This week is National Bike to Work Week. Here are some tips on how to prepare for a commute by bike
National Bike to Work Week started May 14 and if it's been said once, it's been said a thousand times: Driving to work does absolutely nothing for the betterment of your health.
For many commuters, the morning and evening commute can eat literal hours out of the day with no tangible benefits beyond having some time to one's self to catch up with a radio station or audiobook.
Comparatively, biking to work is a solid addition to a workout routine that boosts cardiovascular strength, helps tone your legs and even gets you out of your car to enjoy the world around you for a while.
If you already have a bike and a helmet ready to roll out tomorrow morning or even if you're not sure if a bike commute is feasible, it might behoove you to know some of the ups and downs of riding a bike to work before taking the plunge.
Weather prep will save you headaches
Preparing for the season to plan to ride in is obvious enough but planning for sudden changes in the weather may not seem as pressing if you live where rain is an uncommon occurrence.
Rain isn't the only weather scenario to prepare for and you should always ready yourself to face the best and worst possible temperatures and riding conditions for your commute.
Dressing for colder weather is always wise, but a sudden shift to warmer temperatures without an easy way to shed layers is an unfortunately simple way to wind up miserable.
Alternatively, you may end up stuck at your workplace for longer than you intended and riding after nightfall without a proper complement of safety gear isn't wise for anyone. Always make sure your bike has proper lights to illuminate your path. These should be placed both at the front and rear and on the side. You should have reflectors to ensure you're as easy to see as humanly possible.
While the goal is to get outside and exercise, you don't have to be constantly straining to make it work. For some people, the idea of a bike commute simply isn't feasible either due to environmental factors like time or an excessively long ride you simply aren't ready to handle.
Bus and rail lines in certain cities have the benefit of hard-mounted bike racks for commuters who take multiple modes of transport through the day. Generally speaking, you'll see these on the front of buses or internally for rail cars.
When biking to work, ask your company about providing outdoor bike racks. Many times cities will also supply bicycle parking racks when requested
Bikes can't stop themselves from being stolen
After you arrive at your workplace you'll need to find the safest place possible to keep your ride home in the hands of its rightful owner.
Internal parking in a designated bike room is ideal. But not every business is as accommodating as they could be, necessitating outdoor bike racks. Don't just leave your bike resting up against a rack for a passerby to dismantle or ride away, of course. Bike locks are always a good idea! And make sure those bicycle parking racks are sturdy and in a highly-visible location. Bike thefts are on the rise across the country.
Experienced cyclists may scoff at the idea of a two-mile ride to work every day. The rest of you may not be as excited to test your calves and thighs in a way that can leave you late for work to be reprimanded for tardiness. Or you may simply not want to ride every single day of the week.
Try riding a few times a week to ensure you're willing and capable of making the trip before dedicating a portion of your budget to commute gear and morning ride energy bars.
Biking to work in some cities is painfully rare. Some cities don't keep up with their roads well enough to make it a reality. Some cities don't have properly marked bike lanes. Worst of all, some cities are overflowing with drivers who aren't as vigilant as they should be while behind the wheel.
Know your city before you take off in the morning to ensure you know where you'll be riding, the conditions of that ride and what to expect on the road. For bonus points, ride your planned route over the weekend to get a feel for how things will go come Monday morning.
Taking a casual ride to work should feel good. You're getting out of your car to see the sights, feel the wind in your hair, stop off for coffee on the way home and generally take in something you miss while trapped in your car.
If it starts to feel like a chore, shake things up. Find out why you're not enjoying your ride and fix it. Maybe you just need to leave for work a few minutes earlier for a more relaxed ride. Try getting your coworkers involved for extra moral support.
National Bike to Work Week is a good time to start
After all, exercising regularly and cutting out one of the most tedious parts of the average worker's day should feel like a liberating experience, not another chore to tick off from a list of mandatory activities. Biking to work is good for your body and the environment. Make sure it's doing something positive for your mood, too.
Note: May is National Bike Month and May 14-18 is National Bike to Work Week. Friday, May 18 designated as National Bike to Work Day. This might be the time of year to make a resolution to bicycle instead of drive. Your body and your mind will appreciate it.
Written by Amanda Wilks