Ride your bike to work

 Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images North America

With such busy lives, we hardly have time to get the exercise we so desperately need. This is a problem of priorities for most of us, of course, as we could work out instead of watching Modern Family, but we don't. We just complain to our friends that we really need to get into shape, but we just don't have time.

It might sound cliché, but how about you kill two birds with one stone and bike commute?

Why should I bike commute?

I think we're all aware that exercise is good for our bodies. Bicycle riding is one of the best cardiovascular exercises you can do. But I bet you didn't know it was also makes us happier.

Recently, psychologists at Harvard conducted a test where they contacted people at random using an iPhone app called Track Your Happiness to determine how people felt while conducting different tasks. The second most satisfying task people reported doing was exercise. Near the bottom of that list was commuting and working. Imagine if you could combine one of the happiest activities with one of the least?

It's true that turning something enjoyable into a chore can sometimes be exacerbating, but the cardiovascular pleasure of riding a bike, and the self esteem you will build, would certainly make the commute more pleasurable than sitting in traffic.

Regular exercise releases serotonin from the brain. Serotonin is a natural chemical in your brain that creates a sense of happiness and well-being. Sunlight also increases your levels of serotonin Low levels of serotonin causes irritability, depression, and anxiety. Riding your bike will literally change your mind.

How to commute by bike

Before you begin commuting by bicycle, you will need a few things.

• Bicycle A lot of us already have bicycles, but they're just sitting in the garage or on the patio. If that's you, just take it to the local bike shop and get it tuned up for safety and speed. If you don't have a bike, get one. I'll explain some details below.
• Helmet Be safe. A lot of drivers don't look for bicyclists. Follow the rules of the road, and wear a helmet.
• Plan You can't just hop on the bike and head to work, in most towns. Get on a map and plan a route. Google Maps can provide directions by bike. Spend a weekend riding the proposed routes to get to know it so you don't run into a surprise.
• Bags You will be carrying items with you. Most bike commuters find a small backpack is sufficient enough, but others prefer panniers (bike-mounted bags). This is a personal decision, so you'll want to check out the options.
• Supplies It is impossible to foresee all events. Be prepared with a spare tube, pump, patch kit and tools. Bike shops have small kits you can throw in a bag. But since you're headed to work, you'll also want to bring a few more items, or store them in your desk. Deodorant, a towel, hair comb/brush, and a change of clothes.

What kind of bike should I buy?

As with most things, a bicycle is a very personal decision. Everyone has different priorities on comfort, aesthetic, price, etc. But there are a few basic tips to help you understand what to look for in a commuter bike.

Size and fit
For the most comfortable ride, a proper-sized bicycle is imperative. You want your legs to fully extend on the down-stroke without going completely straight, where your knee can lock. The length of the bike will determine how horizontal your body will lie. The flatter you go, the faster you go - and the less comfortable. The more vertical you go, the more comfortable the ride, but you also provide less power to the pedals, and more air resistance.

I suggest reading this article on fit and watch this video.



Purpose built
There are several types of bikes built for specific styles of riding. I'll just focus on the main four types here.

• Cruiser The cruiser style bike has a very vertical seating position, wide tires with little tread, wide handlebars, and usually just a single gear. This type of bike is very comfortable to ride, but is intended for slow speeds. The wide tire and upright position are not conducive to fast road speeds.
• Mountain The mountain bike has become so prevalent that many people own them without ever riding them on off-road terrain. They have a strong frame, flat handlebar, multiple gears, slight forward posture, and wide, knobby tires. Many mountain bikes also have suspension in the fork. Everything about a mountain bike is for rough, tough riding. If you're riding on streets and sidewalks, you don't need a mountain bike. Everything about them will slow you down and wear you out. The suspension provides some comfort, but also requires more energy from you to accelerate. The wide, knobby tires provide a lot of resistance, and slow you down.
• Road The road bike is built for speed. There are variations on the road bike, but it generally has a lot of gears, horizontal posture, light frame, dropped handlebars, and skinny tires. These bikes are adequate for bike commuting as they take little effort to get up to speed.
• City These bikes go by a lot of different names: Commuter, Urban, Hybrid, Street, etc. These bikes are built for street riding at moderate speed. They're a little sturdier than racing road bikes, have a posture more like a mountain bike, a variety of gear options, and sometimes they have suspension. These types of bikes are ideal for commuting. They have skinny tires, but they're a bit wider than road bikes and with a slight grip. They're light, but they are strong and offer add-on features.

The most important issue when picking a bike is comfort. You won't be happy riding a bike you're not comfortable with.

Add-on features
These are a few features you'll want to add on to your bike for safety and convenience:

• Lights This will save your life. At night, it's dangerous to be riding a bicycle on the street without lights. You will need a taillight, and a headlight. You may also want to add reflectors or reflective tapes to add more visibility. Getting reflective clothing to wear while riding is also a very thoughtful safety feature.
• Pannier A pannier is a rack added to the front or back of the bike to allow adding bags. This will help you carry more without putting stress on your shoulders with a heavy backpack.
• Fenders Fenders attach to your bike to protect you from water, dirt, mud, oil or other debris on the roadway. The tires pickup this material and spray it onto your body. Since you're going to work, fenders will help keep you clean.
• Pedals Clipless pedals with bicyclist cleats will provide more power in your pedaling. These are only recommended for the serious cyclist who wants to get the most speed.

I used to drive my car thirty-five minutes from home to work. Now I ride my bike twenty minutes to work. I am not using any more time than I used to, but now I'm getting a daily exercise in the process - at least forty minutes every day.

I'm not saying I am riding my bike faster than I used to drive. I moved closer to work. If your commute is twenty miles from home, a bike commute may be more difficult. I have friends who bike commute that far or more, but it may not be for everyone. But with public transportation, you can easily ride a bus, subway or train closer to work and finish it off by bike.

If you do live under ten miles from the office, the commute by bike isn't substantially longer than by car. You might have to wake up earlier to make it happen, but you do want to be more disciplined, right? You do want exercise, so you'll need to prioritize it.

For more tips on bike commuting, check out this website.