Benefits of Biking

Photo by Mark Land. All rights reserved

There are a lot of benefits to riding your bike. I get to spend time outside on our beautiful campus (which is great when it is nice out and no so great when it is raining), I get to be active, and I get to save time since it is faster than walking. The overall costs of biking have been minimal since I already have my own bike in good condition. That is a benefit too!



Where do I go?
From my apartment to work is 0.56 miles, which I ride there and back, which is 1.12 miles. I ride to work approximately 4 times a week, which means I ride 4.48 miles to work alone. I feel that it is really important that I choose active transportation to get to work because I am a trainer at a kickboxing gym. I need to set an example for our members that they can incorporate biking into their lifestyle as well. Otherwise, I mostly ride to the SRSC, the bank, the library, and the Union.

What do I Save?
The two biggest things biking helps me save is time and calories. I can get to work in about 6 minutes on my bike. I would not drive anyway, since there is no where to park, and since I don't have my pass anymore, my only other option is to walk. Biking helps shaves off half the time it would take to walk to and from work.

In terms of calories, I know I am not biking far, but it is better than the sedentary lifestyle of driving my car. I did find this intriguing fact from the Rails to Trails Conservancy over the summer while interning with BCOS, "Most American adults gain weight gradually, typically about two pounds a year, or an excess of about 100 calories a day. Just bicycling or walking for less than 30 minutes a day would be just enough to burn those extra calories and keep body weight stable." Crazy right? This type of information could really be valuable for those who are weight conscious.


I also save on gas money! For the month of September I did not fill up on gas at all.I probably would not have in October, but I went home over fall break and that required a full tank unfortunately.

“Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There’s something wrong with a society that drives a car to work out in a gym.” –Bill Nye the Science Guy