Biking to Work 101

Like many of my peers, I regularly shell out $60 to fill up my car’s gas tank and sadly realized that I spend the majority of my day inside in front of a computer. While the thought of ditching my car and commuting to work by bike always intrigued me, I was deterred by my lack of biking experience and the prospect of sharing the road with aggressive drivers.

At the behest of my bike riding pals, I recently (and very nervously) commuted to work by bike and lo and behold, it was a fun and invigorating experience. Not only did I shave time off of my commute, but I also saved precious money on gas. It was energizing to be outside and empowering to use my own two legs for transportation.

Below are four tips that will ease the stress and increase the fun of commuting to work by bike.

Get the Gear:

You don’t need the most expensive bike for a successful commute. Most any type of bike will suffice for your commute to work as long as it fits you and you feel comfortable riding it. If your bike has been collecting dust, your local bike shop can tune it up for a minimal fee. And, don’t forget to get fitted for a helmet!

Map a Route:

In order to plan the easiest, most direct and safest route to your destination, check out the maps provided by your local bike coalition. While using Google maps is great in a pinch, the maps provided by many local bike coalitions outline existing bike routes, paths, and lanes, and they indicate the grade of a street so you can be sure to avoid those steep hills.

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Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
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Zara M.

4:42PM PDT on Jun 25, 2011

I tried this when I was commuting to class: steep inclines, no bike lanes, busy streets, and random sidewalk endings made it nearly impossible. I did it once, got freaked out, and went back to driving the 5-10 minutes. I'm hoping that now I'm closer to campus I can start this back up.

June 25
send a green star

Hana B.

6:54AM PDT on Jun 22, 2011

I use my old bicycle each day to reach anything I need or have to do in time. Also because this small city - close to sea and the airport - is usually full of cars and trying to reach the other river side of the city by car is to become nervous soon. No thank you, if it's possible, this "free" way to move is much better and healthier! PS: you can also relax using your bike ;o)