Bike To Work Day 2011: What Everyone Should Know About Bicycle Commuting (PHOTOS)

From Bicycling Magazine:

From fatter wallets to smaller waistlines, more Americans than ever are discovering the benefits of cycling to work: According to the League of American Bicyclists, bike commuting in the U.S. increased 44 percent from 2000 to 2009.

Thinking of joining the pack? Get started with the following tips, excerpted from Bicycling Magazine's Big Book of Bicycling, just in time for Bike To Work Day.

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Tip 1: Bike commuting keeps you sharp

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Forget the dumb jock stereotype--biking to work is exactly the aerobic exercise your brain needs. Activities that require balance, quick reactions and decision-making skills--such as cycling--have been shown to control ADHD in children, and a Vanderbilt University study suggests that these activities may help adults with focus and concentration too. Also, a University of Illinois and University of Pittsburgh joint study found that physically fit participants performed 40 percent better on memory tests. Related: More commuting tips

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Forget the dumb jock stereotype--biking to work is exactly the aerobic exercise your brain needs. Activities that require balance, quick reactions and decision-making skills--such as cycling--have been shown to control ADHD in children, and a Vanderbilt University study suggests that these activities may help adults with focus and concentration too. Also, a University of Illinois and University of Pittsburgh joint study found that physically fit participants performed 40 percent better on memory tests.

Related:
More commuting tips

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Comments

[Kenz300]

03:12 PM on 06/19/2011

As the price of energy continues to rise we will all reassess how we get to and from work, school and play. Kids used to bike to school...... the last 20 years or so they all seem to be driven to school. We need more safe bike lans, paths and places to lock and store a bicycle. More national chains need to build bike racks as part of their outside store design.

[Drew Hagen]

10:41 AM on 06/18/2011

Where a helmet. After riding nearly everywhere by bike for nearly 35 years and nearly 200,000 miles I can say my life has been saved at least 5 times by helmets.

Bikes may not be some socio/enviro/economic panacea, but its highly unlikely a one-car-per-person based society is the future.

All snarks aside, I believe in the power of cycling to change lives. It is part of the meaning of my life. Haters gonna hate, though.

[ThinkCreeps]

04:23 PM on 05/23/2011

Tip 0: Don't get run over.

[Widespread Panic]

08:52 AM on 05/23/2011

I live too far from work to bike, but if I did I would but only during the fall and spring the other months are either way too hot or cold.

[Dewts]

12:04 AM on 05/21/2011

i walk to work.

i don't own a bike :(.

[Dodgers1]

10:56 PM on 05/20/2011

My advice....don't get run over on the freeway.

[StoryTime]

11:34 PM on 05/20/2011

Hey thanks, bike commuters do not want to be car drivers anyway

[Mattcat25]

10:21 PM on 05/20/2011

I wonder how professional road racing cyclists commute to work?

Hmmmm….

[MochaLite]

09:06 PM on 05/20/2011

No bike lanes in my medium-sized cities. Biking to work would be near-suicidal. I'll drive and get my cardio on the elliptical and power-walking.

[SkippyJiffy]

08:13 PM on 05/20/2011

I've known too many people who have hit cyclists with their cars to do this

[NyJimbo]

05:30 PM on 05/20/2011

Driving a bike to work in any major metro area of the USA is nuts.

Besides, who wants to ride in the rain, snow, cold, heat or wind ?. Who wants to deal with obnoxious drivers who try to run you off the road? Do you really want to deal with the crazy traffic flow on your skinny aluminum pole with wheels ?. Most places dont have a safe location to store your bike. You cant really carry anything. If you have a flat or other problem you cant just sit in your car waiting for a tow or friend to drop and pick you up, you got to stand outside with that mangled bike until you figure out your next move.

Bike to work sounds like fun until you do it a few times and realize why nobody else is doing it.

[garystartswithg]

07:53 PM on 05/20/2011

how wrong you are -- i have no problem in the city with my bike. inner city drivers are much more awake than suburban drivers. if traffic isn't going over 40 miles an hour biking is easy.

[StoryTime]

10:54 PM on 05/20/2011

It's the entire opposite, I used to think a bit like you then I slowly started to bike commute and nowadays I am almost eager to bike in the rain (no snow here in Santa Cruz though ,)
You can carry all you want, in fact, some people even move using bikes!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fq3oSyvXLiY
For those intrigued, there are many other videos about bike moves on Youtube

[skyslimit]

04:51 PM on 05/20/2011

What about the amount of time savings during rush hours? Everyone knows bike lines don't congest. That alone would be worth it to most Americans.

[NyJimbo]

05:32 PM on 05/20/2011

Yeah, nothing like riding a bike during rush hour, not to mention you are tired and would like to sit down and relax on the way home. Good luck doing that on a bike at 5:30pm on any major road in the USA.

[garystartswithg]

07:54 PM on 05/20/2011

you like to make a lot of excuses for yourself.

[skyslimit]

09:25 PM on 05/20/2011

I do it everyday. Cheers!

[garystartswithg]

07:58 PM on 05/20/2011

i live in near the interstate in the middle of a nightmare where there are multiple lanes trying to get on and off and around. Just as an example Ikea is just the other side of the interstate, about 2 1/2 miles from my apt. I can get across those lanes and over the interstate walking in about 40 mins -- no major stops. driving can take 20 mins. biking is probably less, i never actually noticed the time. I won't drive that way during rush hour -- it makes you want to kill yourself getting through 6 blocks.

[miabchdav]

04:34 PM on 05/20/2011

I didnt have to work today but rode about 12 miles. Maybe it was just me but I found more drivers to be respectful of me on my bike.

[somewhatodd]

02:16 PM on 05/20/2011

a pathological biker recommends investing in a brooks saddle. you'll be glad you did.

[MajorKong]

02:25 PM on 05/20/2011

Never ridden one, but a lot of people seem to swear by them.

[BassguyGG]

01:46 PM on 05/20/2011

I live 2 1/2 miles from where I work. I sometimes walk to work but there is no way I'd bike it - it's suicide! Long Island drivers have no clue about sharing the road with bicyclists, pedestrians or even motorcyclists. Every day Newsday runs items about people who got hit by cars in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Last week a pedestrian got run over on the sidewalk! I worked close to home in the early Nineties and my company had a "green" initiative and I committed to bike to work once a week. After about three trips it became very clear that I was putting my life at risk. That was then - the traffic's much worse now.

[NormanKing]

01:29 PM on 05/20/2011

Did anyone follow the link for the recommended commuter bikes? The bikes cost $2-3k!! Just because a link exists doesn't make it a good link. This article/slideshow is trying to encourage bike commuting not discourage it. The link worked against the point of the article.

[skyslimit]

04:53 PM on 05/20/2011

I bought a Giant Transend commuter/ city bike a year ago and it only cost $350- great investment.

[garystartswithg]

08:07 PM on 05/20/2011

depending where you live and how far you commute makes a big difference. if you live in Miami you don't need the bike you would need in Denver. go to your local bike shop -- they are going to be a lot more valuable than a link. i have a soft spot for euro bikes and still wouldn't pay much over 1000, and i got some hills to climb.