Hubby and I have been talking about purchasing two bikes but we are not sure what types of bicycles we want to get. I’m leaning more towards the mountain bike because I would rather ride on trails than road but I also love the cruisers. I think Kev wants bikes that can work for both road and trail if there is such a thing. There is so much out there when it comes to bike riding. It’s funny that he and I were just talking about this because this week is Bike to Work Week.
Cyclists cite lots of reasons for trading in the car, bus, or train for a two-wheel commute: a good workout, a minuscule carbon footprint, fewer worries about finding a parking space—but one of the most-enticing benefits is the cost savings. And last year Congress added another perk, putting bicycle commuters on the list of those eligible for a transportation tax benefit. Just as employers can provide tax-free reimbursement for the cost of parking or transit passes, now they can also subsidize the cost of biking to work (up to $20 per month).
So, how much can you save biking to work? Calculate the savings you’ll achieve with Kiplinger.com’s “How Much Can I Save Bicycling to Work” Calculator: https://www.kiplinger.com/tools/bike/
A few years ago we bought two bikes from Wal-Mart but neither are the right fit for us and for $99 each we should have known that. We’ll be donating those and hope to get more professional bicycles.
There are many types of bicycles: mountain, road, cruiser, urban, comfort and the list goes on so I have no clue what we are in the market for so I think we might check out a few cycle shops to see what options we have and talk to some professional cyclists.
Here are more benefits to riding your bike to work….these are provided by Bob Smith, Kent International Bike Expert.
- Bicycling can be a fun, dependable and very low-cost mode of transportation. Bicycling also burns about 500 calories an hour, so you can commute and stay fit at the same time.
- Bicycling reduces your stress and improves your health. Bicycle commuters get to work on time more often, and are often happier and more productive employees. Physical activity appears to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety and improve mood.
- Bicycle commuting is a positive alternative to garage-highway-garage journeys that isolate commuters and clog roads. More cycling means less traffic, cleaner air.
- Bicycling saves you time – the time it takes to search for car parking, the time spent at gas stations since you won’t need to fill up, and the time wasted sitting in traffic.
- Bicycling saves you money: The cost of operating a car for one year is approximately $5,170 (AAA Mid-Atlantic, www.bicyclinginfo.org)
- Bicycling is energy-efficient: If one out of 10 commuters switched to walking or biking, we’d save 2 billion gallons of gas a year.
Amazing! I have always dreamed of living somewhere that I could just hop on a bike and go to the grocery store (with a cute bike basket and bell ha ha) but around here with all these crazy drivers, I would not take a chance with it. I’m looking forward to learning more about finding the perfect bike. I know it will end up costing a pretty penny though because we’ll need a bike rack for the truck and other gear but I’m excited about all of it.
Do you enjoy bike riding? If so, what kind of bike do you own?
I love riding…I have a beautiful road bike and totally recommend a road bike. I trained for my first bike ride with a mountain bike and it is so much more difficult. If you’re looking for something in the middle, they’re called hybrid bikes…they run around $300-$800 for most of them. They have slightly less knobby tires which makes them roll easier but are durable enough for off-road adventures. I’m glad to see someone else is enjoying riding =)
.-= Megan´s last blog .. =-.
Thanks for the tip about the hybrid. I’m so glad to hear you really enjoy bike riding. I think I would too. This running this is getting better with each day but it sure can get boring LOL
I would love to hear more of your bike riding stories too.
You mean like how I bought the shoes and clips and then tipped like a cow when some loser didn’t stop to let me cross? Those aren’t the most inspiring stories but they totally make me laugh…the best story is the last day from last year’s Tour DaVita when I found a buddy and rode the entire thing, crossing the finish line and high fiving my CEO. I cried the whole way until I got off my bike…it was so powerful!! But I also have a lot of health issues – knee problems, shoulder problems, asthma, allergies, being fat…all of those issues don’t bother me when I’m riding! I hope you stick with it!
.-= Megan´s last blog .. =-.
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe someone didn’t let you cross. I would definitely laugh after the fact too (at me, not you of course LOL). It’s inspiring to hear about your Tour DaVita experience. Awesome stuff! I have a feeling once I find the perfect bike for me, I will really enjoy getting out there and riding with hubby.
I love biking. I got into it about 2 years ago and it is now my preferred workout. I have a Trek Hybrid bike which I love cause I can ride on both the road and a trail with it.
.-= CertifiablyFit´s last blog ..Business Trips – Healthy Style =-.
Erica,
Thanks for the bike suggestion. Glad to hear you enjoy bike riding so much. I think we will too.
We do love to bike. Being here in Seattle we have a ton of trails to mountain bike on. Both of us have heavy duty mountain bikes (which most don’t need, but we jump stuff lol) but it just takes a change of the tires to be more road appropriate. Get a little lighter duty mountain bike so you can take it off road and an extra set of road tires that you can switch out for cruising distances.
We plan on selling our bikes and getting some lighter one’s like I just suggested. Because we’ve decided we want to try doing some biathalon’s and triathalons.
.-= Val´s last blog ..Keep Skin in Shape this Summer =-.
Sounds like you have awesome bikes! Thanks for sharing about the changing of the tires. That sounds like a good idea.
I love to ride my bike. We live in the middle of nowhere ~ literally the nearest town is 10 miles away, a decent sized town is 17 miles away. Which means I don’t bike to the grocery store, (only because the food would be melted by the time I get home lol) but I do get to log a lot of miles without traffic. I first bought a mountain bike and I love love love it. It’s a hard tail, which means it doesnt’ have any suspension, which makes it nice on the road. I put smaller tires on it and I ride it on the road all the time. My goal this year is to ride a century ~ so I picked up a road bike (both Giant brand) and haven’t ridden it much yet. I just feel so comfortable on my mountain bike.
My husband has a road and a mountain bike as well ~ we got them ALL off Craigslist. Once you know what you want ~ definitely check Craigslist. Now is the perfect time since avid cyclists will be getting new bikes in the spring and selling their old ones. 🙂
Have fun biking.
.-= Jackie´s last blog ..72 Hour Challenge ~ YES! I’m Challenging YOU! =-.
Jackie,
Thank you for stopping by and sharing your experience. We will definitely take a look at Craigslist. Kev said he wanted to look there for a bike rack for the truck anyway so I’ll let you know if we find anything. So many bicycle options out there. And isn’t a century 100 miles? You go girl!
I too am looking for a new bike. Because of my size I’ve spent more time fixing my bike than riding it 🙁 But I so want to have another option for getting back and forth to swim practice with my kids. And my husband likes to bike, it would be great to go out periodically with him.
Look forward to hearing what type of bike you settle on.
….Shannon
Shannon,
I’ll keep everyone updated on what we decide. Not sure if we’ll be buying any in June or not. Sure would be nice to have 2 new bikes though ASAP. Biking to swim practice would be ideal.
Hi Angie,
I love to bike so much, and got so discouraged when I wanted to start up again because people weren’t making heavy duty bikes, that I started a store that sells exclusively bikes for heavy riders. SuperSizedCycles.com is the cheapest answer for anyone weighing a lot right now–it’s either that or have a custom build. Our bikes are not inexpensive–but they’re awesome. Worth every cent if you love to ride and you’re too heavy for “normal” bikes (what IS normal, by the way??) Anyway, we are definitely a resource for big people who want to start biking again. Our bikes are truly great–safe, comfortable, and sturdy.
I just started a team on PEERtrainer.com. It’s called Bikes for Fun and Fitness, and it’s all about supporting people in starting to ride again. Any and all are welcome to join me in my ride to health.
Joan,
I had no clue there were bikes specifically for heavy riders. I just took a peek at your site and really like it. Of course those prices are not in our range but they look awesome especially that awesome purple with basket. LOVE IT! I’ll be sure to check out your group on Peer Trainer soon. Thank you for the offer and thanks for letting us know about your website for bikes.
I think it would be nice to have a bike lane on every road. Not cost effective in the beginning, but maybe worth it after all.
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I agree! I would be more inclined to ride to the store if there were bike paths or a safe way to get places around town.