Skip Gasoline, Pedal Power Has Made a Comeback

One of the easiest ways to save on auto expenses is to save on gasoline. You can save in many ways: drive less, hunt around for the best fuel prices, carpool, use public transportation, use a proven fuel additive, ride share, invest in a hybrid or EV, etc.

Image by Jeff Moser/BikeCarson.com

But one of the most beneficial and fun ways to save on gasoline, even skip gasoline if you so choose, is by pedal power! If you haven’t noticed, bike riding has made a big comeback in the last few years. Business men and women are riding bikes to work, families are spending quality time going for bike rides, people are riding their bikes for exercise, kids are riding their bikes to/from school and more.  There are bike groups, bike clubs, riding competitions, etc. So many great ways to have fun AND save gas.

Plus, take a look at some of the many resources available to help make riding your bike even better:

1 – Map My Ride: This is a great tool to help you plot a bike trip, find bike trails, track your progress, hook you up with a cycling group and more. They also have an iPhone app and a Blackberry app to use while on your ride.

Of course this works too:

Image by Spesh98

2 – Bicycle Safety Tips: Be familiar with these 10 collision types and learn how to avoid them. Even though pedal power has made a comeback, it doesn’t mean that motorists are always aware of cyclists when they are driving. Make them aware of you.

Here are a few more tips from the League of American Bicyclists: follow the rules of the road, stay visible to vehicles and others, be predictable while riding, anticipate potential situations and of course, wear a helmet.

3 – State by State Trails: If you are looking for trails, but don’t know where you go, check out American Trails. They are a good resource for trails in the U.S. and Canada. Not only that, they also provide information on how you can volunteer and be an advocate for keeping these trails alive for future generations.

One of the nice things about this resource is you can check not only for bike trails, but for hiking trails, walking trails, horseback riding trails, snow trails, etc.

Image by KWDesigns

4 – Trails.com: Another wonderful resource for finding trails. You simply put in your city, state and zip code, then it shows you a map of your area. Icons show you whether the trails shown are hiking trails, biking trails, etc.

5 – Social riding: Ridedog.com is a cool resource if you are into social media and you want to share where you are riding through a tweet or maybe send your Facebook friends information on your latest ride. If you must stay connected while tapping into your pedal power, this resource will help you do so.

Personally, I’d rather disconnect from my online life for a bit while enjoying the great outdoors, but that’s my preference.

6 – Commuter tools: This is a great site for existing, or even potential, bike commuters. There are tools including state by state information on bicycle laws and a gas-saving calculator. They even have a blog with informative posts such as this one: “Commuter Profile: 100 Pounds Ago’s Gene Butcher“.

Here are a few more tips for your bike commute:

Even if you don’t need or use any of the above resources, figure out how you can skip gasoline and make some good use of your pedal power. It’s better for you, your health and the environment. What are you waiting for…go ride a bike!