May 14th, 2008
Andy Clarke, a spokesman for the League of American Bicyclists, says the decision to bike to work doesn’t need to be an all or nothing endeavor.
“Maybe you just ride part of the way. Take your bicycle to a metro stop and then take mass transit the rest of the way. Or maybe you only ride in a couple of times a week. Some folks make a 20-mile commute round trip every day, but not many,” he says.
“You have to be realistic,” Clarke says. “Commuting to work is only about one-fifth of the trips we make in a week. Maybe instead you bike to the video store, to church or the grocery store.”
A desire to reduce the carbon footprint and enjoy the outdoors are good reasons to cycle to work. But there are many things to consider first such as the route, the weather, the gear.
Choosing a route is important, says Clarke. Since not all cities have bike paths, he suggests that riders take a bike trip on a weekend, maybe go with an experienced cyclist friend, and map out a route when there’s less traffic.
“You might find a shortcut so that you can avoid major roads that can be intimidating. You definitely don’t want to ride on the interstate.”
“In sprawling areas, like Texas, distances may seem greater than they really are,” Clarke says. “When you get out and ride, things sometimes are a lot closer than you imagined.”
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