Bicycling

Bike ‘n’ Bus

• Most transit providers now have bike racks on their buses. This enables commuters to combine bicycle commuting and public transit for longer commutes. Call your local transit provider to double-check.
• Below, you will find bikeways mapped out in Fresno County and Tulare County.

Employees

• Explore the existing options for biking at your place of work or school. See if bike racks or lockers are provided. If not, ask for them!
• If bicycle commuting is a viable commute option for any of your employees, consider putting in bike racks or bike lockers, and showers for your employees. Compare the cost of adding bicycle facilities against the money you will save in decreased absenteeism, higher productivity from employees who are more alert, less stressed and generally healthier, and the need for fewer parking spaces.
• We have listed four of the most used excuses employees use to avoid bicycle commuting. Read through our responses to those excuses, and the next time you hear one of your employees use one, you’ll be prepared with an answer.
• After reading about the benefits of bicycle commuting, if you are still unsure if it is for you, read the “commonly used excuses” for not bicycling to work.

Benefits

• Bicycling is clean, quiet and produces no air pollution. Bicycles don’t require expensive fuels for operation. They are low maintenance and inexpensive to maintain. A cinch to parallel park! In fact, twelve bicycles can be parked in the space required for one automobile!
• Bicycling provides many health benefits, including burning ten calories a minute! Plus, the exercise delivers oxygen to the blood, the blood delivers oxygen to the brain, and the brain delivers an alert response. Bicycle commuters get to work alert and ready to face the day!

Go 5 miles in 20 minutes

• In many parts of the Valley, bicyclists can be almost anywhere in town in less than half an hour, depending on how fast they ride and the time of day they travel. Because bicyclists often don’t have to wait in traffic, they may get to their destination in relatively the same amount of time it would take to drive! Plus, electric-powered bicycles are now available through specialized dealers. These unique bicycles enable bicyclists to pedal on their own or ride by turning on and off the electric power pack attached to the bike.

Some commonly given excuses for not trying bicycle commuting are:

“I live too far away!”

If you live less than five miles from your workplace, bike commuting will be easy. Living between five and ten miles away will be more challenging but still within your reach, especially if you can combine bicycle commuting with public transit. You're excused if you live over 15 miles from your workplace. (Unless you are a serious biker.) But you probably wouldn’t be reading this if you were.) Try riding to work once on the weekend. You may learn that it takes less time and effort than you anticipated. Keep in mind that every minute you spend riding to work in the fresh air and sunshine is a minute that you don’t have to spend doing aerobic exercise at a gym.

“I’m out of shape!”

You’ll get in shape really fast! Set reasonable goals. Don’t plunge in over your head. Start out riding to work one or two days a week. When you start feeling fitter, add another day until you are riding as often as you’d like to. Also, start out riding slowly. Stop a few times to catch your breath or walk up that tough hill. You’ll eventually be riding up. REALLY! Cycling is easier for out-of-shape people than many aerobic sports. It’s not a load-bearing exercise because you are not standing the whole time, and it is low impact, which doesn’t put undue stress on your lower body.

“I’ll get sweaty!”

Yep. You probably will. So, wear a T-shirt, and either carry a change of clothes with you or take a couple of changes of clothes to work during the weekend or on another day that you cannot commute by bike. Check to see if your workplace has showers–many do. To avoid getting hot, take some extra time and bike slowly, or ride earlier in the morning before the weather has time to heat up. Take a full water bottle with you and drink whenever you need to.

“I don’t have a commuter bike!”

You don’t need a particular commuter bike. That dusty bike that’s sitting in your garage is probably just fine. You can ride to work on it as soon as you pump up the tires. But for a safe, quality commuting experience, you might want to take it to a bike shop for a low-cost tune-up. You can even tune it up yourself with the help of a bike repair book from your local bookstore or bike shop. Check out all of the new bicycle gear out on the market. Investing in a comfortable seat, a flat fix kit, an extra inner tube, and lights are recommended. A helmet is a must!

“I don’t have enough time!”

Keep in mind that every minute you spend riding to work in the fresh air and sunshine is a minute that you don’t have to spend doing aerobic exercise at a gym. Bicyclists often don’t have to wait in traffic, and they may get to their destination in the same amount of time it would take to drive! You may also want to check out those electric bicycles and coordinate transit schedules!