There are several terrific benefits to using a bicycle for daily errands or travel to
work or school. Unfortunately, for many cyclists there are just as many perceived disadvantages. We'd like to ride more, to get fitter, save money and preserve our environment and natural resources - all of which bike commuting accomplishes - but is it really practical?

The answer is in most cases is a re-sounding yes. In fact, you're about to discover that perhaps the only valid reason not to commute by bike is that you just don't want to. To prove how well it can work for you, first fill in this blank:

"I'd like to be a bicycle commuter, but _______________________________________."

Now let's go down the list of the most common concerns and see why they're really
not problems at all.

Drive to work on Mondays or Fridays, leave a week's worth of clean clothes, and take the dirty ones home. Or, if your commute is short and you won't work up a sweat, simply wear your office clothes. (Drivers may be extra respectful if you're dressed like a lawyer!)

Keep a washcloth, soap, towel and deodorant in a desk drawer. Clean up at the restroom sink.
An even quicker method that doesn't require water is to use a washcloth or sponge and
rubbing alcohol.

Most buildings have a storage closet or out-of-the-way corner somewhere. If you can't secure your bike behind a locked door or put it where you can see it, fasten it to amimmovable object with a stout U-lock. If your boss won't allow your bike in the workplace, find a sympathetic co-worker who lives near-by, a bike shop, or another business within walking distance that will. Free storage is ideal, but a few bucks rent is cheap insurance, and your bike will be safe and out of
the weather.

Not if your route to work is the free-way. But it's usually possible to get from point A to B on less-congested city streets or secondary roads. You may travel a few extra miles, but the point is to enjoy your ride. And more miles with less traffic bring more enjoyment. Unless you're sharing the road with buses and cabs, apprehension about riding in traffic is often blown out of proportion. In stop-and-go traffic, a fit cyclist can usually maintain the same speed as cars, so it's acceptable to ride in the traffic lane instead of hugging the curb where you're less visible. If you don't claim your rightful place on the road, you'll tempt motorists to squeeze past.
To share the road successfully with cars, always ride lawfully, assertively, predictably,
and where you're visible. This means riding where motorists expect to see other vehicles.
For example, when preparing to make a left turn, don't hug the right shoulder until the last
instant so you have to dart across lanes of overtaking traffic. Instead, signal your intention
and get to the left early.

Probably not. Because of traffic, you can usually cycle from home to work in the same time it takes to drive. If you subtract the time it takes to find a parking spot but add the time to clean up and change clothes, you're still about equal. Besides, an extra few minutes of sleep aren't nearly as refreshing as a brisk morning ride. You'll arrive at work invigorated. And your evening ride home will leave you relaxed, so you'll sleep more soundly.

Wear light-colored, reflective clothing, and attach lights and reflectors to your bike. Thus adorned, you should not have a problem if you avoid busy thoroughfares with fast-moving traffic. Since streetlights usually provide ample illumination, aim your headlight at oncoming traffic
so drivers will be sure to notice you. If you ride on unlit rural roads, use a second head
light, mounted low, so its beam grazes the road ahead.

Don't. Just because some stal-warts bare themselves to nature's fury by commuting every day doesn't mean you have to. Even if the weather is clement only half the year, that's a lot of beneficial miles you wouldn't have ridden otherwise. Who knows - you may start looking forward to your daily commute so much you'll invest in foul-weather gear. When properly attired, you'll find
that riding in nasty weathercan actually be fun.

Tell it to Pete Penseyres, a former winner of the Race Across AMerica. He commutes at least
30 miles each way to his job in a power plant. But if you're not up to rising at 6 a.m. for an
invigorating two-hour ride, consider cycling only part way. Drive within range, park and
pedal the rest. Or, ride to the place where you can hop on mass transportation for the
remainder of the trip.

Take the long way. If you live only five miles from the office, that's plenty when the weather is cold or rainy. But on better days, use a route that doubles or triples this distance and provides a fitness-enhancing workout.

Actually, you're more likely to find that your co-workers admire you. Every-one knows the benefits of daily exercise. The fact that you're wise enough to get a good aerobic workout during a time that would normally be lost behind a steering wheel won't be lost on those who see you. It
might even prompt some of them to start bike commuting, too.

This is a tough one if you have only one car. One solution is to leave your car at work and
commute on the bicycle at least once a week. With creativity and good scheduling, there
may be quite a few days each month when bike commuting is possible by leaving your
car at work.
 

Challenge yourself! Take the pledge! Commute by bicycle one day a week!

Go To Top	Return to BT Cycles