The following is a post written by our former editor, Katie Fox, originally published on May 17, 2010. National Bike-to-Work Week is May 16-20 this year, with Friday the 20th being National Bike-to-Work Day. Hopefully this great post will inspire you to get yourself ready to ride next week!
Did you know? May is National Bike Month.
According to the League of American Bicyclists, over half of the U.S. population lives within five miles of their workplace. Yet only about five percent of commuters use a bicycle to get to their place of work. Bikes offer many benefits to both people and the planet, so here’s three reasons to take a closer look.
1. Biking is Great for Our Health
Obviously, biking is great exercise. The commute can become a time for activity and health, rather than a time of frustration and idleness in a car. Many people struggle to find time for exercise, but biking instead of driving helps you build exercise into your daily routine as a way of life.
Here’s a cool statistic: 80% of people who switch from sedentary commuting to biking show great improvements in health in just six to eight weeks. And usually, healthier people equals happier people. That’s a benefit that can’t be measured.
2. Biking is Great for the Environment
When you ride a bike instead of driving a car, you reduce air pollution. Short car trips can cause up to three times more pollution than long trips, and those are the very trips that could be replaced by bikes. You prevent the release of 3.6 pounds of pollutants per mile when you bike instead of drive. Not only that, but you reduce the need for fuel (oil). And ten bikes can be parked in the space of one parking spot.
Photo by Jonathan Rees
3. Biking is Great for Your Wallet
Depending on where you live, choosing to bike to work will save you money on fuel, parking fees, car maintenance work, and transit fares. If you are able to get rid of your car entirely, you will save on monthly payments and car insurance, too. What a boon to your monthly budget that would be!
Biking Resources
Here in our home, we have just made the decision to become a one-car family. We live about three and a half miles from my husband’s office – an easy biking distance. We are going to sell one of our cars, and my husband will ride to work instead of driving. If it’s raining too hard, I will drop him off and pick him up.
Find a Route
We didn’t think there was a good, safe route for him to take, but then we looked it up on Google Maps for Bicycling. Did you know that was an option? When you enter your starting address and destination address, you can then choose your mode of transportation from a drop-down menu: by car, walking, public transit (if available), and by bicycling. We found a great bike route for my husband, away from heavy traffic and busy roads.
Photo by John Talbot
Local Bicycling Help
The League of American Bicyclists maintains an online database for local bicycling help. You can go here to enter your zip code and find classes, clubs, shops, and instructors.
General Bike Info
• The website Commute By Bike has lots of resources and tips for getting around more easily on your bicycle.
• Bike to Work Week has information about biking events in the US and Canada.
• Be sure to check out the League of American Bicyclists for more ideas, including events by state and in Canada.
Editor’s note: Like Katie’s, my husband also commutes to work on his bike– not everyday, but at least once a week. The company he works for actually makes a bike; it’s a unique, elliptical bicycle called the ElliptiGo (pictured here in the top photo). The rider stands instead of sitting, which makes for a slightly safer commute, since it gives the rider better visibility in traffic.
If you or someone in your family bike to work, you might also check out the website, Map My Ride, which helps you keep track of your riding, and would give you a good gauge of your savings if you used it regularly.
How often do you and your family ride bikes? Do you commute to work on a bike? Share your bike stories!
About Nicole
I would LOVE to be able to bike to work. Unfortunately, my work is 25 miles from my house and I’ve got only 45 minutes to get there after I drop my kids off at school. I’m not THAT good of a cyclist! My husband, too has a long commute, but instead of driving, he at least takes the train.
But, this week I’ll try to do my local errands on my bike as much as I can. I love the fact that it’s finally warm enough to be out on the bike again. Thanks for the great reminder.
Elizabeth E.´s latest post: Tomato and Romano Quiche
I am going to try to use our local grocery store by walking or bike riding.
It is small, but to save time and money I hope to use this little store more often.
As a kid I rode my bike everywhere. My kids are so used to the car!
Thanks for reminding me of bike riding! Nice story.
I think anyone who commutes via biking is very brave. There are so many bike fatalities here in Utah id probably never feel comfortable doing that unless I could solely on bike paths. That being said I bought my son a balance bike ( cheap version at walmart) for his 3rd birthday and he rides it at least 2 days a week for our family walk – we have a large young dog and need to exercise him daily. I don’t have a bike but would like to get one though I think it would be hard to bike with a young beginning biker child…any tips on that? I am a bit of a worrier so I think I’d be more tense then really enjoying our biking together. Now with me walking and him biking were about the same speed and it works.
Nina´s latest post: Honor yourself 5911
That’s what we do. My son (nearly 4) rides his Strider and I walk the dog and push little brother in the stroller. My son’s nearly fast enough that I will be able to get a running workout in, but not quick enough that I could bike with him.
Bikes are great means of transport. Wallet, health and environment friendly.
I mainly ride on them for local arrangements at town and near home, as my office is too far away to be practical for a bike.
Seem that one way or the other, bikes will become a feasible option as oil crises and prices will drive humanity towards greener alternatives.
Julio´s latest post: Understand Home Basics When Buying A Home Steve
I just biked to the library today (with my son in tow)! My husband regularly commutes to his office when the weather is good. I can’t wait until my oldest daughter learns to ride well so we can bike around town together!
We are blessed to live in a city with bike trails.
Julia´s latest post: Menu and Activity Plan 5-9-5-14- Reality Check
We are also blessed to live in a major biking community. I haven’t owned a bike since college, but my husband got me a mountain bike last summer. You know the saying, “It’s just like riding a bike?” It’s true!
Now, I’m actually thinking a commuter bike might be nice, so that I could tow the kids in the trailer to the library or park this summer…
i dont used to bike, but i know i need to move my body from the computer’s chair from time to time lol, so maybe biking is the solution for me. i will try…
sap´s latest post: What Would Be The Best Way To Lose Weight
The loan suppose to be important for guys, which are willing to ground their business. By the way, this is very comfortable to receive a term loan.