5 Reasons You Should Ditch Your Car and Ride a Bike
by Frank on August 29, 2009
in Riding the Road, lifestyle
Ditch Your Car - Ride a Bike!
Ask yourself the question: Why do I ride my bike? or Why do I not ride my bike? Do you know the answer? Maybe it’s a simple. Maybe it’s not. Must you ride your bike, due to lack of vehicle? Or is riding a bike a conscious choice? Maybe you don’t ride a bike. Why not?
In any event, I believe it’s important to know why exactly you do what you do. In this case, why do you ride a bike? Why don’t you ride a bike? If you don’t spend much time on a bike, I challenge you (yes you) to ditch your car and ride a bike! If you do spend time on a bike, i challenge you to spend more time on it. I’ll even give you 5 reasons why:
See Things in a Different Way.
Anyone who’s spent much time on a bike knows that the road takes on a different view while on two wheels. You’re going fast enough to get where you’re going, but slow enough to be able to actually take in what you’re seeing. See houses you hadn’t seen before, storefronts you never noticed, or nature you never took the time to look at.
Get in Shape.
This one speaks for itself. On an intense bicycle ride you can burn over 1000 calories per hour. During a leisurely ride, you’ll burn more than 300. Why not get your workout AND your commute out of the way all at once?
Save Money.
Gas prices are soaring, and car maintenance fees are nothing to scoff at either. Save yourself the time and money by riding a bike. After a small investment in gear, you won’t have to spend another paycheck on gas again.
Save the Environment.
This one’s simple: Use less gas! Using less gas, means more harmful fumes and less drilling, which means cleaner air and a healthier planet. More cyclists on the road leads to less crowded streets and cleaner city air.
Stand Out from the crowd.
Take the opportunity to be different. In a world full of people dependent on their automobiles, take two wheels, see the road you’re traveling and maybe meet a person or two.
There you have it: 5 of the multitude of reasons you should ditch your car and ride a bike. Let us know why you ride your bike in the comments!
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Resources to help get you out on the road
Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense
Riding the Road: What to Bring on Your Ride
The DIYCycling Gear Shop
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I use my bike for exercise and recreation (however it currently has a flat and I am hoofing it:(
Thanks for the comment Lori!
It’s a shame that that’s slowed you down (I’m always sad when something keeps me out of the saddle). You should change it! If you don’t know how to do it yourself, http://www.bicycletutor.com has great video tutorials.