Biofriendly Transportation: National Bike to Work Month

You may not be aware of it, but May is National Bike Month. That’s right…all you avid bicyclists, closet weekend riders and newbies alike can pull out your bicycles and proudly ride to work for National Bike Month. Of course every month is a good month to ride your bike because bike riding is one of the most biofriendly modes of transportation.

Image by Jeff Moser

There are many benefits to riding your bike to work, both personally and for the environment. Let’s check out just a few of them:

1) Health and Exercise: Riding your bike is a great form of exercise. Instead of sitting in your car every day and driving to work in traffic, ride your bike instead. You burn calories, improve your flexibility and coordination, increase your endurance, build up strength, etc. You’ll probably find you’re more alert and aware at work as well. Besides, it’s one of the simplest forms of exercise.

2) Stress Reducer: If you’re looking for a simple, fun way to reduce stress, go for a bike ride. It gets you outdoors, you can look around, get some fresh air, relax, etc. Nothing takes your mind off your day-to-day troubles quite like a calming bike ride. It’ll brighten your day and energize both your body and mind.

For those of you who still aren’t sure riding your bike would be a good stress reducer for you, here’s a Guide to a Simple Bike Commute that will help you have an enjoyable, stress-free ride.

3) Green in more ways than one: Not only will you save green by riding your bike, but it’s a green, environmentally-friendly form of transportation. Bikes don’t emit harmful emissions, manufacturing emissions are a lot lower for a bike than those for a vehicle, it’s cheaper than buying a second family car (or a first for that matter), bikes don’t require gasoline, they are easier to maintain and you can usually get around faster.

NOTE: For those who live in the Los Angeles area, MetroLA has put together a simple PDF on How to Use a Bike with Transit. If you’re not in LA, check with your local bus and train provider to get additional information on your area. Look for specials and deals, especially in celebration of National Bike to Work Week or Day.

So, even if you don’t live within bike riding distance to work, there are still ways you can ride to work. You can ride to your local Metro or train station, then load your bicycle on the train with you, ride to a stop near your office and ride your bicycle to work.

Remember to let your boss and office know about National Bike to Work Month. Maybe the whole company will get behind it and all start riding to work! National Bike to Work week is being broadly promoted from May 16th through May 20th, with National Bike Day on May 20th. Although different cities will vary on their individual Bike to Work days, such as the San Francisco Bay Area Bike to Work Day being held on May 12th.

Here’s a little video about last year’s Bike to Work Day in Washington D.C.:

And for those who would like a few pointers on How to Bike to Work, you can check out this video:

Last but not least, keep in mind that while using a proven fuel additive can help lower emissions and improve fuel efficiency, riding your bike will help on many fronts, including making a serious dent in your transportation spending habits. It’s simple logic: riding a bike is a smart, healthy, inexpensive and biofriendly way to get where you need to go.