There Are Lots Of Reasons To Commute By Bicycle

You save money on fuel, wear and tear on your vehicle and may even reduce your insurance rates. No parking problems. And it's faster than walking, often faster than driving.

Health

Bicycle commuting is a great way to squeeze regular exercise into a hectic schedule. Commuting time can be used to stay in shape instead of sitting frustrated in traffic. Bicycle commuting can get you to work on time more often, put you in a better mood, and help you to do your job better. And when you are in better shape, you will get sick less often.

Studies show that health benefits of bike riding range from reducing risk of heart disease, maintaining or reducing weight, toning muscles and even improving cardio-vascular fitness. And remember, cycling reduces pollution and traffic congestion.

Mobility

Even the most powerful sports car crawls in congested traffic while bicyclists ride around it. And parking a car can be a time consuming hassle, but you can park a bike quickly and close to your destination.

Economics

Add up what you spend getting to work every day. Bicycle commuting saves you parking fees, fuel costs, auto maintenance costs, and transit fees. A new bicycle and cycling gear would pay for itself in a few months. The largest costs of automobile ownership are paid up front, insurance and car payments. You might be able to save as much as 25% of your income if you can replace your car or second car with a combination of bicycling, transit, an occasional cab or rented car.

Bicycling Benefits the Environment

Autos are the single largest source of U.S. air pollution. Short trips that are more bikeable are up to three times more polluting per mile than long trips. An average four-mile round-trip bike commute prevents nearly 15 pounds of auto air pollution from contaminating your air. When it substitutes for shorter auto trips, the bicycle eliminates 3.6 pounds of auto pollutants per mile. More bicycle use means less benzene, cyanide, lead, carbon monoxide, CFC's, sulfates and ozone in the air we breathe. Since the bicycle season matches the ground-level ozone season, by biking instead of driving, you contribute to pollution prevention when it is most needed.