5 Myths about cycle commuting dispelled

September 22nd was world car free day where X people joined a growing movement to leave their gas guzzlers languishing in the garage.  Instead they dusted off their bikes and experienced the benefits of commuting by bike whether on daily errands or for their trip to work.  If you haven’t tried cycle commuting the reason thing you back may just be a myth.  Here we dispel 5 common misbeliefs about cycle commuting.

 

1. It’s too dangerous. There’s no doubt there is a real risk associated with cycling. Bikers do crash and get hit by cars. But biking is not nearly as dangerous as other forms of transport.  Safety and failure testing company Exponent examined a variety of activities and determined that the number of fatalities per million hours of exposure was 0.26 for biking, 0.47 for driving, 1.53 for living (all causes of death), and 8.80 for motorcycling.

In other words, they found that the risks of biking were about half that associated with driving and a sixth of that associated simply with being alive!  Additionally, the risks are offset by the benefits that come from regular, low stress exercise: a healthier cardiovascular system, weight loss, and a more positive outlook.

 

2. It’s too far. Maybe you live a long way from work or you’re just starting out and you think that commuting 20km or more would take too much out of your day – or you.  Many commuters drive or take public transport part of the way and ride what they think is manageable.  There are plenty of people in our office, for example, who catch a ferry part of the way and ride the rest.  Now that’s a great way to start the day!

 

3. I'll need an expensive bike.  Of all the cycling communities those that choose to commute by bike are least image conscious and have the lowest requirements of all.  All you basically need is a bike with two wheels that is easy to operate, comfortable and well maintained that can handle the terrain you need to ride on. At your nearest AvantiPlus you can get started for less than $600 with a bike that’s professionally assembled, reliable and has quality componentry.  Or why not just dust off that old bike in the shed to get started?  Just make sure you get it safety checked by a quality bike store first.  Don’t want the wheels falling off on your first adventure.

 

4. It's impossible to carry everything I need. If this is what you think, you’re carrying way more than the average person to work or you don’t have the right bag or features on your bike. A good basket or touring panniers will mean you can easily carry a computer, change of clothes, lunch, a few books, a slew of folders, and any other bits and pieces you feel are important. Or even a small backpack would do the trick.  Some people bring their gear in on Monday in the car then ride the other days of the week fairly well baggage free.

 

5. There’s nowhere to shower.  If you’re lucky you may have a physical job where showering after your ride is not really important.  But if you’d rather not start your day with your shirt stuck to your back by rivers of perspiration there’s a number of options:

- Electric bikes are taking off globally.  They make pedalling easier so you can just cruise and not break a sweat.  Or you could just cruise slower on a regular bike.  You don’t need to make a new national record every morning.

- Check to make sure your building doesn’t have a shower somewhere. Lots of recently built office buildings do. 

- Check nearby gyms or fitness clubs. You may be able to get a shower-only memberships.

- If you get desperate a few cunningly directed baby wipes should sort you out.