Gas prices are soaring, you never have time to exercise, and car insurance is breaking your piggy bank. What can you do? Bike to Work!Commuting to work by bicycle is enjoyable, and extremely beneficial for you. Here are a few benefits you may experience:
*Increased cardiovascular health
*Superior alertness at work (no more morning groggies)
*Savings on gas
*Faster Commute (depending on your normal traffic situations)
*Fun and Joy!
The prospect of cycling to work is daunting for many. Getting on a bike early in the morning with an extra pair of clothes, work essentials, no coffee cup holder, all while navigating through morning traffic didn't particularly excite me either.
Break it down into some simple steps, and you can prepare yourself for the next level of commuting bliss.
First, you need a working bike. Make sure your bike is fitted properly, if you experience pain while on a bike, please have a bike shop look at your fit! If pain persists, I'd also recommend talking to a doctor.
Second, bike gear. Depending on what you bring to work and where you live, you may need a rack with panniers, fenders, and bicycle headlamps. These are often found in your local bike shop, but you may also find plenty of high quality merchandise on the web. For high quality hand-crafted panniers, I'd suggest checking out Swift.Industries.
Third, bike wear. The longer the commute you plan to make by bicycle, the more strongly I recommend purchasing some bike shorts and jerseys. The comfort is absolutely worth it. After that, make sure you find a good cycling specific rain jacket.
Fourth, bike tools. For every bicycle ride you take, there are some essentials that will help you when your bike has mechanical problems, or a flat tire. A good full-featured multi-tool with Allen wrenches, emergency spoke wrench, and tire levers are a good start. Carry at least one spare inner tube and a pump that you know how to work.
One of the last steps, is to find a good route to take to work. Often times, the same route you drive in a car, would make a poor bike route. Explore on weekends or during your free time different ways to get to your job. Make careful note of shoulder size, cleanliness and condition of road, and traffic. Also, if you are going to commute at night, finding a well-lit and safe route is important.
More than anything, your attitude, will power, and focus are the most important factors to making it to work safely and happily.
There's plenty more to riding to work than I tell you here, but I hope you're more inspired to try the commute. Stay tuned for more useful cycling information.
Ride safe, wear your helmet!
