Commuting to Work by Bike
You don’t have to be training for a triathlon to find a good reason to bike to work. Increasingly, people are biking to work to get exercise, help the environment and save money on gas. Let’s face it, with the gas prices rising so much in the last few years, it’s frustrating to not be able to do anything about it — but now you can. Get on your bike and pedal to work!
Although it’s a bit scary riding a bike in the middle of traffic, not only will you feel really good getting in that extra cardio, but taking in some outdoor scenery will exercise your spirit as well. Biking can help relieve stress (unlike car commuting, which usually has the opposite effect). Why not arrive at work stress free? Chances are there’s plenty of stress waiting for you at the office.
A word of caution, however. If you’re new to cycling (or any exercise), start out slowly. Bike to work one or two days a week until you get the hang of it. Slowly add on additional days until you are commuting to work by bike every day.
Here are 5 handy tips to make your bike commute easier:
Plan ahead. One of the reasons people don’t commute by bike is that they don’t want to arrive sweaty. Who does? If you’re one of the lucky ones, your work may have a shower in the restroom. If not, find one. Plan to use the shower at a neighboring office or a nearby fitness center. Believe me, the cost of a gym membership is still cheaper than gas. Don’t forget to bring shower toiletries and a towel. But what about work attire?
Bring your clothes to work ahead of time. Yes, you can carry your clothes in a backpack and cycle to work, but it gets heavy and makes you even sweatier. Your clothes will also get pretty wrinkled. One of the best solutions is to bring your clothes to the office the day before. If you’re not biking every day yet, just bring tomorrow's outfit in your car the day before. If you are commuting by bike every day, you may need to do a weekly drop off sometime during the weekend.
Any bike will do. You don’t need a fancy racing bike or expensive touring bike or anything to commute. If you’ve got an old mountain bike, or even older 10-speed, that’s good enough. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on a bike and gear to get started.
Have a spare tube and tools, and know how to change a tire. You wouldn’t drive a long distance without a spare in your trunk, so don’t take this tip lightly. You never know if you’ll get a flat, and you don’t want to be stuck walking your bike for several miles. That would be the biggest drag and probably end your commuting to work by bike days forever. A patch kit is good, but it’s even easier if you just have a spare tube, a pump, and the right tools so that you can quickly change the punctured tube for a new one. You can patch the old one later at home.
Be safe. Wearing a helmet is a no brainer, but it is good to read up on additional tips on cycling safety before heading out into dangerous traffic. Your local police department should be able to give you some cycling safety tips and rules of the road for bikers. You don’t want to get hit or get a ticket.
Will bike commuting become a new transportation phenomenon? Well, if it doesn’t, it should. If you respect your environment, want to keep in shape and don’t want to empty your wallet out at the gas pump every week, it’s an easy choice. Try it. You’ll love it. Happy cycling!