My goal is to bike to work about 4 out of 5 days a week. To stave off laziness, I’ve been ‘requiring’ myself to bike a minimum of once a week. Though last week, I only biked once on Wednesday.
It was around \(-6^\circ C\) in the morning as well as at night. Even though it was this cold, I still overdressed! For my ride home, I wore 1 less layer on my bottom and top. I wore surprisingly little and was very comfortable, except for my toes and hands! My limited experience is that if my body overheats, then my hands and feet usually are just okay, just like during my morning ride this time. If my body feels just right, then my hands and feet may end up a bit cold by the end of the 1 hour commute, like what happened on my way home. I will need to experiment with how much clothing I wear in the future. I will think about making a post about the equipment I use in the future as well.
So why do I bike to work when it’s so cold that some people dread even getting out of their homes to drive to work? Let me list a few reasons for you below.
1st. It is FUN! Why is it FUN? Well, because it just is. Really though, once you get into it, it is very refreshing and you will feel more awake and energetic throughout the day!
2nd, I save gas. My commute to work is about 10 miles one-way. 20 miles round-trip takes almost 1 gallon of gas, which would cost about $2 here in Michigan right now. If I can bike instead of driving 200 days a year, which equates to approximately 4 out of every 5 work days, I would be saving about $400 a year! I’m not sure about you, but most people would love to have an extra $400 a year. Obviously, it’s not all roses. I could EASILY eat an extra granola bar or a few bags of cookies which would offset this cost saving. Instead, I just make sure to increase my lunch/dinner by a small amount. After riding for about 2 hours a day, you will most likely be much hungrier than normal! So, if the money is actually a factor, you need to increase your calorie intake without eating food that is more expensive than what you would normally eat! Saving gas also helps the environment! Just don’t go eating a steak after each ride.
3rd, my coworkers think I am super cool. Or maybe they think I’m crazy. 🙂
4th, I get 2 hours of exercise and save 40 minutes of driving! Many studies recommend approximately 150 minutes of aerobic activity a week. So, biking to work twice a week would be perfect for that. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916 The answer on mayoclinic.org even says that “You can achieve more health benefits if you ramp up your exercise to 300 minutes or more a week. ” So, biking 3-4 times a week sounds very healthy to me!
5th, I reduce mileage on my car. I am leasing my vehicle, with a 20,000 mile limit for 2 years. I most likely will be within the limit even if I drove to work everyday, but it doesn’t hurt to have extra wiggle room for potentially unplanned trips. If you own your car, then you can also view the expense of a bike, clothing, and other equipment being offset by slower depreciation of your vehicle and lower maintenance costs! Some insurance companies also will charge you less depending on how much you drive which could be a few hundred dollars a year. My current insurance is $1000 every 6 months. By lowering my mileage, I will likely get a 10% discount, which is $200 a year!
Strava recording, to work: https://www.strava.com/activities/2067826955
Strava recording, return home: https://www.strava.com/activities/2067826878
