Five Tips for Cycling to Work

Don't sweat it! Bike to work!

Taking your bicycle to work is simply full of benefits: exercise, saving on gas, fresh air, and an energy boost. With that said, there’s no doubt that there are some potentially negative consequences for taking your bike to work, sweat foremost among them. So how can you cycle to work without disrupting your day at the office? Here are five tips for cycling to work the right way – and eliminating the excuses.

Tip #1: Avoid sweat by planning ahead.

Sweating is probably the #1 complaint of anyone thinking about taking their bike to work. But if you plan ahead, you can avoid a lot of moisture and simply enjoy a relaxing ride. It will be important to plot out your course and leave yourself plenty of time to take it easy on the ride to work. If necessary, bring a change of clothes and change in the office bathroom – hey, it’s a good excuse to get to work early.

Tip #2: Trick out your bike for luggage.

It’s not easy to take a briefcase along with you to work, but if you “trick out” your bike for luggage, it won’t be a problem. Take a trip to the local bicycle shop and see if they carry anything you can add on to your bike that will make it possible to securely attach your daily luggage. You might even want to buy a bike that comes ready for commuting. Check out this commuter’s bike from Kona bikes.

Tip #3: Have a backup plan in place.

Make sure there’s one or two people you can count on at work to give you a ride home of the weather gets too crazy – a freak snowstorm or a heavy downpour can be a discouraging way to ride home. Be sure to ask your co-worker in advance so that they have plenty of notice.

Tip #4: Use your bicycle training to your advantage.

Sweating is less of a problem the more you bike – for you real cycling enthusiasts out there, you know that you can make it a certain amount of time before the bike becomes a real challenge. If you can train on the weekends and use your bike more often, why not?

Tip #5: Always wear your helmet.

Just because you might be taking a short commute to work doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the laws of good safety (not to mention the actual safety laws). Be sure to wear your helmet to work and back – you can let the helmet hang from the bike so that you won’t forget it at your desk.

Photo Credits: Rob__

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