Humans have yet to discover a more efficient form of transportation than the bicycle. Sorry, scooter guy. Bikes are fun, healthy and cheap. They’re enjoying a resurgence around the world, too — major cities offer them for free to municipal users, and they have the added benefit of zero pollution. They’re sustainable public transport. What could be better?
As part of a civilization that chooses far less efficient means of transport during our daily commute to contribute to society, you have to ask, why not bike? Here are a few great reasons you should choose to ride on two wheels.
1. Biking is good for you
Human-powered transportation is always the healthiest option. You could walk to work, but that might result in many people arriving very late to their jobs. A well-tuned bike can easily cruise at 20mph, which makes moderate commutes manageable assuming you don’t live terribly far from work. Still, in that short stint, you’ll be burning hundreds of calories, keeping your heart healthy and pumping fresh blood through those leg and core muscles.
Biking is a great exercise, and you don’t have to be a Tour-worthy rider to get the benefits. It’s a good way to pack some healthy activity into your busy schedule in a world where many people feel they haven’t got the time. New studies even suggest that riding to work might help you live longer — so perhaps you should move farther from the office!
2. It’s much less stressful
Competing for space on the road can get a little dicey, but in general, you won’t deal with the mind-numbing trudge of morning and afternoon traffic if you’re commuting via bike. Imagine if instead of arriving at work feeling stressed and concerned about getting in a potential car accident, you had the chance to ride your bike along a green, wooded path and take in the morning air while listening to your favorite music or a recent podcast. Sounds pleasant, doesn’t it?
3. It’s environmentally friendly
Bikes don’t pollute. Even if you don’t want to put in the effort to pedal on your own, you can choose a battery-powered e-bike and get there just as quickly without harming the environment. These simple-to-use alternatives to cars can be rented in many major cities and are no more difficult to use than your average pedal-powered bicycle.
In many cases, it’s possible to navigate the same roads more quickly on a bike than in a car because traffic is so dense. Just imagine the impact on global emissions we would have if most people chose to ride instead of drive. It would be a massive reduction in carbon emissions and greenhouse gasses generated by cars.
4. It’s cheap
Even if you wanted to commute on a purpose-built racing bike (which we do not recommend), you’d be spending a fraction of what the average modern car costs. Plus, that’s a one-time cost. You never have to put gas in your bike. Even if you’re renting an e-bike, the cost of charging is spread across multiple renters. You’d have to use the rented bike for several months to account for just a single tank of gas for your car.
Bikes are cheap to fix, too. If you own one, you can probably learn to make most of the basic fixes it might need in the comfort of your own home with a few simple tools. That doesn’t sound much like car ownership, does it?
These are just a few of the many great reasons to commute using a bike. Oh, and don’t forget, it’s fun! That’s why we love going out for bike rides as kids and still do it as adults, even when there’s no job to go to. When was the last time you jumped in the car to enjoy a pleasurable, relaxing drive to work? Probably never. If that doesn’t sell you on bikes, nothing will. Get out and ride!
◊♦◊
Have you read the original anthology that was the catalyst for The Good Men Project? Buy here: The Good Men Project: Real Stories from the Front Lines of Modern Manhood
◊♦◊
Talk to you soon.
If you believe in the work we are doing here at The Good Men Project and want to join our calls on a regular basis, please join us as a Premium Member, today.
All Premium Members get to view The Good Men Project with NO ADS.
A $50 annual membership gives you an all-access pass. You can be a part of every call, group, class, and community.
A $25 annual membership gives you access to one class, one Social Interest group, and our online communities.
A $12 annual membership gives you access to our Friday calls with the publisher, our online community.
Register New Account
Need more info? A complete list of benefits is here.
—
Image: iStock
