Ah, the pleasures and benefits of cycling! Consider, if you will:
- The bicycle provides basic, non-polluting transportation, and can contribute to lowering traffic congestion and improving air quality.
- It is a fitness machine. Not need to go to a health club. We would all enjoy better health, and save time and money if we committed some or all of our daily travels to a bicycle.
- The bicycle is economical. The cost of a bicycle, even a pricey one, and its maintenance, spread over the number of years the owner will enjoy it, adds up to a very affordable annual expense. If we use a bicycle in place of a car or bus, the savings increase dramatically.
- The bicycle can boost your psychological well-being (I regret that I don't have any studies to substantiate this claim. Argue with me if you'd like.). It liberates you from reliance on motor vehicles, and, because it is human-powered, offers a sense of independence and freedom to travel efficiently from one place to another. It can help you get away from the daily stresses, and free you from the constraints of traffic, crowds and noise.
- The bicycle builds awareness. Unlike a car, which isolates us from our surroundings and fellow humans, the bicycle puts us in touch with the environment & people around us.
- The bicycle is a vehicle for social change. Many programs around the country teach disadvantages kids mechanical & business skills through working with bicycles (eg. Blackstone Bicycle Works); others use bikes to empower people around the world (eg. Working Bikes, Kona's Africa Bikes program). Bicycles have also been used effectively in the fight against a number of diseases, as thousands of riders raised money for medical research and services by participating in AIDS Rides and MS Rides across the country.
But, lest we get all caught up in how good cycling is for us, let's not forget how much enjoyment it can offer. The bicycle is all the things mentioned above, but it is also a vehicle for recreation, adventure & fun.
(photo courtesy of neighborhoods.chicago.il.us)
Whatever your style, get our on your bike this summer. Commute to work to save money & get out of traffic. Go bike touring for an active & inexpensive vacation. Ride your bike to events around the city (Taste, Blues Fest, Ravinia, etc.) and avoid parking hassles. Go on a nighttime urban assault ride through the loop, and reacquaint yourself with the city. Take your bike out of the city and go for an off-road romp.
Summer's nearly here. Enjoy!
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