth trying, especially if you're looking for ways to get around without depending on a car. A bicycle can make the distance between bus stops and your actual destination much easier to cover. It also gives you more options when buses are late, racks are full, or you decide you'd rather ride.

For me, one of the biggest advantages has been being able to explore farther from home. I can take a bus to a different part of town, ride mountain bike trails, visit places I wouldn't normally go, or take a long one-way trip and pedal home. I also like having the freedom to change plans. Sometimes I'll catch a bus simply because it happens to be going my direction. Other times I'll get tired of waiting and just ride.

Of course, it's not perfect. Bike racks fill up, bicycles can get damaged, and sometimes things go wrong. I've experienced all of that. But after nearly 20 years of getting around by bicycle and public transportation, combining the two is still something I recommend. If you've never tried taking your bicycle on the bus, I'd suggest looking up your local transit agency's bicycle rules and giving it a try on a day when you're not in a hurry. Once you get comfortable with it, you might find that a bicycle and a bus can take you a lot farther than either one alone.